The Atlasia's POLITICO Labor Presidential Debate.

[Senator Cris]

The Labor Presidential Debate.

Good Afternoon from Atlasia's POLITICO. I'm Cris, I'll be the moderator of this debate. I welcome you to the official debate for the Labor Presidential Primary. I'd like to thank both President Griffin and Governor Blair for their confidence.

The rules of the debate are simple. The debate will consist of three rounds.
The first round will consist of an opening statement and of a series of questions about the presidential election.
The second round will consist of a series of questions about policy issues.
The third round will consist of a series of questions about game reform and of a closing statement.

At the beginning of each round, I'll pose questions to the candidates, who will have 24 hours to answer. If both candidates will answer the questions first of the 24 hours deadline, then the new round will immediately start.

Follow-ups and rebuttals are permitted.

As a reminder, only the two candidates and the moderator may ask or answer questions in this thread.

And now, let the Labor Presidential Debate begin!

[Senator Cris]

First round:

1) Please issue an opening statement.

To both candidates:

2) Presidential candidate and Governor Leinad (Fed-South) blamed President Griffin for not being active at all during his first term, saying that "we're not better than we were in October". Do you agree with him?

3) What makes you proud to be a member of the Labor Party?

To President Griffin:

4) Challenging an incumbent President in a primary is not an usual thing. The last time it happened was February 2014, when President Duke (a federalist at that time) was unsuccessfully challenged by Mr. Reaganfan. How do you react to Governor Blair decision to challenge you in the Labor presidential primary? Did you expect that decision?

To Governor Blair:

4) Why have you decided to challenge the incumbent President of your same party? How would your presidency be different than a Griffin one?

[Adam Griffin]

GRIFFIN'S OPENING STATEMENT

Fellow Laborites,

I can't say that I'm exactly thrilled to be here, nor can I say that I expected this in the slightest. As the person who more than anyone else was responsible for building the Party that we hold near and dear to our hearts over the past four years, I have spent the majority of my time in the game serving its needs.

However, a different calling emerged several months ago. With the game in undeniable decline, even the strongest forces of opposition against my two-and-a-half year-old plan to consolidate the regions finally joined hands and began to sing a different tune. They understood that it was finally necessary. Approximately five months ago, the game took another nose-dive for the worst, requiring me to change perspective once again. It was at this point that I decided to unilaterally focus on the needs of the country rather than the Party.

I have had years to experience the strengths, weaknesses and shortcomings of political infrastructure and organization in this game. Being able to build relationships and interact with people from all walks of life is essential in getting things done, but it is through this dynamic that one also realizes that it takes a village to be truly sustainable. Unfortunately, no one within the Party took up the mantle of maintaining our glory in the same way that I was able to do for all of those years, and recent events have impacted us disproportionately. I, in the better interests of the game, decided to focus on one important task: becoming Your President and saving the game. There would be time to save the Party later.

This task has not been easy. Much like with the Party, "it takes a village" is an important concept. "The December President" always faces challenges with respect to activity, but this year has been especially challenging. However, I am confident that the progress we've made has stopped the decline, and the second half of my presidential term will show the country that we are moving once again in the right direction. You will feel it, you will see it, and if you so choose, you will be a part of it.

Some have called me an "old war horse"; an irrelevant and anachronistic concept that is holding back the game. The thing about a war horse is...it doesn't become that of its own choosing. I wear that label with pride. A war horse carries the bulk of the weight into battle, fights valiantly, gets scarred to hell and back, and returns home to fight another day. We are at a pivotal moment, and that is not hyperbole. The next term of this office will either preside over the ratification of a new Constitution and a new game, or will lack the political clout and wherewithal to hold the pieces together, watching it all fall into oblivion.

Since 2012, I have never taken your support for granted. I am not about to start taking it for granted now. We are on the move to fulfilling our campaign pledges: the trolls are gone, the government has never worked in a more bipartisan fashion, and the ConCon - barring the dead-period during the holidays in which the entire game seemingly disappeared - is moving at the pace I predicted. People who complain about the ConCon not being finished were the people I warned you about in October. I always said this that this was a two-term proposition.

Well, I of course disagree with that. I believe that the reform process will take several months, and at the end of it all, there will almost certainly be a reset based on the expressed opinions of the delegates. Therefore, I seriously doubt that the next President will have any meaningful impact on public policy in his first term. Honestly, I believe public policy debate in this election will only serve to polarize the masses on issues that will not in the slightest be an important role in how or whether we emerge from this reform process in a successful fashion.

At the end of the day, though, people are angry. They're angry that a magical solution hasn't been delivered in two months, regardless of the promises I made on game reform, public policy, and a variety of other areas. I get it. We've been living it in the United States for the last eight years. But if there's one thing I've always been in this game, it's deliberate. I know what I am doing and I know how to get us there. The electorate has changed significantly since the last time we elected a Generic Laborite. Such a concept won't carry us across the finish line, and even if it did, it's highly unlikely that the reform process would be resolved in the way we wish to see.

Stick it out with me through the rest of this term and for another, and we'll all feel and see the true nature of what the reform process I've been working hard at since 2013 will deliver. Abandon me, and the future is uncertain. It is that black and white, and it is just that simple.

[Adam Griffin]

2) Presidential candidate and Governor Leinad (Fed-South) blamed President Griffin for not being active at all during his first term, saying that "we're not better than we were in October". Do you agree with him?

Obviously, I do not agree with that. Structurally, we are much better off than we were in October. In October, we were facing an imminent implosion of the game and a ConCon that yet had no true form. We had trolls running rampant that were seeking to seize power and destroy the game in favor of their Mock "Parliment". We had no idea where the bottom truly was at that time. I stepped up, knowing that the resulting months would be tough, and won based on the campaign message that it would fall through the cracks with anyone else.

Obviously, the Governor and all of my opponents are trying to craft their own narratives because they want to win. Anyone who cares to be analytical about the situation will find that the vast majority of the game was completely MIA during the month of December and into early January. It is quite difficult - even if you're a power-broker President - to get much done when nobody is showing up to work. This is not a new phenomenon. It happens every December. College breaks, exams and holidays take people away from the game.

We have found the floor, and we are surging toward a recovery. I've had approximately 2.5 months in the seat as President - 1.5 months if you count the time in which people have bothered to show up for work - and the results are still palpable. The Senate's activity levels are recovering. The regions' activity levels are recovering. This is because people are playing again; with more openings and abilities to get involved, the void is being filled.

My personal belief is that the ConCon will wrap up by May 1. Ratification will take place shortly thereafter, and it will either succeed or fail based on who is in the office. One important fact to remember is that conservatives were originally and unanimously against this broader idea. I fear that when the results are tangible and the final product is available, many will revert to their old beliefs. If I am President, I stand a much better chance at thwarting this concept than my opponent, because I have the necessary relationships with many of them to alleviate their concerns.

I've been active. I have made many cabinet appointments - I cannot force these individuals to be active or stay in the position, as any past President will tell you - and am in the process of securing three more nominations. I have introduced multiple pieces of legislation affecting the structural solvency of the game, in both this iteration and the future one. I have signed into law every piece of legislation passed by the Senate - which has been paltry because of the holidays, mind you - save for the one that I rejected because of deep concerns about abuse in homes of adolescents, and I have acted upon all of these in a timely fashion.

I've been bi-partisan, and that's what the game needs right now. The game needs someone who is a technocrat at this particular moment. It will not be lost on many of you that at any other time in history, I would have been a rabid partisan. I have put the game's needs ahead of everything else. Half of my cabinet has been conservative. There is a 70% conservative Senate, and we have worked together flawlessly and come to the same conclusion on legislation on all but one occasion.

3) What makes you proud to be a member of the Labor Party?

Lord, if I have to answer that, then I've already lost the race, haven't I? I am proud of Labor because I have seen more than anybody else just what it can do at its best.

Just to give a brief summary: when I joined the game, Labor was a third-place party. I built it into the most powerful entity in the game, surpassed and ultimately subjugating the moderate-left elements. I have organized and managed campaigns that have elected 5 Presidents, 24 Senators and more than 40 regional legislators to office under the Labor banner. Many people in Labor might tell you that "Labor is Griffin", but it would be far too egotistical for me to make that specific claim. In the end, the Party will decide whether that holds any truth.

4) Challenging an incumbent President in a primary is not an usual thing. The last time it happened was February 2014, when President Duke (a federalist at that time) was unsuccessfully challenged by Mr. Reaganfan. How do you react to Governor Blair decision to challenge you in the Labor presidential primary? Did you expect that decision?

Here are the cold, hard facts.

This primary was strategically planned - how far in advance, I have no clue. All I know is that multiple people were encouraging or assisting it prior to the announcement. I learned about it at the same time as everybody else did - publicly.

There was no prior mention via PM, and no prior message publicly. To enter into a Labor primary is one thing, but to do so against a sitting President without forewarning, in my opinion, completely goes against the ideals of our party, and anyone who knows me knows that I would say that in any Labor circumstance.

Also poignant and worth pointing out was that nobody - not my primary opponent nor anybody else supporting him - bothered to lodge one single complaint to me, publicly or privately, during the entirety of my term. If my opponent and others felt like I was doing such a bad job and that it was harmful to the country, then the smart initial course of action would have been to say something about it. However, that never happened. The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind of surprises for me, and for the Party.

[Blair]

Governor Blair's Opening Statement

Friends, in my announcement speech I talked about the fierce urgency of now. When I announced my intention to challenge President Griffin I knew that I'd be facing a President who has years of experience in the game, and who has many deep relationships with various members. I'm sure the seasoned political minds would have told me to simply wait; but I simply couldn't watch whilst Atlasia suffers.

To put it simply the President needs to lead. I've shown this leadership in the Northeast; whilst some other regions in Atlasia remained at a static level we had a full assembly that passed a whole host of policy reforms. I've issued executive orders to tackle mental health, I've passed a bailout package that decreased unemployment and I helped lead the fight to stop a Refugee bill that would have imposed religious quotas on vulnerable citizens trying to flee war-torn nations Make no mistake; if I'm elected President I will be ready to serve on the first day of office.

No doubt some will think that my achievements in the Northeast are small fry; of course I disagree with this. But I've got a long history of leadership; even when it goes against my own interests. I lead the impeachment efforts after Attorney General Al failed to stop TNF's coup, I helped increase activity in President Bore's last couple of weeks in office and I've helped several Atlasians back into the game such as Dkrol and Pikachu.

I've already released a plan to reform the office of President which would see the President become the face of the nation. I'd want to issue more speeches, have more meetings and become a dedicated fighter for the regions of Atlasia. I've been saying for months now that the regions need an economic stimulus package, and support from the Federal Government to tackle the economic crisis. The President has been largely quiet during the budget process; whilst in the Northeast I've steered through a budget that cut taxes for working families, increased infrastructure spending and expanded anti-poverty help for Veterans. I take this simple message friends; look at the Northeast, and look at what Atlasia can achieve

My opponent President Griffin seems to be casting me as a 'Generic Laborite'; well friends as you know that's not me. I've been elected in a state with an increasingly conservative electorate; and recent polls show that I have a staggering 12:1 approval rate. I've worked across the ideal with conservatives in the Senate, I've appointed conservatives to my Cabinet in the Northeast, I've got record trust ratings in the Northeast and I've been endorsed by 2 Senators and a sitting Governor within 24 hours of my campaign launching. This is not the time for Labor to simply 'stick at it', this is the time for Laborites to stand up and show that the Presidency can be a tool for progress in the Atlasia

[Blair]

2) Presidential candidate and Governor Leinad (Fed-South) blamed President Griffin for not being active at all during his first term, saying that "we're not better than we were in October". Do you agree with him?

Frankly Governor Leinad is being disingenuous in saying that 'we're no better than we were before' because we've had some areas of progress since October; the regions in Atlasias have managed to rebound, the Northeast has managed to hold together and unite after a referendum and after action from the regional Governments we've seen a drop in unemployment. I supported a number of President Griffin's early actions, and honestly thought that he was making a number of positive steps. He appointed a broad cabinet, responded to the Paris attacks and set up a good foundation. However as many Atlasians have said to me; we could be doing so much better.

We've had a Federal Budget thread open in the Senate since December; yet the President has yet to to comment on the budget page and has made no plans to support the economy of Atlasia. We're facing an unemployment rate of 8% in Atlasia, and we've faced virtual silence from the President about how to improve the Economy. The President has made virtually no mention of the Economy in his first term, and apart from signing some minor legislation he's yet to put forward any policy proposals that would create jobs, training or support for our vulnerable citizens.

Now the President is right to claim that activity falls during December; but that's not an excuse for falling behind. During my December term as Governor despite personal commitments I continued with the job I was elected to. In my December term alone I had a trade visit to Japan, issued executive orders to combat the Heroin crisis in the Northeast and issued a Christmas address. I've shown that as Governor you can be active all year round, it's just a case of putting your own effort into it. It's easy on Atlasia to sit back and say 'It's looking pretty dull around here' but I'm not that type of person. I want to create activity, to get people talking about the issues and to get people involved in the game. I believe that I can do this as President.

Atlasia could be something so much more, and we need a President who has a vision that can achieve that. I've been one of the most active players in Atlasia over the last year, I've been a driving force behind policy whether it's in the Senate or Governors office and I've managed to lead the Northeast fightback. Believe me; if you elect me as President then you'll never hear anyone complain about my lack of activity. I'd rather be the President that is eager and open, than the President who sits in silence I want to be fighter for Atlasia, and use all the powers of the Presidency to ensure that Atlasia can thrive.

[Blair]

3.) What makes you proud to be a member of the Labor Party?

What makes me proud is that I know that no matter what our party will unite after this Primary, and fight as a united front in the General Election. Everyone of us joined this party to fight for common values- the right to a decent wage, the right to a secure job, the right to choose, the right to a high quality education and fundamentally the right to a community where the common good is put first.

I'm proud that unlike other parties the Labor Party has managed to stick together, and fight for economic and social justice across Atlasia. I've been endorsed by the Labor party's only Senator, and the other Labor sitting Governor, VPH. I'm also proud of what we've managed to achieve when we put our energy behind a cause- police reform, an increased minimum wage, economic stimulus in both the Mideast and Northeast and most importantly our continued defense of a woman's right to an abortion. Make no mistake friends; there's a number of figures in the Federalist party who want to see this right removed... we simply cannot allow this.

[Blair]

4.) Why have you decided to challenge the incumbent President of your same party? How would your presidency be different than a Griffin one?

I knew that challenging a sitting President of my own party would not be easy, and I knew that some people would no doubt criticize me for it. But this is such a crucial time for Atlasia; and we can do so much better. I've got a great deal of respect for President Griffin but to put it simply it's time for New Leadership in Atlasia.

I ask Laborites to compare my record with President Griffin. Whilst the President claimed that December was a hard month to govern in I showed in the Northeast that if you devote energy, passion and a bit of spark to your office then you can achieve a great deal. I've already released a plan about how a Blair Presidency would use the office to inspire a new generation of Atlasians, but it's important that I highlight just how I would differ from President Griffin.

Firstly I would put myself at the heart of the recent Budget; I'd talk to the regional Governors about what they would need, I'd talk to the Senators about what reforms we could make and most importantly I'd talk to the citizens of Atlasia about what I planned to do. The Presidency should be a vehicle to fight for progress. Likewise, President Griffin has been silent on the recent Paris Summit despite me publicly asking about the administrations policy on the climate change. We need a President who is prepared to lead, and join the other 196 nations who've committed to reducing their carbon emissions. Labor has always been the party committed to fighting climate change, and I assure you that as President I will not be silent on the matter.

The one thing that I'll take with me to the White House is my commitment to govern in a pragmatic, yet energetic manner. In the Northeast I appointed a cabinet that featured 4 different parties, I won support in the October election from conservative voters and I've managed to build close relationships with people from across the political spectrum. I've got the experience, dedication and personal relations to drive through the Con Con, and most importantly ensure that we get the best possible arrangement. However it's not enough to sit here and say I'll support the ConCon; it's about ensuring that that we continue to govern, that we continue to draw in new players and most importantly that we actually have an Atlasia that is worth reforming

President Griffin is frankly being untruthful when he says that I never came to him with concerns about his job performance, or the state of Atlasia. Not only have I publicly called for more action to support the regions economies, I've also PM'd the President about my concerns over his decision to allow Secretary of State ClassicConservative to have such strong sway over the Refugee policy. I've been public in expressing my concerns with the executive branch.

To put it simply I challenged President Griffin because I feel that I can offer more optimistic vision for Atlasia; a vision that is based on renewing the office of the President, a vision based on engaging with international issues and a vision based on a true Atlasian revival

[Senator Cris]

Thanks to the candidates for their substantive answers. Now, we'll start Round 2. If any candidate wants to do a follow-up or a rebuttal on an answer of the first round, it can be done, even if we are in Round 2.

Second round:

To both candidates:

1) During these days, the Senate is debating the 2016 budget. What changes would you like to see to the current version ?

2) Abortion is an important issue in the general political debate and it's important expecially for a Labor debate. What's your exact position on this important issue?

3) According to the most recent estimation of December, the unemployement rate stay basically the same, going up in the Mideast and the Pacific and going slighty down in the remaining regions. These estimates are based on activity level of each region. Regardless of whether the regions will be recuced or not, how will your administration work with regions to remedy this?

4) The Constitutional Convention agreed to a legislative reboot. All laws will be written again. What would be your ideal Atlasia's healthcare system?

5) Let's suppose you are in the Oval Office. What actions would you take to stop the growth of the Islamic State (or ISIS or ISIL) and to make our country safer?

To President Griffin:

6) You have decided to appoint former Senator Talleyrand as Secretary of Federal Election. The Senate approval is almost safe, but some Senators decided to abstain on the appointment, expressing reservations about his past. Do you regret that nomination?

To Governor Blair:

6) What are your thoughts on the Talleyrand's appointment? Do you agree with President Griffin decision?

[Blair]

1) During these days, the Senate is debating the 2016 budget. What changes would you like to see to the current version ?

I've always argued that the budget needs to provide economic support for the regions, and for Atlasia as a whole. We currently have a $42 billion Surplus, and that gives us several opportunities as a nation. I fully support the efforts of Senator Truman to provide a tax cut to working families earning between 35k and 80k. As Governor of the Northeast I did just this-I removed income tax for people who earn less than 30K. It's fundamental that we help the poorest in society; and by removing the income tax burden I believe that we can do this.

As I said above I'd also want to see an economic stimulus package for the regions of Atlasia-we're facing up to 8% unemployment yet we've not seen any solid action from the President on this issue. I'd lead the fight in the Senate to get a stimulus program; one that works with the private sector get matching investing funds for infrastructure, one that creates high quality jobs and training for the unemployed and one that provides support for small businesses through a credit bank. By supporting business, and workers I believe that my budget would best represent labor values. I'd also make sure to work with Senators from across the political spectrum, and talk with them about the budget process. In a lot of cases with Atlasia it's about quality of activity; not just activity.

The buget has has often been overlooked in Atlasia, and signed off as a mere formality. Yet we need to use the budget as a vehicle for the revival of Atlasia. My plan for the budget is simple: cut working families taxes, keep a balanced budget, invest in infrastructure and tackle the unemployment rate. I've done this, and succeeded as Northeast Governor; I believe that we need a President who can do this for Atlasia.

2) Abortion is an important issue in the general political debate and it's important expecially for a Labor debate. What's your exact position on this important issue?

My position is simple: I support a women's right to get an abortion within 22-26 weeks of her Pregnancy. The thing that has concerned me the most in Atlasia is that we've seen a number of players in several regions try and completely remove the right of a women to get an abortion. I'm sure Labor voters know the value of keeping a women's right to choose; when we take away this right unsafe abortion rates skyrocket, women's health rapidly declines and we're transported back to a time when women didn't have control over there own bodies

I've lead the fight in the Northeast, and even in the South to stop this attempts to get rid of a right to choose. This again shows the leadership that I've shown-not just have I opposed attempts in the region but I've also set up a group to defend abortion rights. As President I will always defend a womens right to an abortion, and I will use every single tool of the Presidency to do this. I've defended abortion rights in the Northeast, and I'm sure that Labor voters can trust me to do the same as President.

3) According to the most recent estimation of December, the unemployement rate stay basically the same, going up in the Mideast and the Pacific and going slighty down in the remaining regions. These estimates are based on activity level of each region. Regardless of whether the regions will be recuced or not, how will your administration work with regions to remedy this?

Well a problem we've faced is not having an active GM; we only had one jobs update in the whole of the last term despite me, and several other players asking several times for jobs numbers to reflect the fact that we'd put in a large amount of work. Ultimately there's a lot we can do in Atlasia to get the unemployment rate down; and I've got a proven track record at creating jobs and working with people across the political spectrum to get this done. We need a President who can accept that the economy is still struggling across Atlasia; the regions have done a great deal whether it's the South's energy bill or the Mideast's impressive infrastructure bill. But there's only a certain amount that the regions can do; it's time for a President who is going to devote his energy to creating jobs.

As Governor of the Northeast I devoted the energy of my campaign, and first term in office to doing just that. Not only did we create a number of bi-Partisan job plans; but we also got solid results. We only had one job update but in the Northeast unemployment declined. This shows what can happen when you have an active executive branch that is willing to take a leading role. There's several things I do as President; I'd create a round table for all Governors to come together and discuss what we can do to help support the regions. I'd also use the budget to pass an economic support act for the regions that would provide emergency aid. Likewise I'd create a national credit bank that could provide small loans to businesses, whilst also cutting the rates of taxes for working families to get more money back into the hands of consumers. I'd also visit areas of the country that have been badly affected not just now but for the last 30 years. It's been over 40 years since Senator Kennedy toured these areas to highlight poverty and not a lot has changed. We need a massive program of reform; but this doesn't simply need to be the government handing out a check. We need to bring private and public interests together, invest in higher levels of education and promote Atlasian trade abroad. As President we need someone who not only has a comprehensive plan, but someone who has a track record of delivery. I've delivered this in the Northeast; I'm ready to deliever this in Atlasia.

[Blair]

4) The Constitutional Convention agreed to a legislative reboot. All laws will be written again. What would be your ideal Atlasia's healthcare system?

My ideal healthcare system would be a 'Medicare for all' model that follows that allows for hospitals/doctors/healthcare providers to remain in private hands whilst also allowing for people to get access to healthcare free at the point of use. On the matter of healthcare I've always been a massive policy nerd; I've passed legislation that expanded healthcare coverage for HIV/AIDS patients, I've passed executive orders to clamp down on drug abuse in the Northeast and helped get better access to Mental Health care. I'm sure that Labor members know that a strong health system helps to build a strong nation, and a strong economy but it's worth noting that we must never allow ourselves to get in the situation where the most vulnerable people in society are overburdened with high health costs. We also need to tackle inequalities in healthcare, and ensure that groups that are historically disadvantaged are given all the support available.

It's one thing however for a President to say that they favour a certain system; we need a President who has the energy and experience to work with Congress (as it will be) and get a bill passed that provides healthcare for all Atlasian Citizens. This for one means being active in the budget process; something that I've done in the Northeast. We also need to be responsible in adopting a new healthcare; we can't simply write a blank check and expect people in Congress to support the bill. I've got experience passing both healthcare reform, and large policy pieces. I'm confident I'm the strongest person to lead the fight for affordable healthcare in Atlasia.

5) Let's suppose you are in the Oval Office. What actions would you take to stop the growth of the Islamic State (or ISIS or ISIL) and to make our country safer?

The main job of the President should be to keep the nation safe, and I'm more than ready to take this role. As Speaker of the Senate I passed legislation that send Troops to stop TNF's rebellion, as Interior Secretary I lead the opposition to the Northeast Referendum highlighting the security needs of the Northeast and I've been advocating support for the Kurds since I arrived in the Northeast Assembly.

As President I'd take a direct role in helping the Secretary of State to start a peace conference to end the Civil War in Sryia. Without peace in Syria ISIS will continue to be able to hunker down in the build up urban areas where our air power would be less effective. I'd also begin a tour of European nations, and our middle eastern allies to ensure that we get broad support for the fight against ISIS; this means sharing intelligence, military support and access to counter-terrorism programs. The Paris attacks showed that the threat of terrorism hangs over us, and we should be vigilant in making sure that no terrorist attack can occur in Atlasia. I'll be releasing a much longer plan about how to defeat ISIS, and how a Blair Presidency would re-engage with the International world to ensure that Atlasia is at the centre. We can't defeat ISIS if we're not taking part in International Affairs.

6) What are your thoughts on the Talleyrand's appointment? Do you agree with President Griffin decision?

I worked with Talleryand when I first came into the Senate, and found that he was always good to work with, and would be happy to talk. However as President Griffin himself admitted Talleyrand was involved in the wider trolling movement that took place, and tried to destabilize Atlasia. For that reason I share the concerns, but I also believe in redemption and the opportunity for reform. We're facing a crisis in Atlasia, and we've been unable to fill key Federal Positions. If Talleyrand carries out the duties of office in the correct manner there's no reason that he can't continue. As President, as with everyone in my administration I'd be watching closely to monitor his performance. It would be easy for me to sit here and criticize the appointment; but we need to fill the positions in the Federal Government. As President I want to bring people back into the game, and bring the country together. 

[Adam Griffin]

1) During these days, the Senate is debating the 2016 budget. What changes would you like to see to the current version ?

As many know, I was one of the two main drivers of the current budget structure, which prior to the 2013 edition, was horribly out-of-date. Nobody had bothered to restructure the budget to reflect real-life cost considerations. We unveiled the new budget, which was an accurate assessment of what Atlasian budget policies truly cost (the increase in the actual spending/revenue was several hundred billion dollars per year).

With that being said, and as much as I do not like to utter these sorts of comments due to the effect that they may have on engagement and activity, the reality is that the current budget will be wiped from the game in as little as a couple of months. Anything being debated - along with the existing policies that determine current levels of spending - will be wiped clean by May 1. The primary reason why I haven't engaged with this year's budget process is precisely because of that, and as has already been noted above from my October campaign, I promised that such public policies (that will be wiped as soon as we begin anew) would not be a primary focus of my administration.

People can feel free to hit me on that as much as they'd like, but it's the absolute truth and anyone who is thinking forward knows it. We need to be focused on building the new game.

2) Abortion is an important issue in the general political debate and it's important expecially for a Labor debate. What's your exact position on this important issue?

I have always been at the forefront of the pro-choice movement, and have taken considerable heat from the opposition for my passionate and controversial stances on the matter that call out the other side.

Unfortunately, recent court rulings have limited the federal government's power in preventing anti-choice legislation at the regional level. As my opponent should attest to, one of his private messages to me was about this very subject. After a back-and-forth and research into the matter by my administration, I came to the conclusion that we could not act on select forms of anti-choice legislation being proposed and debated in the South. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court did a lot of damage to the federal government's oversight ability on this issue and I am of course opposed to such decisions.

3) According to the most recent estimation of December, the unemployement rate stay basically the same, going up in the Mideast and the Pacific and going slighty down in the remaining regions. These estimates are based on activity level of each region. Regardless of whether the regions will be recuced or not, how will your administration work with regions to remedy this?

We will soon have a new GM, as I am in the final talks with a candidate who wishes to assume the role. I think it premature to say that the current unemployment rate mirrors that of a report from last month, but at the same time, it would be comparably ridiculous to say that there have been substantial changes.

Labor is the party of those who work, and wish to work. I am so proud of the dozens of employment and job reform pieces of legislation we drove through the Senate between 2013 and 2015, helping to strengthen the middle and working classes' positions in the job market.

As GM for two separate stints totaling nearly a year, it was I who originally drafted the concept of pegging unemployment numbers to activity in part (among other things). If activity is a large weight in the unemployment numbers, then it is safe to say that virtually every region will be experiencing higher than average unemployment when compared to the historical averages.

4) The Constitutional Convention agreed to a legislative reboot. All laws will be written again. What would be your ideal Atlasia's healthcare system?

Fritzcare was a major, landmark accomplishment in Atlasia. One of the biggest budgetary overhaul elements when I led the budget revision process in 2013 was taking into account the cost savings that Fritzcare had provided. Nevertheless, Fritzcare was built upon a very complicated existing foundation.

Politically, I cannot be sure of what the game will look like in its initial months once the reset has occurred. It may be more politically difficult to implement a streamlined, simplified alternative to Medicare for All at the onset, but this is the rough draft on which I would seek to build our new healthcare system. We have the ability to dream big: piecemealing together "private sector" solutions - as I'm sure many on the Right will wish to do - lacks the proper vision and foresight for what we can achieve together with a blank slate.

5) Let's suppose you are in the Oval Office. What actions would you take to stop the growth of the Islamic State (or ISIS or ISIL) and to make our country safer?

The Secretary of State and I have bounced back and forth initial ideas on how to tackle the problem emerging in Libya, and I have explored additional options for the fight against ISIS in Syria and beyond. Ultimately - as many of the conservatives who voted for me in the last election would tell you influenced their vote heavily - I am generally a non-interventionist.

We will not be bogged down in an expensive military boondoggle in the Middle East while I am President, and we will not circumvent the sovereignty of other nations or our Constitution to achieve "peace", thinking that to be a moral victory. The best course of action is to crowdsource our domestic and foreign needs from other locales and to protect our interests at home. A piecemealed foreign policy and energy policy are the only reasons we have to fret over the concept of "ISIS" in the first place.

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I do not regret the nomination of the only person who demonstrated interest in the role. I messaged several people proactively about the position, with not a single response from anyone. In fact, one of the individuals I messaged proceeded to de-register the following day! Filling any cabinet position in the current climate is far more difficult than any non-President realizes. Hell, it was very difficult even when the game was active; most active people want to hold elected positions of power where they can influence the game, rather than appointed positions of power that large segments of the game like to ignore.

I am disappointed, however, in the Senate, who largely abdicated on its responsibility to thoroughly vet the nominee and give him an up or down vote. With 3 Senators not voting and 4 abstaining, it appears obvious that many Senators wanted to skirt their personal responsibilities on the matter in an attempt to avoid responsibility if the nominee in question acted out of line. I won't let them get away with that in the end, if it does occur.

I asked the Senate to give the nominee all the consideration and criticism they thought necessary. I asked the Senate to carefully consider the options, because not only was the nominee the only interested party, but that I also had reservations on the nomination. If the nominee does act out and 70% of the Senate decided not to weigh in, then they are equally - if not more so - responsible for the outcome. Abstaining in a controversial confirmation hearing is a way to be a Moderate Hero on the matter and avoid angering or upsetting anyone, but that is not the role of a Senator's job function.

[Adam Griffin]

I am not sure of the protocols surrounding rebuttals and the like, but I simply cannot allow this to go unchecked.

Now the President is right to claim that activity falls during December; but that's not an excuse for falling behind. During my December term as Governor despite personal commitments I continued with the job I was elected to. In my December term alone I had a trade visit to Japan, issued executive orders to combat the Heroin crisis in the Northeast and issued a Christmas address. I've shown that as Governor you can be active all year round, it's just a case of putting your own effort into it. It's easy on Atlasia to sit back and say 'It's looking pretty dull around here' but I'm not that type of person. I want to create activity, to get people talking about the issues and to get people involved in the game. I believe that I can do this as President.

Governor, first of all, I would definitely like to congratulate you on having conversations with yourself during the month of December.

You've mentioned that you'd like to "give more speeches" and "have more meetings" - all the while hitting me on "activity" - but these elements are not the definition of "activity". Activity comes from the combined input and output of dozens of engaged citizens and elected officials. Talking to yourself is not the definition of activity.

You also made reference to the fact that I did not acknowledge the results of a trip you solely initiated to another country. Here's the bottom line: the President cannot be the initial acknowledgment what is real and what is not in terms of storylines, nor can any other elected officeholder. Plenty of officeholders issue speeches about actions they've taken, but at the end of the day, only the Game Moderator, Secretary of State or Secretary of Interior can acknowledge whether an event occurred or not. To my knowledge, this has not occurred regarding your initiated activities. In fact, based on precedent regarding the court case against me as Registrar General, it wouldn't surprise me that anyone making up story-lines and pretending that they are real could be charged with "performing the roles of a cabinet official". However, I don't think anyone would actually go after an elected official for doing so; yet again, I couldn't believe they tried to come after me, either.

You cannot force people to engage in actions. You cannot force people to run for office. You cannot force those in office to do their jobs. You cannot force regions to be populated when you are not directly in charge of those regions. I've learned something very interesting in the past few days: apparently, the President can be blamed for every element and facet in this game when things are bad (this campaign), but will never get credit if those elements are running well (see the last 3 years).

I just want to make sure that you understand that giving speeches that most of the game doesn't read, attempting to force the Senate to talk with you, and crafting story-lines on your own does not count as the type of activity that this game needs. We need collaboration and engagement in the form of people joining the game, people running for office, and a fresh start to make even older players more interested in the concept. We're going to get all of those under my leadership over the next 2 months and beyond, because I truly understand what constitutes "activity". We have hit the bottom and are beginning to rebound. If you or any of my opponents wind up in the White House in March, you'll not only understand that, but you'll also understand just what a complicated behemoth the Presidency and the game truly are when making its dozens of parts all function seamlessly and well.


Just one more thing. On the notion earlier where you indicated that you had contacted me during my administration: you absolutely did. We communicated regarding Classic Conservative's SoS position close to two months ago, we communicated on the abortion issue that I mentioned in one of my responses above, and we communicated on one other issue which escapes me at the moment, but you'll excuse me if I don't want to go searching my PMs again and make this TL;DR take even longer than it already has. In all of those cases, I recall communicating with you, and in all of those cases, there was never any mention from you that I was doing a bad job or that you were dissatisfied after the fact. So, I stand by my statement that I had no idea you were dissatisfied with my positions and/or that you were intending to challenge me.

[Blair]

I am not sure of the protocols surrounding rebuttals and the like, but I simply cannot allow this to go unchecked.

Governor, first of all, I would definitely like to congratulate you on having conversations with yourself during the month of December.

You've mentioned that you'd like to "give more speeches" and "have more meetings" - all the while hitting me on "activity" - but these elements are not the definition of "activity". Activity comes from the combined input and output of dozens of engaged citizens and elected officials. Talking to yourself is not the definition of activity.

You also made reference to the fact that I did not acknowledge the results of a trip you solely initiated to another country. Here's the bottom line: the President cannot be the initial acknowledgment what is real and what is not in terms of storylines, nor can any other elected officeholder. Plenty of officeholders issue speeches about actions they've taken, but at the end of the day, only the Game Moderator, Secretary of State or Secretary of Interior can acknowledge whether an event occurred or not. To my knowledge, this has not occurred regarding your initiated activities. In fact, based on precedent regarding the court case against me as Registrar General, it wouldn't surprise me that anyone making up story-lines and pretending that they are real could be charged with "performing the roles of a cabinet official". However, I don't think anyone would actually go after an elected official for doing so; yet again, I couldn't believe they tried to come after me, either.

You cannot force people to engage in actions. You cannot force people to run for office. You cannot force those in office to do their jobs. You cannot force regions to be populated when you are not directly in charge of those regions. I've learned something very interesting in the past few days: apparently, the President can be blamed for every element and facet in this game when things are bad (this campaign), but will never get credit if those elements are running well (see the last 3 years).

I just want to make sure that you understand that giving speeches that most of the game doesn't read, attempting to force the Senate to talk with you, and crafting story-lines on your own does not count as the type of activity that this game needs. We need collaboration and engagement in the form of people joining the game, people running for office, and a fresh start to make even older players more interested in the concept. We're going to get all of those under my leadership over the next 2 months and beyond, because I truly understand what constitutes "activity". We have hit the bottom and are beginning to rebound. If you or any of my opponents wind up in the White House in March, you'll not only understand that, but you'll also understand just what a complicated behemoth the Presidency and the game truly are when making its dozens of parts all function seamlessly and well.

This is where I disagree Mr President, and frankly you've perfectly showed where the dividing lines our with our campaigns.

The problem with your approach which ignores speeches, budgets and some other political events is that it damages the game; as I said before there's a deadly approach where no-one chooses to give out any activity, and then everyone complains about the lack of activity. You're trying to present the picture that we can either have a President who is active in a whole range of areas, or we can have a President who gets new people engaged in the game. Why can't we have both? In the Northeast I've been able to do that; it's not about one type of activity. I've recruited new players into the region, I've recruited old players back to the region, I've appointed a broad cabinet and got them to get involved in policy. I know what it takes to manage the executive branch, and it's simply wrong to assume that we can't have a President who is active in public, and behind close doors

[Senator Cris]

Thanks to the candidates for their substantive answers. I'd like to remember that rebuttals and follow-ups are permitted. Now, we'll start Round 3.

Third round:

To both candidates:

1) What are your thoughts on the work of the Constitutional Convention? Will you support or not the new version of the Constitution?

2) The Constitutional Convention worked and is working on a great number of areas and is working on a lot of details, so I assume you don't agree with all decision that were made. There are things that you would have differently changed or not changed?

3) The Constitutional Convention decided to retain the Vice Presidency in the next Constitution. Do you support that decision? What role would your Vice President have in your administration?

4) What changes, if any, would you make to the current judicial system of Atlasia?

5) Please issue a closing statement.

[Adam Griffin]

1) What are your thoughts on the work of the Constitutional Convention? Will you support or not the new version of the Constitution?

I've made my opinions clear in both the moderator's interview in POLITICO and elsewhere, which is that the Constitutional Convention has not went as quickly as I would have liked. However, the ConCon has not went slower than I had expected. I knew we were approaching a winter slowdown - as we do every year - and that my hopes for a ConCon that would take mere weeks or a couple of months was unreasonable. Ideally, we need at least a dozen active delegates in order to pass resolutions and principle votes that will not lead to an outright rejection of the document later. We did not have this, and as such, work slowed down.

Could I personally have been more engaged in the process than I was during the month of December? Absolutely - I do not deny that. However, the end result would have been one merely designed to prevent the sort of criticisms being levied at me, which at their core center around me not grandstanding quite enough. I don't talk just to be talking to myself. At the end of the day, we need our delegates en masse to participate, or else the result of the ConCon will fail the public vote. People are returning to work, slowly but surely, and we are still on track - as we always were - to finish the ConCon by May 1.

2) The Constitutional Convention worked and is working on a great number of areas and is working on a lot of details, so I assume you don't agree with all decision that were made. There are things that you would have differently changed or not changed?

Lord knows that I have seen several of my ideas fail at the Constitutional Convention. Thankfully, some were superficial in nature. But not all.

I wanted a united North America, or at least one with Canada. This has failed; however, there has not been a principle vote on the concept. Even with sections being wrapped up, we are inevitably going to have to revisit them because the finer details have to be hammered out.

I wanted the VP to be abolished. I think that it was initially designed to be a successful office, but over the years, its functions were either diluted or removed. As such, the majority of the Vice Presidents of the past three years have had relatively little to do and usually become detached from the game. As was noted in the executive thread currently, I had about 4 pages of argument with the newly-appointed Associate Justice in a past section; it was a very passionate subject for me.

Perhaps the most meaningful vote to be stripped from the document was the regional office regulation portion. It seems a significant portion of the game changed their mind in between its adoption and revocation. This is exactly why it is important to have a functioning quorum when engaging in ConCon affairs. At any rate, we are at the ConCon largely because the Regions grew way out of control and cannot manage themselves effectively with respect to being parts of a much larger game dynamic of dozens of offices and responsibilities. I believe this in many cases was a litmus test for the permanent health of the new iteration of the game. Because of this, we'll likely only buy a couple to a few years of renewed prosperity before people come back to the same problems we've been facing.

3) The Constitutional Convention decided to retain the Vice Presidency in the next Constitution. Do you support that decision? What role would your Vice President have in your administration?

As noted above, I did not support retaining the Vice Presidency and was the loudest champion of such. I voted against it in the ConCon. I voted to keep the Vice Presidency attached to the Presidency, however, since it really doesn't make much sense to detach that if we are going to keep it and give it powers related to the administration.

4) What changes, if any, would you make to the current judicial system of Atlasia?

I look forward to this part of the Constitutional Convention. I support 12-month terms for each Justice that are staggered, after which they can be re-confirmed (yes, they must be re-confirmed by the Senate, and not just by the President's acquiescence) for another 12-month period. This would result in a Supreme Court vacancy opening every four months, which means that every President would have the ability to appoint 1 - if not 2 - Supreme Court Justices. However, the bad decisions of past Presidents would not necessarily haunt future generations of the game, leaving corrupt, incompetent or otherwise kangaroo judges on the Court for years and years. It will add more significance to the outcome of Presidential and Senatorial elections, while simultaneously leading to more fluidity in judicial matters from generation to generation.


I'll return later for my closing statement.

[Blair]

1) What are your thoughts on the work of the Constitutional Convention? Will you support or not the new version of the Constitution?

I fully support the work of the constitutional convention, and have constantly pressed for the need for to complete and wholesale reform of Atlasia. I think that the ConCon had a really good start; the problem was always going to be getting activity to continue. I want to say that Truman has been absolutely brilliant in leading the ConCon; he's been a credit to the game. Within joining as a delegate I had already received about 4 PM's from him about the the concon. We need to build on this momentum.

One thing I want to say is that I fully support the fact the ConCon has agreed to wipe the slate clean on Atlasian laws. This will give us a great foundation to start on, as we'll be able to recruit new players who'll understand what's going on. Even active, and long standing players struggle to know what types of healthcare system we have; I have to admit it is confusing. The ConCon will give us a chance at a fresh slate; and give us a chance to re-launch Atlasia.

The one thing I want to say is that I've been hearing briefings, and accusations from my opponent that I'm not skilled, or experienced enough to push the ConCon through, and manage it's aftermath. I've got a history of showing dedicated leadership; whether it was leading the effort to impeach Al, bringing the Northeast together after a bitter referendum or leading the charge in having an active Atlasia it's clear that I've got a history of results. The ConCon is the last chance that Atlasia is going to have to save itself; we need a President who can lead this effort, and I believe I'm qualified for this position.

2) The Constitutional Convention worked and is working on a great number of areas and is working on a lot of details, so I assume you don't agree with all decision that were made. There are things that you would have differently changed or not changed?

Generally speaking there isn't any major reforms that I disagree with-creating two houses in Congress, having a high threshold for succession and allowing the regions to name themselves are all steps that I agree on. However I have to admit that I agree with President Griffin, and Truman who both argued that there should be limits on how much the regions can change the size of their legislatures. I think some sort of agreement; where the regions had a said but this was then codified into law would have meant that we wouldn't see the regions creating endless amounts of assembly seats. We need to be recruiting players into the Federal Government; and also into the Senate. It can be hard if we have assemblies that keep on expanding. The main thing that I'd of wanted to see with the ConCon was more activity from all delegates involved; we need to have a big debate about the future of Atlasia. This is an opportunity we simply will not have in the future

3) The Constitutional Convention decided to retain the Vice Presidency in the next Constitution. Do you support that decision? What role would your Vice President have in your administration

I actually disagree with Griffin about the Vice-Presidency. I believe that it's a powerful office, that is simply what the maker makes of it. It's easy for it to become a backwater post, but under a Blair Presidency I'd make sure that I appointed an active VP who'd have his own clear responsibilities-whether that would be helping to recruit new players, or another role I'm not sure. I also believe that the independence of the executive branch should be maintained; I'd not be open to allowing Senators to serve in Cabinet posts unless we're at a complete failure to maintain any form of activity. We need to maintain the traditional separations of power to protect Atlasia.

 4) What changes, if any, would you make to the current judicial system of Atlasia?

The Judicial System in Atlasia is often overlooked; but as we saw in the Roe vs ZoWu case it has the ability to massively shape Atlasian politics. For this reason the President should be committed to ensuring that the we have the best minds on the court. I agree that a big problem with Supreme Court Justices, and specifically Supreme court cases is that they're rarely used, and when they are the court cases are often too slow. The first, and rather small change I'd want to see is one on the regional level: I'd want to see all regions of Atlasia having an Attorney General. Naturally this is an appointed position, but I feel that it would allow for a stronger legal position for the regions seeing as there's been threats of court cases in both the South and Northeast recently. I'd also want to give the President full discretion in what Cabinet posts he can, and can't have; this would allow for example for the Secretary of Home Affairs or whatever position the President deems fit to argue cases in the Supreme Court. I'll also be wanting to be heavily involved in drafting the bill of rights when it comes up in the ConCon; this is one of the most important aspects when it comes to Supreme Court Cases that deal with social issues such as abortion

[Blair]

5) Please issue a closing statement.[/font][/size]

Friends, I thank you for holding on through this rather lengthy debate. Since I announced my campaign on Thursday night I've had a great deal of support from people across the political spectrum. Whether it was the only Labor Senator; Truman or a Senator who sits with another party Dkrol it's clear that we've managed to build a positive campaign that rests on a firm belief; Atlasia can do better than this. The choice is in the hands of Labor members; you have the power to decide the fate of Atlasia

I've set out my plan for reforming the office of Presidency; for making it the centre of the Nation. Me and President have set out our disagreements in this debate; the main one for me has been just what the President should do. Believe me, if I'm President I won't be ignoring the budget talks. I'll be putting myself at the centre of Atlasia, and fighting for a new and reformed Atlasia. Not just that, I'll also be putting myself at the centre of policy discussions; and yes despite what President Griffin says these will be real discussions with Senators and Governors about what we can do to support the Regions of Atlasia, and what we can do to sure that we tackle unemployment.

When Labor voters ask themselves if I'm qualified enough to lead, if I'm prepared to this job I ask them to look at the Northeast. We were faced with the same crisis that the rest of Atlasia faced; low activity, a sagging economy and a general belief that Atlasia was on the rocks. But we fought back; we filled a cabinet with cross party members, we created jobs, we passed an economic stimulus and we had an active Government. Imagine if we could achieve this in Atlasia. I've got the experience, and the record to make sure that we can get started from day one. All it takes is your vote in the Primary, and we can begin this journey.

I'd like to thank Cris for holding this debate at such short notice, and I'd like to thank President Griffin for taking part. The most important message that Labor Party members should take from this is that the power is in your hands. If I'm entrusted with the nomination then I'll take my positive and optimistic case to the country. It is now a time for choosing

[Senator Cris]

Thanks to the candidates for the participation in this debate. I'd like to wish good luck to both of them for the upcoming primary.