Talk Elections

My fellow Atlasians,

Returning to Atlasia after months of self-imposed exile has been a rather unexpected experience. I had grown to believe that months of staying on the background as the nation seemed to repeat a cycle of old problems had dulled my enthusiasm an interest. I had grown to believe I had stopped caring as I once did for our beloved Republic. I had grown to believe I had little more to offer to this game after my years of service and accomplishments, and that dignified (or undignified) retirement was indeed the better choice.

It was you, the citizens, who showed me otherwise. Whether it was by the extraordinary reception to my latest Senate run, or your open encouragement (public or private) to run again for the highest office of the land, you showed me that my voice still mattered, it was still important as Atlasia faced times of uncertainty and the ultimate decision to choose a President in the upcoming October Election. Before me was a tempting but tough decision: Did I still had what it takes to run and serve as President? Could I be of help to Atlasia? Was I necessary in any way?

And then I took a good look at Atlasia right now.

My friends, these are not the best of times, or even times of prosperity.

We stand at war in Asia after an unbelievably incompetent operation threw us into chaos. We dance to the tune of China and Russia in deals that compromise our economy or the safety of our allies. We don’t have a budget, or a foreign review. We stand to the edge of a shutdown and the downgrading of our credit. Unemployment remains high. There are issues with security as strikes and protests take place and crime seemingly rises. Inactivity reins still on several places of our Republic. We carry on with a model of gridlock in Congress, as the bicameral system slows things and complicates them despite the hard work of many accomplished people in Nyman. Few things we can praise, key among them the activity of the Game Engine team and their exemplary work.

More to the point, this is doubly disappointing for me as this context comes in the middle of an ongoing Federalist White House. Evidently, my friends, I side with the right more than I do with the left, and it hurts me to see that the forces that could be fighting for liberty and common values to us all on the center-right have led us to this situation. It particularly stings when I see younger, newer Atlasians shut out of the process by those who work mysteriously and behind the scenes. Has our Republic been worse? Yes, and we can all turn the clock back a couple of years to see this in full evidence. But that is not to say “all’s well in Atlasia”.

As soon as I took that hard look at the state of the country, I realized something had to be done.

So why not support one of the main nominees, you might ask? Well, because I think we’ve entered an odd phase of Atlasia which I would describe as “echo-chamber consensus”. I, for one, believe in moderation and bipartisanship, but this must not come at the cost of our own ideals, at the cost of debate. The current state of debate in Atlasia does not seem impressive, even if some try their best to bring up new issues and new ideas. The Labor Party and the Federalist Party have both moved to the center in ways not thought possible before, but with the collective effect that once again public discourse in Atlasia has swung to the left as both parties have less and less differences, making for a situation which is frankly dull, boring and unappealing. I respect President fhtagn and former President Truman, but I cannot approve of the manner in which the first was suddenly parachuted into the White House nor cannot I support the abuse that means to be both a Regional Executive and a member of Congress, much as I respect Truman’s undeniable skill.

I have more experience than them. I’ve served as President for a full term. I’ve fought on regional governments and congress alike. I’ve led think tanks and newspapers. Fought for different causes in a range of issues from foreign policy to a constitutional convention. My administration, while controversial and hotly attacked by former and current foes, was a time of activity, order and accomplishments. I am convinced I still have much to offer to our nation, and that I could play a decisive role in taking us into a new dawn from the White House.

And so my announcement is obvious: my fellow citizens, I am running for President of Atlasia.

I’ve been a player of this game for the past five years, and this is my third presidential campaign. On my first attempt I sought to fight against the then Labor-Federalist duopoly, and we achieved a respectable and close third while emphasizing the need for reasonable reforms. On my second attempt I sought to bring back order to a Republic in disarray in the middle of a Civil Conflict, and after win led an effective administration. This is my third attempt, in which not only I will attempt to showcase where I think we have gone wrong, but also lead this nation into better, more prosperous times.

You know that through my political life I’ve been a member of many parties, I make no attempt to hide it. I’ve always been an independent minded person, a free thinker, despising IRC cabals or smoke filled rooms in favor of an open talk with the public. Sometimes they’ve done me the honor of electing me to represent them, sometimes they haven’t. But I’ve always drawn something from the experience. I may strongly disagree, for example, with the rhetoric and attacks from Oakvale, but it is undeniable our country is in need of something different, and I salute his attempt at challenging the established “echo-chamber consensus”. I thank him for his support, and I shall do my best to carry a banner of leadership, reform and statesmanship.

The work ahead is daunting.

You will learn of my platform in due time (this speech has gone on for too long), but you can be sure of this: I shall seek a stronger, more engaged foreign policy that includes a swift victory in the Second Korean War. I shall pursue a bolder, more aggressive agenda of reform to revitalize our economy, standing up for free market based reforms instead of harmless tinkering. I shall pursue an agenda that respects the fundamental liberties and rights of Atlasians, while taking a tough and uncompromising stand against crime. I shall propose substantial reforms to this game, protecting and strengthening some institutions like the Game Engine, reforming others like the Presidency, promoting a return to a unicameral Congress, and advocating future, long-term reforms such as the idea of a Parliamentary Atlasia. I shall defend the rights of regions to decide on several matters of policy, and ensure their powers are stronger without compromising the unity of Atlasia. I shall fight for the environment and the protection of our ecosystem, now more than ever. I shall stand for fiscal responsibility, for a correction of the course into a bold agenda of reform that, for once, shakes things up without compromising the integrity and future of our country.

After all, as my personal hero Sir Winston Churchill once said: What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?

I fight for A New Dawn for Atlasia, and I shall endeavor to deliver.

Thank you very much,

The task of selecting a Vice-President is never quite an easy one.

Having run two presidential campaigns before, I’ve had the luck of standing besides two very accomplished citizens, just as independent-minded as myself and with whom I had the luxury of a good working personal relationship. Superique, on my first attempt (the first all Latin-American ticket), and SJoyce on the second, him going to serve with distinction and honor as my trusted Vice-President. Now, I am called upon choosing my third running mate, to be at my side during this contentious campaign and hopefully in the White House should we win.

There many criteria to select a running mate, I won’t bore you with an essay on the merits of the office. But I will note, however, that some main principles have guided me in selecting a running mate: Experience, knowing what it means to serve on the Executive and what it means to govern, and to govern well. Closeness, finding it crucial that a President and a Vice-President share a positive relationship which allows both of them to act as a team. Commitment, because a running mate must believe in the case his or her President believes in, even if he may not share every ideal, every political position.

The man I’ve chosen to be my running mate is someone I worked closely during the days of my administration as my Deputy Attorney General, forming part of the most active Justice Department in the past few years (under Zuwo, greatest of all of my cabinet officers). I worked closely with him during the days of Civic Renewal and the attempt to build a different, renewed center-right. He served as Vice-President of this Republic not long ago under President Yankee, bringing with him the experience of a man who knows the office first hand.

Of course, you already know who am I talking about, so I shall let him introduce himself in greater detail.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you whom I hope will be the next Vice-President of Atlasia, Rpryor!