The Office of Harry S Truman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The Office of Harry S Truman

Welcome to my office! Whenever you have a question, feel the urge to dole out criticism (or praise), or just want to know what your representative is up to, this is the place to come. I will use this thread to periodically update the people about the actions I am taking to revitalize our region and to comment on affairs of state. For your convenience, links to my most recent statements and observations will be included below, under "remarks". Information that no longer pertains to day-to-day activities but that has value historically will be included in the "archive" section. Thanks for stopping by!

Remarks

Independence Forever     July 4, 2016
Capital Punishment Abolition Amendment     July 9, 2016

Biography

Mideast Representative
March 27, 2015 - September 4, 2015
—
Speaker of the Mideast Assembly
June 4, 2015-September 4, 2015
—
Senator At-Large of Atlasia
September 4, 2015-June 13, 2016
—
1st Deputy Presiding Officer of the Constitutional Convention
October 13, 2015-November 9, 2015
—
2nd Presiding Officer of the Constitutional Convention
November 9, 2015-May 13, 2016
—
29th Speaker of the Senate
May 17, 2016-June 13, 2016
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Chairman of the Northern Legislative Committee
May 28, 2016-August 22, 2016
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Chairman of the Constitutional Ad-Hoc Committee
July 3, 2016-incumbent
—
Secretary of State
July 27, 2016-November 4, 2016
—
39th President of the Republic of Atlasia
November 4, 2016-November 27, 2016


Secretary of The People's Party
August 20, 2015- November 29, 2015
—
Vice Chairman of the Labor Party
February 3, 2016-incumbent


Member of
The People's Party
January 6, 2015 - November 29, 2015
—
Member of the
Labor Party
since November 29, 2015

Archive

Mideast Representative
1st Term | 2nd Term | 3rd Term

Senator At-Large
1st Term | 2nd Term | 3rd Term

Secretary of State
Office

President
Oval Office

Candidate
Truman for Mideast Assembly (March 2015) | Reelect Truman for Mideast Assembly (May 2015)
Truman for Senate! (July 2015) | Truman for Mideast Assembly! (July 2015)
TRUMAN for SENATE (December 2015) | TRUMAN for SENATE (April 2016)
TRUMAN for PRESIDENT • KALWEJT for VICE PRESIDENT (June 2016)
TRUMAN for SENATE (October 2016)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Justice Badger administers the oath of office to Assemblyman Truman.

I, Harry S Truman, do solemnly affirm that I will faithfully execute the office of Mideast Assemblyman and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitutions of the Republic of Atlasia and the Mideast Region, so help me Dave.

As of fifteen minutes ago, I have officially sworn in as a member of the Mideast Assembly. There's much to do and little time to do it in, so I hope that we can get going as soon as possible. As he has proven to be an able administrator in the past, I will be supporting New Canadaland for a second term as Speaker of the Assembly. Once that is taken care of, I will begin presenting legislation to enact the reforms we need to get this region moving.

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Truman explaining the G.R.E.E.N. Act.

Earlier this month, I spoke on the importance of encouraging the growth of renewable energy in the Mideast. To achieve this goal, I have drafted the Growing a Renewable Energy Economy Now Act, which is currently before the Assembly. The purpose of the G.R.E.E.N. Act is simple: to cut taxes for companies that produce energy by renewable means, to establish incentives for existing companies to transition to green energy production, and to enable individuals to take part in building a greener future for our Region by setting in place strategic deductions and tax credits for energy-efficiency. Rather than forcing companies to immediately convert to green energy production immediately (which could have disastrous effects on our economy), this Act allows companies to make the transition to renewable energy on their own terms while encouraging new companies dedicated to environmentally friendly practices to settle in the Mideast. An added bonus is that this Act does not increase government spending at all, and would actually increase tax revenue from non-Renewable Energy Companies sufficiently to cover the tax deductions outlined in the rest of the bill.

To a Greener future!

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Truman introducing the Fix the Constitution Act

There are a number of subjects I would like to address this evening. First, I commend former Governor TDAS04 for his service and wish him a happy retirement. He has served his region faithfully since taking over for Tmthforu94 in January, and while I am sorry to see him go, real life must come first and I applaud his decision to step down now rather than letting the governor's office slip into inactivity. I likewise extend my best wishes to Governor Bmotely as he attempts to fill the very large shoes left by his predecessor.

On the legislative front, I am happy to announce that, by a 3-2 vote, the G.R.E.E.N. Act has passed the Assembly and was signed by Governor TDAS04 as his final official act. This law, which I introduced during my first week in the Assembly, establishes economic incentives for corporations and individual citizens to convert to "green" methods of energy production and is a tremendous step forward for the Mideast. If any Mideast citizen has a question about this law, I would be more than happy to answer it.

Lastly, a momentous debate is currently underway in the Assembly over the Fix the Constitution Act, which I introduced last week. This Act is designed to condense, modernize, and generally simplify our Regional Constitution, which is currently a disconnected, long-winded jumble of a document that serves only to confuse newcomers and old hats alike. While I have made a few changes to the document (adding a State of the Region address and clear definitions of governmental powers, for example), the main effect of this bill is to make our Constitution more comprehensible and straight-forward. Though the debate will likely continue for several more weeks, the Assembly is making good progress, and I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues on this issue. If you have any suggestions to make in regards to the Constitution, please feel free to shoot me a PM or to participate in the Assembly debate. This is a discussion in which every citizen should feel free to participate, and may very well prove to be the greatest accomplishment of the current session.

Long Live the Mideast!

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Truman voting in Indianapolis, IN

As of 12:01 am this morning, the April At-Large Senate election has begun! This campaign has not been as lively as some had hoped, but I urge all of my constituents, whatever their persuasion, to go to the polls and make your voice heard in this election. I furthermore ask you to at least consider voting for Senators Polnut and Blair: both are exemplary public servants, and it would be a shame for either to loose this race due to low turnout.

Do your Duty!

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Truman answering questions on the No Heart of Stone Act

This past Tuesday, I introduced the No Heart of Stone Act in the Assembly. This act has two purposes: to repeal the Mideast Right to Life Act, perhaps the most useless bill passed by the Assembly in recent months, and to grant illegal immigrants the right to emergency medical care and basic legal protections. With the support of my progressive colleagues, I am confident that this bill has enough votes to pass, though I am of course willing to talk with any Mideasterner who has constructive insight on this issue.

I am sorry to say that, rather than contributing to the legislative process, my opponents have taken this opportunity to play political games. These individuals have chosen, not to explain their objections to this bill or to work to come to a compromise, but to conduct a 24-hour debate over the name of the proposal. That's right: while Mideast citizens spent their day working to feed their families and pay their bills, the right-wing minority in the Assembly was arguing about four words that have absolutely no effect on the goals of this legislation. Not once during this period did any member of the conservative minority express one shred of criticism about the actual content of the bill. It seems to me, then, that they have no argument and they know it. An honest difference of opinion is respectable, even desirable, but obstruction for the sake of obstruction is among the most vile of political tactics, and I urge my constituents to think long and hard before reelecting these individuals in May.

Speaking of elections, I am pleased to endorse Senator Windjammer for governor and former Senator Franzl for lt. governor in the upcoming regional elections. Both of these honorable men have proven themselves to be excellent public servants, and I have no doubt that they will prove to be a fantastic executive team. With inactivity and obstruction threatening to infiltrate our Region with the resignation of TDAS04, this ticket is exactly what the Mideast needs to get back on its feet and on the road to a better future.

As for myself, I am hereby declaring my intention to seek reelection to the Assembly in May. A more detailed announcement speech and an official campaign thread will come later, but I am officially in the fight and will give my all to ensure that the Mideast has an honest, active, efficient government in the months to come.

Long Live the Republic!

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Truman on the rebellion in West Virginia

It has come to my attention that a group of rebels claiming to represent the people of West Virginia have formed an illegal "confederation" in an attempt to flaunt federal authority. These individuals are lawless troublemakers and I fully condemn their actions. Agitation within the political process is one thing, but extralegal governments such as those that we saw during the Civil Conflict will not be tolerated. I call on Governor Bmotley and the Assembly to take swift action to address this threat and to restore the rule of law in West Virginia.

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Truman with members of the Mideast National Guard

I am pleased to announce that, thanks to the hard work of officials within the Bore Administration, the rebellion in West Virginia has been dealt a fatal blow. While several states remain in insurrection against the national government, the so-called "Confederates" have been driven out of the Mideast. I applaud Governor Motley for his deployment of the National Guard to the affected areas, which will no doubt aid in restoring order to our Region.

However, the fight is not yet won. It is crucial that we remain united as a Region against this threat to our Republic, and to this end I have introduced a Resolution in the Assembly condemning the rebellion and defending the Constitutional order. There must be no doubt that the People of the Mideast will fight to uphold our Constitution and our republican government, and I urge my colleagues in the Assembly to adopt this measure as swiftly as possible.

On a more positive note: after an unfortunate delay, the voting booths for the Electoral Reform Amendment and the Presidential Pardon Amendment are now open. These amendments, which replace the At-Large system with senators elected from districts and prevent the president from pardoning himself, respectively, are much-needed improvements to our Constitution, and I urge my constituents to turn out and support them at the polls.

Long Live Our Republic!

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Truman voting in Indianapolis

The hour of truth has come! As of early this morning, the Regional Voting Booth for the May 2015 Mideast Elections is officially open. I urge my constituents, whether they will vote for me or not, to go to the polls and make themselves heard in this momentous election.

Both the governorship and the Assembly are up for election today. I urge my constituents to support Windjammer and Franzl for Governor and Lt. Governor, and to elect myself, Vivaportugalhabs, and EarlAW to the Assembly. While inactivity in the executive branch has bogged down the Regional government for the last month, I have no doubt that with an active, pragmatic Governor and Assembly the Mideast can become the most vibrant, engaging Region in Atlasia.

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Onward!

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Truman addressing supporters on his reelection victory.

The May elections have come to a close, and while the official results have yet to be tabulated, it appears that I have been reelected to another two months in the Mideast Assembly. I would like to thank all those who supported my campaign for reelection, and extend my congratulations to Windjammer, Franzl, EarlAW, Vivaportugalhabs, JCL, and Shua on their respective victories. There is much to do in the coming months, and I am confident that together we will be able to make our Region the most active and interesting in Atlasia.

In addition, I have an announcement to make: as Speaker New Canadaland will be leaving the legislature at the end of this week, I will seek election to the Speakership of the Assembly in the 42nd Session. As Speaker, I will remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to craft practical, common-sense solutions to the issues facing our Region.

Long Live the Mideast!

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman

[Boston Bread]

Congrats on your win! I support your run for speaker.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Congrats on your win! I support your run for speaker.

Thank-you very much, Mr. Speaker!

[Blair]

Congrats on your victory, you're a dedicated public servant

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Congrats on your victory, you're a dedicated public servant

Thanks very much, Senator!

[Hatman 🍁]

Congrats!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Congrats!

Thanks!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Assemblyman Harry S Truman
41st Assembly Statistics

Voting Record
41st Speakership Election: New Canadaland (Elected 4-0-0)
Growing a Renewable Energy Economy Now (G.R.E.E.N.) Act: AYE (Passed 3-2-0)
West Virginia Resolution: AYE (Passed 3-1-0)
No Heart of Stone Act: AYE (Passed 3-1-0)
Simplify Abortion Laws Act: AYE (Passed 3-1-0; VETOED)

Bills Proposed
Growing a Renewable Energy Economy Now (G.R.E.E.N.) Act (Passed)
Fix the Constitution Act (Debating)
No Heart of Stone Act (Passed)
West Virginia Resolution (Passed)

Remarks
Taking the Oath of Office (3/27/15)
The G.R.E.E.N. Act (3/31/15)
Fixing the Constitution (4/13/15)
Go Vote! (4/17/15) April 2015 At-Large Senate Election
No Heart of Stone (4/23/15)
Rebellion in West Virginia (4/26/15)
On West Virginia and Other Matters (4/29/15)
VOTE! (5/21/15) May 2015 Mideast Regional Election
Reelected (5/25/15)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Presumptive Speaker Truman addressing the crisis in Kansas City

In a horrifying turn of events, reports from the Game Moderator's office indicate that a severe tornado has struck Kansas City, Missouri. The extent of the damage, and whether all have survived this terrifying ordeal, is not known. It is essential, in this time of crisis, that the Regional government act swiftly and decisively to address this disaster, and to provide assistance to the people of Missouri as soon as possible.

In Solidarity,

Harry S Truman, Mideast Assemblyman (and presumptive Speaker)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Speaker Truman speaking on the Fix the Constitution Act

MY FELLOW MIDEASTERNERS:

I am pleased to report that, after many weeks of hard work, a referendum on the Fix the Constitution Amendment is now open! This amendment is the result of over two months of collaboration in the Assembly and is a tremendous step forward for our Region: I therefore urge my constituents to vote AYE on this proposal.

When I took office nearly three months ago, our Region's Constitution was is desperate need of reform. Poorly constructed and vastly out-of-date, what was supposed to be the foundation for the Mideast government was little more than a vague, contradictory, illogical document. Not only was the text longwinded, it failed to establish clear parameters for the powers of the Regional government, while passages pertaining to election law were scattered throughout three articles. In short, things were a mess.

The Fix the Constitution Amendment seeks to correct this by making three major changes to our Region's governing document. First, the text of the Constitution has been made more succinct and accessible. Rather than reams of lengthy dissertation, this amendment says what it needs to say and no more. Second, the amendment clearly states the powers held by each of the three branches of government. Third, the amendment replaces the scattered format of the current Constitution with an organized, logical document. In contrast to the existing Constitution, which scatters descriptions of gubernatorial powers and the legislative process throughout the entire text, the Fix the Constitution Act is divided into six Articles according to subject, making it much easier for citizens and lawmakers alike to find what they are looking for. These changes are simply common sense, one reason why the Amendment enjoys multi-partisan support in the Assembly and passed without a single dissenting vote.

If you have any questions at all about this Amendment, not matter how trivial, I would be more than happy to answer them either in this thread or by PM.

Vote AYE!

Harry S Truman, Speaker of the Assembly

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Speaker Truman discussing changes to the budget

There are a number of things I would like to speak with you about today. First, I congratulate a distinguished public servant who recently left the arena. Former Game Moderator Kalwejt, who left office yesterday after an enormously successful tenure, embodies the spirit of creativity, resilience, and determined pursuit of a better tomorrow that makes Atlasia great. He will be sorely missed.

The Assembly is currently at work drafting the annual budget for our Region, and I am pleased to report that the process is moving along rapidly. Yesterday, my colleagues and I adopted an amendment proposed by Governor Windjammer that abolishes the Regional Sales Tax and eliminates the income tax for citizens who earn less than $40,000 a year. These tax cuts, which are more than made up for by a newly introduced 1% property tax, will do a great deal to alleviate the burden on the middle class, and I was proud to cast my vote in favor of them.

Lastly, my counterparts in the Northeast Assembly have raised cries for a new Constitutional Convention to increase the powers held by the Regions. While I am a longstanding advocate for an active and assertive Regional government, I oppose so-called "devolution" efforts, which are both impractical and unwise. Not only do such measures threaten to throw inactive Regions such as the Pacific into even greater turmoil, they threaten to upend the careful balance of power between the federal government and the Regions. There are plenty of ways for the Regions to assert themselves without taking this radical step, and I therefore call on other Regions to continue to promote activity and interest in their affairs through conventional means.

As always, I am more than willing to address and questions or concerns you may have about the issues facing our Region. E Pluribus Unum!

Harry S Truman, Speaker of the Assembly

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Speaker Truman addresses the Mideast

MY FELLOW CITIZENS:

I have neither the time not the patience for formalities today, so you will forgive me for being a bit blunt. As of this morning, a number of our oldest citizens - including several members of our national and Regional governments - resigned their elected offices and deregistered from Atlasia. Added to the previous resignations of Secretary Barnes and Attorney General Sibboleth and the exile of Registrar General Griffin, these departures leave Atlasia in a profoundly weakened state. Now or never, the Atlasian people must take bold action to rescue our Republic, or else see it collapse into ruins.

As Griffin explained masterfully yesterday, there is really only one viable path forward, and that is a combined Constitutional Convention and Statute reboot. This would allow us to rebuild Atlasia from the ground up, breathing new life into the game and wiping the slate clean for lawmakers and citizens alike to craft the future of Atlasia. If you have not already done so, I urge you to sign the petition to call a Constitutional Convention as the surest way to achieve real, meaningful reforms.

Opponents of the Convention argue that past attempts to redraft Atlasia's Constitution have ended in failure and milquetoast reforms. Unlike past attempts, however, the current movement to call a Convention rose amidst near-universal agreement that drastic reforms are necessary to revive our Republic. Additionally, some of the brightest minds in Atlasia - men like Windjammer, Cris, Lumine, Yankee, and Kalwejt - have stepped forward to lead the push for a new Constitution. With their guidance, and with popular opinion overwhelmingly in favor of change, the odds of acheiving real reform are in our favor.

Once again, I implore my fellow citizens to join in the fight for a better Atlasia. Long Live the Republic!

Harry S Truman, Speaker of the Assembly

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Representative Harry S Truman
42nd Assembly Statistics

Voting Record
42nd Speakership Election: Harry S Truman (Elected 3-2-0)
Kansas City Relief Act: AYE (Passed 4-0-0)
New Canadaland for Mideast Senator: AYE (Confirmed 3-1-0)
Fix the Constitution Act: AYE (Passed 2-0-0)
Mideast Assembly Rules Resolution: AYE (Passed 2-1-0)
2015 Budget: AYE (Passed 3-1-0)
Accessible Statute Act: AYE (Passed 4-0-0)
Force-Wide Badge Cameras for Uniformed Officers Act: AYE (Passed 3-0-0)
Constitutional Amendment I: AYE (Passed 2-0-0)

Bills Proposed
Fix the Constitution Act* (Passed)
Kansas City Relief Act (Passed)
Accessible Statute Act (Passed)

Remarks
Kansas City Tornado (6/3/15)
Vote AYE! (6/11/15)
The Budget and Other Matters (6/24/15)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Truman considers the future of Atlasia

There's an old maxim that comes to me more and more often of late, and that is that one is either part of the solution or part of the problem.

Cliched to the verge of irrelevance though it may be, this simple statement holds a great deal of truth in our current crisis. The past few weeks have seen a historic effort on the part of the Atlasian people to achieve real change. Some of the brightest and most talented minds in this country have stepped forward to bear the banner of reform, and the commitment of these individuals to building a better, stronger Republic is worthy of the highest praise.

Yet these efforts have reached a standstill. With every step forward, new roadblocks, obstacles, and setbacks appear in our path, slowing the progress of reform. And though this struggle was not unexpected, it is not the political organizers or stubborn officeholders who have brought us to this point, but the growing legion of citizens who refuse to take part in any effort to revive this country.

The argument that Atlasia cannot be saved has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. One by one, the reasons given by the dissolutionists for the inevitable collapse of Atlasia have fallen away: political organizers like Griffin and Yankee have joined reform efforts, not hindered them; the Senate has taken quick, decisive action to remedy the crisis, not hindered the coming of change; the vast majority of citizens want radical changes, not milquetoast reforms; and instead of endless bickering between competing reform factions, a remarkable consensus over the path forward has emerged. Change will not come easily, but it is now abundantly apparent that it is possible.

Yet still Atlasia idles in the doldrums, and this is in large part due to the continued refusal of the dissolutionists to allow reform efforts to move forward. If every member of A New Start were to sign the Constitutional Convention petition today, the petition would immediately have enough signatures to move forward in the Pacific and would come within a hair of passing in the South and Midwest as well. Ironically, the people shooting down reform proposals at this point are not Yankee or Windjammer - who, according to the orthodox teaching of the dissolution movement, are the embodiment of the spirit that killed Atlasia - but the dissolutionists themselves, who seem intent on proving their prediction that this country cannot agree on anything.

Allow me to add that it is understandable that some no longer have faith in Atlasia's future: I myself have doubts about our ability to pull through. Still, I find it increasingly hard to comprehend why these individuals continue to lobby against efforts to reform the game. They have nothing to loose if these efforts fail: the attempt to build a new government sim on the Mock Parliament board is doing exceedingly well, so they could easily join that game if the Con-Con falls through. We do not ask for their participation or their faith; all we ask is that we be allowed to give Atlasia one last shot before casting it into the abyss.

Long Live the Republic!

Harry S Truman, Mideast Representative

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Speaker Truman announces his candidacy for At-Large Senate

Honored Friends and Fellow Atlasians:

A few moments ago, I submitted my name to the Department of Federal Elections as a candidate for Senate in this week's special election. At this time of national crisis, it has never been more important for honest, patriotic citizens to do what they can for our country, and I have determined to employ my talents (few though they may be) in pursuit of a "more perfect union".

If I may be frank with you, I did not anticipate making a second campaign for our national legislature so soon after loosing to now-Senator Kalwejt. There were many other qualified Atlasians who deserved a chance to rise to the national stage than I, I reasoned. Furthermore, I have greatly enjoyed my time as a member of the Mideast Assembly, and was not eager to leave the halls of my Region's capital for the more demanding schedule of Nyman.

However, in the last few days, I have come to see things differently. It has become clear to me that the only way our Republic can survive its current illness is for reform-minded citizens to step forward and combine their efforts in support of a new Atlasian order. With that in mind, I cast my hat once more into the ring.

If elected to the Senate this weekend, I will press tirelessly for bold and innovative reforms to breath new life into our federal system. Many of these, such as consolidation and the introduction of senatorial districts, have been proposed before by myself and others; but while the ideas themselves may not be new, it is clear that these initiatives can bring real and lasting change to our political order, and I call on all Atlasians - young and old, progressive and conservative - to join in the fight to rebuild our great Republic. Likewise, because in the end the game must be played, I will support legislation to expand our economy and promote interest in federal affairs.

In the coming days, I will release a more detailed platform outlining my plan for Constitutional reform, my position on legislation currently before the Senate, and my views on the many challenges facing our country. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have, either by PM or in this thread.

Long Live the Republic!

Harry S Truman, Speaker of the Assembly

[pikachu]

Endorsed!