We Are All Democrats — We Are All Republicans

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

C-SPAN 4

Next on C-SPAN 4 is a speech given Tuesday by Supreme Court Justice Ernest Calhoun to the Lampasas, Texas Rotary Club.

The speech lasts approximately 20 minutes.

Following the speech will be Blognotes with Brian Lambada.

Lampasas, Texas
Lampasas Rotary Club
Justice Ernest is waking to the podium as the video starts.
On arriving he takes a sip of water as he waits for a brief round of polite applause to end.

    Thank you.  I’m glad to be here in Lampasas today.  As we conclude one campaign season and prepare to start another, I thought I would talk about the current state of party politics in our Fantasy Election Forum.

    At present, party politics revolve around five major parties, and a variety of micro-parties that can be scare distinguished from support groups for individual candidates.  Given the nature of Atlasian politics this is fairly normal.  Indeed, the only abnormality is the curent lack of either a Democratic or a Republican party to mirror either of the two major real world parties.   Hopefully this will remain the case.  Given the nature of our politics, the presence of either party leads to avatar voting by those who take small notice of Atlasia save during our elections.  Besides, the labels of Democrat and Republican do not convey information save in reference to the external politics of the real world, for save for a few extremists, we are all democrats — we are all republicans.

    We are all democrats.  We hold to the principle of one vote per person.  We are justifiably upset whenever someone tries to pervert that principle to their own advantage.  We put forth policies that we believe to be in the best interests of the people.  We expect our government to follow policies that mirror the sentiments of the majority.  We are all democrats.

    We are all republicans.  We hold to the principle of the rule of law.  We are justifiably upset whenever someone tries to subvert that principle to engage in capricious actions that take no note of the opinions of others.   We codify policies so that we can know what to expect from our government.  We expect that our government will act to moderate the passions of the moment.  We are all republicans.

    That is why it is essential to take steps to ensure that neither a Democratic nor a Republican party arises again from the embers and like a new-born phoenix burn away the balance that has been achieved between the parties of Atlasia.  Yet, it would be repugnant to the principle of free speech to simply legislate that there would be no such parties in Atlasia.  This leaves but one strategem that is both acceptible and workable.  Atlasia needs a new party that will claim both names for itself.  By taking both names, it will prevent any new party from claiming only one of them.  By taking both names, it will be clear that it is not a mere copy of a real world party with which it shares a name.  Therefore, I say to you that Atlasia needs a Democratic-Republican Party!

    I feel I have come to the right place for such a birth.  Lampasas is where the Populist party first formed because of the need to combat a pair of complacent parties that felt little need to pay heed to the will of the people.  It is only fitting that for Atlasia, Lampasas also provide the birthing ground for a party that will be the final nail in both their coffins.  But what will be born here today?

    To achieve what I propose, it would be best if the Democratic-Republican party were a centrist party, putting forth a platform that could not be seen as a product of either real world party.  The question then becomes what are the specifics of that platform.  I have made no secret that there were aspects of the Constitutional Union Party platfrom that I disagree with, especially in the area of foreign affairs.  I muted those differences in part because I was more concerned with other issues and in part out of respect to the founder of the Union Party, HTMLDon.  However, I have raised my vision to encompass not hot just one region, but all of Atlasia, and we do not have HTMLDon at present, altho he is one phoenix I would be glad to see rise anew in Atlasian politics.  Were it not for the need to form a Democratic-Republican Party, I would be working within the Union Party to convince it of my point of view on the issues with which I differ from its current platform.  Instead, shall try to be as a midwife to a new party.

    This leaves the question of specifics.  I shall be but brief for now.  The Democratic-Republican Party will focus on four main issues in the upcoming campaign, the environment, fiscal responsibility, free trade, and Social Security reform.  I plan to speak of the first of these, environmental policy, in my next speech, which will be in Lincoln, Nebraska on the banks of the River Platte.  In the meantime, my associates should have placed some bumper stickers in the lobby which might interest you on your way out.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The Monroe party, huh?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The Monroe party, huh?

Not really.  Except for the name, nothing has been chosen because it was a policy of the historical D-R party.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The Monroe party, huh?

Not really.  Except for the name, nothing has been chosen because it was a policy of the historical D-R party.

I said that for two reasons
1. The name
2. He was unopposed in 1820

[TheWildCard]

Reminds me a lot of DemRepDan!

[Sam Spade]

Well, as can be expected, I'm sorry to see you leave, Ernest. 

I will say that I understand your rationale and your need here though (in terms of Atlasian politics) and I am fairly sure (as Senator and as chairman of one of those other major parties here in Atlasia) that there are times when we can work together on any number of different things and projects.

I also second the motion to see htmldon return to Fantasy politics, fwiw, as I have been seconding it after he left.

Anyway, good luck, and I look forward to hearing your vision for the future, et al. 

[Colin]

Good luck with your new party though I am sad that you left the Union Party. I must also say that I wish that Atlasia could have the great htmldon back again. I wish you the best of luck in all your new endeavours with this party.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Senators, I thank you both for your kind words.

[Joe Republic]

Ernest, I have two questions:

1.  In real terms, how will the DRP be different from either the Union or Freedom Parties?

2.  How do you propose to stop the DRP from becoming one of the "variety of micro-parties that can be scare distinguished from support groups for individual candidates"?

[JohnFKennedy]

What exactly are your foreign policy views?

Are you going to re-register under the name of your new party?

[Sam Spade]

What exactly are your foreign policy views?

Are you going to re-register under the name of your new party?

He already did, JFK.

[JohnFKennedy]

What exactly are your foreign policy views?

Are you going to re-register under the name of your new party?

He already did, JFK.

Wow, did not realise there had been so many posts in the registration threat today, lol, it was about 4 or 5 pages back.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Ernest, I have two questions:

1.  In real terms, how will the DRP be different from either the Union or Freedom Parties?

2.  How do you propose to stop the DRP from becoming one of the "variety of micro-parties that can be scare distinguished from support groups for individual candidates"?

I plan on giving several speeches this week that will hopefully explain my views more fully and cause people to support the DemReps.  If I fail in that objective it is possible that the DRP will become such a micro-party.  With two existing centrist parties, it will be a task, but not an impossible one.  The CU started slowly and look what it has become!

What exactly are your foreign policy views?

My foreign policy is influenced by my views on trade, which means that I'd prefer to wait to answer any remaining unanswered questions on that topic after I've given my trade speech, which will probably be sometime Thursday or Friday.

[Jake]

...But only you are a Democratic-Republican