Atlasia Decides: February 2016 Atlasian Presidential Debate

[cinyc]

I've been asked by Leinad, supposedly at the request of all three Presidential candidates, to hold a Presidential candidate's debate between President Adam Griffin,  Southern Governor Leinad, and former Northeast Governor Winfield.

Because the election is quickly approaching, we will dispense with opening statements and proceed directly to questioning.  Candidates will have 24 hours to respond.  I will be asking multiple questions in each round.  For the first round, I am going to ask one question initially and supplement with additional questions later tonight once I have had a chance to further digest each candidate's platform.

Here my initial question to all three candidates:

1) Inactivity has increased in Atlasia over the past few months, with many prominent Atlasians de-registering and some regions facing difficulties in running their regional governments.  As President, what would you do to increase activity?  And does the Federal government have any constitutional role in spurring regional activity?

[cinyc]

Also to all of the candidates:

2) President Griffin and Former Governor Winfield have, to some degree, suggested changes to Fritzcare, Atlasia's current health insurance system.  If elected President, how would you change Fritzcare and how realistic do you think it is that you or your opponents' proposed Fritzcare changes would pass in the Senate?

3) Former Governor Winfield has proposed increasing taxes on the richest of Atlasian and Atlasian corporations.  Do you support or oppose Governor Winfield's tax plan, and, again, how realistic do you think it is that his, yours, or your opponents' tax plan would pass in the Senate?

4) Some Atlasians have alleged that the Constitutional Convention is currently going nowhere fast, and is not on track to pass anything.  Do you agree with that assessment?  If so, what would you do as President to ensure that the Constitutional Convention remains on track?

Thank you.

[Adam Griffin]

I thank cinyc for agreeing to host this debate. I will be returning later this evening to answer the initial questions posed.

[Leinad]

I also thank cinyc for hosting this debate, and I'll provide my answers shortly.

[Adam Griffin]

1) Inactivity has increased in Atlasia over the past few months, with many prominent Atlasians de-registering and some regions facing difficulties in running their regional governments.  As President, what would you do to increase activity? 

Depending on the timeline implied by the question, I reject the premise. I see much more activity in the game than I saw throughout most of the past several months.

If we're comparing activity between now and 8 months ago, then you might be able to say that there is less activity. However, many forget that Atlasia was effectively dead going all the way back to June, with mass de-registrations in July and August. There were more people but I'd argue that there wasn't more necessarily going on then.

If we're comparing activity now with activity in October, then I do not believe there is less activity.

If we're comparing it to 2 months ago, then I know that there is more activity.

I already initiated an effort to encourage people to relocate to different regions in order to serve and personally recruited multiple candidates for office. In the Midwest, Governor Tmth and I collaborated in order to help put interested bodies back in the Legislature. In the Pacific, I pleaded with the Senate to provide the power to restore working order via emergency legislation, which is wrapping up now and will enable me to act shortly. Unfortunately, there is no constitutionally-sound government there at the moment and I could not in good faith tell people to move there when there were no guarantees on serving. The remaining Regions have varying issues here and there, but are largely sound given what we've been through recently. With regards to the Northeast, I was prepared to help there as well, but their temporary vacancies were handled by Governor Blair in an expedient fashion.

I believe as we continue forward, activity is going to continue to increase organically. I look at the FE board these days and I see a lot more engagement than I saw in December or even October. We are on an upswing and will continue to grow under my leadership - and more importantly, once the new game is born.

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I fought diligently to include provisions in the new governing document that would regulate regional activity (and therefore spur it) by ensuring that Regions could not overpopulate their Legislatures. This would ensure that Regions keep relatively balanced populations and would ensure more competitive regional legislative elections based on the population of a Region. Unfortunately, the majority of the ConCon delegation disagreed with me after initially agreeing with me. These provisions were stricken.

We have a moral obligation to act, but constitutionally, there are limits on what we can do to spur activity. I think indirectly, the powers vested in the Presidency and the cabinet - along with the Senate - allow for a wide variety of dynamics to be either simulated or created that can generate activity, controversy and debate, but those elements do not necessarily pertain to activity directly.

[Lincoln Republican]

1) Inactivity has increased in Atlasia over the past few months, with many prominent Atlasians de-registering and some regions facing difficulties in running their regional governments.  As President, what would you do to increase activity?  And does the Federal government have any constitutional role in spurring regional activity?

I wish to thank you, cinyc, for agreeing to moderate this debate.

Senator Leinad, thank you for suggesting a debate, and thank you to you and to President Griffin  for agreeing to participate in this debate.

In the final analysis, I am of the belief that if someone wants to participate in this game they will.  If they do not, they won't.

Therefore, it is up to those currently participating in the game to create an atmosphere whereby it makes it interesting for others to either re-join the game, or for those who have never participated to have a reason to join the game.

You know, many people who have been active or somewhat active over the past few years in the game have de-registered or have ceased activity, or have cut back on activity for a variety of reasons.  It could be they are simply suffering from game fatigue, or they are very busy in their real lives.  People's lives change over time, things come and go, they are tied up in school and in their studies, their family and professional responsibilities may come to a point where they simply cannot spend time in an on-line game.

It is fine to talk about activity and inactivity in the game and about the need to attract new participants, but we must be aware that people's lives change, circumstances change, and responsibilities change. 

These are facts, and need to be taken into consideration when discussing all the reasons and causes why there is less activity in the game.

As to your question about what to do to increase activity, I was a very strong proponent in the Constitutional Convention advocating for three regions instead of five.  I am of the belief that three regions will serve the nation well.  With three regions, three regional governments with regional offices, the federal government with federal elected and appointed offices, will make the game more interesting to more people, thus driving membership.

But regardless of whatever the regional or federal governments do, membership will ebb and flow, will rise and fall, probably all on-line games go through cycles of activity, and Atlasia is no exception.

I am simply being realistic.

[Lincoln Republican]

2) President Griffin and Former Governor Winfield have, to some degree, suggested changes to Fritzcare, Atlasia's current health insurance system.  If elected President, how would you change Fritzcare and how realistic do you think it is that you or your opponents' proposed Fritzcare changes would pass in the Senate?

3) Former Governor Winfield has proposed increasing taxes on the richest of Atlasian and Atlasian corporations.  Do you support or oppose Governor Winfield's tax plan, and, again, how realistic do you think it is that his, yours, or your opponents' tax plan would pass in the Senate?

4) Some Atlasians have alleged that the Constitutional Convention is currently going nowhere fast, and is not on track to pass anything.  Do you agree with that assessment?  If so, what would you do as President to ensure that the Constitutional Convention remains on track?

2) Health Care

I support Fritzcare.

I want to have a thorough investigation into the costs of health care, the charges from medical practitioners and institutions, and from medical suppliers, to ensure that the government and the people are getting fair value for their expenditures on health care.

Related

I want to see after school programs for "latch key children" so they will have a safe environment to go to until their parent or parents come to pick them up.

I have a long history of strong support for social programs.  I authored the initial Care For Those In Need Act, for example, in the Northeast Assembly.

There are so many social programs and health care issues that can be discussed.  Check out my campaign thread.

I see no reason why further social programs I have would not be supported by the Senate.


3) Taxes

I support Winfield's tax plan.  

Hopefully the Senate will take the opportunity to support this tax plan that is right for the average, hard working, tax paying citizens of Atlasia, while the top 1% have not paid their fair share.  This is unacceptable.

4) Constitutional Convention

It takes time to lay the groundwork for a renewal of a nation by way of a Constitutional Convention.  The Constitutional Convention is proceeding apace, and the final product will be worth the wait.  It will be completed on time.  We have to get it right the first time.

[Leinad]

1) Inactivity has increased in Atlasia over the past few months, with many prominent Atlasians de-registering and some regions facing difficulties in running their regional governments.  As President, what would you do to increase activity?  And does the Federal government have any constitutional role in spurring regional activity?

I think there is a role that we have, and I plan to explore options with the Vice President and Senate. Trying to find a way to recruit new players is key--there are hundreds of forum users not registered with the game, and many of those registered are inactive or hardly active. There's lots of potential for growth in the game, and I think it's our duty to actively work at harnessing that, for the good of Atlasia's future.

Not to mention maintaining an active presence from the White House: using the bully pulpit to encourage activity, participating in Senate and later on Congressional debate, making speeches on various things, and giving public updates on the President's goings-on. And more practically, communications with Governors, Senators, and members of the Cabinet--both to gain insight on specific issues and (more crucially) to increase activity. I'm not sure how much President Griffin has communicated with the other two, but I know for a fact his communication with Governors has been sorely lacking for most of his term.

I congratulate the President on the Activity Project, and his work in the Midwest and Pacific, but I will be a President that will work to increase activity all 4 months of my term, not just when the election rolls around.

And I think I'm not alone in wanting more public activity and private communication: this was a message of Governor Blair's primary campaign, and hopefully everyone can send that message of activity to Nyman this weekend!

One last thing is that the Constitutional Convention will help with activity a lot. The current levels of activity will be higher if spread out over only 3 regions instead of 5, so I'm quite optimistic about Atlasia's future. That being said, it's very important that we ratify the new Constitution--and I plan to make that a top priority, whether I'm elected President or not.

[Adam Griffin]

Also to all of the candidates:

2) President Griffin and Former Governor Winfield have, to some degree, suggested changes to Fritzcare, Atlasia's current health insurance system.  If elected President, how would you change Fritzcare and how realistic do you think it is that you or your opponents' proposed Fritzcare changes would pass in the Senate?

My ultimate goal is to see a single-payer system implemented in Atlasia. Fritzcare was an excellent system to implement given the time and place, but we are now looking at an opportunity in which we can fully rebuild any and all policies from scratch. As such, the complexities that would otherwise plague us in assessing the effects of past and present legislation will no longer be an issue.

Major reforms are usually difficult to pass. Again, however, the Constitutional Convention and subsequent ratification of the new Constitution will provide a complete reboot of our statute and policy. It is through this mechanism that anything becomes possible. Personally, I believe it will be much easier to pass a single-payer system in such a climate than it would be to pass some horribly-chermic half-public, half-private system like what exists in real-life. Why would we want to keep some elements of healthcare (insurance) private while providing public solutions in others? Why would be want to task Regions with some responsibilities regarding healthcare while giving the federal government other responsibilities? I believe that the new game will make it much more straightforward in terms of arriving at a solution that produces the fewest exceptions and contradictions possible, and that solution is obviously single-payer.

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I'm honestly surprised to see the Governor advocating for an five percentage-point increase in the top tax rates, considering that the top personal income tax rate is 60% (for those making more than $1 million per year) in Atlasia. I am operating under the assumption that he is referring to current Atlasian tax policy when he outlines his plans. However, I believe this is an acceptable goal in the plight against income inequality and sustaining strong middle and working classes. The top corporate tax rate (currently 25%, and to my knowledge, effectively flat) being raised by a roughly comparable amount might actually be a bridge too far (!!!). It seems crazy to hear that coming from me, but given the simplicity of our current tax code, such an increase could very well pose long-term structural risks in global competitiveness.

I fully expect that the Senate (and the House) will be fairly divided in terms of ideological composition going forward and when we enter the new game. There will be a "settling" period in which one hemisphere or another might have disproportionate control - as we have seen with the Right in recent months - but I believe we will settle somewhere near where we have been over the long-term in regards to two-way ideological measurements. As such, a healthy amount of division will exist and only a reasonably fair tax policy will be able to get through the chamber.

On balance, I do not find the Governor's plan to be extreme or over-reaching. Like I said, I do share some concerns about raising the corporate tax rate too high.

4) Some Atlasians have alleged that the Constitutional Convention is currently going nowhere fast, and is not on track to pass anything.  Do you agree with that assessment?  If so, what would you do as President to ensure that the Constitutional Convention remains on track?

As was (widely) publicized some weeks ago, I have maintained throughout recent weeks that the slowdown in the ConCon was the result of a natural "boom and bust" cycle that occurs each year in Atlasia. The game slows down considerably in December and January, which gave the impression that we were "going nowhere fast". However, the remaining items on the agenda are not as numerous as some seem to think. We are now wrapping up the executive branch section with a final vote. After this, we only have the judicial branch, Bill of Rights, and a few other miscellaneous provisions to complete.

Those who might look at that checklist without an understanding of the situation would think that it's "not even half-way done yet". That couldn't be farther from the truth. The reality is that we have already addressed the most detailed, complex and controversial segments thus far. It is very much a downhill jog from here. The judicial branch will be relatively simple and I believe the same to be true for the Bill of Rights. We'll have a few contentious discussions in the final round of provisions, but it will not be as time-consuming as determining how many regions we would have, how the federal government would be structured, where we would draw the lines, and so forth.

We are still on track to finish the ConCon by May 1. If I am given a second term, I guarantee that we will have a functional document ready to send to the people by that date.

[Leinad]

2) President Griffin and Former Governor Winfield have, to some degree, suggested changes to Fritzcare, Atlasia's current health insurance system.  If elected President, how would you change Fritzcare and how realistic do you think it is that you or your opponents' proposed Fritzcare changes would pass in the Senate?

That's not what this election will be about. Ideally I'd probably want to reform it, but I'd rather focus on the Constitutional Convention instead of trying to force some piece of compromise-fest legislation through the senate.

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I support low taxes and a reduction in spending, and while I think a progressive tax system of some sort makes sense, I don't think anyone's taxes need to be raised. What we really need is a reduction in loopholes--simplifying the tax code would help poorer people and small businesses that can't afford an army of lawyers and accountants.

Again, it's an issue for after the legislative reboot in the Constitution. I could talk about tax policy more, but no one will be voting on tax policy.

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No, I disagree with that assessment. While it could be going better, Truman's done a great job as Presiding Officer, and I'd like to think I've helped him as Deputy Presiding Officer as well.

As President, I plan to have a hands-on approach to the Convention, not only being active in debate (as I have been), but being vocal in campaigning for the new Constitution's ratification, and active leadership in transitioning us to Atlasia: The Next Generation.

All three of us have executive experience. But I think that I have the enthusiasm and spare time commitment to make me the best choice for the office.

[cinyc]

Thank you for your responses.

Two more questions to all of the candidates, then we will proceed to closing statements. In the interests of time, you may start your closing statement immediately after all 3 candidates have responded to the following questions:

1) The Senate has recently debated whether to repeal or modify the 20-minutes to edit your vote rule as part of the Closing Elections Loophole Act of 2016.  It ultimately decided to keep the current 20-minute edit rule in force.  As you may be aware, the Northeast currently does not allow voters to edit their vote in Northeast elections at all after it has been cast.  Do you support the current 20-minute edit rule, would you prefer a shorter or longer edit period, or a no-edit rule?

2)  Specifically, what do you think are your two opponents' greatest strength and greatest weakness?

[Adam Griffin]

1) The Senate has recently debated whether to repeal or modify the 20-minutes to edit your vote rule as part of the Closing Elections Loophole Act of 2016.  It ultimately decided to keep the current 20-minute edit rule in force.  As you may be aware, the Northeast currently does not allow voters to edit their vote in Northeast elections at all after it has been cast.  Do you support the current 20-minute edit rule, would you prefer a shorter or longer edit period, or a no-edit rule?

I understand both sides of the argument, but I generally oppose getting rid of the edit window, as I made clear in the initial discussions of the bill. The SoFE made the request and I included it as a courtesy in the introduced legislation based on the criteria we discussed regarding his appointment.

No entity - including the Northeast - really has an outright ban on ballot editing. The Northeast's window is effectively 90 seconds: the amount of time in which you can edit a post and not leave a trace. Unfortunately, this forum is known for its glitches and I have personally experienced two different occasions in which I either made a mistake on my ballot or accidentally posted two ballots. Both of these instances occurred during the forum slow-down period (3:00 - 4:00 AM ET). Because of that, it took several minutes for my edits to be processed. Without a grace period/window, my votes would have been rendered null and void. Senator Yankee also has experienced the same thing as was mentioned (I believe) in the legislation debate thread.

Because of this, I have to oppose getting rid of the edit period and would probably never support a period of less than ten minutes being the rule. Likewise, I do not support expanding the edit period beyond an hour, as that opens the doors for all kinds of mischief.

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With regards to Leinad, I think his greatest strength and weakness (within the confines of this election) run along the same lines. He came along at a very opportune time for his particular trajectory, and has managed to avoid a lot of criticism and inescapable problems that many of us have had to face at one point or another. His Region was shielded more so than any other Region or entity from the kind of destruction that other Regions (and the federal government) saw in the wake of mass de-registrations and benefited from a lot of organic registrations that helped keep the Region active. This allows him to have a narrative that he has been successful above and beyond the rest of us; a lot of it was luck and timing, if you ask me. I would cite Governor Tmth as someone who is very skilled but who also has experienced and understands that there are sometimes periods in which no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot find interested individuals who want to participate.

Because of this, I believe Leinad's greatest weakness is not genuinely experiencing or knowing what crisis looks like. There are many different scenarios that could absolutely blind-side him in the office and if elected, he may very well be the least experienced President we've had in years.


With regards to Winfield, I commend him on a dedication to detail and crafting ideas that many others might not spend time doing. He has always been focused on providing real solutions to problems, and that gives him a certain leadership quality with respect to being a potential President. It allows him to speak with authority on a wide variety of issues and people respect that.

However, I believe his greatest weakness is an absolute focus on being serious too often and too intensely (although I have often wondered whether this was a clever troll persona). I remember the debacles in the Northeast in which the Governor became fixated on repealing laws regarding polygamy and incest that were passed by previous legislatures. He alienated a lot of people during that period and either was or would have been (I can't remember if he resigned or not) recalled from office. Was the treatment of him completely fair? No. Will the Presidency be fair to those who hold it? No. Because of this, I fear that the Governor may have too singular of a focus on select issues, will rub people the wrong way, will alienate vast segments of the game and will leave him as a lame-duck at best.

[Leinad]

1) The Senate has recently debated whether to repeal or modify the 20-minutes to edit your vote rule as part of the Closing Elections Loophole Act of 2016.  It ultimately decided to keep the current 20-minute edit rule in force.  As you may be aware, the Northeast currently does not allow voters to edit their vote in Northeast elections at all after it has been cast.  Do you support the current 20-minute edit rule, would you prefer a shorter or longer edit period, or a no-edit rule?

I think editing is necessary as everyone makes mistakes, and a mistake on a ballot should not be punished by the invalidation of the vote.

Is it perfect? No, there are chances for controversy, which is why I think it's important to nail down the specifics in the law.

As much as it's terrible politics to say "I agree with the other guy" (), I have to say Adam got it pretty spot-on that anything less than 10 minutes is too short, but it shouldn't be expanded too long, either.

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Hmmm...tricky question, but I guess that means it's a good one!

President Griffin's greatest strength is perhaps his ability to organize across all of Atlasia--both as Labor Party chairman and Registrar General he's shown to be quite competent. I guess this is my awkward attempt at combining both of those offices, which in reality have very little overlap.

His weakness might be in his divisiveness--we've seen him get into it with several people in this campaign alone. I've exchanged light jabs and had disagreements, but I keep it within the boundaries of civil discourse. His recent bickering with Tmth and Kingpoleon are examples, along with his absurd criticism of my initial campaign PMs (and I still don't know how those were so badly misquoted...maybe that's his weakness: he needs better informants ).

Also, while we aren't really having rebuttals, I think something Griffin said should be addressed: his assertion that my success is only due to my region not being hit as hard by the collapse is, in a sense, like calling a great golfer "lucky" because he rarely hits it in the sand or the trees. I'm not saying it's all my doing, but it's just as crazy to say that it was entirely fortune.


Winfield's greatest strength is his commitment to his ideals. He understands policy, and frankly has offered the most detailed vision on the issues of the three of us (me and Griffin have focused more on the Constitutional Convention and generalities such as activity given the fact that any policy will be wiped clean with the legislative reboot) and his commitment to independent politics--shared by his running mate, Poirot--is certainly admirable in a job where dedication to the rights of the people should come before any partisan considerations.

As far as weaknesses, sometimes Winfield seems to take it too seriously. Although I sort of do that, too, getting caught up in delivering some lofty address or whatever. Someone termed it as me "clutching my lapels"--I still have no idea what that means, but I've taken it as both a badge of honor, and a message to lighten up.

I also disagree with Winfield on some issues--such as regional rights in the Constitution. I've been on the side of the regions consistently, while he thinks it's best to give control of those things to the federal government. But, again, this is a case of Winfield being honest and committed to his positions--something worth praise even when we disagree.


Maybe that wasn't the best answer, but hey, it was a tricky question!

[Lincoln Republican]

1) The Senate has recently debated whether to repeal or modify the 20-minutes to edit your vote rule as part of the Closing Elections Loophole Act of 2016.  It ultimately decided to keep the current 20-minute edit rule in force.  As you may be aware, the Northeast currently does not allow voters to edit their vote in Northeast elections at all after it has been cast.  Do you support the current 20-minute edit rule, would you prefer a shorter or longer edit period, or a no-edit rule?

2)  Specifically, what do you think are your two opponents' greatest strength and greatest weakness?

1)  Edit Time

I can tell you that in the Northeast we have had absolutely no problems since we eliminated edit times in voting.  

As the author  of the Vote Sanctity Act, eliminating edit times, of course I would prefer to see the same procedure used federally.  

This act prevents unscrupulous individuals from persuading others to change their vote.  I see no problem with protecting against voter interference.

I can understand concerns with technical problems, but you can always preview your post before posting your vote.  

As a compromise, the Senate could at least have changed the time frame to 10 minutes.


2)  Strengths and weaknesses

Griffin's greatest strength is his understanding of how the government in Atlasia and the politics in Atlasia works.

His greatest weakness is that often he tends to come across as arrogant and pompous.

Leinad's greatest strength is his commitment to Atlasia and to the game, and his willingness to serve in any capacity.

His greatest weakness is his libertarian philosophy.

 

[Lincoln Republican]

Closing Statement

My  fellow Atlasians, I address you at this hour, one more time as a candidate for President.

The polls have just opened, and the future of Atlasia is in your hands. 

You must ask yourself, do I want more of the same, government by a party machine, or do I want an independently thinking President, forward looking, unencumbered by party politics, a President who puts people above party and a President who transcends party lines.

My very talented and hard working running mate, Poirot, and I, offer Atlasians a new kind of administration, an administration that puts people first.

My fellow Atlasians, as you head to the polls, I urge you to consider the future of this nation.  Do you really want more of the same old cliques running your country, or do you want new leadership for a new Atlasia?

Poirot and I are asking for your help in building a new Atlasia, a nation of which we can all be proud.

Thank you my fellow Atlasians, and don't forget to vote. 

[Leinad]

Closing Statement

Maybe it's not the best idea, but Winfield did it, so I'll basically just quote the newest message from my campaign thread:

I've been criticized for my lack of experience, but I think I have proven myself as a trustworthy figure. Does anyone really think I'd crack under the pressure? Does anyone think that, with Cris and others advising me, I'd make the wrong decisions, or fall into inactivity?

I hope I've made the case that I'm ready for the job, and that my record makes me the best candidate. That's what I've tried to make this election about: a comparison of records, not attacks. Maybe sometimes it's seemed like I've been on the attack, but it's always been either in response to an attack from my opponent, or along with a reiteration of my own record.

This is a very important election, and a very important job. I'd reluctantly accept it if you want to go with someone more experienced than me. But I understand this nation's importance. Atlasia's a fun place, where people can spend time playing an in-depth political game in whatever way they choose. It's been a wonderful escape and pastime for me, and I've enjoyed every second of it. Well, most seconds, anyway.

This election is about preserving and enhancing that--not that one of my opponents would ruin Atlasia, but I feel that we need the best possible leadership to finish the Constitutional Convention, and start off the next iteration of the country on the right track. It is my argument that I'm the best possible leadership, but ultimately it's up to the voters to decide.

Remember, the South has thrived as I've been Governor, and I've been one of the most active members of the Constitutional Convention. I care about this game, and I hope you agree that I'm the best person to lead us into the future!

Thank you for this opportunity, Atlasia, and I would love it if you vote for Leinad/Cris, if you haven't already.