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

[Flake]

I only wish the South had a paper as wonderful as yours!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I only wish the South had a paper as wonderful as yours!

Thank-you, Emperor!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 21, 2015

Governor Signs Law To Limit Presence Of Firearms In Schools

Having been passed by the Mideast Assembly and signed by Governor Isaac Tmthforu94 (Fed-VA), Assemblyman Shua's amendment to the Mideast Drop The Death Toll Act went into effect today. The revised bill, which enjoyed bipar law allow localities to limit the presence of firearms on school premises, a change from the previous policy which gave law enforcement officials the right to bring firearms into schools without regard to local interests. Supported by both libertarian Democratic-Republicans and social democratic Laborites, the bill passed the Assembly without a single dissenting vote and was signed by Governor Tmthforu94 a few minutes after 1:00 this afternoon.

Bmotley Drops Out Of Mideast Senate Race

Following a campaign lasting just over 48 hours, outgoing Assemblyman Bmotley (DR-IN) announced his intentions to leave the Mideast Regional Senate race earlier today, clearing the way for Speaker Spiral (DR-MO) to win the Democratic-Republican nomination. Motley ran unsuccessfully for the Senate four months ago, in October 2014, when he was defeated by Labor Party candidate and now-incumbent Senator Windjammer. Assuming no Federalist candidate enters the race (former At-Large Senator Johanus Calvinus Libertas (Fed-IN) said he was considering a campaign but has yet to declare), this would leave Spiral as the only right wing candidate in a race that is sure to be one of the closest and most-watched in the nation.

Electoral Reform Commission Begins Drafting Proposal

The Commission on Electoral Reform established by President Lumine Von Reuental (Fed-UT) at the start of his presidency has come nearer to producing a final proposal, with Commission Chairman Rpryor03 (National-NJ) having introduced the draft of a Constitutional amendment that would replace the five At-Large Senators with senators elected from districts. Said districts would be drawn by a commission composed of the regional chief executives and the secretary of federal elections, which would meet every three months to adjust the districts as necessary.
Though the main objective of the amendment--to replace the at-large system of electing senators with more competitive district elections--is supported by the general public, it remains to be seen whether certain measures meet with resistance once the amendment is submitted to the Senate. The most obvious point of contention is that the amendment would not require the senate districts to be contiguous, opening the door for possible gerrymandering. Parts of the amendment are also vaguely worded: for example, the passage stating that the district map will "become valid at the August elections" does not state whether it refers specifically to the August, 2015 Senate elections or whether the districts will be redrawn every August. Nevertheless, the proposal is the most significant step towards game reform in recent memory, and its passage would surely speak highly of President Von Reuental's efforts to revitalize Atlasia after the disturbing events of October.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 22, 2015

Sen. Windjammer Reflects On Past Four Months, Sets Goals For The Future

Though he expects a strong challenge from Speaker Spiral (DR-MO) in the upcoming election, Mideast Regional Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI) has already launched an ambitious agenda for his second term that includes changes to how wages are calculated for tipped workers and legal protection for the religious rights of employees. In a conversation with the Mideast Record-Courier, Senator Windjammer outlined his proposals for the coming four months, as well as what he feels the legacy of his first term has been. The following is a complete transcript of our conversation:

Harry S Truman: What, in your opinion, is the greatest accomplishment of your time in the Senate?
Windjammer: The greatest accomplishment of my time in the Senate is obviously the Atlasian Universal Education Bill. This bill reduced substantially the cost of [college] studies for every  student. This is a major improvement for Atlasia, [as it was] indeed unacceptable that people were still forced to pay their “student loans” many years after having graduated. Education has always been a critical issue for me (ie: when I was Midwest Governor, I sponsored and signed a bill reducing by 95% the cost of tuition fees )... I’m proud to have voted for this bill  with the other Labor and TPP senators, and I thank President Lumine for having signed this bill.

HST: How do you feel about your chances in the upcoming regional Senate election?
W: This race will be extremely difficult to win. Spiral is someone I like personally and considering his strong ties with the ME right, he will probably manage to unite them behind his candidacy. This should be extremely close, but right now, I would say I would trail him by 2-3  votes if the election were held today.
I love campaigning and whatever the result I will obviously respect the choice of Mideasterners.

HST: Assuming you are reelected, what will your first priority be for your second term?
W: Some of the bills I introduced during my first term haven’t been debated yet and I guess they will be debated during the next session.

(Here, the Senator went on the quote from the "Tips and Gratuities Preservation Act" he authored, which would prevent employers from counting tips as part of their employees' salaries.)

W: The Midwest, the Northeast and the South passed a similar bill last year. But unfortunately, no such bill passed the Pacific, and it was rejected in the Mideast.
I believe this is important that employees are protected from this potential situation. Indeed, if someone gives them Tips or gratuities, it means they believe this employee made a wonderful job and they wanted to reward him. If they wanted to to reward the employer, they would have given tips directly. Every employee deserves to keep his tips.

The other piece of legislation I have introduced and that hasn’t been debated yet:

(The Senator quoted a piece of legislation that would allow workers to refuse to work on Sundays for religious reasons.)

W: My biggest senate work if I’m reelected will likely be writing an important bill for workers having disabilities (l’m not sure if this is the good term, so some examples: someone who is blind for example). Atlasia doesn’t have specific legislations for helping these people to find a job. And this is sad because they really need that (for obvious reasons!).
The other big issue will be obviously game reform. I’m working with Senator Cris on giving duties for the VP for example. I believe senate districts are a good idea and need to be debated.  I will consider as well to run for Speaker if I’m reelected.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 23, 2015

Assembly Rejects Bill To Swell Teachers' Ranks

A bill proposed by Assemblyman New Canadaland (Lab-ON) seems likely to be rejected by the Assembly, with the outgoing Democratic-Republican majority voting unanimously against the bill before relinquishing control of the legislature to the Labor-WSRP coalition. The bill, which would have required failing public schools to establish a 30-1 ratio between teachers and students and established merit bonuses based on a teacher evaluation system, was attacked by critics as ignoring the financial reality facing the region's schools. "I think most failing schools would love to hire additional teachers." said Assemblyman Shua (DR-NU), one of just two Assemblyman to be reelected in the January elections. "The question is whether they have the funds." Though New Canadaland provided a basic cost-analysis in response to these concerns, it was not enough to persuade his colleagues to back the measure. It remains unclear whether a similar piece of legislation will be introduced in the next Assembly.

Mideast Record-Courier Endorses Bore For President, Windjammer For Senate

With the next federal elections less than a month away, the Mideast Record-Courier is throwing its support behind the Bore/Bacon King ticket in the presidential race. Senator Bore needs no introduction to the people of Atlasia. His service in the Senate has shown him to be a committed public servant and statesman. His pragmatism, concern for the common man, and competent handling of the Senate as its Speaker for the last three months have proven him to be an excellent and fair administrator. On top of all this, he has put forward a compelling platform that, while imperfect, will certainly prevent the government from slipping into inactivity and monotony so long as he occupies the White House. Our only regret is that his election would deprive the Senate of an unusually able Speaker.
In a similar vein, the Record-Courier endorses incumbent Mideast Regional Senator Windjammer for reelection. Since being elected to the Senate three months ago, Senator Windjammer has introduced a train of bills that, while not astounding in their scope or quantity, do much to achieve real and practical benefits for the common Atlasian. His reelection platform is not a collection of vague principles and waffled anecdotes, but a list of specific, practical proposals to advocate for the plight of the people. While his tenure has not been without errors of judgement, he has shown a commitment both to his work and to the welfare of his constituents, and as such we hope the good people of the Mideast will return him to Nyman with due haste.

Fiery Rhetoric Challenges Existing Political Order In The Midwest

In a region where the personality of Labor firebrand TNF has dominated for nearly two years, the right flank is finally beginning to fight back. In the first speech of his campaign for Midwest governor, Federalist candidate Foucaulf heaped such scorn on the "closet communist" he claims have overrun the regional government that one might have suspected he was speaking in some other region, one whose citizens have not elected a self-avowed socialist to five terms in the Senate.
While conservative candidates in the Midwest have long used TNF's divisive language as a wedge issue in elections here, Foucaulf's campaign has so far been anything but conciliatory. Casting himself as the defender of the common man, the Minnesota Federalist tore into the opposition, claiming the policies of the Labor Party had brought about economic ruin. "Because of the government's nonsensical price controls, farmers have been shut out of business," he declared before a crowd of Nebraska farmers. "Due to the government's anti-business red tape, small business owners were driven out in madness. Due to the government's mandated wage levels, teachers are paid pittances while prices explode around them."
It is certainly an interesting strategy, and one that could well blow up in his face should moderates be turned off by the confrontational tactics that have long steered them away from the Laborites. Nevertheless, there remains a strong argument for a change in strategy when it comes to combatting liberal policies in the Mideast. While the conciliatory campaigns of Lumine Von Reuental (Fed-OH) and Cris (Fed-KS) won praise outside the region, this strategy has yet to result in the defeat of the Laborites at the polls. It remains to be seen whether this new aggressiveness on the part of Midwest conservatives is just the medicine they need, or a noose woven by their own hands.

[windjammer]

I would like to thank the Mideast Record-Courier for their endorsement?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 24-25, 2015

Senate Debates Federal Reserve Bill

A bill introduced by Northeast Regional Senator and Speaker Bore (Lab-RI) and backed by President Lumine Von Reuental (Fed-OH) that would transfer the responsibility of simulating the actions of the Federal Reserve from the Game Moderator to the Secretary of the Interior has aroused passions in the Senate, with leaders of the Labor party arguing vehemently against the proposal. While currently the Game Moderator is currently judge, jury, and executioner of the nation's monetary policy, the proposed bill would transfer the duty of determining the Federal Reserve's actions to the Secretary of the Interior, while the GM would continue to simulate the results of these actions.
The bill has met with resistance from some members of the Labor Party, particularly Northeast Representative Adam Griffin (Lab-NB), who has taken a large part in the debate despite not being a member of the Senate. Arguing that the Game Moderator's office has historically been much more stable than the Interior Department, Griffin vehemently attacked the measure, saying it would "literally make the position of GM weaker than that of [Secretary of the Interior]." Mideast Regional Senator Windjammer echoed his concerns, saying that "I'm not AGAINST reforms, I'm against basically stripping duties to an office. You're doing the same mistakes than the senate did when they voted to basically strip every duty of the VP: what was the result? An inactive office." These charges were rejected by Speaker Bore, who countered that "the GM remains, by a huge distance, the most powerful player in the game, so I'm not sure this can be seen as a way of stripping powers a way from it," and observed that the Game Moderator would retain control over the effects of the Secretary of the Interior's Actions.

Poll: Windjammer Trails Spiral As Senate Campaign Kicks Off

A survey administered by Based God Polling from January 21-24 shows former Speaker Spiral (DR-MO) slightly ahead of Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI) as the two begin their campaigns for the Mideast Regional Senate seat. Final results showed Spiral with a narrow lead over the incumbent Windjammer, with 42% to Windjammer's 32%. Twenty-six percent of respondents were either undecided or pledged to support a different candidate in the election. These results stood in contrast to an earlier poll run by the Mideast Record-Courier, which showed Senator Windjammer with a comfortable 53% lead in a three-way race against Spiral and former At-Large Senator Johanus Calvinus Libertas. While Atlasian polling is to be taken lightly, this seems to suggest a tight race in the offing, and one that could well decide whether the next president enters office with a supportive or combative Senate at his back.

[bore]

Thank you for your endorsement

You're doing a great job here.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 26, 2015

Governor Backs New Canadaland For Speaker

In a conciliatory gesture towards the liberals who now control the regional legislature, Governor Isaac Tmthforu94 (Fed-VA) has endorsed Assemblyman New Canadaland (Lab-ON) for Speaker of the Mideast Assembly, effectively ending whatever opposition might have emerged to the latter's candidacy. The short-term significance of this announcement is minimal: leftists hold a clear majority in the Assembly, and could have elected Canadaland speaker even if the governor had actively opposed it. Nevertheless, Tmthforu94's early and vocal support for the Ontario Laborite is indicative of a desire to work across the aisle with the opposition, a necessity with the regional government split between the Federalist executive and the Labor-controlled legislature.  

An Interview With Vice-Presidential Candidate Maxwell

As he continues his campaign for the Vice Presidency of the Republic of Atlasia, IDS Speaker Maxwell (DR-AL) took the time to talk with the Mideast Record-Courier about the upcoming election and the issues facing the current generation of Atlasians. By all counts an elder statesman, Maxwell has served in a multitude of offices over the years, from Senator to Attorney General to Emperor of the Imperial Dominion of the South. What follows is a transcript of our conversation:

Harry S Truman: With little less than a month to go before the election, some are already predicting victory for Senator Bore. What is your response to claims that the election is practically over?
Maxwell: While I understand their feeling, I feel it is a bit premature. Our ticket has put out a detailed policy agenda, and while I have a great deal of respect for our opponents, I've seen little of the same activity. I think voters will see that as us taking the initiative, and voters in the center and the on the center left will look at that positively. So to answer your question, I think the election result is a little more up in the air than people think.

HST: As the campaign enters its final weeks, what message will you bring to the Atlasian people?
M: Our message is that the people are tired of the same old Nyman, and we respond to that with an agenda that brings economic opportunity to people, brings regions into the conservation, and breaks up the stale politics that have held the government we've seen.

HST: There has been controversy of late over the proper role of the Vice President. How do you see yourself managing that office, and what kind of role will you play in advancing the administration's agenda?
M: I've seen the role used in a lot of capacities, and I think my approach to the role would be far more, how we say, behind the scenes than previous Vice Presidents. I would be something of a Senatorial and Regional ambassador for the President, asking for their needs, getting broad consensus, whipping votes, and attempting to bring forward our agenda. I've never been Vice President before, so I imagine the transition will be interesting, but I plan on keeping an active dialogue.

HST: It seems increasingly likely that a hypothetical Potus Administration would have to deal with a Senate of the opposite political persuasion. As the vice president has the unique role of being both a member of the executive branch as well as president of the senate, do you foresee yourself as acting as a sort of liaison between the executive and legislative branches?
M: Funny enough, I sort of answered that question earlier! And yes, that is the plan, and interestingly enough, I have experience in that role in my term as an At-Large Senator. My votes were strongly in the libertarian range, but I was leader during my term, negotiating bills, whipping votes, and being conciliatory toward other members. I think my approach is the approach of our campaign - principled but pragmatic. Standing for what we believe but working with the other side to get it done. I think I'll be especially effective role.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 27, 2015

SENATE PASSES CIVIL RIGHTS ACT

NYMAN, D.C.-After a long and divisive debate, the controversial Civil Rights Act of 2014 (CRA) has passed the Senate, with Labor and TPP Senators uniting to pass the heavily-amended bill. While the original proposal, introduced by Midwest Regional Senator TNF (Lab-KS), has been tempered by the Senate's more moderate members, who removed passages calling land "stolen" from Native Americans to be returned and classifying hate speech as terrorism, the bill continues to raise passions amongst the center-right. With the vote not officially closed, Mideast Assemblyman Shua (DR-NU) has taken the Senate floor to denounce the bill and President Lumine Von Reuental is preparing to call for a redraft, ensuring that the debate over what may prove to be the most consequential bill passed by the 65th Senate will continue.
Summary of the Civil Rights Act
As it currently stands, the CRA has already been heavily amend mended, with members of all parties working to produce a practical piece of legislation while preserving the author's original intent. The Act is divided into five sections, summarized below:
Section 1: The Senate will grant $150 million to the Secretary of the Interior, who will use these funds to establish a "program of reparations" for the descendants of slaves and Native Americans. Racial parity in juries and federal employment will be established.
Section 2: Payment for contraception and other birth control will be covered by the Interior Department. Gender bias in salaries, dress codes, and hirings is prohibited. Gender parity in juries will be established.
Section 3: The federal government will not, in anyway, show preference for heterosexuality over homosexuality, and will take action to prevent the bullying of and provide for applicable sex education for LGBTQ students. Transgender citizens will be allowed to use the bathrooms of their choice.
Section 4: The Senate will provide $25 million for a campaign to organize a nationwide anti-discrimination campaign.
Section 5: The Senate apologizes on behalf of the Republic of Atlasia for any and all discrimination committed by the federal government.
Objections to the CRA
Once it became clear that the Act had enough votes to pass the Senate, Mideast Assemblyman Shua traveled to Nyman to denounce its provisions before the Senate. Arguing that the bill flew in the face of reality, Shua forcefully condemned the law, particularly Section 2, which he says opens the door for inappropriate dress in school settings. "I don't understand what passes for centrism in Atlasia," he said in response to Senator TNF's claim that the bill is essentially a compromise  "I once thought that it was basically European Social Democracy but that's something far to the right of something like this. You want to pretend that history and society has left us with no statistical differences in interest and ability between people of different genders or ethnicity, and that any differences in hiring are solely the fault of the employer, rather than address the issue with education, and perhaps (gasp!) consider the possibility that their might be differences in what fields people decide to enter into.  You want to pretend people aren't affected by how people in their environment dress, and condemn anyone who thinks otherwise…. Honestly I can barely watch what the Senate does to run over the regions and civil society and still sustain any interest in Atlasia at any level."
Not all objections to the Act were peaceful. The Game Moderator's Office announced last night that threats had been made on the life of Senator TNF, and the Department of the Interior is closely monitoring the threat of armed retaliation against the bill's backers and minority groups. In response, TNF has called for supporters of the Act to form paramilitary groups to defend the CRA by force of arms, if necessary
More common was the response of Secretary of the Interior Hagrid Of The Deep, who said that while certain passages are troubling, "slandering" the entire Act is counterproductive. Saying that "a redraft altering the language in question could have a very real chance of passing," the Secretary urged patience on the part of his fellow conservatives, confident that more objectionable portions of the Act could yet be altered.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 28, 2015

Supporters, Opponents Of CRA Take Up Arms

With the arrest of the would-be assassin of Midwest Regional Senator TNF and the Interior Department on high alert for signs of unrest stemming from the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 2014, some members of the public are taking matters into their own hands. Within hours of the revelation of the plot on Senator TNF's life, the Labor firebrand called for supporters to take up arms as part of the Nat Turner Brigade (NTB), a paramilitary group whose stated purpose is to defend the working class from the "racist, bigoted, or other xenophobic elements upset by this bill." Opponents of the Act, led by Mideast Assemblyman Shua, promptly began taking up arms themselves under the banner of the "Mideast Matriot Militia" (MMM).
The situation continued to unravel from there as rumors that the MMM had been seen "brandishing guns and scaring the bejesus" out of Mideasterners competed with charges that TNF's attempted assassin was seen carrying "radical socialist" pamphlets, claims that Game Moderator Dr. Cynic has declared false. Hoping to keep the situation under control, President Lumine Von Reuental (Fed-OH) has called for the Attorney General's office to investigate the legality of these so-called independent militias. For their part, both the NTB and the MMM have announced their non-confrontational intentions, asserting that they will only use force in response to an outright attack. In such a charged atmosphere, however, it remains to be seen whether such statements can keep the peace, or whether a misunderstanding will throw the country into civil war.

Former President Unmasked

He is perhaps the most controversial figure ever to inhabit the presidency. Now, thanks to new evidence purportedly unearthed by At-Large Senator Bacon King (TPP-OC), opponents of former President Napoleon at long last have the satisfaction in knowing that their charges were, essentially, correct: the one-time chief executive was indeed a sock account of a poster known as Hamilton.
The revelation was particularly satisfying to former Attorney General Snowstalker, who was defeated by Napoleon in the latter's reelection bid. Snowstalker is now calling for the Senate to pass a resolution declaring him to have been the rightful President of Atlasia from October 2012 to February 2013, a suggestion that has won the support of President Lumine Von Reuental. It remains unclear what, if any, action is being taken against Napoleon himself.
CORRECTION: The Mideast Record-Courier has been notified that Napoleon has been banned from the forum.

[Maxwell]

Napoleon has been banned from the forum. That is the action that has been taken against him.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Napoleon has been banned from the forum. That is the action that has been taken against him.

Noted. I have updated the article to reflect this development.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 29, 2015

Governor Introduces Bill To Expand High Speed Rail

Following the rejection of a similar bill by the previous Assembly, Governor Isaac Tmthforu94 (Fed-VA) has introduced legislation to expand high-speed rail services in the Mideast. Much more ambitious than the bill drafted by Speaker New Canadaland (Lab-ON) in the last session, the governor's proposal would construct three new rail lines connecting various cities throughout the region, at a cost of $45 billion. Construction would begin on these lines in March of this year. Under the proposed bill, private companies would be able to purchase the right to operate the tracks, subject to regular inspections by the Mideast government. With several Assemblymen having pledged expand high-speed rail during the last campaign, the measure seems likely to pass, with Speaker New Canadaland having opened debate earlier today.

Minimum Wage Debate Consumes All Levels Of Government

As the nation prepares to select the next Senate and chief executive, wages are weighing heavily on everyone's minds, with the federal government as well as the regions considering action to raise the minimum wage. In the Senate, Midwest Regional Senator TNF (Lab-KS) has introduced a bill that would gradually increase the minimum wage over the course of the next decade, culminating at $25 an hour in 2025. Unsurprisingly, the bill has drawn considerable criticism, particularly At-Large Senator Polnut (TPP-MA) and IDS Regional Senator North Carolina Yankee (F-NC), who argue that setting the minimum wage so far ahead would degrade the purchasing power of current wages at a time when inflation is already alarmingly high. Polnut has indicated that he would support a moderate increase of the minimum wage, with Pacific Regional Senator The Cranberry suggesting it be set at $15 an hour.
Meanwhile, in the Northeast, Lt. Governor and candidate for Senate MattVT (TPP-VT) has introduced a bill that would establish a $20 minimum wage in that region effective August 1, and a $25 minimum wage after 2020. The proposal has been met with ridicule from even the furthest-left politicians, with former Labor Party chairman Adam Griffin ridiculing the proposal in the lt. governor's campaign thread, leading Matt to state that the bill was intended to prompt debate rather than as a serious proposal, an assertion many on the right view dubiously. The Northeast Assembly has yet to bring the bill up for debate.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 30, 2015

Tmthforu94 Resigns

Less than a month after taking office as Governor of the Mideast Isaac Tmthforu94 (Fed-VA) has resigned from office and deregistered as a citizen of the Republic of Atlasia. The governor's resignation was prompted by accusations that he had concealed the true identity of former President Napoleon, who was banned from the forum earlier this week after moderators confirmed that his account was a sock for banned poster Alexander Hamilton. Per the Mideast Constitution, Lt. Governor TDAS04 (Lab-VA) has assumed the governorship, and has nominated former Assemblyman Bmotely (DR-IN) for Lt. Governor.
The accusations that led to Tmthforu94's resignation were leveled by Al Sibboleth, founder of the Transcendental Democratic Party and, like Tmthforu94, a former President of the Republic. Northeast Representative and former Labor Party chairman Adam Griffin, Midwest Regional Senator TNF, and At-Large Senator Lief soon joined those calling for action to be taken against Tmthforu94, though Griffin later claimed that all had been in jest after Tmthforu94 deregistered. None of the accusers were residents of the Mideast. By contrast, several prominent Mideasterners, including Associate Justice TJ, Speaker New Canadaland, and former Assemblyman Bmotely expressed sympathy with the governor's position and lamented the outcome of the controversy. Following Tmthforu94's resignation, the Mideast Matriot Militia expressed its intention to protect the region's officeholders from future attacks.

Assembly Debates Illegal Immigrants' Bill Of Rights

A bill introduced by Speaker New Canadaland (Lab-ON) that would grant limited rights to illegal immigrants residing in the Mideast is currently before the Assembly. The bill, proposed as a replacement to the existing Mideast Right to Life Act, would grant illegal immigrants the right to received emergency medical care within the Mideast and to get a driver's license in the Mideast, as well as prevent the deportation of said persons if their country of origin is in a state of civil war. The bill would also prevent the detention of non-criminal illegal immigrants under 14 years of age for longer than 24 hours. While an amendment offered by Assemblyman Earl A. Washburn (WSRP-ON) would prevent the deportation of any illegal immigrant without their consent, this suggestion is unlikely to be adopted. Governor TDAS04 is yet to comment on the legislation.

[Boston Bread]

I would like to add, the raison d'être of the Migrant Civil Rights Act is to repeal the Right to Life Act's abortion restrictions. But the rights given to immigrants under that act need to be kept.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

What on earth is going on? I go out drinking one night and all hell breaks loose?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
January 31-February 1, 2014

Dr. Cynic Resigns As GM

After a tenure of nearly two months, Game Moderator Dr. Cynic (Ind-PA) announced his resignation earlier today, ending what many have termed a "fantastic" tenure in office. Citing recent personal troubles, the former president and At-Large Senator explained that he would be unable to find time to continue his public duties, but that he hoped to return sometime in the future. Commenting on his term in office, Cynic said that "I did my best at this job that I could. I didn't accomplish all that I'd wanted, but I did try very hard at making this all work and I'm confidant that with the right person this job will continue to work. I thank you guys for giving me the opportunity to prove that this is a viable office." IDS Speaker Maxwell, Associate Justice Oakvale, and others commended Cynic for his service and wished him well in his future ventures.

Mideast Record-Courier Endorses Cranberry For Pacific Senate

With less than three weeks to go before the upcoming federal elections Pacific Regional Senator Theodore Cranberry (TPP-OR) has the support of the Mideast Record-Courier in his bid for reelection. Though the Record-Courier does not usually insert itself into the politics of other regions, we feel strongly that Senator Cranberry is the better candidate in this race and wish to extend to him our full endorsement. During his tenure in the Senate, the Senator has proved to be a pragmatic voice whose primary concern is for the welfare of his constituents. His proposals for his second term are specific, innovative, and fresh, rather than the tired platitudes of "game reform" and "bipartisanship" that so often constitute a campaign. Additionally, his admirable tenure as the 34th President of Atlasia during the late civil conflict is enough to mark him as one of the great statesmen of this age. We hope the people of the Pacific will be so wise as to return him to his post.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 2, 2015

Farewell: The Last Interview Of Tmthforu94

Fmr. Assemblyman, Lt. Governor, Governor, Senator, Vice President, and President Isaac Tmthforu94

The departure of Isaac Tmthforu94, just weeks after his triumphal reelection as Mideast Governor, is perhaps one of the most unexpected and widely-felt events in recent history. Before bidding Atlasia farewell for good, the former president, vice president, senator and governor sat down for a final interview with the Mideast Record-Courier. What follows is a transcript of our conversation.

Harry S Truman: You have served in countless capacities during your Atlasian career, from president to senator to governor. What has your proudest achievement been?
Isaac Tmthforu94: My proudest accomplishment was probably my second stint as Mideast Governor. While my campaign against ZuWo was unfortunately one of the most negative campaigns in Atlasia history, once I got in, things went great. We were able to tackle a lot of issues and have rigorous debates - activity in the region was at an all time high and elections were competitive. There is always room for improvement, but I was generally pretty happy when I finished up as Governor then.

HST: Is there anything you would have done differently, either specific policy decisions or in regards to your general outlook towards Atlasia?
T94: Yes - I think I got too caught up in the game at times, letting certain ambitions get in the way. I was raised on the belief of loving your neighbor and acting Christlike, and while this is just a game, I failed on that front multiple times. I wish I would have been kinder and cherished the friendships I had in the game.

HST: As the nation debates various "reforms" to the structure of our republic, what do you think is the greatest challenge faced by the game today?
T94: There [is] a lack of ambitious young folks on the right, and as a result, I fear that we are preparing to enter into an era of liberal domination in the game. I'm not sure if that can be solved by policy, rather, by a resurgence from conservative members in the game.

HST: Moving beyond policy, what is your take on the 'tone' of politics at the moment? Do you think that there needs to be a change in how we treat our fellow citizens?
T94: Absolutely - I wasn't perfect in this front, but this game gets too personal too easily. I haven't taken it too personally for years, but my failure was not realizing how many still do and not being sensitive to that. This whole issue with Napoleon was silly, especially since I was guilty of absolutely nothing - it was completely a witch hunt based on no evidence. But when I receive threatening personal messages, I know that enough is enough. Be nice to each other - that's my advice.

HST: Final Thoughts?
T94I realize that on the outside, my departure looks rash and poorly thought out. It wasn't - this is something I have been considering for a while. ...[With] Napoleon's banning, I felt this was a good time for me to step away. I haven't been enjoying the game or the forum for quite a while - I think just about everyone reaches a point where their time in Atlasia has run its course, and that has now happened to me.
I sincerely wish everyone the best - I hope there are no hard feelings. We have a group of bright, young Mideasterners who I know will do a great job providing a resurgence to the region.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

People took the "accusations" against Tmth seriously? Oh.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Will the Courier be following up on Tmth's passive-aggressive swipe at ZuWo or, for that matter, elaborating on the "threatening personal messages" that he received?

Unless the incident had ramifications that effected either national policy or the public welfare, we do not intend to pursue this matter. The Record-Courier is not in the business of digging up dirt for the sake of digging up dirt.

As to the "threatening personal messages" received by Tmthforu94, those are his to disclose, not mine. The purpose of this article was to shed light on the departure of a storied public figure, not to evaluate the validity of his reasons.

[Flake]

ZuWo too?!

[TJ in Oregon]

I think it was fine. Would anyone really claim that campaign wasn't one of the dirtiest in Atlasian history?   I don't think anyone ever claimed it was ZuWo's fault, or at least not ZuWo's fault alone. It was simply a passing reference to a fight from two years ago in terms no one can really disagree with. Why can't we let bygones be bygones and let what's done stay that way?

[Flake]

I think it was fine. Would anyone really claim that campaign wasn't one of the dirtiest in Atlasian history?   I don't think anyone ever claimed it was ZuWo's fault, or at least not ZuWo's fault alone. It was simply a passing reference to a fight from two years ago in terms no one can really disagree with. Why can't we let bygones be bygones and let what's done stay that way?

Ah, I had gotten the impression that it was recent (I was confused because I never knew ZuWo ran against Tmth), which makes it more odd that he mentioned it -- it being two years ago.

[TJ in Oregon]

I think it was fine. Would anyone really claim that campaign wasn't one of the dirtiest in Atlasian history?   I don't think anyone ever claimed it was ZuWo's fault, or at least not ZuWo's fault alone. It was simply a passing reference to a fight from two years ago in terms no one can really disagree with. Why can't we let bygones be bygones and let what's done stay that way?

Ah, I had gotten the impression that it was recent (I was confused because I never knew ZuWo ran against Tmth), which makes it more odd that he mentioned it -- it being two years ago.

In terms of sheer volume of PMs (and staying up to 3am frantically typing some of them) that is one race I'll never forget