The People's Convention, February and also March 2015 - Foucaulf wins primary.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

X Harry S Truman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I nominate Justice Oakvale for chairman, Governor SawxDem for vice chairman, and Speaker Türkisblau for Secretary.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Secretary

[ ] MattVT
[X] Flo

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Bump?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

For President and Vice President
[1] Bore/ Bacon King (Lab/TPP)
[2] Write-in: Polnut/ Cinncinnatus (TPP)

For Mideast Senator
[1] Windjammer (Lab)

For IDS Senator
[1] Hagrid (Ind)
[2] Write-in: Flo (TPP)

For Midwest Senator
[1] Dereich (Fed)
[2] TNF (Lab)
[3] Cassius (Fed)

For Midwest Governor
[1] Gass3268 (Lab)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

ENDORSEMENT BALLOT
President and Vice President
[1] bore/Bacon King (Labor/TPP)
[3] Maxwell/Dallasfan65 (Democratic-Republican)
[2] Write in: Polnut/ Cinncinnatus (TPP)

Northeast Governor - Sawx automatically endorsed
[ ] Write in:

Northeast Senator - MattVT automatically endorsed
[ ] Write in:

Pacific Senator - Cranberry automatically endorsed
[ ] Write in:

Mideast Senator
[1] Windjammer (Lab)

IDS Senator
[1] North Carolina Yankee (Fed)
[2] Hagrid (Ind)
[3] Write-in: Flo (TPP)

Midwest Senator
[1] Dereich (Fed)
[2] TNF (Lab)
[3] Cassius (Fed)

Midwest Governor
[1] Gass3268 (Lab)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

It should be apparent now to any who has looked at the numbers and counted the votes that this convention will likely choose the next president of Atlasia. As it is, the way the electorate is currently divided between Right and Left, our party holds the balance of power. That is a remarkable circumstance, and it behooves remarkable action on our parts.
I am a member of The Party for a reason. When other factions pave the way for demagogues, disfunction, and inactivity, The People's Party stands for pragmatism and reasonableness. We are not a party to be swayed by grudges or shallow reasoning, for we stand for the inherent wisdom of The People.
The candidates for the endorsement of this party are both honorable men. Both have served this country well and have proven themselves to be capable statesmen and citizens. Yet in particular, I can think of no better man to represent this party than Senator Bore. As a public servant, he has shown himself not only pragmatic, but amiable; he has, throughout his time in Atlasia, shown his commitment to sound policies and compromise. While a Laborite, he has not been afraid to break with his party when he thought they were wrong. That is the kind of leadership in Nyman.
There are those who, whether for personal dislike of other members of the Labor Party or concern over that party's radicalism, have moved to deny Senator Bore the endorsement of this convention. This is a mistake. As Senator Polnut, a former president and former chairman of this party, has testified, Senator Bore is a committed pragmatist and a proven leader. To reject him as a symbolic rebuke of TNF, or Windjammer, or DemPGH is the kind of short-sighted, shallow reasoning that we deplore in other parties. I hope we will have the wisdom to lend him our full support.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

While it's obviously a good idea to have some sort of official procedure for these cases, I share Speaker Turkisblau's concerns that some of these reasons might open the door to an ideological purge of sorts. With that in mind, I'd like to propose an amendment:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Essentially, the purpose of this amendment is to protect the Party's ideological diversity while preventing direct sabotage of the party's aims and candidates. Thoughts?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Aye on the amendment.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I don't consider the Civil Union a major threat or a problem, Simfan. A half-hearted attempt to hijack our party's ethos will fail, and fail spectacularly.

Nor do I. What I am worried about is the growth in The Party to an unprecedented size while more members of The Party, and senior members even, openly endorse candidates other than those endorsed by The Party or even their fellow members!

In a party as diverse ideologically as TPP, there's bound to be some cross-over voting now and again. That shouldn't be a problem so long as we all remain committed to the principles expressed in the platform. Honestly, I would be more concerned by an attempt to purge The Party of all those who dare to disagree with the party leadership than by a handful of members voting against the TPP candidate.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Mr. Chairman, does not Dkrolga automatically receive The Party's endorsement by virtue of being the only declared TPP candidate?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

As we consider the possibility of entering yet another election without a TPP candidate on the ballot, I must admit I'm reluctant to surrender one of our Senate seats to another party without a fight. I'm equally hesitant to nominate a candidate with no prior experience in government who wasn't even a member of The Party until very recently. While I have no personal quarrel with Dkrol or either of the candidates seeking our endorsement, I wonder whether there is a more experienced TPPer who might be willing to step up and carry the party's banner, at least for the remainder of the current session?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Should the by-laws be temporarily suspended and an open ballot for the Senate endorsement held?

[ ] Yes
[X] No

I agree with the sentiments expressed by Duke and X. Were this an election for another party's seat, or were there no TPP candidate in the running, I might consider voting to endorse one of the other candidates, but such is not the case. I am extremely hesitant to hand over one of our own seats without a fight, and even more hesitant to pass over one of our own members to nominate a candidate from another party. The People's Party is after all a party, not a charitable foundation or a lobbyist firm endorsing candidates based on principles alone. If a candidate for this seat feels so strongly that they best represent the mission of this Party, they are welcome to join; but to voluntarily lend our influence to the candidate of another faction in lieu of fielding our own champion is neither sound strategy nor a service to the people who elected a TPP Senator three months ago. While I would have preferred a more experienced TPPer, Dkrolga is doing quite well for a first-time candidate and I see no reason to abandon him so that Labor can pick up a sixth seat.
Furthermore, while I appreciate Griffin's gesture and sympathize with much of what he had to say, I must admit I'm somewhat put off that Labor is pushing to take one of our seats in the Senate so soon after we helped elect their candidate to the presidency.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Bump?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Senate endorsement

[X] DKrol
[ ] Foucaulf