To whom it may concern,
A most cordial invitation!
The Depositaren of the Most Serene Republic of the Midwest is currently in the process of generating a series of reports to the general public concerning elected officials and known politicians active in the Republic of Atlasia. Accountability and transparency are integral values of this institution, and any information you provide will be broadly distributed to voters without any financial contribution on your part. Your participation in completing the following questionnaire would be most sincerely appreciated.
Send completed responses via PM or email to Redalgus I, Wisard Extraordinær.
Thank you for your time.
Basic Information
Replace the underscored spaces with your responses. Use N/A if needed.
00. Name and Title of Office(s), if applicable: SJoyceFla, Chairman of the Imperial Bloc and Co-Speaker of the IDS Legislature
01. Date of Birth: August 13
02. Ideology: Liberalitarian? Cosmolibertarian? Classical liberal?
03. Religion: Episcopalian
04. Region: Imperial Dominion of the South
05. Party: Imperial Bloc
Public Administration
Please answer these next ten questions using no more than ten words each.
06. Which is more important: excellent results or an excellent process?
Process; killing terrorists is an excellent result that doesn't justify flawed processes.
07. Who should have more power in federalism: the nation or regions?
The regions know best what is best for the regions.
08. Would a potent, highly-effective executive do more good or harm?
Most of the time, somewhat more good; occasionally, massive harm
09. Should public officials be accountable to each other, or the people?
Ideally, both; if forced to choose, the people.
10. Should public officials be expected to implement the people’s will?
Yes, unless 'the people's will' is unconstitutional or illegitimate.
11. Are checks and balances, and separation between powers desirable?
Yes.
12. Which is best: governing from the bottom-up or from the top-down?
Typically the bottom-up.
13. Should governments be organized hierarchically, or egalitarian-like?
Hierarchically for the most part.
14. Should a government delegate its duties to private service providers?
In some instances (where it would be more effective/efficient to do so).
15. Is it okay for a leader to award their supporters preferential treatment?
Loyalty yes, promoting followers over clearly qualified other candidates no.
Political Worldview
Please answer these four questions with no more than a hundred words each.
16. What is the correct role for good or legitimate states?
The role of the state is to prevent infringement upon the rights of individuals by other entities, be they corporations, other individuals, or the state itself.
17. What makes a leader or elected official good or bad?
A leader can be judged as to whether they are 'good' or 'bad' based on the policies they implement and their overall results for the nation.
18. Are people beholden to some form of human nature?
That is not under my jurisdiction to determine.
19. Are people bestowed with natural, inalienable rights?
Yes.
Political Convictions
Please answer each of these thirty questions with “Yes,” “No,” or “Other.”
20. Can coercion of people by government ever be justified? Yes.
21. Do good people have reasons to be wary of government? Yes.
22. Is “limited government” an attractive notion to embrace? Yes.
23. Should interest groups be made part of the government to help craft policies? Yes.
24. Are people supposed to bring honor and be loyal to the community? Yes.
25. Do the needs of the many mostly outweigh those of the few? Other.
26. Is government the ultimate authority in society? No.
27. Would we all be better off without any economic regulation? No.
28. Will competition and a market economy help workers flourish? Yes.
29. Is self-reliance an important value for our society to promote? Yes.
30. Does redistributing resources make an economic order fairer? Other.
31. Should the workers themselves own the means of production? Other.
32. Is “social utility” a better objective for producers than profits? Other.
33. Would we all be better off if private property were abolished? No.
34. Should people seek to conquer nature and bend it to their will? Other.
35. Will humanity eventually exhaust its supplies of crucial resources? Yes.
36. Do environmental challenges threaten our material standards of living? Yes.
37. Does it suffice to simply manage natural resources for sustainable use? Yes.
38. Is it worthwhile to preserve other life forms and their habitats, as well? Yes.
39. Are animals entitled to any privileges that infringe on human interests? Yes.
40. Should the interests of all animal species be valued equally? No.
41. Is it ever alright for one group of people to culturally dominate another? Other.
42. Do you think the Republic of Atlasia is an “exceptional” country? Yes.
43. Should the state promote a culture that is uniquely Atlasian? Other.
44. Are you willing to tolerate and coexist with groups of different people? Yes.
45. As natives, can we justly demand that any newcomers assimilate? Other.
46. Can more than one cultural nation peacefully coexist within a country? Yes.
47. Do people have enough in common to live under a global government? No.
48. Would you describe yourself as more conservative than progressive? No.
49. Generally speaking, are you more pragmatic than idealistic? Yes.
Additional Comments
Please answer the following question with fewer than 2,000 words.
50. Would you care to divulge any other political views? Please elaborate.
Liberty is at the core of my philosophy, but that liberty doesn't end at "the state shouldn't interfere in people's lives". Liberty extends beyond that, encompassing corporations (example: we need anti-trust laws if we truly want liberty, as we cannot be free under a monopoly) and individuals (you don't have the right to oppress other people). A sort of checks-and-balances system between individuals, corporations, and the state, with none having too much power, is necessary for a free and fair Atlasia.
