Office of Senator Deus (Crisis and secession)
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #75 on: May 09, 2014, 01:47:03 PM »
« edited: May 09, 2014, 08:08:46 PM by Speaker Deus »

Thanks, Goldwater and Maxwell! Now, on to the first segment of my platform:

Economic Liberty Agenda: Tax Reform

Greetings, Northeastern taxpayers. I'm here today to talk to you about my tax reform proposal that would abolish the IRS, spur economic growth, minimize distortion, let you keep your income, eliminate all special interest tax breaks, and improve Atlasian international competitiveness.

As I mentioned in my previous Senate campaign, the Atlasian tax code is full of anti-growth and anti-freedom taxes that hurt Atlasian competitiveness, punish hardworking Atlasians, destroy jobs, and screw Atlasian consumers. The Federal tax behemoth imposes taxes on incomes, financial transactions, businesses, payrolls, fuels, substances, chemicals, power transmitters, and even firearms! My revolutionary tax reform plan would abolish the Federal government's authoritarian confiscation and collection agency (the IRS), eliminate most to all Federal taxes, and replace them with a simple consumption tax, with a universal monthly "prebate" equal to the amount of taxes paid on purchases up to the poverty level . By ending taxation of capital, labor, productivity, and production, we can spur economic growth, create jobs, broaden the revenue base, encourage investment and savings, and establish a totally fair tax that will effect every Atlasian in the same way while still remaining progressive due to the prebate.

Here are some of the specific benefits that we can expect from implementing my tax reform plan:

Business growth: Businesses are the engine of our economy. They create jobs and compete to offer consumers the products necessary for everyday life. It seems, however, that the tax lovers who dominate the Federal government don't see things that way. Businesses are taxed for the crime of doing business in Atlasia (via corporate taxes), and for the even worse crime of daring to employ Atlasians (via payroll taxes). The idea of taxing large corporations may sound appealing, but in reality most of the burden is just passed on to consumers through higher prices and workers through lower wages and/or lay-offs. Although some small businesses are exempt from corporate tax, many small business owners are actually required to pay income tax on business income, something which has high compliance costs, and thus similar effects to the corporate tax. If we want to see lower prices for consumers and more hiring of Atlasian workers, we need to eliminate corporate and payroll taxes. My plan does just that, and in doing so will get our economic engine running at full speed. If you want to see more hiring and lower prices in the Northeast, vote Deus.

Global competitiveness: Many Atlasian businesses find it hard to compete in the global economy. Those with the resources to do so are moving elsewhere, and those without are forced to cut back or even shut down. Protectionists cite these unfortunate facts as a rationale for tariff hikes, but I see a simpler solution: Tax reform. By replacing corporate and payroll taxes that drive large businesses overseas and force small business to cut back or shut down with a simple consumption tax that applies equally to foreign and domestic goods, we can ensure that Atlasian businesses are able to compete in the global economy and make our republic a place that  businesses want to move to rather than out of. Given that the Northeast has no Regional corporate tax, our Region will be the prime location for these new businesses, and our citizens the prime beneficiaries of the new jobs that will be created.

Atlasian exports: Many people don't realize it, but corporate taxation is actually an evil form of imperialism. By increasing the costs involved with producing goods to be exported, we're increasing the prices that these goods must be sold at in other countries. The idea of forcing higher prices upon the inhabitants of foreign countries runs entirely contrary to the peaceful and moral character of our republic. My plan would eliminate all tax costs involved with producing exports, thus allowing our exporters to sell low-priced good to foreigners and use the profits to create jobs here in Atlasia (which would be much easier due to the elimination of the payroll tax).

Investment and savings: My tax plan will be a boon for savings and investment. People will be encouraged to save due to the tax on consumption, and will have more money to save due to the elimination of the income tax. Now, you may be thinking, how does the economy benefit from people hoarding money in bank accounts? This is a common economic fallacy. Money that is deposited into a bank account does not just sit in a vault; it is actually loaned out to investors who use it to invest in the economy (which creates jobs and allows businesses to thrive), and then pay back the loan using the returns from the investment (or, if the investment was a failure, using their own money). When more people deposit funds into bank accounts, banks have more capital with which to lend, which allows them to offer loans to investors at lower interest rates, which means that investors are able to borrow more and invest more into the economy, thus creating more jobs and business growth. Instead of artificially suppressing interest rates via Fed manipulation (which leads to inflation and resource misallocation), my plan would lower interest rates naturally by increasing savings. In addition, by eliminating the financial transaction tax, my plan would allow investors to invest even more capital into the economy. In short, my plan would allow Northeastern citizens to save more for their future, and would get more capital flowing through the economy and into the pockets of Northeastern employees, rather than sitting in government coffers.

Personal privacy: The IRS is monitoring your income, your business, your transactions, etc. Tired of being watched by a tax-hungry monster? My plan would abolish the IRS, and would simply require businesses to collect the tax on purchases made by consumers. If you're worried that this would cost business too much, just imagine how more money they'll have as a result of eliminating the corporate and payroll taxes, tax compliance costs, and the surge of new investment due to increased savings.

There are probably a few other benefits, but this post is long enough already. My tax reform plan means fairness, growth, and freedom. I urge all Northeastern citizens, whether they be a business owner, worker, investor, or really anything besides a tax accountant/lawyer or IRS employee, to vote for me so that I can fight for tax reform that will benefit all.
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Lincoln Republican
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« Reply #76 on: May 10, 2014, 09:01:00 AM »
« Edited: May 10, 2014, 07:11:39 PM by Lincoln Republican »

As a former Northeast Governor and as a former Northeast Representative, I am most pleased  to heartily endorse Deus for Northeast Senator.

I have worked with Deus in the Northeast Assembly when both of us were Representatives, and have witnessed firsthand his ability and his commitment to public service.

The Northeast, and indeed all of Atlasia would benefit greatly from having Deus serve in the Senate.

I am endorsing Deus for Northeast Senator even in spite of his insane group marriage bill.
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #77 on: May 11, 2014, 12:42:39 PM »

Thank you, Winfield! I am honored to have received the endorsement of such a great Atlasian!

Economic Liberty Agenda: Regulatory Reform

Hello again, Northeastern voters. The second plank of my economic platform will address the issue of Federal regulation. Regulation is the great thief of Atlasian prosperity and genius. It is a hidden production tax that goes into the cost of every product we buy. Power-hungry bureaucrats and regulators have imposed their tyrannical dictates upon the people of this great republic long enough. I have a three-part plan to get rid of ridiculous Federal impositions on Atlasian enterprises and entrepreneurs so that we can get businesses hiring and spur start-ups, production, growth, and trade. Here is my proposal:


1. Repeal the "Fair" Labor Standards Act of 2013: The fact that this insane piece of legislation passed with seven votes in the affirmative is a testament to far-left dominance in Atlasia. This law is premised on non-sensical Marxian economic ideas and represents a vicious attack not only on business (especially small business) but on workers and consumers as well.

Anyone with a basic understanding of supply and demand can tell you that price controls are a terrible idea. Price ceilings create shortages by restricting supply and inflating demand while price floors hurt demand and distort supply. It seems that whenever it comes to the labor market everyone seems to forget these simple facts. The "F"LSA imposes a radical minimum wage timetable that will outlaw all jobs paying below $18 per hour in four years' time. Two groups will suffer especially as a result of this job criminalization statute: Low-skilled workers and small businessmen. Low-skilled workers who are currently unemployed will have a harder time finding and securing employment because they will have even less job options. This law makes it so they can only apply for certain jobs that pay a certain amount, and thus require a certain amount of skill. This will make it even harder for them to find a job in the first place and harder for them to acquire and secure the jobs they do find due to the fact that these jobs will inevitably have higher skill and experience requirements than the previously legal jobs that were outlawed by this law. This will result in a deadly unemployment spiral because low-skilled workers will not be able to acquire experience to begin with by working entry-level jobs, and thus will be continually unable to enter the labor force and provide for themselves. Small businessmen will also be hurt, because they will now be forced to fire all workers with an hourly marginal product less than $18, which will likely devastate their business and may even force them to shut down. With the destruction of small enterprise, multinational mega-corporations will swoop in like vultures thanks to the death of smaller competitors. Is leaving low-skilled workers and small businessmen in the dust really good for our republic? In what way is this fair?

Another really silly part of this bill is that it ties the minimum wage to increases in worker productivity, which I think Senator Shua pointed out recently. First of all, just because aggregate productivity increases does not mean that the productivity of every worker has increased. For many businesses, this means that they will now be forced to pay their workers more than the production value of their labor, which will force them to lay them off. Furthermore, by requiring employers to direct productivity gains towards immediate wage increases for current workers, we're distorting the natural functioning of the economy. Who's to say that some businesses shouldn't direct profits from increased productivity towards hiring new workers, maintaining facilities, purchasing new equipment, or lowering prices? You may be thinking, "I like lower prices, but aren't higher wages more important?" My response is that it doesn't have to be either or. Lower prices mean that consumers are spending the money elsewhere in the economy or investing it in savings accounts, which means that it is being loaned out to investors who invest it in businesses. More consumption and investment means more economic growth, job creation, and ultimately higher wages for the workingmen and women of this republic.

Finally, the absolutist child labor ban in this bill has to be the wackiest thing of all. Family farms, family-operated small businesses, apprenticeships, lemonade stands, selling homemade cookies...all criminalized! How soon can little Sally expect Federal agents to crack down on her baked sale!? This is madness. First this law robs children of the right to learn valuable lessons about work and entrepreneurship, then it makes it illegal for businesses to offer entry-level jobs to people who never learned any skills! This law sabotages the future of young Atlasians in a two-step statist sideswipe! Vote for me if you want to see an end to this insanity and a return to a sound economy in which any man or woman can advance themselves through hard work, and where a small businessman can hire Atlasian workers without fear of a Federal gun put to his head.

2. Massive Regulatory Overhaul and Review: I have reviewed the Federal Statute in its entirety and have found many laws that I dislike. However, the real threat to Atlasian prosperity comes not from our democratic representatives in the Senate, but from unelected bureaucratic agencies and departments that enact anti-growth and anti-freedom regulations on a daily basis. On May 21, 2013, the Competitive Enterprise Institute reported that the total cost of regulations to Americans reached $1.806 trillion in 2012, more than the most national economies! Not only that, but regulatory costs translated to about $14,678 per family! Granted, these figures aren't exact for Atlasia, but given that most if not all of the same regulatory departments and agencies exist in Atlasia as they do in real life, we can expect that the costs for Atlasians are similarly staggering. Unfortunately, most regulations are way too specific for me to try to find and repeal them all in separate bills. That's why, if I'm elected, I will introduce the Regulatory Overhaul and Review Act. This bill will establish a sunset time of January 1, 2015 for every single Federal regulation enacted undemocratically by a department or agency other than the Senate itself. For the rest of the year, the bill will establish a thread where any Atlasian can find a regulation they think we should keep and the Senate will vote on whether to keep it. If certain regulations are truly necessary for our safety and wellbeing, surely somebody can find those ones and display them to the Senate!

3. Farming Freedom: For years, the Federal government has distorted the agricultural way of life
with farm subsidy programs that have created perverse incentives, allowed large agribusiness cartels to consolidate, and artificially inflated the cost of farmland. These terrible subsidy programs are finally being phased out, but Northeastern small farmers who were dependent on these programs are hurting. Many people don't think of the Northeast as an agricultural Region but there are actually many small farms throughout the Northeast, especially in New England and Upstate New York. So, how do we help our struggling farmers? Get rid of restrictive regulations on what our noble farmers can sell and grow. The Department of Agriculture is a central planning behemoth. Constantly dictating "market orders" regulating agricultural production in an insane attempt to steer markets by coercively creating surpluses, reserve pools, controlling product and commodity flows, etc. Enough. It's time producers and consumers got to decide their own wants and needs.

One major reform I'd make as part of my Farming Freedom Act would be to deregulate the dairy industry. The Northeast has a respectable dairy industry. Vermont is a major producer of milk and cheese while New York is a major producer of yogurt. Yet the Department of Agriculture has established a monopoly on dairy prices. I'm not kidding. The Federal government literally just says, "Sell this at this price." Shouldn't our dairy farmers be able to choose for themselves what price they want to sell their goods at? Are they not able-minded adults? These regulations prevent entrepreneurial farmers from selling their goods at competitive rates and empower huge dairy cartels to take over the market, driving out smaller competitors (sound familiar?). I would also legalize the sale of raw, unpasteurized milk. Some may not like but Atlasians should be able to choose what they put in their bodies, and our farmers should be able to choose what they produce and put out to market.

This post may have been massive but it's nothing compared to the mountains of Federal regulations and red tape that small businesses and small farms have to deal with. I have a plan for growth that will slay the fire-breathing dragon of overregulation once and for all. Vote for me if you want a see a future where the intelligent men and women of the Northeast are free to make their own decisions, start their own businesses, and control and sell their own products at their own prices.
 


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PPT Spiral
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« Reply #78 on: May 11, 2014, 01:18:32 PM »

Happily endorsed! You would make a great impact in the Senate where far-left legislation is the norm.
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Oakvale
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« Reply #79 on: May 11, 2014, 04:50:34 PM »

Endorsed. Bore has been a good Senator from what I know, and I think either of you would serve the Northeast well, but you make some excellent points about the troubling leftward drift of Atlasia under the last couple of Senates. The "Fair Labor Standards Act" seems like a particularly poor policy.

e: Also I'm Snowstalker's running mate so consider this a Leninist act.
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« Reply #80 on: May 11, 2014, 07:01:21 PM »

Endorsed!!

Your most recent post has enthused me. 
It's true that Bore has been doing a pretty good job recently, but we need you in the Senate.
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rpryor03
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« Reply #81 on: May 11, 2014, 07:03:11 PM »

Endorsed! Please also endorse me for NE Assembly
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #82 on: May 12, 2014, 04:18:48 PM »
« Edited: May 12, 2014, 05:03:19 PM by Speaker Deus »

Thank you once again to all who have endorsed me! My third economic plank will be up some time today or tomorrow.

Also, Rpryor, you have my endorsement as well. The Northeast needs active and enthusiastic individuals such as yourself.
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #83 on: May 14, 2014, 04:36:24 PM »
« Edited: May 15, 2014, 10:01:50 PM by Speaker Deus »

Economic Liberty Agenda: Monetary Policy

"You are a den of vipers and thieves. I intend to rout you out, and by the Eternal God, I will rout you out!" - Andrew Jackson, 1834, referring to the Second Bank of the United States

And now we come to the third and perhaps most important plank of my economic platform. I lied earlier when I said that only IRS employees and tax lawyers have reason to oppose me. Corrupt banksters and their servants in the Federal Reserve System also have good reason to fear my candidacy. If elected, I will aggressively combat the fraud, theft, currency debasement, and monopolistic manipulation undertaken by the mad central planners and private banking cartels that control and direct the actions of the Federal Reserve. I have a plan to end the manipulation and distortion of our currency. I would like to see us restore our economy by returning to an honest money system, something I believe we can easily accomplish by implementing the following simple reforms:

1. Free Exchange: I believe in choice. The more choices we have, the more control we have over the direction of our lives and the more ability we possess to ensure that nothing ever happens to us or our loved ones that we do not will. Mishaps and bad decisions will always occur in a free society, but on the whole our ability to choose and decide things for ourselves makes us much stronger and freer. It is no surprise, then, that it is the insane central planners in Nyman who always want to take away more choices from Atlasians. I've already talked about they have stolen our ability to choose how we spend our own income, what wages we're willing to work for, what crops we grow, or what prices we sell our own products and creations at. However, there is an even bigger restriction that has been imposed by the central government on our freedom to choose, one that never seems to be questioned by the left or right. What if I told you that 50% of every economic transaction you will ever make has already been predetermined by politicians? This may sound like something out of a dystopian novel, but this is actually the reality of our current monetary system. By imposing authoritarian "legal tender" laws, the Federal government has established a monetary monopoly in which the Federal Reserve Note is the mandated medium of exchange for every single transaction in Atlasia! Legal tender laws require that the FRN be accepted as valid for all payments, debts, and dues. They mandate that all Atlasians accept FRN's even if they would prefer to use another medium of exchange or have drafted a contract specifying payment in another currency or commodity. Imagine if the Federal government passed a law decrying that consumers could only use government credit cards, which all businesses would have to accept! Legal tender laws effectively outlaw alternative currencies by making them unfeasible for mainstream use. The Fed should NOT have a monopoly over what we can use as currency. If elected, I would introduce the Free Exchange Act, which would repeal Federal legal tender laws and allow businesses and consumers to decide what currencies and/or commodities they wish to use a means of freely exchanging goods.

I can already hear the statist response to my proposal. Authoritarian monopolists will insist that a free currency system is "too confusing" for consumers and/or businesses. They will deny that individuals have the ability to reason for themselves and choose between a multitude of currencies. They will claim that businesses are too irrational to set prices in an economy where free exchange exists. They will proclaim that lowly people like you and me cannot be trusted with the sacred flame of choice, and will demand our continued sacrifice to the private bankers who run the Fed. These are all lies, and we both know it. If the idea of multiple currencies seems like it would be too complicated for consumers and businesses, consider that we already have experience with this. When you purchase something now, you can choose whether to pay in cash, check, credit, debit, etc. Abolishing the FRN monopoly would just expand your array of choices. Tired of ever-increasing prices that rise faster than your wages? Tired of having to struggle by each month, barely able to afford the basic necessities of life for you and your family? My bill would allow you to escape this endless cycle of struggle and desperation by letting you exchange constantly depreciating FRN's for an alternative currency unit that you will actually be able to use to buy the goods that you and your family need to survive. And unlike under the FRN monopoly, you will able to use money that businesses won't be constantly forced to demand more of for the same products. The key difference between current payment options and the alternative currencies that will be legalized by my bill is that while the current options all cost the same in the end, the legalization of alternative currency units would allow businesses to use honest money that wouldn't constantly force them to raise prices due to inflation. Some may argue that different prices for different currencies would by too perplexing to consumers, but I would counter that the current FRN monopoly essentially amounts to price-fixing. Fed bankers get to determine the prices we pay by tinkering with the money supply, and consumers have no way out. Free exchange means choice for consumers. It means competition between currencies. It means lower prices, honest money, and freedom of contract. Granted, it will take time, education, and experimentation for our economy to transition to a free exchange system. In the long term, however, it will allow consumers and businesses to use honest money which will let them exchange goods and services directly, with no hidden fees paid to the Fed or those who run it.

2. End Debt Monetization, QE, and Special Loans for Big Banks: While I would like to abolish the Federal Reserve System in its entirety, I realize that that will be next to impossible. Instead, I will introduce the Federal Reserve Policy Reform Act, which will end the three most harmful Fed policies, which, when taken together, represent an unholy trinity of inflationism and economic distortion. These policies are:

Debt Monetization: The Fed is constantly expanding the money supply in order to buy up Treasury bonds (which represent money borrowed by the Federal government) from Federal creditors (almost all of whom are wealthy investors), and then creates a "credit" that allows the Treasury to pay almost no interest on the bond. The Federal government gets to keep spending money borrowed from the Fed at low interest rates, and creditors get a payday from the Fed...sounds like a win-win, right? Wrong. By expanding the money supply, the Fed is causing inflation, which hurts working and middle class Atlasians in the form of higher prices. In essence, the Fed is redistributing wealth from the working and middle class Atlasians who make our republic what it is and giving it to wealthy creditors and spendthrift politicians! This needs to end, and it needs to end now.

Quantitative Easing: Quantitative easing, also known as QE, is one of the most destructive and insane forms of monetary policy in modern history. For years, the Fed has debased the currency in an attempt to run the economy by artificially pushing interest rates to the lowest level possible. This is typically done by purchasing government bonds, lowering the Federal Funds Rate, etc. However, ultra-low interest rates are not enough for the monetary madmen who run the Fed. With QE, they have reached a new low - literally...the purpose of QE is to go where no central bank has gone before, and push interest rates to sub-zero levels! No, you didn't hear me wrong. The Fed is actually trying to push interest rates below zero. QE is the policy whereby the Fed purchases assets held by commercial banks, in an attempt to flood banks with capital and push interest rates even lower than zero. It's always puzzled me that leftists often defend this policy, because this is really just supply-side economic policy taken to the extreme. The idea behind QE is that by subsidizing huge financial institutions, the central bank can increase the supply of capital and encourage lending. There are multiple problems with this. For one thing, there is no guarantee that banks will even lend this money to begin with...often times, they just keep it in reserve! Once again, the Fed is stealing from the working and middle classes via a hidden inflation tax and delivering their hard-earned money into the hands of massive banking cartels. In addition, the interest rate manipulation that occurs as a result of QE is itself harmful and distortive. By distorting investment signals, the Fed is throwing the business cycle out of whack and encouraging malinvestment. Banks get quick get cash and we get a quick boom...and then a massive bust. This has to end now.

"Discount Rate" Loans for Big Banks: This is not as significant as the other policies, because these days it isn't utilized by the Fed as much, as central bankers have found new toys that are more fun (for them, at least). However, it still matters. The Federal Discount Rate is the rate at which the Fed will lend cash to banks if they can't get a loan themselves from another bank. Yet again, another example of the vipers and thieves screwing the Atlasian people in order to help out their buddies. When will it end? When will it stop? I'll tell you when: The day I swear into the Senate. I've had enough of this crap, and I'm sure you have too. Vote for me if you to end this inflationary theft once and for all and transition to a future of honest money.

The problems with our monetary system are clear. The monetary base has more than tripled since 2008. Bills for food, housing, energy, and other basic necessities keep rising, while production costs for businesses do the same. It's time someone did something to get us out of this endless cycle. I have a plan forward. I will fight for your right to choose and exchange currencies and commodities freely. I will fight against policies that rob from working Atlasians and redistribute their hard-earned money to rich bankers and wealthy creditors. I will fight for an Atlasia where honest money and sound banking prevail.  Vote for choice. Vote for sanity. Vote for me.
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SUSAN CRUSHBONE
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« Reply #84 on: May 14, 2014, 04:46:42 PM »

k
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« Reply #85 on: May 16, 2014, 02:16:21 AM »

Endorsed, on the condition that I can get a banner. Grin
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #86 on: May 16, 2014, 02:13:40 PM »

Endorsed, on the condition that I can get a banner. Grin
Here you are, my good man:

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Fed. Pac. Chairman Devin
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« Reply #87 on: May 16, 2014, 11:36:56 PM »

We seem to agree for the most part. Happily endorsed!
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« Reply #88 on: May 16, 2014, 11:38:24 PM »

I have already endorsed the incumbent but I will give you my (admittedly, probably useless) second preference. Smiley
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« Reply #89 on: May 17, 2014, 08:10:12 AM »

I have already endorsed the incumbent but I will give you my (admittedly, probably useless) second preference. Smiley
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #90 on: May 18, 2014, 03:51:50 PM »
« Edited: May 18, 2014, 05:17:50 PM by Speaker Deus »

Thank you, Devin, Napoleon, and SWE! You're probably right that second preference won't mean much in this election but I appreciate it nonetheless.

Economic Liberty Agenda: Health Care

Hello again, citizens of the Northeast. In the fourth plank of my economic platform, I will be discussing a critical issue to every citizen of our republic: Health care. This is a contentious topic that is currently being debated in the Senate. What began as a debate on a long-shot right-wing reform proposal has turned into an overhaul of the entire Atlasian health care system. This happened after it became apparent that our current system was actually preventing health care providers from charging patients anything for health care services, which meant that the whole system now made little sense. There has been a movement on the left (spearheaded by Senator TNF and backed by many prominent leftists, including my opponent) to institute some sort of single-payer system (whether this is single-payer health care or single-payer health insurance is not entirely clear to me). Either way, you can count me in the opposing camp. When the government establishes a monopoly on the provision of any good or service, quality goes down and shortages appear. The doctor-patient relationship is denigrated and the needs of individual patients often go ignored as wait times increase and medicine becomes more standardized, centralized, and socialized.

Senator Shua has already introduced a competing proposal that would provide a simple health care subsidy for low-income Atlasians. This is a necessary step for transitioning away from the current broken system and towards a more private model. I plan to vote for this proposal if I'm elected to the Senate in time to do so. However, there are also a number of other things we can do to improve the quality and affordability of health care for Atlasian citizens:

Health Savings Accounts: This was part of the original bill that spurred the recent conversation about health care and is, in my view, a no-brainer. I realize this policy is something of a tired right-wing talking point but it still has the potential to help a huge number of Atlasians. If elected, I would introduce legislation (or possibly try to amend the current health care bill if it was still being debated) that would allow for the creation of individual, tax-exempt Health Savings Accounts (or HSA's), in which Atlasians would be able to deposit their hard-earned money. Money deposited into an HSA could be deducted from one's income tax, and could be only be withdrawn to pay for health expenses, which could range from check-ups and examinations to critical surgeries and other vital procedures. This would essentially act as an supplemental health care subsidy for individuals - except that it wouldn't cost a cent of taxpayer money! HSA's would simply empower Atlasians to direct their own money towards their health! In doing so, it would also allow us to abolish the healthcare payroll tax, which would free up even more income for people to spend on health expenses. What is the purpose of income taxation if not to provide people with things like health care? If we can empower people to pay for their own health by simply allowing them to keep their money, why wouldn't we? After all, it is your income...why shouldn't you be able to spend it on the most vital good of all: health care?

Another benefit of HSA's would be that they would prevent (or at least mitigate) the return of all-encompassing "comprehensive" private health insurance plans that existed prior to the ANHCA. These plans created a third-party payer system where consumers had no idea how much providers were actually charging for health care goods and services, and private insurers had free reign to jack up premiums year after year. By empowering individuals to pay for their health care directly, HSA's would prevent the returned dominance of these third-party payers that distorted the market and prevented free competition in health care.

End "Certificate-of-Need" Licensing - Right now, if a new hospital or other medical facility wants to open up, or if an existing facility wants to expand or enhance itself, they are required to apply for a government-issued "certificate of need" in order to do so. In order to be approved for a certificate, a regulatory board needs to arbitrarily decide whether the creation, expansion, and/or improvement that a medical facility is applying for the right to undertake is truly "necessary." Since was it the government's job to decide what was and wasn't necessary? Consumers and providers should be able to determine for themselves whether a potentially live-saving expansion/improvement is really "necessary." Of course, the bureaucrats and regulators who enforce these regulations couldn't care less about "necessity." This is just another regulatory scheme designed to give a certain group (in this case, large, government/corporate-run hospitals) a monopoly over the provision of a certain service. This is always a despicable practice, but when it comes to something like health care, it becomes disgusting beyond comprehension. It's time these monopolistic, corporatistic government shenanigans were ended...permanently. If elected, I will introduce the Hospital Freedom Act, which will allow health care providers to expand and improve their facilities without government interference. I will fight to ensure that patients - not massive corporations - are put first.

End the Medical School and Medical Licensing Monopolies: For over a century, the Atlasian Medical Association (basically the equivalent of a medieval guild), has retained a (highly profitable) monopoly on the supply of medical schools and licensed doctors. Since the AMA successfully lobbied for the creation of the medical school accreditation and physician licensing system in 1910, the supply of medical schools and practitioners has been entirely under the monopolistic control of the AMA. In order for a doctor to be licensed to practice medicine, he/she must be a graduate of an accredited medical school. In order to be accredited, a medical school must receive approval from a Federal regulatory board, called the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which is administered by none other than the AMA itself. For years, the AMA has used this privilege to limit the number of medical schools in existence, which then limits the number of licensed doctors, which then increases the cost of health care by restricting the supply of people who are able to practice it. If only we could return to a time when the only things one needed to possess in order to practice medicine were intelligence and a passion for healing! I believe that there is still a chance for us to return to such a time. If elected, I will introduce legislation to eliminate government medical school accreditation and physician licensing altogether. If the AMA or similar organizations want to continue to accredit medical schools and/or license physicians voluntarily, that is their right. However, it will no longer be possible for them to inflate the cost of health care by artificially restricting the supply of doctors and preventing people from fulfilling their dream of healing and helping others.

FDA and Drug Patenting Reform: If we want to decrease the costs involved with the medical industry, we need to decrease the costs of that which the industry is centered around: Medicine. How do we do this? The first rule of good government is this: Do no harm. Unfortunately, the current FDA drug review and approval process, as well our current drug patenting regime, have done a LOT of harm. The FDA is unquestionably in the running for the most blatantly corrupt and harmful government agencies. It is able to arbitrarily demand that life-saving drugs be subjected to test after and has no oversight whatsoever. The costs in increased drug prices and lives are unacceptable. The FDA in its current incarnation exists to serve the interest of massive, incumbent pharmaceutical cartels and little else. It delays, restricts, and inflates the cost of useful and lifesaving drugs, many of which are simple, natural cures that are derived from plants. The FDA approval process needs to be simplified and streamlined. New drugs should only have to be subjected to simple, universal safety standard tests, and then should be available for market release immediately afterward. Natural medicines that are already in widespread use should not need to be subjected to special tests simply because a drug company has refined them and is now attempting to sell them as a prescription drug(s).

Furthermore, our current drug patenting system needs to be overhauled. Right now, Big Pharma lobbyists engage in a simple cronyist routine that allows them to reap massive profits. First, they come up with an idea for a drug. Whether this is actually a good idea doesn't really matter (things like that are irrelevant under a system in which market outcomes are determined by bureaucrats rather than consumers). Then, they lobby the Feds to subsidize research and development on this idea (this is a privilege exclusive to drug manufacturers who have the cash to hire lobbyists for this purpose). Once they've developed this idea on the taxpayer's dime and come up with a finished product, they apply for a patent (never mind that the only reason that they were able to come to this "original creation" first is because they received government funding to do so). This patent gives them a total monopoly on whatever drug they created. Even if it was a mediocre idea that could improved upon by a competing manufacturer, that ain't gonna happen now that the patent has been approved. The patent-holding company continues to receive development subsidies for "further improvements," which basically amount to incredibly minor tweaks that typically do nothing to improve the quality of the drug, but are still immensely profitable as they allow the company to retain the patent. Ban companies that receive Federal subsidies from applying for patents and get rid of monopolistic patenting mechanisms that allow a company to perpetually extend a patent while outlawing further research and improvement by competitor, and this whole scheme will fall apart. Once that happens, the result will be cheaper and better medicine.

There are many problems with our health care system, but none that I believe can't be fixed. If elected, I will tirelessly push for free-market reforms that will reduce costs and improve quality of care for patients while making it easier for aspiring Atlasians to enter the medical profession. If you want to see a future where health care is affordable, high-quality, and administered by a caring doctor in a state-of-the-art medical facility, vote Deus.
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« Reply #91 on: May 18, 2014, 04:01:56 PM »

Just for the record, seeing as there seems to be some confusion I support not merely single payer insurance, but an NHS style system of healthcare free at the point of delivery, paid for out of general taxation. I know it will never pass here, so I don't really push for it, but like the vast majority of the british population, right or left wing, that is my position.
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« Reply #92 on: May 20, 2014, 07:33:20 PM »

I'd like to have waited to address current bills if/until I was elected, but I can remain silent no longer. Upon browsing the Atlasian Government Board just now, I had the distinct misfortune of coming across this socialist monstrosity. This bill is an insult to Atlasian consumers, and represents a collectivist menace to individual choice and free competition.

So, what exactly does this evil, anti-choice, anti-freedom piece of legislation do? It establishes a government monopoly in the energy, transportation, steel, and iron sectors. Why do this bills supporters want a monopoly? The same reason any monopolist does. Monopolies are extremely profitable...for their owners, that is. For Atlasian businesses and consumers, the socialist future outlined by this bill is not so bright. A world where an entrepreneur can be tossed in jail at gunpoint for daring to offer lower energy prices than the government is not a pleasant one. A world where entire categories of transit technology are held by the government, safely protected against improvement, innovation, and experimentation, is no paradise.

One of the great things about living in a free society is that you can try anything, provided it is peaceful and honest. Anyone with the brains and means to do so can create a new invention or material. Anyone   with the proper know-how can start their business, provided they can get the capital to do so. It is not always easy to get a business loan or research funding. But, at least you have a chance to succeed and make the world a better place. Not so under the tyranny that is the Public Ownership Act. Think you know how to make an automobile better and/or cheaper than the one the government is offering? Prepare for Federal agents invading your garage. Think you know how to produce energy efficiently and  offer it to your customers at lower prices than the government. Try it, and end up in prison. By outlawing competition, this bill makes it illegal for people to try and serve their fellow human beings by offering goods of higher quality or at lower prices than the arbitrary dictates of central planners.

In addition to all that, this bill is a terrible for consumers. It randomly picks three people for each industry as representatives of all consumers, and then tasks them with determining what's best for everyone. Apparently, you aren't smart enough to choose what products to buy or what brands to use. Clearly, our masters in the central government know what's best for us serfs, and this bill makes it clear that they want to know that. In a free market where consumers decide what's best for themselves, businesses have a clear incentive to provide just that. That is, an incentive to provide what the consumers want. Under this bill, that choice is gone, stolen from common Atlasians by our rulers in the capital. We don't have to sit down and take it. We can fight back against this foul socialist tyranny from the pits of Hell. How? Vote for me in the coming Senate election. I will fight this bill and others like it with a fiery passion. I have my own solutions for driving down energy costs via competition and choice, which I will elaborate on in the next plank of my economic platform. Together, we can stand up for freedom and prosperity. All it takes is one vote.
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« Reply #93 on: May 24, 2014, 03:56:36 AM »

Economic Liberty Agenda: Energy

Yet again, I am glad to greet the people of the Northeast. In this plank, I will discuss another issue that is critical to nearly every citizen of our great republic: Energy. Energy is the lifeblood of our economy. Without it, production could not occur and commerce would grind to a screeching halt. When the cost of energy rises, we all suffer. Higher living costs for individuals and families and higher production costs for businesses and producers mean a weaker and less competitive economy, not to mention lower living standards. Driving down the cost of energy needs to be a top priority in Nyman. I have two main proposals that will reduce energy costs by creating competition, increasing consumer choice, and expanding the energy supply. Here they are:

Free Energy Exchange: I've already discussed my proposed Free Exchange Act, which would facilitate an explosion in economic activity by allowing for a competitive free market in currency. So, why I am referring to it again in a post about energy policy? Here's why: Ending the Federal Reserve currency monopoly will allow our energy economy to escape the shackles of perpetual inflation while stabilizing and gradually pushing down prices. It will take some time for energy consumers and producers to find sound mediums of exchange that will allow for low, stable energy prices, but once they do, the result will be massively beneficial to all parties. Furthermore, by ending the inflationary policies that incentivize excessive commodities speculation, this will stabilize the oil futures market and thus further drive down the price of gas.

Slash Energy Equipment Tariffs: Protectionism is a sham. Higher tariffs mean higher prices, less production, and contrary to popular belief, lower employment and growth rates. This is as true in the energy industry as any other. A few years back, a company called SolarWorld Industries, a solar panel manufacturer, demanded with the Department of Commerce enact protective tariffs against Chinese solar panel manufacturers, on the basis that Chinese firms were engaging in "unfair" competitive practices. The case is still being litigated, but if it is successful, it has the potential to massively hike solar energy prices for Atlasian consumers. This is just one example of how tariffs on energy equipment can hurt consumers. If elected, I will introduce the Energy Equipment Tariff Reduction Act, which will exempt any technology deeply involved in the production of a major Atlasian energy source from various tariffs and customs duties. This will lower production costs for energy businesses, which will bring good energy jobs to the Northeast in the form of more wind turbines and solar, hydroelectric, and nuclear plants, all of which will now be able to import the equipment they need at low costs, and use the extra money to hire more workers, and lower prices for consumers.

Nuclear Innovation: Nuclear power is a great energy source for powering the Atlasian economy. The power of the atom has the potential to generate massive levels of energy, and propel our economy to heights never imagined in the age of fossil fuels. Nuclear energy is more efficient to produce than alternative sources like wind and solar, and only nuclear has the ability to satisfy massive consumer demand for electricity while also providing a stable supply of reserve energy to power grids. So, what can we do to promote this innovative energy source? Once again, it's as simple as getting the government out of the way. There's no need to resort to corporate welfare bills like the recently passed "Clean Energy Research Act." We just need to give nuclear energy the freedom to develop and grow.

In order to do this, we need to allow for the development of new reactors. In order for a new reactor to be approved for legal use, the nuclear plant that intends to use it must first go through an extensive Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license application process. This process has been stagnant for years, with a time gap between 1978 and 2012 in which not a single new reactor was licensed by the NRC. It is crucial that we reform this process as soon as possible, as the nuclear industry has developed several new reactor designs in recent years, and we need to allow Atlasian energy producers to take advantage of them before foreign competitors. In order to save time and money for nuclear energy producers and consumers alike, this process needs to be fast-tracked. However, we can't just shorten the times and be done with it; there are legitimate safety precautions that the NRC rightly has to follow. The real problem lies in the fact that there is no simple, uniform process for doing this, which means that the license approval process is often lengthy and inefficient. It is possible to simplify, streamline, and speed up the process without sacrificing safety standards, we just need to focus and utilize resources in a more effective manner while establishing a simple application process. If elected, I would introduce the Nuclear Reactor Fast-Track Act, which would require the NRC to prioritize devoting time and resources towards the reactor approval process, while also requiring them to simplify the application process. Under this bill, the NRC would be required to license a new reactor for any applicant who meats the following criteria:

a. Their reactor is of an NRC-certified design or, if it is of a foreign design, has been proven to operate safely and efficiently.
b. They have submitted a complete safety report detailing everything about their plant.
c. The information in their report has been confirmed by an NRC inspector and indicates that they are up to NRC plant safety standards.

By making the approval process simpler, more efficient, and open to more applicants. This would result in greater competition, which would drive down prices naturally rather than via taxpayer subsidies. By opening the market and expanding the nuclear energy supply, we can ramp up electrical production and power our economy into a new era of prosperity. Vote for me if you want to see an Atlasia where energy is abundant, prices are low, and competition is free.
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« Reply #94 on: June 01, 2014, 04:17:06 AM »
« Edited: June 01, 2014, 04:19:17 AM by Speaker Deus »

My economic platform is now concluded. To summarize, I am proposing a comprehensive plan to spur our economy via pro-growth tax reform, regulatory rollback, honest money, health care freedom, and energy production. However, a free economy is not the only goal we must achieve in order to reach the fullness of Atlasian prosperity. In addition to promoting growth and production at home, we must also open up our markets to foreign competition via free trade, end taxpayer-funded subsidization and occupation of foreign governments and nations, and defend Atlasian sovereignty from international outfits that represent a grave threat to our liberty and prosperity.

Because I just finished my economic policy platform, the first plank of my foreign policy platform will deal with an area in which foreign and economic policy meet. I am speaking, of course, of trade policy. I am an ardent proponent of free trade. Free trade means lower production costs for Atlasian businesses and lower prices for Atlasian consumers. Free trade provides consumers a greater selection of goods to purchase, and in doing so allows domestic industries to cease production of basic importable goods and move on to more advanced and/or specialized products, thus facilitating economic development. Free trade intensifies competition for the provision of good and services, which pushes prices down and necessitates high levels of innovation. Free trade acts as a spreader of ideas: It allows pro-freedom ideals and values to be transmitted to countries that suffer from oppression and tyranny, while also allowing new commercial ideas, such as a new technological design or business technique, to reach entrepreneurs and investors in different countries faster. Finally, free trade ensures international peace, for rarely will two countries with a strong trade relationship ever go to war. Now, how do we go about enacting a free trade policy in Atlasia? Due to the complex schemes and machinations of protectionists and trade management proponents, this task will be harder that it might at first seem. However, I still believe it possible to turn Atlasia into a free trade republic. Here's how:

Tariff Reduction: Obviously, the first step is to get rid of all tariffs. At first, this seems like an easy and obvious task. The problem is that tariffs are not actually included on the budget, but rather are imposed by bureaucratic agencies, departments, and boards that never even come into contact with our democratic representatives in the Senate. There are countless tariffs, many of them incredibly specific. For these reasons, I intend to take a similar approach to tariffs as I will towards regulations: If elected, I will introduce the Tariff Elimination Act, which will eliminate all tariffs effective August 1, 2014. Surely, if these tariffs are truly necessary to protect Atlasian industry, someone can identify them, explain their purpose in detail, and allow the Senate to vote on them?

End Managed Trade: Once I've eliminated most to all domestic trade barriers, I will introduce legislation that will allow us to withdraw from international trade management regimes that regulate and manipulate international trade for the benefit of a few large corporations. Currently, our republic is subject to countless international trade authorities and agreements that hurt our economy, threaten our sovereignty, undermine our industries, and do all of this under the guise of "trade liberalization," when in reality they represent the exact opposite - trade regulation. Who are these nefarious trade managers and what precisely are they doing to destroy our economy? Here are the main culprits and their crimes:

NA"F"TA - The North American "Free" Trade Agreement, also known as NAFTA, is an Orwellian monstrosity that is little more than a statist plot to restrict competition, permanently codify tariff rates, increase regulation and taxation, and pave the way for a North American Union. In Article I, Section 7, Subsection 5 of the Atlasian Constitution, free trade is established throughout our republic in no more than 68 words. NA"F"TA, by contrast, contains over 2,000 pages, 900 of which are tariff rates! No document that contains 900 pages worth of tariffs can have any relation to free trade. Rather, the goal of NA"F"TA is to codify these tariffs into an international agreement, thus making it much harder for a single country to reduce or eliminate any of them. Furthermore, NA"F"TA is full of "snap-back" provisions that allow tariffs on certain goods to revert to higher levels if competition becomes too intense. In fact, in some cases, member-states are actually forbidden from reducing tariffs below certain levels, lest it result in an "unfair" trade balance with another member-state that adheres to NA"F"TA-approved high tariff rates.

NA"F"TA supporters will often contend that their 2,000-page beast turns North America into one giant "free trade zone" in which goods can be freely exchanged. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, NA"F"TA represents the opposite of free trade and exchange. It creates countless supernational bureaucratic commissions, with unilateral authority to "upwardly harmonize" the NA"F"TA zone by imposing new regulatory mandates on member-states in the name of "fair" competition. The idea is that if one member-state has more regulations than another, it will create an uneven trade environment in which the member-state with a lower regulatory burden has an "unfair" trade advantage. Rather than, I don't know, try to get member-state politicians to consider reducing their massive regulatory burdens, NA"F"TA bureaucrats are empowered to impose new regulations on less regulated member-states in order to "harmonize" their regulatory environment with those of the others. Even worse, these regulations can (and are) enforced by supernational NA"F"TA courts. The very existence of these courts is an affront to Atlasian sovereignty and is only the first step towards establishing a North American Union with the power to impose countless regulations and tariffs on the entire continent.

WTO - The World Trade Organization, also known as the WTO, is even worse than NA"F"TA when it comes to massive bureaucracy and tariff codification. The WTO's charter is 29,000 pages in length, and it possesses even more supernational unilateral decision-making and regulatory authority than NA"F"TA. The very process by which the WTO "liberalizes" trade is highly unproductive for actual tariff reduction, because all WTO negotiations start with the premise that every country wants its tariffs as high as possible, and will only reduce tariffs if the other countries at the negotiating table agree to reduce theirs equivalently, and only if they do so specifically for industries that that country specialized in exporting. This is not a good strategy for reducing tariffs. Rather, it makes the mercantilist assumption that every country wants to promote its exports as heavily as possible, and will only accept tariff reductions to the extent that other countries also reduce tariffs and open up their markets to that country's exports. This approach ignores the domestic benefits of free trade, and stands in the way of long-term tariff reduction and elimination.

In addition to its mercantilist approach to international trade, there are numerous other problems with the WTO. It is WTO policy to classify "insufficient regulation" as a trade barrier, and further regulate national economies via its supernational regulatory authority in order to "liberalize" trade. In this respect, the WTO is like a robot that is designed to protect humans, but seeks to destroy the human race because it paradoxically views the human race as a threat to itself. The WTO's mission is to liberalize trade, but it seeks to impose further economic restrictions because it paradoxically believes that an absence of economic regulation is itself somehow a restriction on trade. To this end, the supernational WTO bureaucracy, like the supernational NA"F"TA bureaucracy, seeks to implement an "upward harmonization" policy that involves ratcheting up the regulatory state of every single member-state until they are all equally massive. By the time they've done this, other member-states have likely enacted a whole host of new regulations, and the WTO will then have to "harmonize" the global trade system for forcing these new regulations on all of the member-states!

If elected, I will introduce the End Managed Trade Act, which will allow us to escape these monstrous supernational bureaucracies and implement a true free trade policy, unhindered by supernational trade regulations. Vote for me if you want to see an Atlasia free from "protective" tariffs and trade regulations, an Atlasia characterized by competition, innovation, and free exchange of goods, services, and ideas.
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« Reply #95 on: June 01, 2014, 03:26:50 PM »

New campaign banner:

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« Reply #96 on: June 01, 2014, 09:04:39 PM »

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« Reply #97 on: June 18, 2014, 01:47:50 AM »
« Edited: June 18, 2014, 04:15:47 AM by Speaker Deus »

Thank you, JCL!

Hello, Northeastern citizens. As the election draws near, I will outline my views on foreign policy, an area that has received considerable attention with the recent situation in Iraq. My foreign policy views are simple: I believe that peace and respect, not bombing and bloodshed, should be the guiding principles of our relationship with other sovereign nations. I believe that our country should be ruled by our elected representatives in the Senate, not foreign bureaucrats who hold the Atlasian way of life in contempt. I believe that our tax dollars are better spent at home, or better yet, simply left in the pockets of those who have rightly earned them, than sent overseas to prop up corrupt and repressive regimes or fund international military outfits. Finally, I believe we must let go of our overseas empire and allow independent sovereign nations to handle their own defense, without Atlasian bases that their citizens clearly resent.

Peace and Non-Intervention: The track record of foreign military interventions is not a good one. When we interfered in the massive conflict occurring on the European continent in 1914, we took sides in a political power struggle in which there was no virtuous party, and assisted in the starvation of countless German citizens and then imposed a massive financial burden upon Germany that gave rise to the Nazi regime and the atrocities it committed. This sparked another conflict which ended with the destruction of two entire cities in Japan and the cession of Eastern Europe to the totalitarian socialism of the Soviet Union. Once our foreign meddling had resulted in the subjugation of half of Europe, we wasted countless Atlasian and Southeast Asian lives in Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Then, we turned to the Middle East. It is there that our meddling has proved most disastrous. Our imperial actions in Iran have resulted in the rise of a Shia theocracy that now possesses nuclear weapons. We spread Sunni extremism throughout the Middle East with our arrogant military occupations and operations. When Islamic terrorists brutally attacked the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, one of their stated motives was the Atlasian military presence in the Middle East. It was we who allowed these murderous butchers to gain power and support, just as our actions toward Germany in the First World War led to the rise of National Socialism in that country. Al-Qaeda may not have succeeded in getting us to pull out of the Middle East, but another motive behind the 9/11 attack was satisfied: To tempt us into invading Middle Eastern countries so that they could be butcher even more Atlasian men and women. We launched two misguided invasions that resulted in the deaths of countless Atlasian men and women and added even more to our national debt. We continue to launch undeclared wars in the form of brutal drone campaigns that have destroyed innocent families and villages throughout the Middle East. With every drone we launch, we breed even more terrorists who hate us and want to kill Atlasians.

So, with all of that in mind, I propose that instead of following the President's plan of dropping even more bombs and sending even more drones to kill people, we choose not to waste even more lives and money in Iraq and do the only sensible thing left at this point: Withdraw all troops and bases engaged in the occupation of Middle Eastern countries and stop launching secret drone attacks against Middle Eastern villages. Even better, how about we withdraw ALL foreign bases and soldiers so that we aren't creating resentment in places like Japan and the Philippines, where people have protested against Atlasian occupation?. Instead, let's peacefully trade with the world and exchange ideas. More killing and war spending won't solve anything (especially considering that we have literally no idea whether we even have a budget surplus and how much we're borrowing), the only way we'll ever see peace in the Middle East is if we allow peaceful trade and cultural exchange to occur.

Atlasian Sovereignty: Throughout history, smaller polities have struggled to break away from centralized tyrannies. Our own Republic was born when the Atlasian colonies fought to break away from the Britlasian Empire. Today, many countries around the globe face the same struggle. European nations are in chains; oppressed by the continental super-state that is the EU. In my speech on trade, I have already discussed how much the same thing could happen in North America if we don't escape the regulation-imposing, tariff-codifying beast that is NAFTA. However, an even greater threat to Atlasian liberty exists: Global government. Search my head for a tinfoil hat if you must, but I assure you that you will find none. The potential threat posed by the UN and the freedom-hating bureacrats who control it is all too real. Governments grow by sucking in resources. Every year, the UN absorbs capital from around the globe via member-state dues, "bit taxes" on online data, excise taxes on international airline tickets and aviation fuel, and international currency transfer fees. Now we have a Presidential candidate openly advocating for a global tax on financial transactions. We have to say no before this goes any further (and it will, considering that the UN holds conferences where attendees discuss potential global taxes). And what benefit do we derive from paying UN membership dues? None. The money we pay in dues goes towards funding the salaries of UN bureaucrats and wasteful development projects in foreign countries. Let's stand up to our would-be global overlords before it's too late. If elected, I will introduce the Atlasian Sovereignty Act, which will get us out of global outfits like the UN.

It will also free us from international thugs like NATO that use Atlasian tax dollars to fund wars (I'm sorry, "interventions") and subsidize foreign military contractors. Just look at Libya, where the latest NATO intervention, heralded by the media as a massive success, has led to a chaotic civil war between Islamist militias and the military regime that suspended parliament several months ago. Let's top using taxpayer money to fund bloodshed and slaughter. Let's take back our rights and end the subjugation of our once sovereign Republic that has been supported and promoted by the Atlasian political class (including my opponent).

End Wasteful Foreign "Aid": For years, Western government have distributed taxpayer-funded aid packages to impoverished nations. This practice, while begun with good intentions, has done nothing to foster economic growth, and has in fact subsidized corruption and contributed to political instability in poor nations. Tons of foreign aid money is lost to corrupt government officials in recipient nations. Due to the high levels of corruption in these nations, many of these officials hold their positions because of the plutocratic patronage machines that run these third world bureaucracies. Why would we want to take money from people in Atlasia, many of whom are poor or struggling to remain in the middle class, and redistribute it to wealthy bureaucrats in the third world. This isn't fair to Atlasians, and it isn't fair the people who have to live under these corrupt pigs. In addition, foreign aid also creates political stability because it makes foreign governments less reliant on domestic taxpayers, and less much less responsive to their own people. In several African nations, foreign aid constitutes more than 50% of their national budgets. Why would a government care about how it treats its people when it doesn't even receive a majority of its revenues from them? Finally, foreign aid distorts foreign markets and actually hurts economic growth. Consider foreign food aid, which has destroyed the livelihoods of African and Haitian farmers because no one has any incentive to purchase their crops anymore. For all of these reasons, we should end foreign aid and seek to help the third world via private charity and free trade. . Only then can impoverished nations begin to achieve prosperity. To this end, if elected, I will introduce the End Foreign "Aid" Act, which will eliminate all foreign "aid" currently being distributed by the Atlasian government

Anyone can see that something is wrong in Nyman. We're a nation with a long history of peace, but there is a growing imperialist movement that has taken root in the Senate, that wishes to engage in imperial ventures and subjugate Atlasia to international outfits. We have a Presidential candidate openly advocating global taxation. Our President has just announced a bombing campaign and a massive aid package to Iraq, when he himself has no idea how he intends to pay for it. Why does stuff like this go unquestioned? I'll tell you why: The establishment political class has no allegiance to this country or to any of its citizens. We need to elect someone who will stand up for the Atlasian people and fight back against global tyranny and bloody, expensive foreign wars. I will do just that. I refuse to let us give away more taxpayer money and political power to international outfits like the UN and NATO. I refuse to let us endanger our Republic by occupying and meddling in foreign countries. I refuse to let us risk another brave soldier's life on whatever the latest imperialist cause is. if you feel the same, you know how to vote.
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« Reply #98 on: June 19, 2014, 02:36:40 PM »

As the election draws near, I would like to remind voters that my campaign thread is open to any questions they may have.
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« Reply #99 on: June 19, 2014, 11:14:32 PM »

The election is on. Remember to go vote for Deus for Northeast Senator: For an Atlasia of liberty, prosperity, and activity!
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