Emirates News District 4 Senatorial Debate

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Dear candidates in District 4,

Welcome to the Official Emirates News District 4 Debate. Participating today is BrandonH, incumbent Senator and Life and Liberty Party member, and Jesus Christ Party candidate Bacon King.

Our first question from Midwest Lt.Governor SPC:

"What would you be willing to do to help the Atlasian taxpayer?"

[Brandon H]

Taxes are used to fund necessary government function (though everyone has different ideas on what is "necessary"). If citizens are going to be taxed, then they should be getting something in return for their taxes. If tax dollars are not going to be beneficial to the citizens, then the level of taxation should be lowered. If certain people will be excluded from services that are paid through taxes, then those persons should receive a tax credit.

Right now, the citizens of this district (which is mostly the Southeast and parts of the Mideast and Midwest) pay taxes which among other things go towards education for all 5 Regions. And I am going to make sure no region is discriminated against for its choice of its educational system. I will view other issues like this in a similar way, but this is the main one that the Senate is currently facing.

I also voted against funding programs that would, for the most part, only benefit illegal drug users. A recent bill contained $60 B for funding a needle exchange program. Taxpayers would pay the bill for this. Drug users would benefit. And I would say most taxpayers are not users of illegal drugs and many users of illegal drugs are not taxpayers. I did support an amendment to an LSD Bill that taxes on LSD would go toward a needle exchange program, so that drug users would be paying taxes that benefit drug users and Atlasians who choose not to do drugs would not be paying this type of program.

[Bacon King]

Taxes are an evil, but are really a neccessary evil in modern society. If elected, I pledge today that I will not support any increase in taxes, nor will I support any frivolous expansion of government spending.

This is a simple answer to a complex and open-ended question, but I believe I have successfully outlined my point of view.

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Question from Senator Ebowed or Oregon

Will you advance a socially conservative agenda when dealing with issues such as education, AIDS policy, or individual rights and freedoms?

[Bacon King]

In a word, no. Even a quick glance at my political matrix score is enough to tell I am no social conservative!

The preservation of individual liberties will be one of my highest priorities as a senator, and my voting record will reflect that. I believe that a small government approach is best when dealing with social matters.

I also do not hold conservative positions on matters such as HIV and global warming. Though we should first encourage action through tax breaks and such, at some point it does become neccessary for government to invervene in these crises.

On the issue of school vouchers, however, I am a bit mixed. Preferably, no government funds would go to fund private religious institutions. However, a voucher going to a religious school is not the government funding a religious school; it's the government paying for an alternative school choice with the parents making the decision of what school it goes to.

If we're going to have a voucher system, it doesn't really make sense to limit what kind of schools the voucher goes towards.

[Brandon H]

I'm planning on advancing the agenda that I believe is in the best interest of the persons I represent and the best interest of Atlasia, regardless of whether that agenda is conservative or liberal or something else.

As to the particular issues raised in this question:

Education:
As I have stated earlier in regards to the question of taxes, I am standing up to make sure that the regions I represent receive their fair share of educational funding. Standing up for the people one represents is something that any good Senator will do and I don't believe that is a liberal or a conservative thing.

I also believe that education is something that should first and foremost be the decision of the individual who is being education and their family, then at the local level, then the regional level, and last and least the federal level. Education is not a one size fits all issue. I'm not pushing a conservative agenda, and I will fight against a federal government trying to push a liberal agenda.

AIDS:
I don't have a problem legalizing things such as needle exchange programs that may help reduce the spread of AIDS but oppose the government funding them. I think if people would use a little bit of common sense like not using IV drugs then it would do a lot more to stop the spread of AIDS than a NX program would.

Individual rights and freedoms:
I am a strong believer in individual rights and freedoms. Frankly, I'm not even sure what a "socially conservative agenda" has to do with individual freedoms and rights. Seeing who the question is coming from, it is probably a loaded question from someone who believes social conservatism and individual freedom and rights are incompatible, a notion which I strongly disagree with. However, the issues in the real world and Atlasia have taken a different course. In real life, we have the USA PATRIOT Act. In Atlasia, the sunset provisions expired and were never renewed. Certain parts of the Patriot act are a violation of freedom to law abiding Atlasian citizens. Given it is over 100 pages long and Congress never had a chance to read thing I believe I would oppose the whole thing. In the event it were to come up for renewal in the Atlasian Senate, I would oppose it.

Being a strong believer in regional rights, there are many rights and freedoms that are up to the regions and not the federal government to protect and I will not interfere with the regions right to do so.

And I also believe in a person's individual right and freedom to choose their type of education.

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From President Colin Wixted:

Do you support the President's and Vice President's reform proposals as presented to the Senate? Would you vote for those reforms amendments if you were in the Senate?

[Bacon King]

This will be a short response; I'm currently trying to rush what's left of my summer assignments.

I love the proportional representation bill. I think there are some significant kinks that need to be worked out, but it's a good concept overall.

I'm not too fond of the popular initiative and popular referendum bills. Not really necessary on a national level, and I tend to shy away from such possibilities of inducing 'mob rule'.

I've yet to really look in-depth at the other proposed reform measures, but I'm generally in favor of them, so long as it's not change just for the sake of change or any overriding reasons for concern.

[Brandon H]

Proportional Representation Bill
End to Districts Amendment

- Not sure. Still examining which will give better representation to the people of Atlasia

Judicial Term Limits Amendment

- Yes.

Popular Initiative Amendment

- Not sure if it is necessary. Unless a bill is really bad, most Senators would introduce a bill on behalf of the constituents.

Introduction to Atlasia Act

- Strongly. I'm one of at least several people who had a similar idea.

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Next question from DWTL of New Jersey Maryland...

How do you plan to balance federal and regional powers?

[Brandon H]

(Try [ + s + ] instead of [ + strike + ] to get the strike effect.)

I am a strong supporter of regional rights. Each region is unique and has its own political leanings based on the citizens of that region. Because of their uniqueness, few policies can work as a "one size fits all" approach. Most issues should be left up to the regions to decide and not the federal government. I have and I will continue to support the rights of the regions.

[Bacon King]

I largely support the current balance between the regions and the national government, and deem it to be sufficient.

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2 questions from DWPerry of Puerto Rico

Will you introduce a bill calling for a Puerto Rican Independence vote?

and

Will you introduce a bill recognizing the sovereignty (and occupation) of the Confederate States of America?

[Brandon H]

Prior to DWPerry and Bacon King moving the Puerto Rico, no one has registered there in over a year. So I really haven't given much thought regarding PR. But PR is in the district I currently represent and I will look into that, though I believe this is something that will require a constitutional amendment rather than just a bill.

In real life I do believe the sovereignty of states to be very important. However, in Atlasia based on the structure of things, the sovereignty is that of the regions rather than the states. I would also rather that we deal with present issues rather than issues of the past, though I still believe in the phrase "Those who forget the past or condemned to repeat it." I don't think introducing such a bill would accomplish much, but hopefully we learned enough from the past to avoid having another war that puts the country against itself.

[Bacon King]

A Puerto Rican independence vote would just be silly. The people of Puerto Rico themselves voted to become a state; it doesn't make sense that just a year later we'd be asking them if they want to leave the union.

In addition, speaking as a resident of Puerto Rico, I'd have to say it's one of the most awesome states of the Union ,  and Atlasia would be in the wrong to try to make it leave.

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As to the second question, I'd introduce the bill for you, though I personally don't think I'd vote for it. All in all, I'd say it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.

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Question from Ebowed of OR

Do you support amending discrimination law to include sexual orientation?

[Bacon King]

Yes. If we're going to have laws against discrimination, it only makes sense to extend these laws to discrimination based on sexual preference.

[Brandon H]

Discrimination is discrimination regardless of the basis for the discrimination. However, private businesses should be free to hire who they want. If they pass over a qualified individual because of a personal bias (and not because this affects the persons ability to perform the job) then I don't believe that to be a smart business decision. Likewise government hires should be the best qualified among the applicants who are able to do the job.