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

[tmthforu94]

I regret that I contributed to the race getting too negative - ZuWo is a friend and I wouldn't take a swipe like that against him in the interview. Please quit trying to read too deeply into what I said. While my tenure after the race was probably my proudest accomplishment, the race itself was one of my unhappiest moments - I wish it had gone differently.

I shouldn't have mentioned the PM, solely because I should have known that people would ask me to post it publicly, which I will not do. It came from a good guy who got caught up in the drama - I'm not going to let one of my last acts in Atlasia be helping sink someone's career.

Hopefully that clears the air. Take care, everyone! Thank you to Harry Truman for the interview - you are an excellent Atlasian journalist who has a bright future ahead!

[Cranberry]

I must have completely missed your article of endorsement for me!
Thank you very much, it means a lot to be endorsed by such a good paper, and then to even be over-loaded with praise.. Thank you very much indeed!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

As clarity is a good thing, I will take this opportunity to say that I have not sent Tmthforu94 any PMs (threatening or otherwise) recently.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Statement

The Mideast Record-Courier, like everything else in Atlasia, is part of a game. It's purpose is to make playing that game more fun. As such, it does not attempt to meet real-life "standards" for journalism. Doing so would consume much more time than anyone is willing to spend writing or reading this paper.
The Record-Courier is always open to constructive, polite criticism of its work. Malicious attacks on this paper for failing to meet real-life journalism standards, however, are neither appreciated nor appropriate. Persons who feel this paper does not do justice to the serious nature of internet games are invited to start their own publications. Thank-you.
-Harry S Truman
Editor, Mideast Record-Courier

[Boston Bread]

The Courier should be commended for its exceptional dedication. The errors made by the paper were not made in contempt for any person so I excuse their writers in that regard.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Respecting basic journalism ethics - for instance, by not spreading rumors,

How was I "spreading rumors"? The comment you are referring to was made by Tmthforu, not me or anyone else affiliated with the Record-Courier. When an interviewee responds to one of my questions, I print his answer; I don't pick through his response and remove the parts I don't like or disagree with.
Were this a real publication, you would be right in saying that I should have asked follow-up questions to flesh out the article. But it's not. There is nothing "unethical" about me publishing a comment Tmthforu easily could have made in any other thread on this board.

and getting basic details correct

I go to all reasonable lengths to make sure the information printed here is factually accurate. I might have spelled a name wrong or misplaced a comma now and again, but I hardly think I am guilty of spreading falsehoods.

Nor is my criticism of the Courier grounded in malice. I don't know where you're getting that idea.

This is the comment I was referring to:

Shedding light on Tmth's departure would mean asking follow up questions, providing context, and seeking out other perspectives. None of which you have done. What's the point of conducting an interview if you're just providing a soapbox? This isn't a paper, it's a mouthpiece. Just label them "press releases" from now on and stop pretending that you're a journalist. Even Fantasyland has higher standards than this.

This seemed to me to be an attack on me and my ethics, not on the quality of this publication. I'm glad to hear that was not your intention.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 3, 2015

Bmotley Confirmed As Lt. Governor

Former Assemblyman Bmotely (DR-IN) has been confirmed as Mideast Lt. Governor, filling a vacancy left when TDAS04 (Lab-VA) assumed the governor's office following the resignation of Tmthforu94. Mr. Motley was confirmed by a 3-1 vote in the Assembly, with Assemblyman Earl A. Washburn (WSRP-ON) casting the lone vote against confirmation, who argued that Motley's defeat in the most recent Assembly election shows Mideasterners do not want him in office. In other quarters, the nomination was well received for its demonstration of the new governor's bipartisanship, and Motely ultimately won support from three of the four major parties represented in the Assembly. In thanking the Assembly for its speedy confirmation, Governor TDAS04 said the new lt. governor "has the energy and skills needed in helping this great region reach its full potential, and I wholeheartedly congratulate him and welcome him to the administration."

FitzGerald Convicted Of Voter Intimidation

After a lengthy trial, Midwest Governor Lebron FitzGerald (Lab-MN) has been convicted of voter intimidation under the Re-Consolidated Criminal Justice Act. The offense occurred a little under three months ago, when Midwest citizens attempted to recall Governor FitzGerald, an effort that was ultimately unsuccessful. Presumably worried that the recall measure would pass, Governor Fitzgerald contacted former President and Midwest voter Gustaf and attempted to compel him to amend his ballot, saying that the "positioning" of the X marking the ballot as in favor of recall was wrong. Though FitzGerald's attorney, Mideast Regional Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI), argued that the person who contacted Gustaf was not the Midwest Governor, but someone impersonating him, the jury voted to find FitzGerald guilty by a 4-1 margin. The Supreme Court is expected to announce Governor FitzGerald's sentence shortly.

[Türkisblau]

Respecting basic journalism ethics - for instance, by not spreading rumors,

How was I "spreading rumors"? The comment you are referring to was made by Tmthforu, not me or anyone else affiliated with the Record-Courier. When an interviewee responds to one of my questions, I print his answer; I don't pick through his response and remove the parts I don't like or disagree with.
Were this a real publication, you would be right in saying that I should have asked follow-up questions to flesh out the article. But it's not. There is nothing "unethical" about me publishing a comment Tmthforu easily could have made in any other thread on this board.

and getting basic details correct

I go to all reasonable lengths to make sure the information printed here is factually accurate. I might have spelled a name wrong or misplaced a comma now and again, but I hardly think I am guilty of spreading falsehoods.

Nor is my criticism of the Courier grounded in malice. I don't know where you're getting that idea.

This is the comment I was referring to:

Shedding light on Tmth's departure would mean asking follow up questions, providing context, and seeking out other perspectives. None of which you have done. What's the point of conducting an interview if you're just providing a soapbox? This isn't a paper, it's a mouthpiece. Just label them "press releases" from now on and stop pretending that you're a journalist. Even Fantasyland has higher standards than this.

This seemed to me to be an attack on me and my ethics, not on the quality of this publication. I'm glad to hear that was not your intention.

I really would not worry about it. Mr. Nix seems to like rushing to judgments on many people in Atlasia. He has talked down to me on numerous occasions; it is not a surprise that he is going around and spreading his ill will.

[tmthforu94]

I shouldn't have mentioned the PM, solely because I should have known that people would ask me to post it publicly,

Fortunately, no one in this thread has asked that you post any private messages publicly.

It came from a good guy who got caught up in the drama - I'm not going to let one of my last acts in Atlasia be helping sink someone's career.

It's not fair to anyone involved to claim that you've been receiving threats - and I'll note that this allegation has somehow has evolved from the plural ("threatening personal messages") in your "final" interview to the singular ("PM") in your response - if you're not willing to take those threats to the moderators. It needlessly casts a pall over the game and makes everyone else feel unsafe.

I shouldn't have mentioned the PM

It's good to hear that the threat wasn't serious - presumably you wouldn't be describing whoever has been menacing you as a "good guy" if it were - but no, clearly you should not have brought it up.

You're right, as usual. Thank you for pointing all of this out, Nix!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 4, 2015

President Calls For Unity In UN Address

In the first appearance by an Atlasian chief executive before the body in many a month, President Lumine Von Reuental (F-OH) addressed delegates to the United Nations earlier today, calling for renewed international unity in the face of totalitarian threats around the globe. The speech, which totaled just over 690 words, focussed mainly on the threat posed to world democracies by the Islamic State, or ISIS, which the president declared "has proven that they will not stop until they reach their goal, a goal that will result in the end of personal liberties in many countries, the renunciation of democracy, the genocide of those who are opposed [to them], perhaps just for their heritage or their religion."
While recognizing the challenges faced by the body, the president nevertheless affirmed his faith in the ability of the UN to meet these threats to international security. "We all know that the League of Nations failed to prevent some of this issues a few decades ago," he told the delegates, "but the United Nations is a much stronger organization, one with a clearer purpose, one with the resolve to act and help end this threat." In addition, the president underscored the importance that the world's nations act as one, stating that "missiles will not destroy [our enemies], but coalitions will." In closing, the president appealed to the delegates' common interest in preserving "the key personal freedoms" and to "stand up and be a part of a united charge to solve and prevent the issues that pose a threat to the world and its citizens." As of this writing, no other members of the Atlasian government have commented on the president's speech.

Electoral Reform Commission To Introduce Amendment

A Constitutional amendment that would replace the five At-Large Senate seats with senators elected from districts has been approved by the Commission on Electoral Reform established by President Von Reuental, and is expected to be introduced in the Senate shortly. Largely drafted by Deputy Attorney General Rpryor03 (National-NJ), who serves as the chairman of the commission, the amendment would establish a commission consisting of the five regional governors and the Secretary of Federal Elections, which would be charged with establishing the boundaries of the districts and adjusting them as necessary every three months.
The amendment is backed by Northeast Regional Senator Bore (Lab-RI), who served as one of the three members of the commission. The senator had previously pledged to implement some type of district system for Class B Senate elections if elected president later this month.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 5, 2015

FitzGerald Sentenced

Following his conviction of voter intimidation earlier this week, former Midwest Governor Lebron FitzGerald was sentenced to a six-month ban on voting and a one-month ban on officeholding yesterday. Associate Justice Oakvale, speaking for the court, explained that while FitzGerald's crime was serious, the governor's lack of a previous criminal record and the fact that, if successful, his attempt to convince former President Gustaf to invalidate his ballot would not have effected the outcome of the recall election led the justices to forgo the maximum sentence of a two-year ban on officeholding. Several minutes after FitzGerald's sentence was announced, Midwest Archduke Gass3268 swore in as Governor of the Midwest.
The sentence provoked responses ranging from ridicule to outrage from FitzGerald and his supporters, who described his conviction as part of a general "purge" of Labor Party officeholders. In his farewell address, the former governor maintained his innocence, saying that "it's annoying to see the Lumine and [Attorney General] ZuWo Administration get their way again." President Von Reuental did not comment on the conviction, beyond thanking Attorney General ZuWo for his "good work."

Kalwejt Nominated For Game Moderator

After what he described as a "very satisfactory" interview, President Lumine Von Reuental (Fed-OH) has nominated former Vice President Kalwejt (ASBPAR-VT) to replace retiring Game Moderator Doctor Cynic (Ind-PA). Formerly the second pope of the ill-fated "Papal Patch", Mr. Kalwejt said he was "deeply honored" by the appointment, expressing hope that he will be able to live up to the example set by Dr. Cynic. Pacific Regional Senator Theodore Cranberry (TPP-OR) and Mideast Regional Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI) expressed support for the nomination, which is yet to be brought before the Senate for debate.

Former President To Be Prosecuted For Voter Fraud

Former President Tyrion had been back in Atlasia for only a few hours when the Department of Justice announced it was bringing charges against the one-time chief executive for violating federal election law. The dispute has its roots in Tyrion's brief presidency, the shortest in Atlasian history, which came to an abrupt close when Tyrion revealed himself to be former banned poster Ogis and promptly left office. Following Tyrion's return, Deputy Attorney General Rpryor03 (National-NJ) announced that the administration intended to press charges against him, on the grounds that it is illegal for a poster to have multiple accounts.
The announcement met with almost immediate objections from all corners of the political spectrum, with even those who were supportive of previous lawsuits leveled by the Von Reuental administration against violators of election law speaking out against the decision. Among the protestors was IDS Speaker and former Emperor Maxwell (DR-AL), who argued that the lawsuit was null due to Tyrion having received an official presidential pardon for all crimes committed against the Republic of Atlasia. Multiple other public figures, including several members of the Senate, Midwest Archduke GAWorth (P.E.A.C.E.-SD), and IDS Emperor Flo (TPP-LA) joined those attacking the lawsuit, with Midwest Regional Senator TNF (Lab-KS) calling it "another one of the administration's b******t witch-hunts." As of this writing, the Justice Department has announced no plans to drop charges against the former president, though this may be moot in light of the mentioned pardon.

[Simfan34]

Mr Speaker, I would most politely ask you to reconsider the tenor of your comments to President Averroes. Besides, you know, being Averroes and what all that entails, we are all members of the same party.

Also, keep up the good work Harry. Atlasia is so much better when we have a news media...

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Mr Speaker, I would most politely ask you to reconsider the tenor of your comments to President Averroes. Besides, you know, being Averroes and what all that entails, we are all members of the same party.

Also, keep up the good work Harry. Atlasia is so much better when we have a news media...

This

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 6, 2015

An Interview With IDS Emperor Flo

One of Atlasia's newest regional executives, IDS Emperor Flo (TPP-LA) is a former Secretary of the Interior and former Speaker of the Imperial Legislature. At his request, I met with him earlier today for a brief interview touching on his tenure at the helm of the IDS. What follows is a transcript of our conversation.

Harry S Truman: You recently introduced the Duke-Glory Days Act, which would change the name of the IDS back to the South. Is this just an aesthetic change, or do you see it as part of a larger plan to rebrand the region?
I see the change as a larger plan to rebrand our region because, as we all know, the Imperial Dominion of the South doesn't seem like a good place to be. Just the name makes it sound like an Imperial society with locked doors, backroom deals, and daily punishments for our workers, but the South is truly a beautiful region, from the Appalachia mountains to the Gulf coast beaches, to the beautiful celebrations in our wonderful cities, like New Orleans, Atlanta, and Chattanooga.
Our region is a one of friendliness: there's a reason... for the term "Southern Hospitality". The people in this region are the ones that bake you some homemade apple pie..., that invite you to their home, and take you in when you're in dire need of help.
Our region has had some of the most kind people running it for years, from our beloved Priest, [former Emperor] Scott, to our handsome boy, [former President and Legislator] Duke. These gentlemen have served our region well. The Imperial Dominion of the South screams injustice and cruelty, when in reality our region has progressed in many instances from solid, far reaching programs like giving the homeless a home and rehabilitating our drug-addicted friends and loved ones.
The fact of the matter is that the Imperial Dominion of the South is truly the opposite of what we are. We aren't full of warlords and overlords, we are good, decent Southerners. We are teachers, engineers, farmers, mechanics, plumbers, electricians, construction workers. That's what the South is: not a collection of empires, not political anguish, but a unified region of respected people from Texas to North Carolina to Puerto Rico, with politics of hope and progress, and I'll be damned to see this region looked upon with such distrust when our people are among the finest in the world.

HST: According to the most recent report from the Game Moderator, the IDS has the second-highest unemployment rate in the nation. Do you have a specific plan to address this, or do you see this as more of a federal responsibility?
Flo:Our government and the federal government obviously needs to work together in order to lower our unemployment rate [and] to create new, high paying jobs all across this region. One way federally is to focus our unemployment efforts on areas of our region that have historically had a high poverty rate, cities such as Monroe, Louisiana, Albany, Georgia, and Miami, Florida.
Our region can invest in many public expenditures, where we can have regional transportation that the rest of the country envies. I'm talking about things like high-speed railways and the improvement of our cities' busing systems. There are plenty of far reaching things that we can do to help the poor, lower unemployment, and attack poverty, we still don't have a regional broadband system, something that hurts the working class man in our rural areas. We can always improve on our education system, on R&D programs, and as soon as Kalwejt is confirmed as the GM, I'll be discussing with him on the costs and benefits of these types of programs that would ultimately lead people out of poverty and allow our region to have more social mobility than the rest of the country.

HST: As a member of TPP, how do you feel about the upcoming presidential election?
Flo:I'd like to start this off by saying that all of the people in the Presidential race are truly wonderful people. I have very positive opinions of Bore, Potus, Bacon King, and Maxwell. Bore is an accomplished member of the Senate and he's certainly done a lot of good things for Atlasia, Potus has [grown] from his disastrous tenure as the Governor of the Mideast to an active player with some big ideas. Bacon King obviously has some real experience under his belt: if the Bore ticket is elected in a few weeks, this would be the fourth time he's the Vice President, and Maxwell has been an idea maker in the South, cranking out some great bills, and I've been largely supportive of much of what he's done recently. ...Ultimately, I endorsed the Bore/Bacon King ticket in December and I'll be voting for them in a few weeks, but the nation is in good hands no matter who the next President/Vice President is.

HST: Should we expect to see you in Nyman in the foreseeable future?
Flo: I am not planning to run for anything outside of the South for the foreseeable future, there's so much to be done here and frankly, I like working here better with Maxwell, Duke, and X.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 7-8, 2015

Secretary Of State Faces Impeachment

Articles of Impeachment have been introduced against Secretary of State Potus2036 (Fed-CA), who faces charges of inactivity not unlike those leveled against him during his tenure as Governor of the Mideast. The move to oust Mr. Potus was begun by Mideast Regional Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI), who drew up the articles after several Atlasians, including At-Large Senator Polnut (TPP-MA) and former Labor Party Chairman Adam Griffin (Lab-NB) raised concerns that the Secretary had not been heard from outside of his presidential campaign in over a month. The motion to impeach Secretary Potus was seconded by Pacific Regional Senator Theodore Cranberry (TPP-OR) and At-Large Senator Lief (Lab-VT).
In response to these charges, Secretary Potus explained that "instability with the GM and the all-consuming nature of the budget conversation have gotten in the way of foreign policy" and expressed his hope that relations with the world abroad would resume following the confirmation of Game Moderator nominee Kalwejt (ASB-VT). Commending the Secretary for his commitment to working in conjunction with the Game Moderator, IDS Speaker Maxwell (the second half of the presidential ticket headed by Potus) described the impeachment effort as a "punishment" for Potus's commitment to realism. In addition, Associate Justice Oakvale (TPP-TN) criticized the impeachers, acknowledging that he was opposing members of his own party in doing so.
Others were not so quick to excuse the secretary's absence. Senator Windjammer, in notifying Potus of the impeachment trial, noted that the resignation of Game Moderator Doctor Cynic (Ind-PA) occurred only last week, while the last post made by the secretary in his official capacity is over a month old. "While it is indeed true that the 2015 budget is still being debated, foreign policy doesn't shut down," the senator said. Senator Cranberry, meanwhile, noted that the Constitution gives the secretary of state the power to simulate international events independent of the GM. Senator Polnut, while saying that he would not support the impeachment effort, nevertheless echoed Cranberry's sentiments. "The [Secretary of State] should be able to actually do their job, regardless of the GM," the Massachusetts statesman said. "I know, when I was [Secretary of State], I didn't rely on the GM to do the job." As of this writing, an official thread for the impeachment trial has not been opened.

Electoral Reform Amendment Meets With Resistance

A Constitutional amendment that would replace the current at-large senate seats with districts drawn by the regional governors has met with significant resistance in the Senate. While the basic premise of the amendment--that the current at-large system is in dire need of reform--is more or less accepted by the senators, several members of the nation's legislative body have expressed concern that the proposed method of redistricting would open the door to gerrymandering and unfairly castrate right-wing politicians. Midwest Regional Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI) was among those most forcefully opposed to the proposal, arguing that while the idea of senate districts is not necessarily unworkable, "this redistricting system could be easily hijacked by anyone who has the majority of the [governors], or by a coalition of two parties against the third.  Right now, TPP has three governors and Labor two. I'm not a Federalist, but I have to say that the Federalists would be really 'weakened' by this system, considering they have no governor."  At-Large Senator Lief (Lab-VT) retorted that this was the biggest benefit of the amendment, saying "gerrymandering would be a feature of the system, not a bug. Gerrymandering is fun." Northeast Regional Senator and Speaker Bore (Lab-RI), who sponsored the amendment on behalf of the Electoral Reform Commission, said he would be open to changes to the amendment addressing these concerns.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

You've made an excellent newspaper, Harry. Keep up the good work

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 9, 2015

Questions Raised Over Bill To Recognize Kurdish Independence

A bill introduced by Midwest Regional Senator TNF (Lab-KS) that would recognize the independence of Kurdistan and take the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) off the list of terrorist organizations has met with mixed reactions in the Senate, with senators divided over how much, if any, of the proposal they will support. According to Senator TNF, the purpose of the bill is to strengthen the hand of the PKK, which he describes as "the sole revolutionary force left in the Middle East that is committed to participatory democracy." This objective was criticized by President Lumine Von Reuental (Fed-OH), who pointed out that the PKK has been "consistently engaged" in terrorist acts for some time and accused TNF of trying to "excuse and empower" the PKK, while suggesting that he would support efforts to continue collaborating with the Kurds in their fight against ISIS. Pacific Regional Senator Theodore Cranberry (TPP-OR) expressed a similar opinion, saying that while certain portions of the bill were sensible, the sections recognizing Kurdish independence "go to far". No senator as yet has offered an amendment to the bill.

Administration To Proceed With Tyrion Suit

In spite of widespread public protest, the Department of Justice will continue to press charges against former President Tyrion, the Mideast Record-Courier confirmed earlier today. The suit was raised by Deputy Attorney General Rpryor03 (TPP-NJ), who argues that the former chief executive violated federal election law by holding multiple accounts on the forum. Members of the Labor Party with which Tyrion was affiliated, as well as politicians to the right and center, have condemned the proceedings, contending that a general pardon issued by Tyrion during his short time as president protects him from prosecution. Newly-confirmed Associate Justice TJ, a former Governor of the Mideast, has been chosen to preside over the trial.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 10, 2014

Senate Begins Impeachment Proceedings

In what may well prove to be one of the most important events of the present administration, the Senate has begun the impeachment trial of Secretary of State Potus2036 (Fed-CA), who is charged with neglecting his duties as the senior cabinet officer. The articles of impeachment were filed by Mideast Regional Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI) after Mr. Potus failed to post a single update in his office thread, or otherwise see to his duties as the chief diplomat of Atlasia, for five straight weeks. Pacific Regional Senator Theodore Cranberry (TPP-OR) and At-Large Senator Lief (Lab-VT) co-sponsored the articles of impeachment with Senator Windjammer.
While some members of the Senate, including At-Large Senator Cris (Fed-CO), have expressed their opposition to impeaching Mr. Potus, a vocal group of four to five senators is actively supporting the motion. These include the bill's three sponsors, Midwest Regional Senator TNF (Lab-KS), and At-Large Senator Polnut (TPP-MA), the latter of whom has seemingly moved towards favoring impeachment in recent days despite initially voicing reservations about the move. Secretary Potus, meanwhile, continues to defend his conduct, saying that he was unable to follow through with several of his responsibilities due to instability in the Game Moderator's office and his own presidential campaign. This last excuse in particular has drawn the ire of Senator Lief and others, who said that "f the campaign was so draining and distracting, he should have then and should now resign from his position to focus fully on the campaign, so that the President may appoint someone willing to do this incredibly important job." Additionally, Senators Cranberry and Polnut pointed out that the Constitution grants the State Department the power to simulate events independently of the GM. "It takes no more than five minutes to post a quick update on how you met with a tribal chief in eastern Tadjikistan, or you flew to China, or you met with ambassadors in Nyman," Senator Cranberry said during the proceedings, arguing that the total absence of Mr. Potus from the diplomatic scene for such a long period of time is inexcusable.
Oddly, Northeast Regional Senator and Speaker Bore (Lab-RI), Mr. Potus's opponent in the upcoming presidential election, has announced that he does not support impeachment, saying that the evidence suggests Potus was attempting to carry out his duties. "We have  very good reason to believe that he was trying (by, for instance, [personal message]s) to be active," Senator Bore told his fellow legislators, "but circumstances, mainly the GM's resignation and the focus on the budget stopped him." Mr. Potus has yet to release the correspondence in question, which Senator Lief has indicated is necessary for him to vote against impeachment.

February 2015 Election Voters' Guide

Beginning on February 20 and continuing through the weekend, voters Atlasian voters will have the opportunity to elect the next president, vice president, and regional senators for our Republic. In addition, a number of regional offices are up for election, from the governor's office to the regional legislature (NOTE: the Midwest Gubernatorial Election begins February 19). In preparation for this momentous occasion, the Mideast Record-Courier has composed the following Voters' Guide, which includes a complete listing of candidates for the various offices as well as brief biographies on the more prominent among them.

National Offices

For President and Vice President
Speaker Bore (Lab-RI)/ Senator Bacon King (TPP-OC)
Bore is the current senator for the Northeast Region and a member of the Electoral Reform Commission. He has served as the presiding officer of the Senate since November 2014. Senator Bacon King is a former vice president and one of five at-large senators. The Bore/Bacon King ticket has been endorsed by the Mideast Record-Courier

Secretary of State Potus2036 (Fed-CA)/ IDS Speaker Maxwell (DR-AL)
Potus (aka Riley Keaton) is a former Governor of the Mideast and the incumbent Secretary of State. Maxwell is a former at-large senator, former attorney general, former Emperor of the IDS, and the incumbent Speaker of the IDS legislature.

Regional Offices
Northeast Region

For Regional Senator
Northeast Representative Cynic (Ind-NY)
Cynic is currently serving as a member of the Northeast Assembly.

Northeast Speaker MattVT (TPP-VT)
Matt is a former at-large senator, former Secretary of Internal Affairs, former vice president, and the incumbent Speaker of the Northeast Assembly.

Chief Judicial Officer Talleyrand (Lab-DE)
Talleyrand is a former Governor of the Northeast and the incumbent Chief Judicial Officer for the region.

For Governor
Governor SawxDem (TPP-NH) (inc.)
Sawx is the incumbent Governor of the Northeast and the current vice-chair of The People's Party.

For Northeast Assembly (5 seats)
Northeast Representative Blair2015 (Lab-MA) (inc.)
Clyde1998 (Lab-MA)
Pikachu (TPP-NJ)
RGN08 (Fed-NY)

Mideast Region

For Regional Senator
Fmr. Speaker Spiral (DR-MO)
Spiral is a former senator, former Governor of the Mideast, and former Speaker of the Mideast Assembly.

Senator Windjammer (Lab-MI) (inc.)
Windjammer is a former Governor of the Midwest, former vice president, and the incumbent regional senator for the Mideast. He has been endorsed by the Mideast Record-Courier.

Imperial Dominion of the South

For Regional Senator
Secretary of the Interior HagridOfTheDeep (Ind-SC)
Hagrid is a former at-large senator and the incumbent Secretary of the Interior.

Senator North Carolina Yankee (Fed-NC) (inc.)
Yankee is the longest-serving senator in the history of Atlasia.

Most Serene Republic of the Midwest

For Regional Senator
Ambassador Cassius (Fed-WY)
Cassius is a former senator from the Mideast and a member of the diplomatic corps.

Fmr. Emperor Dereich (Fed-ND)
Dereich is a former Emperor of the Imperial Dominion of the South.

Senator TNF (Lab-KS) (inc.)
TNF is the incumbent senator from the Midwest.

For Governor
Foucaulf (Fed-MN)
Foucaulf is a talk radio personality.
 
Governor Gass3268 (Lab-MB) (inc.)
Gass3268 is a former at-large senator, former Archduke of the Midwest, and the incumbent governor.

People's Region of the Pacific

For Regional Senator
Senator Theodore Cranberry (TPP-OR) (inc.)
Cranberry is a former President of Atlasia, former Governor of the Pacific, and the incumbent senator from his region. He has been endorsed by the Mideast Record-Courier.

For Pacific Council (3 seats)
Federalist Pacific Chairman Devin (Fed-WA)
Councilor Gully Foyle (TD-CA) (inc.)
Intell (TPP-CA)
Fmr. Pacific Speaker Spamage (TPP-OR)
Pacific Speaker Turkisblau (TPP-NM) (inc.)

[Maxwell]

Senator North Carolina Yankee has not announced his re-election.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Senator North Carolina Yankee has not announced his re-election.

Thanks. This has been fixed.

[Simfan34]

The Gubernatorial election in the Pacific is in April.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 11, 2014

Party Members Debate Presidential, Senatorial Endorsements At TPP Convention

The February 2015 People's Convention is now underway, with members of the nation's third largest political party having gathered last Thursday to elect their officers and nominate a ticket for the upcoming presidential election. The first order of business at the convention was the election of the party's leadership: incumbent Chairman Oakvale and Vice Chairman SawxDem were unanimously reelected, while IDS Emperor Flo was chosen as the party's secretary with seven votes to four for Northeast Speaker MattVT.
With this preliminary business concluded, the convention then turned its attention to selecting the party's candidates for president and regional senate. As no party member is currently contesting the vice presidency, Labor Party nominee Bore, whose running mate is a member of TPP, is being backed by many of the delegates and has an early lead in the endorsement vote. A small but growing minority, however, is hesitant to throw its support behind what they describe as an "unreformed" Labor Party. Led by former President Averroes Nix, these delegates have begun a draft campaign for former President and current At-Large Senator Polnut, who oddly enough has endorsed Bore for the presidency.
In two of the regions (the Pacific and the Northeast), members of TPP have declared their candidacy for the Senate and were automatically endorsed by the convention. Of the remaining races, Secretary of the Interior Hagrid (Ind-SC) currently leads for the party's endorsement for IDS Senate, while former Emperor Dereich (Fed-ND) has a majority of ballots thus far for the Midwest Senate endorsement. In the Mideast Senate race, a draft movement is afoot to nominate former At-Large Senator Franzl (TPP-IL) after incumbent Senator Windjammer's attack on At-Large Senator and TPP member Bacon King. Senator Windjammer currently leads by a single vote to receive the party's endorsement. (NOTE: The Mideast Record-Courier has endorsed Senator Windjammer for reelection.)

Assemblyman's Absence Leaves Control Of Assembly In Doubt

Though left-leaning politicians nominally won control of the Mideast Assembly following last month's elections, the balance of power in that chamber is in doubt due to the prolonged absence of freshman Assemblyman CrabCake (Lab-MO). Since swearing in a few minutes before 4:30 PM on January 26, Mr. CrabCake has not been seen anywhere on either the Fantasy Government or Fantasy Elections boards, though he remains active in other parts of the forum. Apart from the obvious undesirability of inactivity, Mr. CrabCake's absence could well obstruct business in the Assembly, which without him is evenly divided between the right and left.
Per the Mideast Constitution, an assemblyman is automatically expelled from the Assembly if he misses more than 5 final votes. Thus far, Mr. CrabCake has missed only one final vote: the confirmation of Lt. Governor Bmotely. Whether he will return before the two bills currently before the chamber are brought to a vote remains to be seen.

[free my dawg]

Just for clarification - I don't seek to draft Franzl to run. Me writing him in is more of a protest than anything.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senator North Carolina Yankee has not announced his re-election.

Thanks. This has been fixed.

It can be changed back now.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Mideast Record-Courier
February 12, 2015

POTUS RESIGNS
With Impeachment Likely, Sec. Of State Leaves Presidential Race

NYMAN, D.C.- Secretary of State and former presidential contender Potus2036 resigned as the nation's chief diplomat early this morning, heading off a Senate that seemed likely to impeach him following the damaging testimony of former Game Moderator Doctor Cynic (Ind-PA). Following his resignation, Mr. Potus also suspended his struggling presidential campaign, leaving his party and the rest of Atlasia in shock.
The sequence of events that led to Mr. Potus's resignation began last week, when several prominent Atlasians noted that it had been over a month since he had acted in the official capacity of his office as Secretary of State. After Mr. Potus failed to respond to questions from At-Large Senator Polnut (TPP-MA) and Northeast Lt. Governor Adams Griffin (Lab-NB), Mideast Regional Senator Windjammer introduced the articles of impeachment, which were quickly backed by Pacific Regional Senator Theodore Cranberry (TPP-OR) and At-Large Senator Lief (Lab-VT).
Mr. Potus attempted to attribute his inactivity to tumult in the Game Moderator's office, which he said made it impossible for him to pursue large-scale foreign policy goals. Following the testimony of Dr. Cynic, who attested that Mr. Potus only ever sent him one personal message during his tenure as the nation's GM, the mood in the Senate turned from uncertain to decidedly against Mr. Potus, with even members of the Secretary's own party expressing dissatisfaction with his service. Even Federalist stalwart Senator North Carolina Yankee (Fed-NC) implicitly stated that Potus had not done everything in his power to follow through with his duties; Potus resigned within the hour.
With Potus now out of the presidential race, IDS Speaker Maxwell (DR-AL) has stepped forward as the standard bearer for the right, with former Northeast Governor Dallasfan65 (DR-MA) as his running mate. In his announcement speech, the former Emperor and At-Large Senator vowed to run a "bold" campaign, decrying the monochromatic politics that he says have come to dominate Atlasia. " You may disagree with us, think we are too liberal, too conservative, or too damn libertarian, but we are going to be leaders in Nyman, and I hope you come along for the ride," the candidate said, quickly drawing endorsements from several prominent libertarians and center-right politicians, including Mideast Lt. Governor Bmotely (DR-IN).
Yet perhaps the largest effect the withdraw of Mr. Potus has had on the race can be seen at the convention of The People's Party. In a testament to the importance of the centrist party's support, both candidates personally addressed the delegates, with Senator Bore underlining his centrist credentials while Speaker Maxwell promised "pragmatic" and "responsible" leadership. The delegates, however, seemed to see Potus's resignation as a chance to shake up the race still further. While Bore was previously the front runner for the TPP endorsement, a draft campaign supporting former President and At-Large Senator Polnut (TPP-MA) has gained considerable strength. Currently, Senator Polnut is leading Senator Bore and Speaker Maxwell by a considerable margin, with four ballots to one for each of the other candidates. Senator Polnut has not announced whether he will accept his party's nomination.

Former President Sees Bright Future For His Region

The career of Senator Theodore Cranberry (TPP-OR) has been perhaps one of the most unusual in the history of Atlasia. Chosen to finish DemPGH's term as Governor of the Pacific in July of 2014, Mr. Cranberry soon appointed himself to fill a vacancy in the Senate, then was catapulted into the presidency when then-President Tyrion was banned from the forum. Currently serving as the regional senator for the Pacific, Senator Cranberry spoke with the Mideast Record-Courier about this remarkable turn of events and his thoughts on Atlasia in general earlier this week. What follows is a complete transcript of our conversation.

Harry S Truman: You served as President Atlasia for a month in 2014. How has that experience influenced your outlook as a member of the Senate?

Theodore Cranberry: I was President in an unprecedented time for Atlasia. People are calling this time the "Atlasian Conflict" for a reason, and it certainly was a time that will most likely not be repeated in the future. To come to the core of your question, I guess I was just influenced in a limited way. The challenges we face today are not the same as we faced then. There were wholly new problems we had to tackle, and those were fundamentally different from what we have to deal with today. Yet still, I hold the belief that we all could, at least in the immediate aftermath of the conflicts, experience a sensation of unity and togetherness, over the everyday Atlasian quarrels. In how far this sensation is present still today is another question.

HST: Your region, the Pacific, has been struggling with activity on the regional level for some time now. Has the region made significant progress under the current Council, or is this still an issue that needs attention?

TC: Activity in the Pacific has been a problem for ages, long before I registered in that beautiful region. We have had times of up and times of down; and although we have now had two competitive elections in a row, I do think public interest in the legislative debate need to grow before we can really speak of the Pacific as an active region. However, I want to thank Governor Simfan for his efforts, under his leaderships the Pacific certainly has experienced a steady upward-trend. Let's hope this trend will continue!

HST: You joined two of your colleagues in introducing articles of impeachment against Secretary of State Potus2036. Could you explain, briefly, your reasons for doing so?

TC: Secretary Potus has done a good job when he was active, there is no doubt on that. However, after January 1, he did not post a single update, he ignored questions from constituencies, he did not post in his thread AT ALL in 35 days. He claims he was forced into inactivity by the GM who did not find the time to deal with foreign affairs. I claim that the Secretary has dozens of other responsibilities and possibilities to do his job.

HST: As a member of TPP, do you agree with those who say that the party has weakened itself by (so-far) failing to field a presidential candidate in the upcoming election?

TC: No, not at all. The running mate of this ticket is a honourable member of our party; the Presidential candidate holds very similar views to a large part of the party. Quite to contrary, I believe this ticket is a great choice for our party, and I implore my fellow People to vote for those two gentlemen!