District Four Debate

[Jake]

Welcome everyone to Fogelman Arena here at beautiful Tulane University in New Orleans. I'd like to thank Tulane University for hosting this debate today. We have a great debate coming up here shortly, first I'd like to introduce myself and tell you the rules of this week's debate.  I am Jake Nichols from the National Atlasian and I myself also am  a citizen of the Southeast Region. 

Now to the rules. I will start by posing a question to one or more of the candidates. They will have 24 hours to respond. At the end of that period, each candidate will have 12 hours for a rebuttal if I believe one is in order. I will pose at least eight questions on a variety of topics pertaining to personal beliefs, national issues, and regional issues. The candidates will be allowed to make a 100 word opening statement and then will respond to my first question. At the end of the debate, each candidate will have the chance to make a 250 word closing statement.  I'd also like to welcome our distinguished guests present this evening, Governor Ernest, Lt. Governor htmldon, former Magistrate John Dibble, former Senator Harry, and Senator WMS.  Now, I'd like you to all join me in welcoming the candidates. They are, Mr. George W. Bush from the great state of Texas, Mr. Sam Spade from the great state of Louisiana, and Senator States Rights from the state of Florida.

(wild applause for the candidates, they shake hands and preceed to their podiums.)

Welcome candidates. Please make your opening statements now.

[George W. Bush]

   I wanna thank the University for hosting the debate, Jake for moderating, Mr. Governor and fellow distinguished guest’s thank you for attending, everyone in the audience and all those watching from home thank you as well.
    Ladies and Gentlemen I think its time for a change! We don’t need a “Fresh Start” all we need is someone in there, working hard with ALL parties. Someone who is a true moderate and can get things done. I want to work hard and make education my top priority, not letting lower-class kids slip through the cracks and just slide through High School and remain in poverty. Education is the only way out for poor kids and I want to give them all the chances in the world to succeed.

[Sam Spade]

Thank you, Jake.  Ladies and gentlemen, friends and wellwishers, Southeast dignitaries and all those watching at home, I want to wish y'all a good evening.

I want to start off here by thanking Tulane University in my own home state of Louisiana for hosting this debate and for Mr. Jake Nichols from the National Atlasian for moderating.  I also want to thank Mr. George W. Bush and Senator StatesRights for joining me in participating in this debate.  They are both distinguished opponents and colleagues and from me to you, I want to wish each of y'all the very best this evening.

When I started this campaign a mere three weeks ago, I came to y'all with a vision, a clear, moderate vision of a "Fresh Start for District 4" and of a new face with new ideas that could transform the Southeast Region and Atlasia as a whole.

These were not ideas based on party or ideology or as the locals call it around here, "avatar", they were based on the growing and changing needs of this District and its people

The security of this nation and its citizens is of the utmost concern to me and to the residents of District 4, if not the whole of Atlasia.  Illegal immigration is placing jobs in the black market of Atlasia with low wages and even lower standards. 

To solve both of these problems, I proposed a "Road to Citizenship" plan, which would strengthen our Border Patrol and INS workers, punish those who violate Atlasia's visa, passport and work laws and create a system where those jobs that are presently in the black market would move to the free market, with better wages and standards for everyone who wishes to immigrate and work.

This present PBrunsel administration has been a great believer in protective tariffs and confrontation with other nations.  I have proposed a different ideal, one of free trade with all nations including China, Cuba and err... Poland, which will bring their citizens to better living standards and bring their countries closer to those treasured Atlasian ideals of freedom and liberty for all.

Also, I believe this country's energy and environmental concerns of the present and future need goals and support.  For that reason I have been public and out in the open in my support for Senator Nym90's Environmental Protection and Intermodal Transportation Act, which Senator StatesRights recently voted against, and also have proposed drilling in the ANWR and extending the tax benefits and incentives for the clean energies of the future as described in former Senator Texasgurl's Clean Energy Act.

In order to establish true energy independence for Atlasia, we must utilize the resources of the present, while developing the technologies of the future so that Atlasia will remain a driving force in the world in the 21st century.

Now, I must ask those here present, where are my opponent's plans?  Where are their visions for the future?  George W. Bush has some excellent ideas on education, many of which I agree with myself, but does he have any focus in his vision?  Does he have any specifics as to how to achieve or pay for what he plans to do?  And where does he stand on other issues, such as the environment, free trade, taxation,... the list goes on and on.

And of Senator StatesRights, where is his vision?  He has given us no new ideas for how he intends use this fourth term in the Senate to the advantage of the Southeast, just vicious attack ads.  He has been in the Senate for 3 terms and how many bills has he authored?  If you guessed one, you got the right answer.  If the District 4 gives him 3 more terms, will we be able to get one more bill out of him then?

Tonight I come to you, the citizens of District 4, with a clear, moderate vision for your future and the future of Atlasia.  Whether you have a red, blue, green or orange "avatar" and whatever party you belong to, I ask that you listen carefully to each answer that is given and take every one of these responses with you when go to the voting booth a week from now.  Your vote is the most important thing that you have and the most important right that Atlasia bestows on every one of us.

Thank you.

[WMS]

Please give and explain the three most important qualities a Senator should have to best represent District Four.

(from the distinguished guest area)
Luck, patience, and the ability to put up with nitpicky libertarians...wait, that question isn't for me, is it?

[Jake]

Thank you Mr. Spade and Mr. Bush.  In the interest of time, we will press on and allow the Senator to make his opening statement when he returns.


The first question, posed to all candidates, is:

Please give and explain the three most important qualities a Senator should have to best represent District Four.

[??????????]

Good Evening. Thank you for the invitation. I am absolutely delighted to be here tonight. I can see by the comments already made by my two opponents that I am going to have to bust some misconceptions thrown forward by them. My vision for Atlasia is to move forward with a new constitution. A constitution which will give us more flexibility and to eliminate the unintentional boobytraps which currently exist in our very flawed constitution. I would like to push my agenda of creating national parks for Atlasia as I proposed in the senate. I also strongly support many of the initiatives in which Ernest has proposed and I have tried to work with him although he seems to not be supporting me which I feel is unfortunate. I have been in the senate a long time as many of you realize and since the beginning I have asked you to stick by my and fight the good fight against the threat of power parties in Atlasia. The future of Atlasia lies not in grand power parties but it lies in multiple parties with many ideas and many options for the people to choose from.

I would like to answer Jakes question about what are the three most important things a senator must have. Well, I believe dedication, integrity and strong will. I believe any senator from District four MUST be dedicated to the citizens of District four and always looking out for their common good. A senator from district four should also have integrity and the honesty to stand up for what he/she believes. A senator must fight the power that is threatening to destroy the nation and I believe this intertwines with a strong will. Because if we can't stand for something then we will most certainly will fall for anything.

Thank you Jake.

[George W. Bush]

Please give and explain the three most important qualities a Senator should have to best represent District Four.

    In response to the question, I think the most important thing a senator from this or any region must have is Integrity. Someone who is 100% honest to everyone and never tells the people what they want to hear or changes positions with the change of the polls. Someone who always stands for what they think is in the best interest of the people they represent.
    The next quality a senator needs to have is the ability to work and get along with all members of the government. Someone who can reach across party lines to get things done and produce results. What I will not do is play Bi-Partisan politics.
   The final thing a senator needs is understanding and compassion. The people of the Southeast do not need some distant person in an office that has been a senator since the start of things. I understand the problems facing the common people of Atlasia. And I can help, and I can’t wait to start!

[Sam Spade]

Please give and explain the three most important qualities a Senator should have to best represent District Four.

Well, Jake, there are clearly more than three qualities that a Senator should have to represent District Four, but if I were to name the three most important, they would start out with...

1.  Honesty - This quality to me is defined as honesty with the members of District 4 about what you believe in, about how you plan to conduct yourself in the Senate, and what you plan to do with your time in the Senate.

The people of District 4 and Atlasia know that I believe in a moderate, centrist ideology which balances the needs of free enterprise with the concerns of those who fear an unregulated morass of corporate entities, that empowers the people of Atlasia to have control over their own personal lives and social values, and that believes that Atlasia is the greatest country in the world and will continue to be the greatest country in the world.  Honesty means that I will uphold every one of those ideals to their fullest extent and never waver on any one of them.

For my 4-month term, I have laid out an ambitious plan of bills, from immigration reform, to free trade, to energy and environmental concerns, to forum affairs issues and regional rights concerns.  Honesty means that I will try with all my heart to bring each and every one of these plans to fruition.

And most importantly, honesty means that I will always conduct myself with the greatest reserve and respect for the institution of the Senate always.

2.  Communication - Communication with the people of District 4 should be of utmost importance to any Senator from here.  If a Senator has no idea where his constituents stand on certain bills or issues or how they feel about your votes, then how are they being fairly represented in the Senate? 

As a Senator, communication also involves not just telling people what you believe, but listening to them and their needs and wants.  You are their representative; if they have an idea for legislation or something that they feel needs repairing in the government, it is your duty to listen to that idea and give it your full and unvarying attention.

Too often in the past I believe that this lack of communication with their constituents has become a way of life for most Senators in Nyman.  For that reason, I have proposed to create a open forum thread to District 4 in the Elections page where the citizens of District 4 can talk with their Senator at any time over any issue or vote, or present ideas for future legislation, that I will present as their representative in the Senate.

3.   The ability to compromise - This is a quality which reflects itself in the Senate, as opposed to the first two I have mentioned.  I believe that the Senate's first priority, above all, is to pass legislation that most Senators and most citizens of Atlasia can agree with. 

What this means, since most of us come from various backgrounds and beliefs, is that a Senator should be able to work with all Senators in the Senate, regardless of party or "avatar", to come up with the most stable compromise which does not impugn the original ideals of the bill.

If elected Senator, I promise to all my constituents that I will enforce these ideals not only with my own bills, but with all other bills up for debate in the Senate.  I also promise that I will work with all Senators on legislation, now matter what their party or ideology, to develop the best possible answer for Atlasia's problems.

Thank you.

[Jake]

Okay, thanks.  The next questions will be directed to individual candidates.  When each candidate has answered their question, each candidate will have a chance for a short rebuttal.

For Sam Spade,

You have touted your immigration plan for awhile now. How would such a plan help Atlasia, and more specifically District 4?

For the Senator,

Senator, how do you answer charges from the candidates here, and from other Atlasians, that you are inactive in your job as Senator ?

and for Mr. Bush,

Do you have any specific pieces of legislation to introduce if elected?

[George W. Bush]

and for Mr. Bush,

Do you have any specific pieces of legislation to introduce if elected?

Yes sir I do. The first thing I want to work on is a bill that will raise the salary of public school teachers. Being among the lowest paid professions that require at least a four year degree is unacceptable. I have said this many times and I’m going to say it now, Teachers are shaping the future, without them teaching our kids there is no next generation for our great land. I am opposed to raising taxes in most cases, But If a tax hike will give teachers and educators the money they have deserved for way to long, They yea We need a tax hike.
   I also want to work on getting underclass kids into college. Kids growing up in backwater Mississippi, Alabama and other parts of Atlasia don’t think there is any hope for them. So many kids think because there parent’s dropped out after the tenth grade then there going to also. When you grow up with parents telling you “college is for rich kids, you don’t need that.” That’s what you’re going to think. There is a culture of poverty especially hear in the south and I want to do everything I can to change it and give those people hope. Because let me tell you something, ANYONE who wants to go to college can get there. Most will not get it handed to them, but where there is a child willing to learn and work hard, they should be able to receive a fine education, and I want to put programs in place to make it easer for them.

[7,052,770]

and for Mr. Bush,

Do you have any specific pieces of legislation to introduce if elected?

Yes sir I do. The first thing I want to work on is a bill that will raise the salary of public school teachers. Being among the lowest paid professions that require at least a four year degree is unacceptable. I have said this many times and I’m going to say it now, Teachers are shaping the future, without them teaching our kids there is no next generation for our great land. I am opposed to raising taxes in most cases, But If a tax hike will give teachers and educators the money they have deserved for way to long, They yea We need a tax hike.
   I also want to work on getting underclass kids into college. Kids growing up in backwater Mississippi, Alabama and other parts of Atlasia don’t think there is any hope for them. So many kids think because there parent’s dropped out after the tenth grade then there going to also. When you grow up with parents telling you “college is for rich kids, you don’t need that.” That’s what you’re going to think. There is a culture of poverty especially hear in the south and I want to do everything I can to change it and give those people hope. Because let me tell you something, ANYONE who wants to go to college can get there. Most will not get it handed to them, but where there is a child willing to learn and work hard, they should be able to receive a fine education, and I want to put programs in place to make it easer for them.

Nice answer.  Seriously

[Sam Spade]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Jake, I believe there are three essential ways that this plan will help both Atlasia and District 4.

First, this plan will help in securing Atlasia, District 4 and its borders in general from invasion by terrorists and others who would wish to do us harm.  As the 9/11 Report laid out to us a number of months ago, most of the 9/11 terrorists were here illegally through expired passports and visas.  Also, a few months ago terrorists tried to breach the Mexican border and place operatives within Atlasia that could have potentially engineered attacks similar to 9/11.

By strengthening the borders by adding Border Patrol agents and INS workers, we can make sure that the mistakes of 9/11 and the past months are not repeated and that Atlasia's borders and the borders of District 4, especially in Texas, will be safe from terrorist infiltration.

Second, this plan will make sure that employers in Atlasia and District 4 will be punished severely for the hiring of illegal immigrants.  Too often, employers get the easy road out and can search the illegal black market for people who will work for basically nothing and be agreeable to any type of working standards.  Those people get the shaft, so to speak, and the rest of Atlasia and District 4 does likewise because they contribute little to the tax system or to the economy as a whole.

Third, this plan provides a way for all those who wish to immigrate, work, live and become part of Atlasia and District 4 a chance to do so.  Let me explain what I mean.  Immigrants to Atlasia, whether legal or illegal, want to work and make a better life for themselves.  In District 4 and in Atlasia as well, there are many jobs out there that will be unemployed because people refuse to take this type of work.

Many times though, this labor force lies in the black market and is forced to work at substandard wages or working conditions.

By creating a system with which immigrants and employers can register and be under federal scrutiny and by giving incentives such as Green Cards or full citizenship for immigrants to gain, we can hope to alleviate the illegal immigration problem this country has by pushing illegal immigrants towards becoming legal immigrants.

Also, these immigrants will have access to better working conditions, better wages and a better standard of life as a whole, and will consquently become better citizens of both Atlasia and District 4.

[Jake]

ahem, Once again we will press on without the Senator.

Next question is  for all candidates from former Senator Harry:


"What is your position on school vouchers?"

[??????????]

Senator, how do you answer charges from the candidates here, and from other Atlasians, that you are inactive in your job as Senator ?

I hear this charge in almost every campaign I run. And personally I do not appreciate such a cheap shot. As many of you know I work a very tough job that I have to commit a lot of time to outside this forum. People here need to understand that some of us do have a real life that is more pressing then a fantasy. I know this isn't very relevant to the debate at hand but I must state this.

As to the amount of bills in the senate. This is another problem that needs to be addressed. Far far to many bills are being written for me or many other senators to look over, debate and vote on. We need to pass a bill, act or general piece of legislation that addresses this situation.

[George W. Bush]

ahem, Once again we will press on without the Senator.

Next question is  for all candidates from former Senator Harry:


"What is your position on school vouchers?"

 I think the most important thing in our society is having a well educated population. I think it shoul be a parents responsibility and choice to guide there child’s education however they see fit.

[George W. Bush]

Bumb

[Sam Spade]

Next question is  for all candidates from former Senator Harry:

"What is your position on school vouchers?"

Thank you to former Senator Harry for the excellent question. 

I do believe in providing vouchers for lower income students at below-average schools in order to expand their choices for schooling. 

There is no reason why a lower income student has to go to a failing school which refuses to change its attitude towards its students no matter how much funding is thrown in.

Countless studies have shown that the quality of education and schooling is fundamental in a child's maturity, his ability to go to college and his successfulness find gainful employment later on in life.

By providing less fortunate students with the ability to better their educational background by increasing funding at their schools, and if their schools are unable to change their attitudes, giving them opportunities to get out of a failing situation into a better school by use of vouchers, we can hope to bring those kids in poverty out of that deplorable circumstance and raise them up to better and more wonderful futures.

[George W. Bush]

Bumb

[Jake]

Now I'll do some word association  Post the first thing that comes into your head.



IrishDemocrat

Keystone Phil

Welfare Reform

Ernest

Immigration

Voter Fraud

PA-13

Abraham Lincoln

Tax Raises

Harry

[Sam Spade]

I'm sorry that our debate sort had to be interfered with by some type of street brawl outside the campus last night, Jake, but I'm sure it was just some last minute Mardi Gras stragglers who forgot that Mardi Gras ended a about a week ago.

[George W. Bush]

Irish Democrat- Cheater

Keystone Phil- Awesome Vice President

Welfare Reform- Greatly Needed

Ernest- Simply the best

Immigration- At he current rate, It could become a problem

Voter Fraud- sad

PA-13- No interest

Abraham Lincoln- Amazing Person

Tax Raises- Generally opposed to

Harry- Great guy





I like this! It’s Fun.

[??????????]

IrishDemocrat - Cheater

Keystone Phil - Attack Dog

Welfare Reform - A great start to elimination of Welfare!

Ernest - Overly enthusiastic governor.

Immigration - needs to be halted.

Voter Fraud - Needs to be solved with strict punishments.

PA-13 - No one cares.

Abraham Lincoln - The first president who disobeyed the Constitution.

Tax Raises - Tax Raises on individuals are a terrible idea.

Harry - fine senator, fine southerner.

[Sam Spade]

IrishDemocrat - Cheater (guess that makes three of us)

Keystone Phil - Nice guy, but a bit overzealous

Welfare Reform - Something we need.

Ernest - Best governor in Atlasia

Immigration - I will actually do something about this

Voter Fraud - Needs to be dealt with strictly

PA-13 - Who cares?

Abraham Lincoln - Did what he had to do.

Tax Raises - Bad

Harry - a fine southerner and an excellent Attorney General

[Jake]

Okay, another question for all of you & the Senator needs to answer Harry's school voucher question.

What is your opinion on the recent Bono v. Atlasia case & what is your opinion on Cosmo Kramer's nomination for SE Magistrate?

[Sam Spade]

What is your opinion on the recent Bono v. Atlasia case & what is your opinion on Cosmo Kramer's nomination for SE Magistrate?

Jake, let me start off with the easier and less controversial part of the question here, the second part.

Cosmo Kramer is an excellent choice for SE Magistrate and will certainly continue in the great tradition of the spot established SCJ John Dibble.  I am confident in his ability to handle the duties of the position and I certainly see a great and wonderful future ahead for him in District 4 and Atlasia.  He is truly one of the best new members that Atlasia has to offer.

Now to the first part of the question.

Much has been discussed in the past few days about this decision, Bono vs. Atlasia, and many heated words have been traded from both supporters and opponents of the decision.

I see much of the decision, along with Gov. Peter Bell of the MidEast, as a natural occurence of many of the flaws that affect our present constitution. 

The Clause that specifically comes in mind here is Clause 17, which specifies Unemployment, Disability and Retirement programs as being not being applicable to distributions for Pregnancy and Childbirth programs. 

The Court was right to rule in this fashion, but I think this clause is slightly too narrow as it is presently constructed and the Constitutional Convention should rethink its wording.

I am also hopeful that the Convention will also fix Clause 16, which falls under the same problem as Clause 17.

However, I fundamentally view the decision as being correct in view of our present Constitution, especially in terms of its violation of Section 2, Clause 7.

Regulating the regions to spend money as the federal government wants it to is a clear violation of this clause and a infringement upon regional rights.

I personally wish Senator Supersoulty would rewrite the bill to distribute the funds to the regions to spend in what manner as the regions should deem appropriate.  That would be clearly legal and would also bring about better results for the program anyway.