Barnes for Senate--Let us march to the polls!

[Barnes]

I am very pleased to announce today that I have submitted my nomination papers to contest a seat for the House of Commons in our glorious region of Frémont. I will keep my remarks brief, since I think my eight years of service through which I regularly attained high office and then disappeared speaks quite plainly for itself.

However, I will make this, vow, I suppose, to the electorate writ large:

I will always be an active proponent of legislation and endless constitutional minutiae which both our Prime Minister and I revel in.

To that end, I will seek to further strengthen our unique parliamentary system of government by:

• Extending the lifetime of the House of Commons to three months, dated from the date of its first meeting;
• Make the Prime Minister's term run in parallel to that of the House, meaning that whenever an election to the later is called, so is one for the former;
• Allow for the Prime Minister to dissolve the House of Commons at any time (subject to certain limiting provisions) and call for a snap election for both the House and for his office;
• Allow for the House to remove the Prime Minister through a motion of non-confidence passed by an absolute majority of the House; thus immediately dissolving the House and precipitating snap elections

 

Further, I am currently developing legislation which will establish a Human Rights Commission for the region tasked with preserving the hard-fought rights of each of our citizens.  In addition, I will be proposing comprehensive anti-racial discrimination legislation to give the Commission real teeth.

I do hope that you will consider supporting my campaign, and if you need convincing, I leave you with this...

[Blair]

Endorsed; it's always great to have more activity in the regions, and Fremont will be better off with such an experienced statesmen in their parliament

[Barnes]

Press conference in Denver, Colorado

Ladies and gentlemen, it is wonderful to be back on the hustings and get into the vigor of campaigning once again. I would like at the outset to state that I condemn utterly the most recent human rights violation by the present regime. I do not think, however, that there is a military solution to this problem, especially one that will not already exacerbate a massive internal displacement crisis and place further pressure on both Syria's immediate neighbors including Turkey and Jordan.

To that end, I am today announcing that I will introduce legislation in the House of Commons to dramatically increase our regional refugee resettlement program to specifically target those affected by the Syrian crisis. It does us politicians well to pontificate endlessly on the political quagmire which has festered in this region, but we are also dealing with the lives and wellbeing of millions of people who are already dealing with food shortages and daily bombings as a fact of life.

If Atlasia were to commit to some form of military response to Syria, we would further exacerbate these conditions and place greater pressure on ourselves to accept these people. My proposals would see an emergency establishment of 15,000 one-off refugee spots through a joint public-private sponsorship program with Fremonite households. Families participating in this program will house groups or families for a minimum of eighteen months and receive a monthly payment from the government. The refugees themselves will be required to attend English immersion courses and job training programs.

We must not bury our heads in the very sand which is being irradiated by constant bombing. We must act in the basic interests of humanity and friendship and look beyond petty politics and borders. This program will not end the political crisis in Syria but it will help to ease some of the burden of the humanitarian disaster which is unfolding before our very eyes.

I am happy to take questions.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

It's wonderful to see candidates talking about foreign affairs again! It will be a pleasure to collaborate on this issue if when you are elected.

Speaking of which, ENDORSED (naturally). Barnes is a proven leader with the energy and vision we need to build upon the victories of the last three months, and Fremont would be lucky indeed to have him in parliament.

[ASPN]

I like what I am seeing so far, hope to have both of us in the Commons once elections roll around.

[Barnes]

I am happy to hold a town hall meeting at my campaign headquarters, the charming hill of Old Sarum!

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Not planning on any military action in Syria (or North Korea), FTR

[Barnes]

Not planning on any military action in Syria (or North Korea), FTR

I am glad to see the impact of my campaign's message on Nyman!

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Not planning on any military action in Syria (or North Korea), FTR

I am glad to see the impact of my campaign's message on Nyman!

It's something I ran on when I was originally elected

[Barnes]

Not planning on any military action in Syria (or North Korea), FTR

I am glad to see the impact of my campaign's message on Nyman!

It's something I ran on when I was originally elected

[LLR]

Enthusiastically endorsed, of course!

[Barnes]

My fellow citizens, in just a few hours the the drinks will start flowing, the sausage age will start frying, and eager, naïve voters will begin pooling to participate in our slightly amusing form of democracy.

Embracing the power of democracy, the deep need for social justice, and an unfailing commitment to our institutions, I issue a call to action to my supporters, and anyone else willing to vote for me.  If you wish to implement a plan to strengthen our unique parliamentary system, create a refugee system that is as compassionate as the heart of this region, and implement effective anti racial discrimination law, then cast a vote for me.

Your support will help propel this great land of Frémont forward and instill a great renewal of democracy. I call on all who wish to see a brighter future to vote this weekend and send my best wishes to my fellow candidates.

P.S. If I am victorious, I will be searching for a lodger in my villa on Ibiza; of course, if I am not, all fan mail may be forwarded to that address.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

After some thought, Endorsed

[Barnes]

I am thrilled to see the results of the election for the House of Commons. I would like to thank every voter from the left and the right who voted for me. While I think having a strong party system is crucial federally, activity is vital on the regional level and requires greater cooperation.

I would also like to congratulate all of my colleagues elected this weekend as well and to send my personal commiserations to Dr. Novella for not being able to be returned.

I look forward to taking my seat on Friday and introducing my manifesto commitments in full. Onwards!

[Barnes]

My dear friends, I have just announced my campaign for the Senate of Atlasia to represent Fremont in the great national discussions which dominate our modern world.

I will be launching my full campaign in a short while, but I wanted you all to know that I intend to run as a representative of the people of this great region, fighting every day to deliver a fairer, more equal, and more prosperous future for this great Commonwealth!

With your support, we can attack the evils of poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion. Together, we can promote the rights of the many and work for the interests of workers, employers, and citizens of all kinds.

Together, we will deliver a brighter future. Onwards to victory!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

ENDORSED!

[Bidenworth2020]

endorsed

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Endorsed!

[OneJ]

Endorsed!

[Barnes]

I am pleased to see that we will have a contested race here in Fremont this weekend!

I am asking for your support to continue my assiduous work for this region which I have performed tirelessly since my election to the House of Commons.

If I am elected to the Senate, I will immediately introduce legislation to provide federal funding for a national high speed rail system between our three regions. Fremont is coming close to enacting its section of this scheme into law, but the federal government cannot simply sit on its hands. I will seek to provide at least matching funds as appropriated by the regions and ensure that consistent standards and regulations are provided throughout the whole nation.

I will also seek to expand the effective and generous refugee resettlement program which I created for Fremont on a national basis. Once again, our region has shown dramatic international leadership where the federal government has fallen behind.

We have also all noticed the stagnation in employment figures over the past term, and in fact a recent increase in unemployment over the entire nation. This is an unnaceptable situation and must be addressed with strong and dramatic measures to boost employment through small and medium sized local businesses and to provide a livable safety net so those who are unemployed will not be impoverished.

In all of my projects, I will strive to place the interests of the people of Fremont and Atlasia as paramount. Together, we must improve the standard of living, we must improve social security and wages for all citizens, we must bring back hope and promise to communities which have been ignored and abandoned for far too long.

We must be bold, we must be radical, we must have hope. If we can accomplish these things, we can change our nation for the better.

I ask for your support this weekend to face these issues with solidarity and courage.

[Clyde1998]

You have my full endorsement!

[Barnes]

I have noticed that there have been claims from certain quarters that electing me to the Senate would signify a mere rubber stamp for Clyde were he to be elected president. Now why I continually hope for the occurrence of the later, the former is simply a laughable assertation.

I have been an elected officer holder in Atlasia for eight years this month--twice a senator, twice a Cabinet member, and a regional officer holder in four out of the five old regions. I have been a member of (at least) three political parties, and was the first presidential nominee in the history of the Labor Party.

Within two weeks of joining Atlasia in June 2009, I had been elected Lieutenant Governor of the Northeast and personally led a campaign to establish the Northeast Assembly. My personal commitment to this cause led to the establishment of a body still in place to this day.

It is risable to assert that I would be a mere party apparatchik in the Senate. This is particularly farcical as my opponent has stated that the sum total of his infrastructure policy is a one sentence support of DFW's policy.

Remember, this is a four-month long movement to hold a commission that has never been formed, never met, never made a single recommendation, and not had a single reform follow from it.

Quite the model of independence!

I am quite clearly a man of my own mind and find it rather silly to be accused otherwise.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Outside question if you don't mind (since I endorsed your opponent ) would you be willing to re-elect PiT for PPT if you were to be elected?

[JustinTimeCuber]

Endorsed bigly

[Barnes]

Outside question if you don't mind (since I endorsed your opponent ) would you be willing to re-elect PiT for PPT if you were to be elected?

I cannot see why that would matter in an election campaign. There is no cryptic secret to being a presiding officer; it is in fact one of the more enjoyable things to do in this game.

Of course, I would have to see who (including Senator PiT) would be willing to stand for election. I can only say that I do not currently want the post.