The Mideast Record-Courier (Exclusive Interview with Roy Barnes)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

THE MIDEAST RECORD-COURIER

3rd Special Report On The May Mideast Elections

With less than six hours left in the voting period, left-leaning candidates continue to hold a sizable lead over those of the right. In the gubernatorial race, Mideast Senator Windjammer now currently leads incumbent Governor Bmotley by a 75-point margin, with turnout just under 50%. In the Assembly, meanwhile, the absence of a third conservative candidate means that the left is almost certain to hold its majority. Progressive candidates currently have a combined vote total of 15, or roughly 80%.

Mathematically, it is still possible for Governor Motley to win the election. If 100% of the remaining Federalist, Civic Renewal, and Democratic-Republican voters cast ballots before midnight tonight, and all of them vote for Governor Motley, the incumbent could conceivably managed to win reelection. This, however, would run contrary to current voting trends, which show Federalists supporting Windjammer decisively. It would also require independent voters to split more or less evenly between Windjammer and Bmotley. Currently, the only independent to cast a ballot - Badger - voted for Windjammer.

To avoid a conflict of interest, the Mideast Record-Courier will refrain from issuing a projection in the Assembly race until after the polls have closed. We anticipate calling the gubernatorial race in the next several hours, once it is clear whether a late surge for Governor Motley is going to materialize.

For Governor (44.4% turnout)
 Windjammer (LAB)     17 (85.0%)
 Bmotley (DR)               2 (10.0%)


For Assembly (44.4% turnout)
 Progressive Bloc     15 (78.9%), 0 Seats Projected
 Conservative Bloc   4 (21.1%), 0 Seats Projected

Current Tally (First Round)
EarlAW (WSR): 6 (32%)
Truman (TPP): 6 (32%)
Vivaportugalhabs (LAB): 3 (16%)
Shua (DR) : 2 (11%)
WI: JCL (FED): 2 (11%)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

THE MIDEAST RECORD-COURIER

4th Special Report On The May Mideast Elections

With less than half an hour before the polls close in the Mideast, the Mideast Record-Courier is projecting that Senator Windjammer has been elected Governor of the Mideast, with over 85% of the ballots cast in his favor. With so little time left in the voting period, we feel confident in saying that there is no reason to believe that the results will change significantly at this point. While, for professional reasons, we will refrain from making an official projection in the Mideast Assembly race until after the polls officially close, it appears likely that Mr. Windjammer will enjoy the support of a progressive majority in the Regional legislature.

For Governor (46.7% turnout)
 Windjammer (LAB)     18 (85.7%) ✓
 Bmotley (DR)               2 (9.5%)

Projected Winner: Windjammer / Franzl

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

THE MIDEAST RECORD-COURIER

5th Special Report On The May Mideast Elections

With the polls now closed Regionwide, the Mideast Record-Courier can now project that the Progressive Bloc will continue to hold a majority in the Assembly. According to our unofficial tabulations, all four incumbents running for reelection this weekend have been reelected without serious opposition. Labor Party challenger Vivaportugalhabs has likewise been elected to fill the seat being vacated by current Speaker New Canadaland.

We should note that, in formulating these strictly unofficial results, we have assumed that three votes - those of Anton Kreitzer, JCL, and Morgieb - are invalid, as they were cast after the polls closed at 12:01 am this morning.

For Governor (46.7% turnout)
 Windjammer (LAB)     18 (85.7%) ✓
 Bmotley (DR)               2 (9.5%)

Projected Winner: Windjammer / Franzl

For Assembly (44.4% turnout)
 Progressive Bloc     16 (80.0%), 3 Seats Projected ✓
 Conservative Bloc   4 (20.0%), 2 Seats Projected

Current Tally (First Round)
✓ EarlAW (WSR): 7 (35%)
✓ Truman (TPP): 6 (30%)
✓ Vivaportugalhabs (LAB): 3 (15%)
✓ Shua (DR) : 2 (10%)
✓ WI: JCL (FED): 2 (10%)

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

THE MIDEAST RECORD-COURIER

5th Special Report On The May Mideast Elections

With the polls now closed Regionwide, the Mideast Record-Courier can now project that the Progressive Bloc will continue to hold a majority in the Assembly. According to our unofficial tabulations, all four incumbents running for reelection this weekend have been reelected without serious opposition. Labor Party challenger Vivaportugalhabs has likewise been elected to fill the seat being vacated by current Speaker New Canadaland.

We should note that, in formulating these strictly unofficial results, we have assumed that three votes - those of Anton Kreitzer, JCL, and Morgieb - are invalid, as they were cast after the polls closed at 12:01 am this morning.

For Governor (46.7% turnout)
 Windjammer (LAB)     18 (85.7%) ✓
 Bmotley (DR)               2 (9.5%)

Projected Winner: Windjammer / Franzl

For Assembly (44.4% turnout)
 Progressive Bloc     16 (80.0%), 3 Seats Projected ✓
 Conservative Bloc   4 (20.0%), 2 Seats Projected

Current Tally (First Round)
✓ EarlAW (WSR): 7 (35%)
✓ Truman (TPP): 6 (30%)
✓ Vivaportugalhabs (LAB): 3 (15%)
✓ Shua (DR) : 2 (10%)
✓ WI: JCL (FED): 2 (10%)

The voting ends tonite at 12:00 EDT so those three votes are valid votes. Voting goes for 72 not 48 hours according to Mideast Law

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The voting ends tonite at 12:00 EDT so those three votes are valid votes. Voting goes for 72 not 48 hours according to Mideast Law

Voting began at 12:01 AM on the 21st and ended three days (72 hours) later at 12:01 AM on the 24th.

12:01 AM 5/21 - 12:01 AM 5/22 = First Day (24 hrs)
12:01 AM 5/22 - 12:01 AM 5/23 = Second Day (48 hrs)
12:01 AM 5/23 - 12:01 AM 5/24 = Third Day (72 hrs)
Total = 3 Days (72 hrs)

[Adam Griffin]

Wait, did some people think the election began on a Friday in the Mideast? How embarrassing, unless the schedule was recently normalized and we all missed it.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Traditionally the vote has been opened in the late evening or afternoon on Thursday, but legally it can be opened any time Thursday, and Gov Motley chose to open it at the earliest possible moment.  Why so much of the right waited I have no idea.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

May 26, 2015

National

President Bore, here after signing the Affirmative Consent Act, has as yet drawn no challenger in the presidential race.

Contested Races Few And Far Between As Elections Near

Less than a month remains in the June Federal elections begin, but the number of declared candidates remains worryingly low, with uncontested races prevalent up and down the ballot. Despite an effort by several prominent Atlasians to encourage new candidates enter the race, the options for those opposed to the incumbent Administration - especially amongst conservatives - remain few and far between, with several potential candidates having either publicly crossed themselves off the list or else failed to kindle speculation in recent weeks.

First on everyone's mind is the presidential race, in which incumbent President Bore (Lab-RI) is seeking reelection after a generally successful first term. Widely popular with the nation at large (72% of voters approve of his performance, according to a recent poll), Mr. Bore has so far attracted no challenger, despite polls showing that a select set of individuals have the potential to run a close race next month. With the president's most formidable potential opponent, former President Lumine Von Reuental (CR-OH), having opted to run for his Region's Senate seat instead, the feeling that no candidate can realistically hope to unseat the president - accurate or not - has only grown, and most of the talk of fielding a challenger against Mr. Bore has devolved to plans for a token campaign.

Of those who have not foreclosed the possibility of a presidential run, perhaps the strongest candidate is At-Large Senator North Carolina Yankee (Fed-NC), who was shown performing reasonably well against the president in several polls run by the Mideast Record-Courier and other sources. Mr. Yankee certainly has several advantages heading into the race, even if he is not favored to win. For one, his Senate seat is not up for election until August, meaning that he would not have to risk being ejected from Nyman in the event that his bid is unsuccessful. Second, as the longest-serving senator in Atlasian history, Mr. Yankee has a level of experience that few can claim to rival, going back nearly six years and countless presidential administrations. These strengths, combined with an energetic campaign and a strong running mate, could at least bring the senator within range of the president, and would certainly be less-likely to be dubbed a token campaign.

Should Mr. Yankee decline to run (and he has given no indication that he intends to), the field of potential challengers becomes increasingly smaller and more desperate. Probably the best candidate for the right to field in Mr. Yankee's absence would be At-Large Senator Cris (CR-KS), whose moderate reputation might appeal to center-left voters looking to support a challenger for the sake of competition. There is also Northeast citizen Poirot, a former Regional Representative well known for his colorful campaigns for national office, which have so far been unanimously unsuccessful. A recent poll by the Political Tracker also suggested that Northeast Speaker Dkrolga (CR-MA) is also considering a run. Dkrol is currently running for Northeast Senate against incumbent Senator Talleyrand (Ind-DE). Southern Speaker PiT (Fed-LA) and Pacific Senator and former President Theodore Cranberry (TPP-NV) have also been mentioned in passing as potential candidates, though neither has publicly explored a candidacy. If all else fails, Game Moderator Kalwejt (TPP-VT) has publicly stated that he may enter the race should no challenger to the president emerge, though he has made it clear that this would be merely to give voters a second choice and that he has no intention of campaigning intensely.

In addition to the lack of competition on the presidential level, several Regional Senate races also lack multiple candidates, despite two incumbent Senators (TNF of the Midwest and Cranberry of the Pacific) having announced plans to retire at the end of their terms. Only two Regions - the Mideast and the Northeast - have seen multiple candidates enter the race at this point, and of these only the Mideast has been particularly competitive in the polls. Of the other three Regions, both the Pacific and the South have only one declared candidate running, while the Midwest has no Senatorial candidates at all.

Unlike the presidential race, there is no ready array of candidates at the Regional level waiting to rise to the Senate. In the Pacific, where active officeholders are few and far between, TPP candidate Turkisblau is unlikely to face any real competition. The Midwest, likewise, has a largely inactive Regional government, and the most obvious candidate to replace TNF - Governor Gass3268 - has instead opted to run for Regional legislature. Several Southerners, including PiT, former Legislator DeadPrez (Fed-TX), and Legislator Spiral (DR-AL) could potentially mount serious campaigns to unseat incumbent Senator Hagrid (Ind-SC), but none seem to have the desire, and Hagrid's wide support within TPP, the Region's dominant party, gives him an edge in any matchup.

Prospective candidates for office may declare their candidacy my stating their intention to run in the Candidate Declaration Thread on this board.

Regional

Mideast citizens waiting to vote at a polling station in Indiana.

Windjammer Elected Governor In Landslide

In one of the most dramatic landslides in nearly five years, Mideast Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI) swept to victory in last weekend's gubernatorial election, defeating incumbent Governor Bmotley (DR-IN) by a margin of 9-1 in the popular vote and winning all but the Canadian province of Nunavut amidst low conservative turnout. Meanwhile, in the legislature, progressive Assemblymen were returned to office by a similarly wide margin, claiming a combined 80% of the vote against their conservative rivals.

While official results have yet to be released by the executive branch, a preliminary count prepared by the Mideast Record-Courier indicated that Mr. Windjammer won over 85% of the vote, compared to just under 10% for Governor Motley and approximately 5% (one vote) for write-in candidate Benconstine (TPP-VA). In terms of raw ballots, Mr. Windjammer won 18 votes to Governor Motley's two, excluding several ballots cast after the polls officially closed. Historically, Windjammer's margin of victory was the largest of any Mideast gubernatorial candidate in a contested election since September 2010, when then-Governor Isaac Tmthforu94 (then RPP-IN) defeated former SoIA NiK of the Populares.

The size of Windjammer's victory was due in part to low conservative turnout, perhaps caused by confusion over the length of the voting period. Of the 21 voters to cast valid ballots in the gubernatorial race, over 50% were members of the Labor Party, and a sizable portion of the remainder were affiliated with left and center-left parties such as the WSRP. Only four Federalists and one Democratic-Republican cast ballots in the election, and of these 60% voted for Mr. Windjammer. The governor-elect also displayed an ability to appeal to center and center-right voters, as he did during his reelection campaign in February against Mr. Spiral (then DR-MO).

The outcome of the Assembly race was in a certain sense predetermined, as only five candidates had declared their candidacy by the time that the polls opened. Of these, four were incumbents, all of whom won reelection by varying margins. First-time candidate Vivaportugalhabs (Lab-MI) was likewise elected to fill the seat vacated by Speaker New Canadaland, who is campaigning for Senator this June. Assemblyman Harry S Truman (TPP-IN) has announced that he will seek to replace New Canadaland as the chamber's presiding officer in the next session.

"We The People"
Editorials By and For Atlasians

Those interested in submitting brief editorials for publication in the Mideast Record-Courier should send them by PM to Harry S Truman no later than Sunday, May 31.

May 2015 Mideast Regional Elections

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

June 23, 2015

BORE REELECTED
---
1st Labor President to Win Second Term

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - After a topsy-turvy election weekend, President Bore (Lab-RI) declared victory in the presidential election late in the morning on Monday, becoming the first president from his party to be reelected and the first president since Duke to win two terms in office. Though closer than his initial election four months ago, the vote nevertheless represents a historic endorsement of his governing style, soon to be put to the test as he prepares to address a growing crisis in the Pacific.

Nationally, Labor candidates did extremely well up and down the ballot, winning overwhelming victories in the Mideast and Midwest. While the final results are still up in the air, it appears that the party has retained at least one of its seats in the Northeast Assembly as well.

Four Region Victory
As in February, four of Atlasia's five Regions went Labor Red in the final count, with the president winning everywhere except the historically conservative South. While he carried his native Northeast by a mere two votes in the final round, claiming roughly 53% of the popular vote, elsewhere the mandate for his reelection was emphatic. In the Mideast, voters favored the president over Speaker Dkrol (CR-MA), his main challenger, by a final count of 19 to 11, or roughly 26%. In the Midwest, Bore's margin of victory was even larger, with the president carrying 73% of the vote.

The president garnered roughly 41% of first preferences, just below the 42% won by President Duke in February 2014, the last time an incumbent chief executive was reelected. By comparison, Mr. Dkrol won 36% of first preferences, with the remaining votes split between independent candidate BaconBacon (Ind-WY) and write-in candidate Flo (TPP-PR). While the president held narrow majorities in three Regions in the first round, in the Northeast Mr. Dkrol had a plurality of ballots. Governor Flo won a plurality of first preferences in the South.

While it is unclear just how much of an effect the president had on Labor candidates for Senate, his presence on the ballot certainly did not hurt them. In the Mideast and the Midwest, the only two Regions in which a Laborite appeared on the ballot for Senate, both Labor candidates were elected comfortably over their right-leaning opponents.

Voters Protest "Predictable" Contest
President Bore failed to replicate his historic first-round victory from four months ago in large part because of an exceptionally strong write-in campaign launched by Southern Governor Flo, who together with PiT (Fed-LA), Speaker of the Southern Legislature, garnered 15% of the vote in the first round, outstripping independent candidate BaconBacon and for a time threatening to outpoll Dkrol as well. With 17 first preference votes, it was the strongest write-in bid in more than six years.

Much of Flo's support stemmed from frustration with the perceived stagnancy of national politics in general and the presidential race specifically. "I just saw it as a way to register my discontent with the dull predictably of this presidential election and the Atlasian status quo," said Mideast citizen Mr. X, a former At-Large Senator. The ticket also enjoyed widespread support in the South, where voters gave the governor a narrow plurality in the first round.

Unlike Mr. Bacon, who attempted to walk the line between humorous flippancy and serious politics and accordingly won little support from either demographic, Flo's campaign was clearly targeted to voters looking for a fresh face and a good time. His hastily conceived platform called for a 100% increase in government spending and mandatory gay marriage, non-serious proposals of the kind that typically attract citizens disenchanted with the status quo.

Why Dkrol Lost
In conceding the race on Monday, Northeast Speaker Dkrol received condolences from a number of Atlasians, all with a common theme: for a candidate destined to loose, he had run an exemplary campaign.

This sentiment has its roots in the assumption, conventional wisdom in the run-up to the election, that President Bore's reelection was all but inevitable, the result of sky-high approval ratings and a formidable alliance of two the nation's largest political parties. There is some truth in this. Given the president's popularity and the center-left tendencies of the Atlasian electorate, it would have taken an exceptionally strong candidate to defeat him. By these standards, Mr. Dkrol deserves to be commended for a race well run.

Yet the question of just how inevitable Bore was, and whether his margin of victory could have been shrunken or reversed, remains. Certainly the president was popular, but as Southern Senator Hagrid showed in his own (failed) reelection bid, popularity does not always translate to electoral success. Foreign policy troubles, persistent unemployment, and the president's absence from the campaign trail all could have been used against him, as could popular frustration with the status quo. Yet Dkrol largely neglected to engage the president on the campaign trail, and his assertion that "the fundamentals of the [political] system are strong" did little to help him amongst voters who feel the country is on the wrong track.

By far Dkrol's biggest mistake was running a campaign better fitted for a front runner than an underdog. Viewed entirely unto itself, he ran an unobjectionable, even exemplary, operation. Both he and his running mate were active and visible on the campaign trail; he expressed himself articulately during the debate and succeeded in uniting conservatives under a single banner. This was a campaign that very likely would have succeeded in an at-large legislative race, in which multiple seats are up for election and the loudest candidate heads the pack. In a head-to-head race against a popular incumbent, however, Dkrol's strategy was sorely outmatched. 

The Senate
Of the five senators who were elected by their Regions last February only one was returned to office last weekend. Three - Windjammer (Lab-MI) of the Mideast, TNF (Lab-MN) of the Midwest, and Cranberry (then TPP-NM) of the Pacific - did not contest the election, choosing either to retire from politics, in the case of Mr. Cranberry, or to contest gubernatorial elections in their home Regions. Of the remaining two, Northeast Senator Talleyrand (Ind-DE) was reelected in a landslide over Civic Renewal nominee Rpryor (CR-NJ), while Southern Senator Hagrid (Ind-SC) went down to defeat at the hands of Speaker of the Southern Legislature PiT (Fed-LA).

Hagrid's defeat comes only four months after he was initially elected to replace North Carolina Yankee (Fed-NC) as the South's Regional Senator. Hagrid defeated Mr. Yankee in a hotly contested race in February, ending what had been an uninterrupted six years as the South's representative in the Senate. Despite high approval ratings and a good relationship with most of his colleagues, however, the incumbent's heart was never in his reelection campaign. After early returns showed PiT leading by an overwhelming margin, Mr. Hagrid conceded the race on Saturday, congratulating his opponent and announcing his own withdraw from Atlasian affairs.

In the Mideast, former Speaker of the Assembly New Canadaland (Lab-ON) defeated former President Lumine Von Reuental (CR-OH) in a landslide. Despite predictions of a close race, New Canadaland won nearly two thirds of the popular vote, confirming this Region's leftward trend in recent months. Mr. Von Reuental was widely considered to be the strongest possible candidate for the political right, and his defeat is a grim statement on the fortunes of conservatives and moderates in what has become the progressive stronghold of the East.

Former Speaker of the Council Turkisblau (TPP-NM) easily held the Pacific Senate seat for The People's Party, though a recent crisis in the Pacific has led to questions over whether he will be allowed to assume office. In the Midwest, meanwhile, former President Snowguy716 (Lab-MN) trounced his TPP opponent, winning close to 70% of the vote.

By the Numbers

[Boston Bread]

Is the NE trending against Labor? Surprisingly close there.

[Blair]

Is the NE trending against Labor? Surprisingly close there.

It's Florida 2000 in the Northeast

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I wonder how much DKrol's strong final result in the South was a result of my own GOTV campaign.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Is the NE trending against Labor? Surprisingly close there.

It's Florida 2000 in the Northeast

How many inactive leftists does Labor spoon feed a ballot too every every election or if not, outright copies someone else's ballot that they trust? Please dismount thee high horse.

[Associate Justice PiT]

Is the NE trending against Labor? Surprisingly close there.

It's Florida 2000 in the Northeast

How many inactive leftists does Labor spoon feed a ballot too every every election or if not, outright copies someone else's ballot that they trust? Please dismount thee high horse.

     I think what he means is that Labor is in deep trouble in the Northeast. Just look at Florida in the years after 2000 for the comparison.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

July 2, 2015

Special Election Revives Sagging Interest in Federal Politics
---
Four Candidates Contest Seat Vacated By Lief

Former Game Moderator Kalwejt campaigning for At-Large Senate

NYMAN, D.C. - A special election to fill the At-Large Senate seat vacated by former Senator Lief (Lab-VT) has evolved into a surprisingly competitive race, with candidates from four parties frantically attempting to woo the electorate as the clock ticks away the final twenty-four hours of the campaign. With polls showing the contenders relatively even in terms of first preference votes, the election seems likely to continue for multiple rounds, with the identity of the victor depending on which candidate can most effectively win over the opposition's voters.

Defending the seat for the governing Labor Party is former Game Moderator Kalwejt (Lab-OH), who entered the race Sunday just days after resigning from his position as the head of Atlasia's game engine. Of his opponents, two - former presidential candidate Dkrolga (CR-MA) and Mideast Speaker Harry Truman (TPP-IN) - have served as the presiding officer of their Region's legislature in the past month, while a third - Independent candidate Poirot (Ind-QC) - is well known to the electorate for his delightfully eccentric perennial campaigns. While recent polling indicates that no candidate holds a decisive edge in this race - one survey showed Mr. Dkrol leading by roughly 5%, while another showed Mr. Kalwejt and Mr. Truman tied for first - Labor's registration advantage and finely-oiled turnout machine makes the former GM the slight front-runner.

Regardless of the outcome, the race has served to revive excitement in federal politics just weeks after a depressingly predictable election cycle threatened to thrust Atlasia into a prolonged activity slump. Citizens of all persuasions were heard to cheer the advent of a competitive election, including the candidates themselves. Whether this sentiment will result in higher-than-average turnout remains to be seen.

Concerns over inactivity were visible in the candidates' platforms, with all four contenders proposing similar efforts to revive sagging interest in national affairs. Following revelations that the National Wikipedia has gone untended for nearly two months, all four candidates signed on to a proposal calling for the appointment of a National Archivist, though Mr. Poirot expressed reservations with the plan. Mr. Dkrol likewise proposed a Constitutional Convention to consider "devolving" powers to the Regions in an effort to encourage activity at the local level.

The election will begin Friday, July 3, and will continue through the weekend.

July 2015 Special Election Voters' Guide

When: July 3-5, 2015
Offices: At-Large Senate (one seat)
Voters: All Atlasian citizens who registered on or before June 26 are eligible to vote in this election.

Dkrolga (Civic Renewal-Massachusetts)
Dkrolga is a former Speaker of the Northeast Assembly and the current Party Secretary for Civic Renewal. He  was previously a candidate for president in the June 2015 Federal Election.

Kalwejt (Labor-Ohio)
Kalwejt is a former Representative, Lt. Governor, Senator, Attorney General, and Vice President of Atlasia. He most recently served as Atlasia's Game Moderator from February 17 to June 23, 2015.

Poirot (Independent-Quebec)
Poirot is a former Regional Representative and perennial candidate from the Northeast. He was the Democratic-Republican candidate for President in October 2014 and mostly recently campaigned for At-Large Senate in the April 2014 Election.

Harry S Truman (The People's Party-Indiana)
Truman is the incumbent Speaker of the Mideast Assembly and the editor of the Mideast Record-Courier.

"We The People"
Editorials By and For Atlasians

In My Defense

A few days ago, myself, the Pacific's Regional Senator and Chief Judicial Officer of the Pacific Region Ebowed were charged with treason by Al, Atlasia's Attorney General. This occurred after a series of events which were fueled by patriotism for the Pacific Region and Atlasia as a whole.

First, I'd like to explain my history with the Pacific Region. Joining the game in December, I devoted myself to the [Pacific] Council. I debated, introduced legislation, and led the chamber for several months. Oftentimes, I was the only active Councilor and the only one who would participate in the activities in the chamber other than Governor Simfan stopping in now and then to introduce legislation and amendments which I would promptly deal with according to the Rules of Order of the Pacific Legislative Council. I passed legislation dealing with controversial issues and ran active campaigns which truly tried to engage with each voter.

However, that would be a romantic view of my time on the Council. In all reality, it was plagued with conflict and inactivity on a scale that I think was underrepresented on this board. The only time that we had a Council that contained truly active members in my time on it was when VP Averroes was the Speaker. Since then, we've had members that had promise to then disappear, and one that turned out to be [a] sockmaster. Gully Foyle voted reliably but never truly engaged with what was going on, and I hate to say that.

I was always concerned with what Governor Simfan was doing and his repeated lack of activity when it truly mattered and his being either inept or corrupt on a number of issues, with the Intell election fiasco being #1. That is not to mention his past participation in invading other regions resulting in no punishment whatsoever even after he committed illegal actions after the pardonings.

Now, we get to the present day. Knowing my past with the Pacific and the malaise of Atlasia as a whole in recent times, I believe that my participation in CJO Ebowed's actions is entirely justified. Why would someone who worked within the system for 6 months decide to try to enact real change?

I was frustrated. I wanted something fun to happen for once. I took Atlasia seriously for way too long and the state of affairs got so grim in the Pacific with the lack of elections and disappearance of everyone but myself. One man can not change a region, so when Bacon King and Ebowed started something in the Pacific I thought that I would try to contribute. I created the Pacific Movement for Radical Change (PAMRC) in order to:

1. Try to start a story line to help former GM Kal out. I had done this earlier by making up my own kidnapping and with the farmers' strike. I thought that in the situation of a coup by Ebowed that a radical organization would pop up. I simulated it the best I could.

2. Effect something in a real way. I wanted to try to interact in the game in a way that I don't see often. Acting as a revolutionary organization was much more action that I thought would change things than introducing a piece of legislation ever could.

3. Bring interest to the Pacific. We have the lowest population and lowest citizen engagement. What better way to grow engagement? I was attempting to follow the example of the Pacific "Rimjob."

Knowing the facts and my motives, I for one do not think that my actions do not warrant a treason charge but I suppose that is up to the People of Atlasia in the upcoming trial.

Turkisblau (New Mexico)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

July 7, 2015

INACTIVITY, APATHY REACH ALL-TIME HIGH; REPUBLIC IN DIRE STRAITS
---
Citizens Petition for Constitutional Convention
---
Cranberry, Others Launch Movement To Dissolve Government

Protesters call for the dissolution of the Atlasian Constitution in Nyman

NYMAN, D.C. - Amidst historic levels of inactivity and rising disenchantment with the status quo, radical reformers have taken to the streets in Nyman and other cities across the country, demanding wide-sweeping changes to the Atlasian government. Though the protesters are divided over how to best address the present crisis, arguing over whether a Constitutional Convention or an entirely new State is the best solution to the current troubles, the nation stands united on one point: the current government, and the Constitution it is sworn to enforce, must go.

Sparked by the dramatic departure of long-time citizen Mechaman, who announced his emigration from Atlasia with the blunt observation that "This game sucks the donkey's [expletive]," the cry for reform soon spread throughout the political spectrum, finding ready ears in nearly every party and setting into motion a political realignment that sent one of the nation's oldest factions, The People's Party, hurtling towards the ground. Yet while private citizens and high-ranking officials alike have concurred that drastic action is needed to breathe new life into Atlasia, the question of how best to respond to the age-old problem of inactivity continues to vex officials, threatening to scuttle reform efforts before they even begin.

The Crisis
Though the events of the last few days have given the current crisis a sense of immediacy, inactivity is hardly a new problem for Atlasia, and efforts to replace the Constitution are as old as the Republic itself. The most recent attempt at Constitutional reform took place during the Duke Administration, when the Senate passed a number of Constitutional Amendments to shrink the number of Regions and to establish a two-house national legislature. Those efforts failed in spite of polls indicating widespread popular support for the amendments, casting a long shadow over future reform movements.

Yet while the current crisis is not unique in the history of Atlasia, that fact does little to dilute its severity. The pressure is most keenly felt at the Regional level, where a lack of candidates and absent officeholders has led to prolonged vacancies in the legislatures of three Regions and nearly plunged the Pacific and the Midwest into anarchy. Meanwhile, complaints that the game is no longer engaging for the vast majority of citizens have only grown, with complains loudest among men who, like Attorney General Al Sibboleth (ANS-CA), have been almost continuously involved in national politics since the founding of the Republic.

"It's time [to end Atlasia]," former President Lumine Von Reuental (CR-OH) said at a public forum on the topic on Friday. "Whether that means another game or a reset is another thing, but current Atlasia is getting more and more dull and even pointless at times."

A Divided Movement
Even as the rumblings of a reform movement were being detected in the halls of government, deep disagreements over the best course forward were already beginning to divide those clamoring for a change in the nation's government. Two factions began to emerge, one advocating for a Constitutional Convention to enact "radical reforms", the other calling for the complete dissolution of the Atlasian government. Likewise, a number of citizens remain unaffiliated with either group, unconvinced that a Convention will succeed in enacting reforms amidst a fiercely divided electorate yet unwilling to completely relinquish hopes for reforming the system from within.

Of the two, the Dissolutionist movement is the more organized, though neither side of the divide appears to have the advantage in terms of popularity. On July 5, citizens committed to bringing the Republic of Atlasia to an end formed the New Start Party, which quickly drew members from both ends of the ideological spectrum. Founded by Associative Justice Oakvale, who until Saturday served as Chair of The People's Party, the party was soon joined by several other prominent citizens, including Midwest Governor TNF, former President Theodore Cranberry, and Vice President Averroes Nix. Of the party's members, the vast majority are elder statesmen with long records of service in the Atlasian government, lending the party an unprecedented level of political capital for a new organization.

The Internalist Movement, meanwhile, is far less organized, though recent efforts have resulted int the creation of several organizations committed to reforming Atlasia from within. These include the Washington Society, a non-partisan group dedicated to enacting "bold, rational reforms", and Atlasians United For A Constitutional Convention (AUFACC), which has sought to rally support for a petition to re-write Atlasia's governing document.

At the heart of the debate is the contention, raised by members of the New Start Party, that a Constitutional Convention will inevitably fail, and that the only hope for enacting far-reaching, systematic reforms is to completely dismantle the game and start from scratch. These individuals cite the failure of previous Constitutional Conventions, such as the botched attempt to overhaul the national government in 2009, as evidence that any attempt to work within the system will result in lukewarm changes that fail to address the heart of the crisis. Pro-convention figures, by contrast, have argued that a formal Constitutional Convention is the most effective way to enact systematic reforms, warning that if the game is dismantled, it may well prove impossible to build it up again. As of this writing, neither the petition to call a Convention nor the proposed initiative to dissolve the national government has sufficient electoral support to become law.

Kalwejt Wins Special Election

After a hotly-contested campaign, former Game Moderator Kalwejt (Lab-OH) squeaked to victory in last weekend's special Senatorial election, defeating his Civic Renewal opponent, Dkrolga, by margin of just 5%. His victory ensures that Labor will hold its second At-Large Senate seat at least until the August Midterm elections, when Mr. Kalwejt and his partner, Senator Blair (Lab-MA), will be up for election along with the other three At-Large Senators elected in April.

The race, which included Harry S Truman of TPP and Independent gadfly Poirot in addition to the two front runners, was widely perceived as close in the days running up to the election, with all four candidates shown leading in various polls before the vote. Mr. Kalwejt was aided by the superior Labor turnout machine and by his long and distinguished record in national politics, which enabled him to appeal to moderates and progressives outside of the Labor fold. Even so, Mr. Dkrol polled dangerously close to the former GM in the first round and tied him in the second, falling behind only after the elimination of Mr. Truman allowed the transfer of badly-needed second preferences to Mr. Kalwejt.

Following the official certification of the vote by the Department of Federal Elections, Senator Kalwejt swore into office yesterday afternoon.

"We The People"
Editorials By and For Atlasians

A Convention, Not Dissolution, Is the Way to Fix Atlasia's Problems

All of us know that our nation is in a grave trouble. We've had decline in activity, in enthusiasm, in arguments about our future and also we have problems [filling] our regional legislatures. If we do not do something, Atlasia will slowly die.

Atlasia has a lot of problems. We are not able to fill our regional legislatures. The legislative system, the region system, the elections system all need to be changed. The relationship between the federal government and the regional governments should be confronted, as should the question about powers of regions and as various questions about the Cabinet [and] our rules.

The only way our current Constitution allows change is through a Constitutional Convention. A Constitutional Convention is the only way to change our laws and political nature. Some people are supporting an amendment that provides [for] the dissolution of Atlasia. All of us agree that Atlasia is not working well, but dissolving Atlasia is not the right way to solve our problems.

If there [is] a Constitutional Convention, it will not do grammatical reforms as happened in the past. The Convention will do major reforms, radical reforms that lead to a radical change and to a new Atlasia.

If the petition gets enough signatures to be valid, the Senate will have to decide how the Constitutional Convention should work. After Senate's decision, the delegates at the Convention will be selected according to the Senate's decisions, presumably by the regions, the Senate itself and maybe by the President.

After these preparation passages, the Constitutional Convention starts and delegates work on various changes at the Constitution. After serious discussions, the Convention proposes various replacements to the current Constitution and these changes become operative when ratified by 2/3 of the Constitutional Convention and by 3/4 of the current regions.

The only way to solve our problems is a change from the people. The Constitutional Convention [does] this, as it has support from citizens of all regions and across the whole political spectrum. Both centre-right and centre-left politicians and citizens have signed our petition and this is a great sign.
Atlasia will survive only if we have a Constitutional Convention.

Let's keep the Atlasian Dream. We encourage you to join the movement and add your signature at the petition for a Constitutional Convention. Together, we can change Atlasia and allow our nation to have a brighter and prosperous future.

As the great Thomas Paine said: "These are the times that try men's soul". We encourage you to support the petition.

Cris (KS) and Classic Conservative (TX)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

THE MIDEAST RECORD-COURIER

Report on the July 2015 Northeast Special Gubernatorial Election

Acting Governor Pikachu currently holds a narrow lead over his opponents in the ongoing gubernatorial election in the Northeast, with turnout hovering at 40%. Current tabulations show the incumbent with just under 35% of the vote in the initial round, ahead Associate Justice Oakvale (29%), At-Large Senator Blair (24%), and Assembly Speaker Evergreen (12%). Former Senator Somebody Who Exists, who filed to run in the election despite being a resident of Puerto Rico, so far has received no votes.

For Governor (40% Turnout)
Pikachu (TPP): 6 (35%)
Oakvale (IN): 5 (29%)
Blair (LAB): 4 (24%)
Evergeen (UMP): 2 (12%)

In a hypothetical final round, Pikachu is shown narrowly leading Mr. Oakvale 54% to 46%, with three ballots exhausted. However, as Oakvale - who ran under the banner "Vote Oakvale for an Independent Northeast" - has pledged not to take office if elected, the closeness of the election does not seriously effect Mr. Pikachu's chances of becoming governor.

For Governor (Final Round)
Pikachu (TPP): 7 (54%)
Oakvale (IN): 6 (46%)
Exhausted: 4

Polls will remain open across the Northeast until 11:59 PM EST tomorrow evening.

[Oakvale]

My campaign thread has mysteriously gone missing (perhaps I drunkenly deleted it) but I've since revised my plan to take office if elected, and push for a radically devolved structure between region and federal government. Hence my party label.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

My campaign thread has mysteriously gone missing (perhaps I drunkenly deleted it) but I've since revised my plan to take office if elected, and push for a radically devolved structure between region and federal government. Hence my party label.

This certainly makes things interesting.

[cinyc]

Thank you for doing an unofficial tally.  I haven't checked everyone for Northeast registration and activity yet (I usually wait until the election is over), but I do know that Pessimistic Antineutrino's recent vote is invalid because he does not meet the activity requirements.  You shouldn't count his vote when you do your next unofficial tally.

[Oakvale]

I believe Mr. Pryor's vote is also invalid (or rather irrelevant) since he preferenced NOTA.

[cinyc]

I believe Mr. Pryor's vote is also invalid (or rather irrelevant) since he preferenced NOTA.

That's what my cut-and-paste instructions in the booth say, although I'm not sure why that is or what the legal basis for that determination is.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

I believe Mr. Pryor's vote is also invalid (or rather irrelevant) since he preferenced NOTA.

That's what my cut-and-paste instructions in the booth say, although I'm not sure why that is or what the legal basis for that determination is.

there's the ballot standardisation act, which was repealed. maybe people have just forgotten to take that instruction off the ballot?

[Türkisblau]

I noticed this in the federal elections and thought it was hilarious. I think it's incredibly clear that putting NOTA as your 4th preference with none others after it means you're purposefully voting a blank ballot. What other reason would there be to put "None of the Above" below your votes?

/ghost out

[cinyc]

I noticed this in the federal elections and thought it was hilarious. I think it's incredibly clear that putting NOTA as your 4th preference with none others after it means you're purposefully voting a blank ballot. What other reason would there be to put "None of the Above" below your votes?

/ghost out

To declare that you don't approve of any of the other candidates other than those you ranked higher.

I still can't find the Northeast law on NOTA.  I think the feds changed their law so that preferences above NOTA ARE valid.  I'm not sure yet what effect that will have on the Northeast - probably none.  We can have our own ballot laws.

If I have time, some time next week, I am going to try to pull together all of the election laws so that we can have one Northeast consolidated election law.  Just from preliminary research, there are some incongruities that we probably should fix.  For example, the time to hold special Senate elections is technically, 7 days after the vacancy and does not necessarily cause the election to start on a Friday.

By the way, I think the Northeast doesn't allow ballots to be edited at all.  Unless it went down the memory hole somewhere, we have no 20-minute grace period. 

It also looks like candidates have until the day of the election to declare for special elections (who knew?).

Our Wiki is also in serious need of work, particularly during the dark period when SirNick deleted Assembly threads.