The Office of Senator Lumine (Victory!)

[Lumine]

List of Endorsements:

Pacific Governor Simfan (TPP-CA)
Former Mideast Governor MadmanMotley (DR-IN)
South Governor Flo (TPP-FL)
At-Large Senator Cris (CR-KS)
South Senator HagridofTheDeep (Ind-SC)
Game Moderator Kalwejt (TPP-VT)
Supreme Court Justice Oakvale (TPP-TN)
Supreme Court Justice TJ in Cleve (Fed-WI)
Secretary of External Affairs Superique (TPP-CA)
Northeast Speaker Dkrolga (CR-MA)
Northeast Representative Altsomn Smartken (Fed-ME)
Northeast CJO Rpryor03 (CR-NJ)

[Lumine]

On the Campaign Trail!

May 11th, 2015:

The campaign begins in full swing as President Lumine starts a tour of all the Mideastern states, beginning with his home state of Ohio. The President offered some comments on the race, the political situation, and recent foreign affairs.

"Good day, Ohio!

I have spoken with Speaker New Canadaland a few days ago, and we had no problems in deciding that this race is to be an open and honest one, something for which I am quite grateful. That doesn't mean we won't see a clear contrast, but the Mideast and its voters certainly don't need two months of constant attacks for the sake of being aggressive. I am being perfectly honest when I say that my style is not based on that.

For all the reluctance some may have towards the polls, I do think we are starting this race on a nice position on them, becoming the strongest challenger in the first one and leading the second thus far. And of course, if one is able to get such a fantastic result against a popular President like Bore on a poll, I am tempted to believe we start with far more goodwill that my critics would lead you to believe.

And I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm my compromise with visiting all of the states in this great region, to grow more and more familiar with the issues that affect us all as we move forward. In that sense, I applaud the efforts of the Assembly and the Governor to amend and fix several issues with our Constitution and Laws, and believe I may have my disagreements with some of the ideas put forward (which I will probably comment on later), it is always good to see activity at our regional level, just as it is good to see this region with the lowest unemployment rate of the nation!

Finally, I will also comment on recent foreign developments. The past days have seen a lot of upheaval, with the unfortunate coup in Puerto Santos, the shocking rise of the "Arab Confederation", and the ongoing situation with Saudi Arabia. Situations like these are not to be neglected in any way, and with the federal government a bit silent over the past week I really hope we will some announcements and decisions on that very soon. I will outline my proposals for foreign policy soon as well, but it never hurts to say that if elected I will give a lot of focus on this area and I will be very insistent on its importance.

That said, let the games begin!"

[Flake]

Endorsed

[Lumine]

Endorsed

Thank you, Flo!

[Sec. of State Superique]

Endorsed. Thought you did not like Major though.

[Lumine]

Endorsed. Thought you did not like Major though.

Thanks, Superique! I'm not necessarily a fan, but I do respect him and (most importantly) he does have a lot of pictures to use, something that wasn't the case with the other options I had, xD

[Blair]

Endorsed. Thought you did not like Major though.

Thanks, Superique! I'm not necessarily a fan, but I do respect him and (most importantly) he does have a lot of pictures to use, something that wasn't the case with the other options I had, xD

You have to use this one

[Lumine]

Endorsed. Thought you did not like Major though.

Thanks, Superique! I'm not necessarily a fan, but I do respect him and (most importantly) he does have a lot of pictures to use, something that wasn't the case with the other options I had, xD

You have to use this one

I might as well make a logo with peas on it, xD (in all fairness, it would be fascinating if we had some sort of satire with drawings in Atlasia)

[DKrol]

Endorsed!

[Prince of Salem]

Endorsed!

[Lumine]

Endorsed!

Endorsed!

Thank you very much, gentlemen!

[Lumine]

Basic Platform Released:

May 18th, 2015:

After his first week at the campaign trail, President Lumine has released the basic version of his Senate Platform, to be improved as time goes by. Said platform includes a pledge to continue his style of activity, pragmatism and clear stances, along with several specific proposals in foreign issues, environmental issues and government reform.

Senate Platform:

After long consideration, I have decided to release my platform (or at least the basic ideas behind it) for Mideast Senate. It contains many of my old policies and stands and new ones as well, and I think it’s important to emphasize that in this attempt to return to the Senate it remains my intention to continue the combination of clear stances and pragmatism which I sought to deliver when I served in Nyman as a Senator and I hope this platform serves as a reflection of that.

I believe that the best way for the Mideast to be properly represented is to have a Senator with a good record and a large amount of experience in the way the Senate works, which is something I am convinced I can bring to the table. You, the voter, can trust my committment to this game and to my original region.

Government Reform and Senate Style:

Reform in Nyman: I am a consistent supporter of reform when reform seems necessary, rather than reform for the sake of reform. While I hope that the Cabinet Reform Amendment passes, I would seek to continue efforts to reform the way the federal government works and the way it interacts with the regions. I strongly supported the attempt to reduce the pardon presidential power to prevent abuse, but I think we should strengthen the Presidency and the Cabinet in reasonable ways, just as we should strengthen the power of the regions.

Greater Transparency: It is my intention to be in touch with my region as much as possible, and because of that I will pledge to deliver legislative and vote updates as often as I can for the sake of transparency and communication. On that same subject, my office will always be open for Mideast resident to hear their concerns or sponsor legislation on their behalf.

Activity and Compromise: Both as a Senator and as the PPT I had a consistent record of being an active Senator through my terms, both in terms of voting and sponsoring several pieces of legislation, many of them successful. If elected, the Mideast can trust me to continue said record of efficiency and activity, along with the desire to work together with other parties as I have done multiple times in the past.

Foreign Policy:

This is obviously my favorite issue, and one that I seek to strongly address on Nyman. While a good deal of foreign policy work belongs to the President and the SoEA, the Senate can and should take an active role in foreign matters. Some of my ideas for the subject are:

International Organizations and Allies: Expansion and reform of international organizations, promoting the creation of an Asian version of NATO, seeking the inclusion of new allies into NATO and encouraging further cooperation with Latin American and African organizations. Promoting further aid and cooperation with Ukraine, Palestine and Middle East allies in need of help.

National Defense: Strengthening our national defense, reviewing and amending current legislation on the subject, promoting the modernization of our armed services and the fighting conditions of our troops, and so on.

ISIS and Totalitarisms: Prosecuting efforts against ISIS and totalitarisms in general, supporting further restrictions on ISIS allied groups and giving aid to countries currently struggling against them.

The Environment:

Endangered Species: Obviously an important issue for me since my start in Atlasia, I’d like to follow the example set by previous Senators (like Nix and Talleyrand) in the protection of several endangered species. On a more specific sense I think it’s important that we deal with the issue of colony collapse disorder (CDD), as shortages of bees only grow larger and more dangerous, so I would like to sponsor legislation on that front.

Energy: In terms of energy I have been a consistent supporter of nuclear energy as a transition source of energy, which will allow us to make the jump from fossil based energy to what we call green energy. Thus I will be an advocate for these sources of energy and their continued support and research by the federal government.

Green Areas: Naturally I think many efforts can and should be made on this zone, and we need to increase the number of green zones in our cities. I think it would be a priority to complete the work of legislation like the Atlasian National Park Renewal Initiative, an incomplete (as far as I’m aware) effort to expand our National Parks.

Domestic and Social Policy:

A stronger and healthier economy: One of the best things of the Mideast Region is its strong and usually healthy economy, and it’s important to have someone on Nyman standing up for the economic values of the region. If elected, I shall endeavor to pursue fiscal responsibility whenever possible and support efforts to ease the situation of the middle class.

Social Policy: I think it’s important to see social policy handled by the regions despite the objections one might have (for example, I am a staunch opponent of the so called incest laws) and I pledge to address this issues with pragmatism. Despite the personal concerns I may have as a pro-life politician, I wish to continue my efforts to promote and improve adoption as a pragmatic mechanism to deal with this issue.

[Lumine]

Campaign Update: May 18th

Endorsements:

So far the campaign has been endorsed by two Governors, two Senators, two cabinet members and several other politicians from Civic Renewal, the Democratic Republicans, the Federalists TPP and independents, hopefully a sign that several parties can indeed unite behind the message of the campaign.

Other:

In a personal level, I'd like to extend my condolences to the people of France over the tragedy of losing their President. In the limited contact I had with President Hollande during my Presidency I found him to be a courageous and principled man, and I can only hope justice will be made over that painful loss for our ally.

Schedule:

May 12th:
-Tour of West Virginia (I):
  -Rally in Charleston, WV.
  -Town Hall in Wheeling, WV.
  -Town Hall in Weirton, WV.
  -Town Hall in Fairmont, WV.

May 13th:
-Tour of West Virginia (II):
  -Barnstorming in Huntingdon, WV.
  -Barnstorming in Parkersburg, WV.
  -Barnstorming in Morgantown, WV.
  -Meeting volunteers and local media.

May 14th:
-Tour of Maryland (I):
  -Rally in Baltimore, MD.
  -Town Halls in Baltimore, MD.
  -Visiting the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, MD.

May 15th:
-Tour of Maryland (II):
  -Barnstorming in Germantown, MD.
  -Barnstorming in Silverspring, MD.
  -Barnstorming in Waldorf, MD.
  -Rally in Columbia, MD.

May 16th:
-Tour of Virginia (I):
  -Bus Tour in Arlington, VA.
  -Bus Tour in Alexandria, VA.
  -Bus Tour in Hampton, VA.
  -Rally in Richmond, VA.
 
May 17th:
-Tour of Virginia (II):
  -Rally in Norfolk, VA.
  -Rally in Chesapeake, VA.
  -Rally in Virginia Beach, VA.
  -Town Hall in Newport News, VA.
 
May 18th:
-Tour of Ohio (I);
   -Rally in Columbia, OH.
   -Unveiling basic platform.

[Lumine]

The Campaign goes On!

May 25th, 2015:

It's beyond evident that the past days have seen some pretty harsh rhetoric both from me and some of my political rivals (non related to the Senate race, Speaker New Canadaland remains fair and courteous as always) and I would be lying if I said I wasn't deeply concerned about it. With the benefit of hindsight it's not hard to realize that mistakes were made on my behalf, and I'd like to publicly apologize to the voters of the Mideast. I apologize to them for the approach I took to deal with this issue, and for the inconveniences they might have suffered from this situation.

That aside, my point still stands, and it is beyond clear that at this point some officeholders are willing to whatever is necessary to see me going down in flames, using quite a variety of methods. If you don't mind me being blunt I admit that I considered leaving this race over this controversy and the accusations that have been repeated through the last days (which go from the usual charges of opportunism to hyperbolic claims of being worse than the NSA), but with the advice and the support of some good friends of mine I have decided against quitting. I fight on, and I fight on to represent the Mideast to the best of my ability.

I have no illusions about the future nor I have delusions of grandeur, because I know that the road that lies ahead is a hard one. It's a hard one in terms of current voter registration (which makes one wonder by the opposition would want even more of their voters here), it's a hard one due to the skill and qualities of Speaker New Canadaland, and it's a hard one given the fact that we will see many attacks repeated over and over again before this is over, some of them old, and some of them older still.

But even if some people take it more seriously than they should Atlasia is still a game, and games are worth being played despite the challenges. Having spent a good part of my political life here involved in tough races and on the receiving end of increasingly ridiculous attacks I think it would be a pity to end it all today, specially if that left the voters with no choice at all. So yes, I will continue to campaign through this region and do my best to reach out to the voters over the month left until the election, and thus allow the people of the Mideast to see an exciting and active campaign season.

Onwards to the campaign trail, and to fight on we go!

Lumine.

[windjammer]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Well, you could have at least apologized to me.

[Oakvale]

Endorsed, for whatever it's worth. Your dignity in the face of increasingly absurd attacks is commendable.

[Simfan34]

Yes, very much endorsed.

[Lumine]

Well, you could have at least apologized to me.

I considered a broad apology to be better given the nature of the situation, but yes, Governor, I do extend my personal apology for the methods employed to prove my argument (and for the delay as well, I suppose, time does fly).

Endorsed, for whatever it's worth. Your dignity in the face of increasingly absurd attacks is commendable.

Yes, very much endorsed.

Many thanks, Oakvale and Simfan! It's fantastic to count on your support!

[Lumine]

For a (slightly) less dull Atlasia!

June 1st, 2015:

Good day, Mideast Region!

The days pass and the campaign goes on, as there’s less than three weeks left until the actual election! In that time span I have done my best to tour as much states in this region as is possible, and I have also managed to deliver both a platform and some of the reasons of why I believe I would make a good Senator for the Mideast Region. In the past days we have been able to received several crucial endorsements, and once again I thank the people of several different parties who have joined behind this effort.

Answering the crucial question of the motivations behind a campaign and the ideals to follow on the Senate is no easy task, and indeed not being able to articulate a vision could prove lethal if one doesn’t count with a massive base of support. Subjective as it might be, I look forward to a return to the Senate because there are many things to be done, and because something seems off with the current times, as if “dull” was the best word to define today’s Atlasia despite the hard work and bold ideas of so many great officeholders.

Long story short, I want to play a part in fighting against that. At this stage in my career is safe to say that most of the region (and indeed, Atlasia) knows me and my record, and now more than ever I wish to remain true to that. No matter the odds, I have no intention of staging this return to be a seat warmer. There are issues to address, policies to enact, proposals to be made, speeches to be given and voters to be contacted and encouraged to engage more with this game. One of the lessons I learnt very early in this game while dealing with the spectre of inactivity in the Midwest was that personal effort is without a doubt the most crucial thing for Atlasia to thrive.

Not to make this another rambling speech, I remain convinced that the Mideast is in need of a Senator who can combine both activity and experience, a Senator willing to do what needs to be done, to speak up where the occasion requires it to uphold and defend the things that make this region a fantastic one to live and to pursue a political career, a Senator that you can trust to represent you.

All of this, I hope, are things that I can bring to the table, not only because of the months and all the hard work spent on serving Atlasia so many times, but also because of the accomplishments achieved by working both alone and with others through that time.

And I suppose that’s more than enough for now!

Lumine.

[windjammer]

Fine, no harm done. And good luck for your race.

[TJ in Oregon]

Endorsed!

[Lumine]

Endorsed!

Thank you very much, TJ!

[Lumine]

On Kansas City and Other Issues:

June 5th, 2015:

Good night, my fellow citizens:

It is with a good deal of sadness that I speak to you today, for a tour of Kansas City revealed to me the extent of the damage caused by the massive tornado that struck our fair region a few days before. While awaiting for information from the GM is crucial the fact is that we as Mideasterners should not and cannot ignore the suffering of so many of our fellow Atlasians, and my thoughts and my prayers are with the victims of the devastation brought by this unfortunate event. It truly is sobering to be reminded of the power of nature.

I think this a prime opportunity to praise a member of the regional government, who has taken the initiative in reacting to this crisis. I refer of course to Speaker Harry Truman, who has proposed that the remaining budget surplus should be used as relief and recovery for Kansas City. Concerned as I am that neither the Governor nor the Assembly have made their thoughts available yet, I congratulate the Speaker on taking steps to deal with this crisis from the Assembly. I can only hope further action will be taken so our region can recover from this tragedy.

It's also a good idea to refer to the regrettable attempt on the President's life yesterday, a cowardly attempt at striking down the head of our government which also regrettably ended with a mob killing the culprit. I think this goes to shown that the trend of violence started in October 2014 is sadly not completely over, and I condemn this assault on the President just as I condemn the actions of those who would not respect the law of the land to kill a man who should have been put on trail.

Fact is, we have laws to be respected and enforced, and this is an issue that should be addressed. Whether I'm elected or not two weeks from now I will continue to speak up in favor of law and order issues and the need for a strong and independent judicial system to help all Atlasians, so we can continue to inflict defeats on terrorism, public violence and all the related challenges of the past months which have ended so many lives amongst our citizens.

Lumine.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Thank-you for your support, Mr. President. With luck, Kansas City will be back on its feet before too long.

[Lumine]

Thank-you for your support, Mr. President. With luck, Kansas City will be back on its feet before too long.

That is my hope as well, Mr. Speaker.