Atlas Forum '08: February 8-11

[Хahar 🤔]

There've been a lot of election-related forum community match-ups, with many lamenting their exclusion. So I thought, what if people signed up themselves? And this was what sprang out of my twisted mind.
Here's how Atlas Forum '08 (henceforth known as AF08) works. It's a copy of the 2008 elections, except faster: 4 days in the election timeline (henceforth known as ETL) is equal to a day in real life (henceforth known as IRL). ETL starts on September 1, some time before Iowa. Each election/caucus/convention will be held, after much campaigning, ads, debates, you name it. The election results will be created by me, the GM, as an aggregate of all predictions made for that particular election.

Aside from judges (which is everybody except the candidates), there are three types of participants in AF08:

• Candidates: Candidates are the heart of the game. You can stump, make backroom deals, attack each other, or anything else. It's all up to you. You can register or drop out at any time, but you should register before Iowa if you don't want to fall into a hole. For the candidates, I'm looking for a good mix, but not an overcrowded field.
  
  To sign up as a candidate, post something along the lines of this template here:
  
  I am running as a [Democrat/Republican/Independent/etc.].
  
  If you live outside of the US IRL, or your ETL home state is not your IRL home state, add the following:
  
  My home state is [state].
  
  
• Special Interests: Your job is to endorse (or not endorse) candidates. You can also make ads, campaign speeches, the works. You can also ask the tough questions to wring positions on key issues out of the candidates. Special Interests can be anybody from Bob Jones to the ACLU.
  
  To sign up as a special interest, post something along the lines of this template here:
  
  I am a special interest, representing [special interest name].
  
  
• News Reporter: The news reporters do the hard stuff, like organizing and moderating debates, asking biting questions, or publicizing a candidate's refusal to answer biting questions. Though this position may be a bit neglected, it looks like a lot of fun. You can be ABC or The New York Times or the Drudge Report, or anything else, for that matter.
  
  To sign up as a news reporter, post something along the lines of this template here:
  
  I am a news reporter, representing [news agency name].

And there are also the aforementioned judges. A judge is simply any non-candidate who posts a prediction on the day of an election (or just before that). Judges decide the direction of the game.

And at the end of the game, we'll have a President and a Vice President. I'll go over stuff like convention rules when they come (though I will say that there are no superdelegates). If you have any questions, ask away. Otherwise, let the games begin!

Oh, and have fun! This is your game to decide.

[Хahar 🤔]

Declared candidates:

KingoftheBenchPress (R-PA)
TN2024 (R-TX)
Fezzyfestoon (R-MA)
Hashemite (R-OH)
Andrew Leitch (R-WI)

Ben Constine (D-VA)
NDN (D-CO)
Conor Flynn (D-ME)
Willy Woz (D-AR)

Special Interests:

Ernest (National Association of Small Businesses)

News/Polling:

Meeker

[Хahar 🤔]

Miscellaneous placeholder.

[Хahar 🤔]

Miscellaneous placeholder.

[King of the Bench]

I'm running as a Republican

[Sensei]

I am running as a Democrat

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I am running as a Democrat.

[Хahar 🤔]

Oh, and feel free to start campaign events in various states as soon as you declare your candidacy. One stop in a small state could swing it for you.

[Hash]

I'm torn between special interests or being a judge.

[Хahar 🤔]

I'm torn between special interests or being a judge.

As non-candidates, special interests are judges. The requirement that judges be non-candidates is just so that candidates don't "predict" hundred-percent victories for themselves.

[exopolitician]

I kinda want to play as a candidate...and if I did it would be as an Independent.

[Хahar 🤔]

I kinda want to play as a candidate...and if I did it would be as an Independent.

Well, there's a lot of time left, so you don't have to decide now.

BTW, if you're running as an indie, you'll need a VP.

[Hash]

OK, I'm a special interest then

[Хahar 🤔]

OK, I'm a special interest then

What special interest?

[Hash]

OK, I'm a special interest then

What special interest?

I'll need to think of one.

Does it need to be an actual one?

[Хahar 🤔]

OK, I'm a special interest then

What special interest?

I'll need to think of one.

Does it need to be an actual one?

It would help.

[Sensei]

OK, I'm a special interest then

What special interest?

I'll need to think of one.

Does it need to be an actual one?

It would help.

Be Big Oil, except make it Whale Oil.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Special Interest: National Association of Small Businesses

[NDN]

I am running as a Democrat.

My home state is Colorado.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Republican Please

[King of the Bench]

Campaign in Iowa

I love ethanol, vote for me!

[Sensei]

Sensei is in New Hampshire talking to college people.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The NASB (National Association of Small Businesses) wants to know what the candidates will do to help small business, so we'll be sponsoring a debate in New Hampshire.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

TN2024 gave a speech in New Hampshire about small business pledging to cut Federal Corporate Tax to 25%, and promising to give tax credits and deductions for business equipment and research activities. TN2024 also promised a tax cut for the middle class that he insisted would "stimulate the economy where all would benefit, reducing the squeeze on hard working men and women to buy the essentials."


In a separate speech in New Hampshire TN2024 addressed energy issues, calling for drilling in ANWR, as well as tapping into the Strategic Oil Reserves if need be during the summer months. TN2024 promised he would ask for a bipartisan look at energy companies and the progress they are making on providing alternative energy sources such as hydrogen fuel cells, TN2024 was quoted in saying "the energy companies enjoy many tax breaks, and also enjoy record profits, I am not one to attack profits and capitalism, but if it is found that oil companies are enjoying this period of high prices and not doing enough to provide solutions to move beyond oil, they will have issues with my administration that will be addressed on day one."

[HappyWarrior]

I am HappyWarrior, Democratic Governor of Maryland.  My first campaign stop will be in Des Moines, Iowa.