At Large Senate Candidate Q&A

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

1. I'm somewhere in that spot between "newcomer" and "veteran". But in my year or so in Atlasia, I've served as governor of the nation's largest region; though my record may not be perfect, I worked with left and right to ban mountaintop mining, to reform the tax code, and to extend civil liberties. Though I am no centrist, I have a philosophy to stick to your principles when you can, but also be willing to reach out and find solutions that help everyone.

2. As vice-chairman of the Labor Party, I represent a social-democratic viewpoint. Capitalism and socialism at their extremes are both detrimental, but that a mix of the best ideals of both, a society where private ownership is present but regulated and essential services are provided by the government but where private business is the driving force of growth, is the ideal for Atlasia. But as a member of the Labor Party, I fundamentally believe that the driving grassroots force, and one of the most important foundations in modern society, is the labor union. Ideally, labor and management should negotiate on equal footing for the ideal balance of workers' interests and business interests.

3. My perusal of Senate debates suggest that it has become unacceptably violent. Though not fully partisan, the viciousness of debates in the Senate is unacceptable; both Senators and the President hold fault, though I am sure that we can all have healthy debate. Take my time as Governor of the Northeast; overall, we had healthy debate and made progress as a region.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

If I may, I'd like to ask each candidate where they stand on crime and what they think should be done to prevent future shootings like the ones we've been seeing in Colorado, Wisconsin, and Texas.  Do you support any new gun control legislation or right-to-carry laws?  Should we put more police on the streets and impose harsher penalties for crimes?  Should law enforcement focus more on punishment or rehabilitation for criminals?  How can we assist local communities in combating crime while respecting civil liberties?

Crime, including these tragic shootings, can be likened to a weed. You can trim that weed  by putting more and better-trained police on the streets or by putting speedometers on the sides of roads. But you'll never get that weed out unless you yank it out by the roots. As Senator, I will work to address what I feel is the root cause of crime; poverty. Unlike the austerity measures of the past administrations, I will work to use our extra funds on helping the underprivileged in Atlasian society; not only a strong safety net but increased funding to job training programs, as well as economic stimuli.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

1. I am most motivated by the rights of the Union. I most of all want to re-implement the pre-1947 state of closed-shop agreements; both "right-to-work" and "open shop" (effectively the same) declaw the unions to placate business interests.

2. I have yet to follow specific committees; I intend to make decisions after/if I have been elected. I will likely aim towards financial or judiciary-related committees.

3. As I already stated, we need to follow the proven success of Kenyesian theory and increase spending on health care, infrastructure, and education. Senator Scott's proposal of roof-painting, while a start, is far too miniscule to be more than a minor help. I look forward to working with him and other Senators in creating a much larger stimulus.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

If I may add a word on gun control: No matter your belief on the issue, a real discussion on the status of firearms in this nation is long overdue. I consider myself relatively moderate on the issue. Those without a violent criminal history and without serious mental illness should be able to purchase a firearm (with a waiting period that applies to both gun shops and gun shows). Concealed carry should be legal, but should require a license. Assault weapons, being useless for hunting or self-defense, and holding only the purpose of killing people, should be banned from civilian use with the exception of vintage military equipment. However, I would oppose a ban on any other firearms.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Snowstalker, how do you plan to fund your "much larger stimulus" and do you have any specific proposals?

The fact that we have a balanced budget in these tough economic times is indication that we should be spending more on getting Atlasians to work in good jobs. These would include various road and bridge repair projects, greater investments into high-speed rail, and programs much like the New-Deal era CCC to clean up the streets and our environment. Federal funds to education and health care should also be increased. Yes, the debt will increase, and we will most likely no longer have a balanced budget. However, I feel that increasing GDP and lowering unemployment is more important at this time.