Adam Griffin Senate Campaign HQ - Chattanooga, TN - The Southern Candidate

[Donerail]

Endorsed bro.

[Donerail]

Nyman and Oklahoma aren't in the IDS.  Just a heads up.

Neither is Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, or Delaware (but Puerto Rico is). Think that's all the states that could be considered Southern that aren't IDS.

[Donerail]

I can't endorse you (cause I don't think we should implement special elections, mess with our regional identity, or regionalize our utilities), but I do wholeheartedly endorse the idea of a competitive election! Best wishes, and may you do as well as possible without actually winning!

[Donerail]

3. Regionalize major utility companies. With energy use accounting for anywhere from 5-10% of GDP, it is vital that we have a secure energy environment that guarantees individuals and businesses are not being gouged. When it comes to a generic, uniform product such as energy, there is no glitz or glamor in being able to use the “free market” to pick out your own designer energy. Due to this, the regional government is in the unique position to be able to do one of the following:

* Provide energy services at the same cost as current rates, using the profit to lower taxation in other areas.
* Eliminate the concept of profit from the utility system altogether, which would lower energy prices considerably and stimulate economic growth.

Is this how far you would go, or would this lead to what Mr. Seatown was proposing, including nationalized gas, water, electricity, sewage, garbage, internet, wireless communication, and rail systems? How far are you willing to push this?

[Donerail]

     I probably should address all of your platform points together, but the special election point particularly intrigues me, so I will feel free to talk about it now.

     Back when we had the post of Viceroy, we were required to hold special elections for vacancies. They were rather dreadful affairs, and along with monthly regular elections contributed to a sense of election fatigue. I think the increase in partisanship now would lead to more interesting special elections, but I do think that there can be too much of a good thing, and that applies to elections too.

     The issue I see is that regional executive has been a traditionally useless post in Atlasia. The advent of the elected legislature has helped in this regard, but I've still had to work to make the post be as relevant as possible. A nice upside of legislative appointments is that it makes executive control play a role in legislative control, as the Emperor has the power to tip the scales of the Legislature in his favor. With the fast timescale that transitions of power can occur on in this regional government, appointment gives the executive a precious opportunity to implement his agenda, whereas special election is more of a double-edged sword.

I'd also argue that the way PiT has made appointments has been extremely smart. For the most part, he appoints new members who would have otherwise had a hard time winning elections. It's because of PiT that these members are able to get their foot in the door and make a bit of a name for themselves. I do see the downside of this power if we ever get a completely opportunistic governor, but I really think it's been a force of good, at least as long as I've been here.

This, this, this. I got an appointment pretty soon after I registered; I doubt I would have otherwise won an election, having absolutely 0 name recognition. The real point of the legislature is to introduce new folks to how this whole thing works, and the appointment system lets that happen more often than I'd believe a special election would.

[Donerail]

In the Pacific, the number of Council Seats is proportional to the population, so for every six citizens, a new seat emerges. I know that in the South, the number is locked, but can be changed by statute. Why don't you implement the proportional system?

This, or I know the Northeast has created a cabinet system (or we could expand the Legislature and have each Legislator hold a cabinet position as well).

[Donerail]

In the Pacific, the number of Council Seats is proportional to the population, so for every six citizens, a new seat emerges. I know that in the South, the number is locked, but can be changed by statute. Why don't you implement the proportional system?

This, or I know the Northeast has created a cabinet system (or we could expand the Legislature and have each Legislator hold a cabinet position as well).

I read your constitution, because I was curious of the legality of BK and Seatown's claims, and I read you already had a cabinet, of a Lottery Commissioner, and a Transportation Commissioner, among others. The Northeast Cabinet is vacant with the exception of Bore. You may want to bring back the position of Viceroy, if you want something new. The problem with Deputy Executives, however, is that there is no appeal to run for them, and while they are more prestigious, they are functionally useless, so that's why we had to abolish the Pacific Lt. Governor position, finally.

Those have been abolished under the End To Superseded And Unenforceable Laws Gumming Up The Books Act of 2011.