Citizens HQ - Provisional Convention coming

[wxtransit]

Hi, I’m wxtransit, and I’m filing for election for Party Chairman along with DFL, who will be running for Vice-Chairman. You may or may not know me (I was thrust on to the scene a bit with my successful write-in campaign for the Atlasian House), but in this post I hope to explain our platform and what we will do if elected. Soon after we were founded, we had an influx of members, bringing to our current total of 12 members. However, the growth stopped only weeks later. Why? We haven’t had a cohesive brand and many Atlasians don’t know what we stand for. They don’t know that we are a party that seeks to provide an alternative to the traditional two-party system. How can we change this? We need a Chairman and Vice-Chairman who will be committed to growing this party, improving our image, and getting new members. We need leadership who can grow our party’s outreach, so that we can enter an era of multi-party democracy where Atlasians will have a choice other than the Federalists and Labor. How will DFL and I accomplish this, if elected Chairman and Vice-Chairman? Here’s a few key things we will do:

- Rebrand the party and give the party an image of an alliance between both left and right while maintaining the integrity of our current ideology
- Be active with outreach and be committed into growing the party
- Build upon our party’s message of an alternative
- Make sure Citizens is active and maintains a presence in most/all elections

Now, you might ask, “why is wxtransit running with DFL?” We hold quite different positions on social and economic policy. Wouldn’t this be a recipe for disaster? We’ve thought about this, and we’ve realized that Citizens is a party of those all across the political spectrum. Why not we have a leadership which represents that? DFL and I have been working together to create a common future for Citizens, and have found that despite our differences, we have a common vision, and make a great team. We believe this partnership across ideological lines represents the core values of Citizens, and should serve as the basis of our party’s mission going forward of building an alliance of Atlasians ready for change.

(Wow, I just realized that this post is getting long )

To wrap this up, DFL and I present our case to you. We will run to reform our party so that Citizens can achieve its full potential. And when we as a party benefit from these reforms, all of Atlasia benefits. If you want to see Citizens become a true alternative for all Atlasians, for Citizens to usher in a new era in Atlasian politics, then vote for DFL for Vice-Chairman and wxtransit for Party Chairman!

wxtransit/DFL for Citizens Party Leadership

wxtransit for Party Chairman
DFL for Party Vice-Chairman

[wxtransit]

I am honestly still confused as to what you guys are trying to do. If we (i.e. Federalists) were like RL Republicans I guess it would make sense, but we're kind of the big-tent moderate/center-right party already. Yes we have some conservative/libertarian "core principles" but it's not too crazy--basically believe in some level of liberty (which is open to interpretation) and conserve the institutions that make a constitutional republic functional. Surely you guys aren't trying to make an "alternative" to that?

The goal of the Citizens Party is to provide an alternative to both main parties, from the farthest left to the farthest right. From what I've seen, at least, the Feds are only on the right side of the spectrum. The Citizens Party covers all people who will unite for electoral reform and an alternative, no matter if you're on the right, center, or left. We are making an alternative to the two-party system, and greater choice for Atlasians when they enter the polling booth.

This is also one of the goals DFL and I hope to accomplish with a rebrand -- to greater define and clarify what Citizens stands for.

[wxtransit]

Citizen’s is not just a big-tent party. We are also not a mere copy of the Federalist Party. Above posing as a big-tent party, we stand for choice and reform. Firstly, we don’t support a one party state and see it as harmful to the nature of our democracy. We believe that when none of the parties provide a clear enough choice for Atlasians, the people deserve new options. We also believe in building a coalition whose foundation is rooted in progress and reform, not status quo.

With that in mind, I’m curious as to why you have chosen now as the time to attack our party. You easily could have voiced your concerns when the party founded.

Regardless, don’t try to tell us what we are.

Bingo. Not only are we ideologically diverse, but we also stand for reform in our political system. We stand for greater choices for Atlasians. When one party dominates the political scene, there needs to be checks and balances. And the Citizens Party stands for that. We are an alliance of the reformers and the revolutionaries. We provide an alternative outside of the two-party system.

[wxtransit]

Quick response here, as I have much to get to tomorrow morning and I don't have enough time to formulate a rebuttal.

The timing of this is...suspicious, to say the least. If you genuinely wanted to know about us, why now? Why when we are just picking up steam? But I digress. And no, we are not a "generic third party" nor a copy of the Federalists. How would we be a copy of the Federalists when we stand for choice in the electorate? The Federalists are dominating every section of Atlasia. I would say that's far from choice. We stand against the two-party system. I believe the Federalists probably don't take that same stance. Why would they? They're a part of the two-party system. And also, Leinad made a good point. The Feds are left-of-center according to American terms. But the Citizens Party is from the farthest right to the farthest left. But again, I digress. We stand for much beyond what we have listed here, but again, I don't have time to list all of it. You all could wait until our convention Thursday when we outline our platform so that you can see all of our policy stances.

If you have more concerns, please PM me or DFL so that we can leave this space open for declarations for our convention. Thank you.

[wxtransit]

everything I have heard so far genuinely sounds like the Federalists

That is the danger of pitching your tent so broad is includes everyone from social democrats to libertarians.

lol

[wxtransit]

I am asking this because it was brought up in your response to Leinad. It has nothing to do with "suspicious timing", nor did anything I ask even remotely suggest I was attacking you. As for the timing part, asking what you stand for when the party is picking up steam is far from an inappropriate time to try and understand a growing party's values. It by no means is a way of putting you guys down.

I'm fine with waiting and seeing, but it was you and DFL who brought it up, which is why I asked for an explanation so that I can understand (and the rest of Atlasia I'm sure). I also never called you a "generic third party", I asked what makes Citizens more than that.

Another quick response - we only brought it up to announce our campaign for leadership. Again, if you are interested, I highly suggest you wait until Thursday. And from our platform, we have quite explained to the rest of Atlasia what we stand for. What we have not we will define on Thursday. Otherwise, please PM me or DFL so we can keep this thread open for Citizens Party activity.

[wxtransit]

Citizens

Foreword:

The current party system appears to be more broken than ever. We appear to be badly served by an imperfect form of two-party politics which have drawn us into what many Atlasians describe as the “Nyman Consensus” or “Echo Chamber Consensus”. With many brilliant independent-minded Atlasians shut out of the political process due to not belonging to either main party, now more than ever Atlasia needs a strong, alternative political force willing to break the mold and reform our nation for the better. This is where “Citzens” comes into play. We purport to be a centrist, reform-minded party which can welcome independents and disaffected members of either main party. Not so we become “Labor-lite” or “Federalist-lite” or the “Moderate Hero Party” (far from it), but to offer genuinely different points of view, promote new and novel ideas and instill greater life in our political and party system. We want to serve as a platform to help newer or independent-minded Atlasians to rise, run for office and help change things for the better. If you feel independent voices require a stronger presence in Atlasia, if you want to see our Republic thriving under reasonable reform, if you believe in responsible governing in matters such as fiscal responsibility, technological development, constitutional reform, regional devolution or environmental protection (to name a few), then “Citizens” may just be the party for you.

This may answer a few of your questions. I appreciate your interest in the party, however, I need to study for final exams tomorrow, and I don't have time to formulate coherent rebuttals. Debate is what makes our democracy strong, and I would love to pick this up another time, just right now I need to study and other members of the Citizens Party may be declaring their candidacies soon and I don't want that to be drowned out in dialogue.