Freeform election game

[GoTfan]

This game starts in 2023, set in the last year of President Elizabeth Warren's administration. Warren has said that she will not run for re-election, and Vice President Sherrod Brown has said that he will not run.

We can use two types of people: Journalists and politicians.

Journalists will be the means of communication in the game. Politicians will send announcements to them, and they can then offer commentary on the announcement if they wish to do so. Journalists can be ex-politicians, but they must have a reason for leaving politics, as well as detailing the offices they held. In addition, make sure to list if they are affiliated with a party and what outlet they work for.

Politicians are the headline characters of the game. They can run campaigns, pass legislation and so on. The size of a politician's victory in an election will determine just how seriously they're taken and whether their respective National Committee will send them support. List all previous offices that they have held as well as their current one. They cannot be members of the Warren cabinet or the party leadership (to start with; this will change).

Couple of standard things
-Make sure you give the name, age, family and a biography for your character
-Be interesting with your character's rise! An unusual rise to the top makes for a more interesting game
-Everyone has skeletons in their closet. Each character must PM one or two to me.
-From time to time, anonymous sources (read: me) will contact journalists with information. They can choose to run with it and risk their reputation, or play it safe and ignore it.
-Each turn will last a week, and span 1 in-game month.

Sign-ups will last until this time next week.

We can continue the game as long as there is interest.

Democrats:

Sen. Emily Peebleton (D-North Carolina)
Sen. Henry Anderson (D-Utah)
Rep. Priti Sharma (D-Idaho)
Sen. Andrew Greenfield (D-Maine)

Republicans:

Gov. Daniel Gomez (R-New Mexico)
Sen. Richard Cole (R-Maine)
Gov. Randy Jennings (R-Florida)

Progressives:

Sen. Carson Palmer (P-Arizona)

Conservative:

Rep. John Smith (C-Texas)


Independents

Lachlan Duggan (Journalist-Pennsylvania)

[GoTfan]

Some more Democrats woild be nice.

[GoTfan]

I cannot allow any more sign-ups until we get a few Democrats.

[GoTfan]

Is signing up as a non-affiliated Journalist fine?

Of course

[GoTfan]

With Peebs' permission, I am changing her character to Democrat. Cactus says he'll join us soon as well as a Dem, so as soon as we have his character, we can start.

[GoTfan]

Okay, let's get started.

January 1st-14th, 2023

Today, President Warren declared the end of her long legislative battle to reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act, even if it still has a hurdle to climb, namely, the US Senate.

Warren launched her campaign to reinstate the Act as soon as she entered office in 2021, and ran into hurdles almost straight away. After narrowly passing the House by just 3 votes, Warren is confident that she will receive backing of the Democrats in the Senate, with North Carolina Senator Emily Peebleton rumoured to be selected by Warren as the "floor manager" for the bill.

The bil has met with severe opposition from both Republicans, and even the newly formed Conservative Party, whose sole Congressman, John Smith of Texas, has said that the passing of such a bill would destroy the economy of the country. Yet, it seems the bill will passed; Senate Minority Leader John Thune is personally leading the opposition to the bill, but Thune, who is rumoured to be fighting a leadership challenge, as well as attempting to head off the potential defection of Maine Senator Richard Cole.

The bill is scheduled for its Senate vote on January 29th

-National Public Radio

Notes:

Senators, use this turn to debate the bill and if the mind takes you, ask your party leaders (IE, me) to bring the vote forward. Beware that this can either be seen as either a masterstroke or death sentence if it goes either way.

Governors, inform me if you intend to bring legislation forward this week for a future vote. Make statements regarding the current law in the Senate as well, if you wish.

Journalists, feel free to contact any politician for an interview. From time to time, I will release press statements from the White House to report on.

Representatives, you may choose to use this time to craft legislation and if the mind takes you, look to recruit candidates or declare your candidacy for another office

And for everyone, if you wish to, you are free to declare your candidacy for President at any time. There are no schedules in this game, so use the thread to make statements, send out some Tweets, and detail your adventures this fortnight.

Good luck!

[GoTfan]

Just to know... What is the current composition of the senate?

52 Democrats (Senate Majority Leader Mark Warner)-47 Republicans (Senate Minority Leader John Thune)-1 Progressive.

[GoTfan]

White House Press Statement regarding the bill to reintroduce the Gold Standard

The attempt to reintroduce the Gold Standard a monetary policy shows just how out of touch Senators Palmer and Paul are with the American economy. Before the abolition of the Gold Standard, our country veered from one financial panic to the next, never sure if the next year would bring a recession or a boom. Such a system is obsolete in the 21st century, and would only nullify the effect the reinstatement of Glass-Steagall would have on the economy.

It would be my privilege to veto such a measure should it reach my desk.

-Elizabeth Warren, 46th President of the United States of America.

[GoTfan]

I think it'd be fun for me to have a tiny, minor role. I don't want to run for President, merely exist and engage with this world.

Priti Sharma (D-ID)

Birthday: September 30th, 1993 (age 29)

Ideology: Libertarian Democrat

Family:
Dating Owen Anderson (age 30)

Offices held:
Ada County Sheriff (2013-2019)
United States Representative for Idaho's 1st Congressional District (2019-)

Defying all odds, Priti Sharma, a Democrat and the daughter of immigrants in Idaho, of all places, managed to win some extremely difficult races. Elected to be the sheriff of Ada County, the most populous county in Idaho and home of Boise, at the ripe old age of 19, while still attending Boise State University, Priti quickly captured the attention of national Democratic leaders. When an opportunity arose in 2018 with the retirement of Rep Raul Labrador to run for Governor, Sharma was encouraged to run for the House. Despite the district having a lean of R+21, Sharma managed to eek out a win thanks to the endorsement of the Libertarian Party, and defeated the former Lieutenant Governor of Idaho, David H. Leroy, thanks to an energetic campaign and capitalizing on her youth, with Leroy being three times as old as Sharma. Sharma won with 49.8% of the vote, compared to Leroy's 49.2%.

Despite being deemed "the most vulnerable Democrat in the House," Sharma turned out to be a master of retail politics, as well as being unafraid to vote against her party on many issues. Sharma won reelection by consecutively larger margins in 2020 and 2022.

She began dating the son of Utah Senator Henry Anderson, Owen, in the summer of 2021.

(Hope this is okay, GoTfan!)

Well it's not too outrageous

You must be logged in to read this quote.

223 Democrats-210 Republicans-1 Conservative (Smith)1 Progressive (Gabbard)

Speaker: Tim Ryan
Majority Leader: Raul Grijalva
Majority Whip: Joe Kennedy III

Minority Leader: Steve Scalise
Minority Whip: Cathy McMorris Rodgers

[GoTfan]

Out of curiosity, who chairs the RGA?

Current chair is Jim Justice.

[GoTfan]

Making it in just under the deadline

Andrew Lyndon "Andy" Greenfield (D-ME)

Birthday: December 1, 1990 (age 33)

Ideology: Social Democrat

Family: Alexandra "Alex" Rowland (age 27, married 10/15/2022)
Daughter: Roosevelt Marie Rowland-Greenfield (age 7, born February 19, 2017)
Son: Kennedy Milton Rowland-Greenfield (age 5, born September 2, 2018)
Daughter: Macy Teresa Rowland-Greenfield (age 5, born September 2, 2018)

Offices held:
Member of the Maine House of Representatives (36th district): 2010-2016
Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives: 2014-2016
Member of the Maine Senate (28th district): 2016-2020
Junior United States Senator from Maine: 2020-
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: 2022-

A lifelong activist, Andy Greenfield has been in elected office since he was 19. A left-wing Democrat, he became Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives in 2014 (the youngest House Speaker in Maine history), a position he voluntarily relinquished to run for the Maine Senate in 2016. Elected without Republican opposition, he would raise a national profile by championing an open primary law, a single-payer healthcare bill, and an automatic voter registration bill.

He ran against Susan Collins for the United States Senate in 2020, while simultaneously serving as campaign chairman of Warren for Maine. Considered a longshot, he pulled off a stunning upset, defeating Collins by less than 2,000 votes as part of a huge, nationwide Democratic landslide.

His campaigns are notable due to his abject refusal to accept PAC money or large donations, relying only on small donations to fund his campaigns.

In 2018 he received his doctorate in Foreign Relations from Bates College. He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee. He and his wife have published several books on history, while Greenfield himself is an accomplished novelist with a New York Times bestseller.

Considered the "liberal lion" of the Senate and a steadfast ally of President Warren, Greenfield is considered a future Presidential contender and his endorsement is highly coveted by the candidates, not the least because of his network of small donors.

He met his future wife, Alexandra "Alex" Rowland, at college and they had three children, including a set of twins, before they were married. They reside in a loft in Portland, Maine, near the University of Southern Maine where Alex Rowland teaches history. Their three children attend public school.

I'm already the class 2 senator from Maine...

Hmm. Angus died in March 2020, and I won the special election held the same day as the regular election you won .

This is acceptable.

[GoTfan]

January 15-28

Senator Palmer's bill to reintroduce the Gold Standard to America has been met with widespread dismissal and even ridicule from many corners of American politics, drawing the ire of the left wing in general and Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) in particular.

Sanders, said to be in his last term of office, called the bill "A complete failure on his (Palmer's) behalf. One cannot claim to be progressive and yet introduce an obsolete financial system to the country. This is not progressive, this is a right-wing idea."

President Warren has also flatly stated that she would veto any such bill that made it to her desk, and Vice President Sherrod Brown has said such a bill would completely derail the administration's attempts to reinstate Glass-Steagall this month.

In other news, several people, such as Senators Palmer, Richard Cole, Emily Peebleton and New Mexico Governor Daniel Gomez are all considering Presidential runs. With the President and Vice President not running, we face a wide open election. Conservative Congressman John Smith is reported to be considering running as hjs party's candidate, while speculation also surrounds Senate Majority Leader Mark Warner and Speaker Tim Ryan for the Democrats, as well as Congressman and former Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Rand Paul.

Meanwhile, United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Australian Prime Minister Bill Shorten have announced their intention to visit Washington DC in February to discuss a potential trade agreement between the three nations.

-National Public Radio

Notes:

This is the last turn before the vote on Glass-Steagall. Use this time if you are in the Senate to gather votes for either side you support.

A general not as well. When you intend to introduce legislation, please PM with the specifics of the bill. 3-4 bullet points for key sections will do.

[GoTfan]

(My guess is Warren's SOTU is near?)

Yup. I shall be posting one soon.

[GoTfan]

Progessive Party to go on nationwide tour
FOXNews.com

The newly formed Progessive Party is on a town hall nationwide tour with its founding members such as Senator Carson Palmer and congressmen and women Cori Bush,Tulsi Gabbard,Keith Ellison,Chardo Richardson and Ro Khanna to promote the issues and policies of the company like. 20 dollar mimmium wage,Wall Street reform, Milltary spending reform, Healthcare for all, Universal education and clean energy around this spring.

They also plan on using this tour to recruit and promote more members to become part of their party.

Hang on, you can't just go around claiming other members of Congress are from your party. You have one member in the House, Gabbard. All others mentioned here are Democrats.

[GoTfan]

January 25th, 2023

State of the Union Address

Mr Speaker, Mr Vice President, Members of the House of Representatives And members of the Senate, thank you for this opportunity to address you on the state of our Union.

Over the past three years, we have made great strides towards a more equal, more open America. We have successfully managed to protect the jobs of our manufacturing sector, and even increase employment in certain areas. We have managed to withdraw our forces safely from the Middle East, and tuition at public colleges is now more affordable than ever.

But there is still much to be done.

Our campaign to reinstate Glass-Steagall has been a success, and when it arrives on my desk, I will be proud to call it the signature achievement of my Presidency, along with many other items [. . .]

And that is why I am convinced that the state of our Union is strong!

Main points:

-Successfully protecting manufacturing jobs
-Scaling back NAFTA
-Safe withdrawal of US forces from the Middle East
-Glass-Steagall passing the House
-Low tuition fees at public colleges and universities
-Federal minimum wage at $15 an hour and tied to inflation
-Desire to increase worker protections
-Desire to fully legalize, tax and regulate marijuana
-Desire to pass a federal infrastructure build
-Desire to pass further restrictions on the NSA
-Desire to scale back military spending and consider 25% reduction in nuclear weapons by 2033

[GoTfan]

CNN Town Hall with Senator Andy Greenfield

Moderated by Anderson Cooper; held in Augusta, Maine

Questions:

My name is Robert, I'm 55 years old and a construction worker. I've been in the business for 35 years, and it's too late for me to train for any other job. My question is, what will you do to protect existing workers from large scale automation that will make human workers obsolete?

Hi, I'm Sarah, and I'm 43 years old. I never graduated high school because my father walked out on us and I needed to get a job to support my brothers and sister. Today, I'm working two jobs, both paying the minimum wage of $10 an hour, and it's not enough. I have two kids, 6 and 7 years old, and their father walked out on us. I'm not making nearly enough to support my kids, as well as pay the bills. What will you do to help people like me from falling even deeper into poverty?

I'm Alexandra, and I'm a 22 year old college student. I hope that Glass-Steagall does pass, as my parents personally suffered during the Great Recession and the mini-recession of 2019. It's made things harder for me to focus on my studies when my family is still recovering five years on. How will Glass-Steagall be protected once it has been passed, and how do you address the irony that a bill repealed by a Democratic President is being reintroduced by a Democratic President?

I'm Nicholas, and I'm 34. Senator, I work for my county government doing infrastructure work, but we don't get nearly enough funding to do our jobs properly. We end up having to leave our jobs half-dozen because of that. How will the current administration deal with our crumbling infrastructure and workers like me who don't get the funding they need?

Anderson Cooper: And finally, my personal question, are you running for President in 2024?

[GoTfan]

January 29-February 11

Addressing the White House Press Corps today, Vice President Sherrod Brown stated that he would not be seeking the Democratic nomination for President  in 2024, following rumors that have been circulating around Washington for weeks

"I've been in politics for decades, and it's time for me to move on." Brown said. This follows President Warren pledging a single term in 2020, with regards to concerns about her age. It also effectively clears the Democratic field for 2024, as more candidates look to run.

Notably, several people, impressed with Maine Senator Andy Greenfield's performance at a Town Hall recently, have started  a 'Draft Greenfield' movement, in an effort to get the Senator to run. Speculation continues to surround Sneator Peebleton, who is currently working to get Glass-Steagall passed in the Senate.

New Mexico Governor Daniel Gomez has already declared his intention to run for the Republican nomination, while speculation continues to surround Maine Senator Richard Cole. Senator Palmer and Congressman Smith have announced their intentions to run on the Progressive and Conservative party lines as well.

In other news, Senator Bernie Sanders has announced that this will be his last term in office, and that he will not be running for re-election next year.

Addressing a crowd of supporters in Burlington, Vermont. Senator Sanders declared "I'm in my mid-eighties; I'm too old to stay in politics any longer. This will be my last term."

This has set off a round of speculation as to who will succeed Sanders. State Senate Majority Leader Becca Balint and Progressive Leader Anthony Pollina are rumoured candidates for the Democrats, while Governor Phil Scott is said to be considering a run as well.

[GoTfan]

The vote for Glass Steagall is this turn right?

Correct. The vote will occur soon.

[GoTfan]

Senate President Pro Tempore Dianne Feinstein (D-California) The Senate will now vote on SB 1134; the reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1932 and the Banking Act of 1933. This vote is to be conducted by roll call. Voting may now commence.

Senate Clerk:Mr Alexander [. . .] Mr Anderson?

[GoTfan]

Mr Cole?

[GoTfan]

Thune looks shocked.

Mr Greenfield?

[GoTfan]

Mr Palmer?

[GoTfan]

Ms Peebleton?

[GoTfan]

Feinstein: The final tally is 54 votes to 46. By a majority of 8 votes, the reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1932 and Banking Act of 1933 passes the Senate. The bill will now head to the President's desk for signing or veto. Thank you, fellow Senators. *gavel sounds*

[GoTfan]

Statement from the White House regarding reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1932 and Banking Act of 1933

Today, flanked by Senate Majority Leader Mark Warner, Vice President Sherrod Brown and Speaker of the House Tim Ryan,  President signed the restoration of the Glass-Steagall Act and Banking Act into law, declaring "a new day has dawned in America."

The President had a notable smile on her face as she signed the bill.

Responsibility for enforcement of the bill now rests with Attorney-General Kamala Harris and SEC Chair Michael Lewis, who will be given the ability to enforce the terms of the bill to their utmost.

We look forward to making Wall Street less corrupt and the economy fairer.