Winfield/Jbrase for Atlasia........WINFIELD CONCESSION

[Lincoln Republican]

Please feel free to ask questions in this thread regarding the Presidential race.

[Lincoln Republican]

I would like to address some social policy issues.

I stand behind the Atlasian National Healthcare Act.  I would like to ensure, however, that no Atlasians fall between the cracks.

Health care expenditures must be monitored carefully and brought into line to ensure that taxpayers are not getting gouged and ripped off by unscrupulous providers of goods and services to the health care industry.

I would like to look into a program that would provide for affordable daycare, not only for pre schoolers, but for school age children, say up to age twelve or thirteen, which I will call after school programs.  I would like to see so called latchkey kids have a healthy environment they can go to after school until their parents return home, so they do not have to go to an empty house and be alone.

Daycare for preschoolers should be educational and safe.  Daycares must be certified and meet standards so as to ensure that the most vulnerable in our society, young children, are safe and treated as young children should be.

After school programs for young people, for children say between the ages of six and twelve or thirteen, should be a place where these children can go after school until their parents or parent return home.  These programs could provide recreational activities for these young people, and an after school snack.

I would like to look into a seniors care program for those seniors who require one and cannot afford one, or are not being cared for by family members.  Seniors care facilities will have to meet stringent standards in order to ensure that these seniors are treated with respect and dignity and that their care meets necessary standards.  Seniors care facilities must not be permitted to take every last cent these seniors have.  

[Lincoln Republican]

Winfield,

Should the Senate remain in it's present form (5 at-large Senator and 5 elected by regions), or either all should be elected at-large or regionally?

Kalwejt

Thank you.  That is a very good question.  It goes directly to the subject of game reform and of keeping the game interesting. 

Personally, I like the general idea, overall, of having regional Senators and at-large Senators serving in the Atlasian Senate.  I do not see any harm in having this mix.  All Senators, after all, should have the best interests of Atlasia at heart. 

Presumably, the regional Senators will take the requests of their particular constituents to the floor of the Senate if someone from their region would like to see a particular bill debated and voted on.  Having regional Senators, I believe, simplifies the process somewhat, as members of a particular region have a Senator who they know they can go to for matters of concern to them, and that can be dealt with in the Senate.

I am also of the belief that with a group of independently thinking individuals in the Senate, whether at-large Senators or regional Senators, or a combination thereof, you are going to have lively and spirited differences of opinion and, at times, a certain amount of contention, one with another, although, my hope is that this can be kept to a minimum, and, at the end of the day, that all will be working for what they believe is right for Atlasia.

Having said that, I do realize that there have been various proposals put forward for Senate reform, and I would certainly be willing to entertain any proposal that comes across my desk.  I am not averse to change when I believe it is for the better.

Thank you for that very good question, and I trust my answer has been of some help.   

[Lincoln Republican]

As President, I will introduce a full employment strategy, the aim of which will be to create an economic environment in which Atlasians from all backgrounds will be able to thrive and prosper.  Meaningful employment provides individuals with a sense of self worth and with the ability to realize their goals and their potential.

The right to employment will foster an environment in which the economic rights of all citizens are respected.

Technological advances over the past 20 years has changed the face of employment in the world and in Atlasia.  Therefore, starting at the earliest levels, our education system must ensure that our children learn and are taught to become capable of coping in a technologically advanced society.  This is part of the full employment strategy, going into the next generation.

Technology is advancing rapidly, and as President, I intend that some of the brightest minds in Atlasia will identify emerging technologies in order to prepare a new generation of Atlasians will be prepared in these fields.  These new technologies will be providing millions of new jobs in the future, and I intend that Atlasians will be prepared.

A shortage of skilled workers in the trades is an ongoing problem.  As President, I will create and expand programs to ensure that Atlasia has adequate skilled and trained workers in the trades, i.e. plumbers, electrctians, carpenters, mechanics, masons, builders, etc.  Skilled workers in the trades will always be required and an effective training program will work towards ensuring that skilled workers in these fields will be available.

Small and medium sized businesses are the greatest job creators.  As President, I will work to create an environment in which these business can grow and thrive, thereby growing these organizations, enabling them to expand, prosper, and hire new employees.  I will institute programs which will provide comprehensive training and strategies for those wishing and intending to establish small businesses, in order to minimize their chances of failure.

The education and training of the individual is key to these full employment strategies.  Therefore, my education and training programs will be built around ensuring that our children and youth receive the best education and training possible in order that they will be prepared to thrive in a fast paced and ever changing world.   

[Lincoln Republican]

As much as I love Duke, you're conducting a very active and concrete campaign, when he's yet to select his running-mate.

2nd preference.

Thank you Kalwejt.

[Lincoln Republican]

Further to my pledge to implement a full employment strategy for Atlasia, and to bring about educational reforms to ensure our students are prepared to face an ever advancing and an ever changing world, at this time I wish to discuss an important matter related to the educational aspect of this proposal, school safety.

Our schools must be as safe and as sceure as possible in order to ensure that our students are free to pursue their education and school activities without fear of violence, intimidation, or bullying.  While I fully recognize that violence in schools will never be completely eliminated, at the same time, school violence can be minimized by taking common sense steps to achieve this goal.

Behaviors such as bullying and hitting often start at a young age and may continue into young adulthood. Youth violence can often lead to serious injury or death.

Any amount of violence is unacceptable. Parents, teachers, and administrators expect schools to be safe havens of learning. Acts of violence can disrupt the learning process and have a negative effect on students, the school itself, and the broader community.

Sexual violence begins early in life.  Most victims do not tell friends and family about the abuse and suffer alone. Those who do disclose the violence may be stigmatized by friends, family, and their community.

Suicide is a serious public health problem that affects even young people. For youth and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death. It results in approximately 4,300 lives lost each year.

As President, I shall be implementing an extensive training, information, and awareness program for administrators, teachers and students alike, conducted by experts in these various fields, discussing the above issues, and the best ways to avoid them.

I shall be establishing school health guidelines, designed to prevent unintentional injuries and violence. Guidelines promote safety and teach students the skills needed to prevent injuries and violence. They will be designed for all grade levels and provide support for a coordinated school health program, and will be implemented by experts in this field.

I shall also be establishing a school health index, which is a self-assessment and planning tool that enables schools to identify strengths and weaknesses of health and safety policies and programs, develops an action plan for improving student health and safety, and involves teachers, parents, students, and the community in improving school services.

Each year, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries. I shall be implementing an extensive program about playground risks, and how to avoid severe injuries associated with playgrounds.
 
A child can take a spill, knock his or her head, and get a concussion in any number of school settings ranging from the hallway, the playground, the cafeteria, and beyond.  As President, I shall implement a program, developed for professionals working with grades K-12, to help principals, school nurses, teachers or other school professionals identify and respond to concussions in an array of school settings.

Where necessary or where felt required, schools shall have the authority to implement a lock down procedure to more adequately ensure student and faculty safety.  Schools shall as well have the authority to implement a procedure where students must pass through a detector on their way into school to detect any weapons they may be carrying, which shall be confiscated.   

[Lincoln Republican]

I would like to have the federal government work with the regional governments to examine in depth the advantages of implementing a policy of having school uniforms for K-12.

Outlined below are some of the major benefits of school uniforms.  I believe that school uniforms will have a tremendous benefit for students in Atlasia for the reasons following.

Local school boards and schools will have the authority to choose their own school uniforms, within specified perameters.      

The benefits of school uniforms have been argued for years. The benefits outlined below are the main points raised in surveys when asking what the benefits of school uniforms are.

School uniforms promote unity and community in a school. By being easily identifiable, students can be accountable for their actions in and out of school hours. Usually students will remain better behaved when they are in school uniform.Another benefits of school uniforms is that parents are not pressured to constantly hand over money to their children for the latest and greatest brands of clothing, which as we all know are more often than not ridiculously priced compared to the average cost of school uniforms.

More benefits of school uniforms including government financial support for parents who may struggle with the cost of school uniforms. Governments are not going to reimburse parents for cost of non-school uniform clothing.

School uniforms make a safer school environment, there is no doubt about that. This is possibly the major one of the benefits of school uniforms. Students are not under threat of having their expensive shoes and clothes stolen on the way to and from school. Also students cannot congregate into "gang colors" which often happens in schools where there are no uniforms.

Another one of the benefits of school uniforms is easily spotting a member of the public who may illegally wander on to the school grounds, possibly endangering students. Uniformed students will easily make strangers stand out.

Benefits of school uniforms include students concentrating more on school work and not on what they are wearing. Students of teenage years are in their most influential years and will go to great lengths to impress their friends with the latest brands of clothing. Having a uniform eliminates this behavior at school and allows students to focus on their work, not on their fashion.

Many studies have shown that students with high self esteem perform better in school by eliminating a reason to feel self-conscious, uniforms can help improve children's self-confidence and may lead to greater class participation which is only a good thing.

The benefits of school uniforms outweigh the negatives by a long margin. It can be plainly seen that students perform better when a uniform policy is present.

All school uniforms would be age appropriate.

[Lincoln Republican]

Governor Winfield,

What are your thoughts on the secession of Georgia from Atlasia?

First of all, show me the legislation or constitutional authority granting Georgia, or any other state in the Imperial Dominion of the South, to legally secede from the region and or from Atlasia.

[Lincoln Republican]

Governor Winfield,

What are your thoughts on the secession of Georgia from Atlasia?

First of all, show me the legislation or constitutional authority granting Georgia, or any other state in the Imperial Dominion of the South, to legally secede from the region and or from Atlasia.

Force of Arms.  Specifically, there's nothing you or anyone else can do about it.

So what you are saying, in reality, is that Georgia, nor any other other state in the Imperial Dominion of the South, has any authority, constitutionally, or in law, to secede.

The secession of Georgia, therefore, is not recognized, and in actuality, does not therefore exist.

You brought up the force of arms issue, therefore, one can only assume that the government of the Imperial Dominion of the South has the option of using force of arms to maintain the unity of the region, should they decide to do so.

[Lincoln Republican]

Governor Winfield,

What are your thoughts on the secession of Georgia from Atlasia?

First of all, show me the legislation or constitutional authority granting Georgia, or any other state in the Imperial Dominion of the South, to legally secede from the region and or from Atlasia.

Force of Arms.  Specifically, there's nothing you or anyone else can do about it.

So what you are saying, in reality, is that Georgia, nor any other other state in the Imperial Dominion of the South, has any authority, constitutionally, or in law, to secede.

The secession of Georgia, therefore, is not recognized, and in actuality, does not therefore exist.

You brought up the force of arms issue, therefore, one can only assume that the government of the Imperial Dominion of the South has the option of using force of arms to maintain the unity of the region, should they decide to do so.

My point is that the only "laws" enforceable on the forum are Dave's.  Lighten up

I was simply responding to the inquiry, using reason and logic.  Nothing personal.  

[Lincoln Republican]

As President, I will work for instituting a policy of school uniforms throughout Atlasia for all grades K-12.  Outlined below are some of the major benefits of school uniforms.  I believe that school uniforms will have a tremendous benefit for students in Atlasia for the reasons following.

Local school boards and schools will have the authority to choose their own school uniforms, within specified perameters.       

The benefits of school uniforms have been argued for years. The benefits outlined below are the main points raised in surveys when asking what the benefits of school uniforms are.

School uniforms promote unity and community in a school. By being easily identifiable, students can be accountable for their actions in and out of school hours. Usually students will remain better behaved when they are in school uniform.Another benefits of school uniforms is that parents are not pressured to constantly hand over money to their children for the latest and greatest brands of clothing, which as we all know are more often than not ridiculously priced compared to the average cost of school uniforms.

More benefits of school uniforms including government financial support for parents who may struggle with the cost of school uniforms. Governments are not going to reimburse parents for cost of non-school uniform clothing.

School uniforms make a safer school environment; there is no doubt about that. This is possibly the major one of the benefits of school uniforms. Students are not under threat of having their expensive shoes and clothes stolen on the way to and from school. Also students cannot congregate into "gang colors" which often happens in schools where there are no uniforms.

Another one of the benefits of school uniforms is easily spotting a member of the public who may illegally wander on to the school grounds, possibly endangering students. Uniformed students will easily make strangers stand out.

Benefits of school uniforms include students concentrating more on school work and not on what they are wearing. Students of teenage years are in their most influential years and will go to great lengths to impress their friends with the latest brands of clothing.Having a uniform eliminates this behavior at school and allows students to focus on their work, not on their fashion.

Many studies have shown that students with high self esteem perform better in school by eliminating a reason to feel self-conscious; uniforms can help improve children's self-confidence and may lead to greater class participation which is only a good thing.

The benefits of school uniforms outweigh the negatives by a long margin.It can be plainly seen that students perform better when a uniform policy is present.

I hope that first sentence means you won't be trying to pass this as a federal law, but will instead work to get the regions to pass this?

Indeed.  That is why I did not say that as President I would present a bill to accomplish this.

By the way, what are your views on school uniforms?

[Lincoln Republican]

With regards to the recent, for lack of a better word, misunderstanding, in the Atlasian Republic, for the record, let me say that I am all for having fun in this simulation, however, there are better ways to enjoy this activity rather than threatening secession from the union.

All participants have the right to have fun in Atlasia, but it is my belief that the enjoyment  by members should be within the law, not by threatening to secede.  As we all know, in the constitution of Atlasia, the threat to secede, some would call it treason, carries with it potentially severe penalties, up to and including expulsion from Atlasia, from various lengths of time, up to and including permanently.  I do not believe that any participant wants that, and I also believe that those with the authority to do so, do not want to see participants expelled for life.  I myself would certainly not like to see this happen.

There has to be a better way for participants to enjoy this simulation, rather than secession, which, ultimatley, will not succeed.

Let us work together, and come up with some concrete solutions to this quandry that Atlasians seem to find themselves in, that is, having fun.

[Lincoln Republican]

As part of my proposed economic reforms, in addition to my full employment strategy, as President, I will be proposing the institution of a flat tax.

I will be proposing a flat tax of 12.5%.  There will be no deductions, no loopholes in the flat tax system.  All Atlasians will contribute their share of tax, no exceptions.  If your income is $10,000.00, you pay $1,250.00.  If your income is $1,000,000.00, you pay $125,000.00.   
 
A flat tax system fundamentally differs from the progressive tax system. Tax rates are applied evenly across all income classes rather than adjusted based on income. Tax forms are simple and compact, eliminating the frustration and cost of filing income taxes.

Under a flat tax system, income is taxed once at a flat rate, encouraging people to save and invest more of their income, since their investments will not be taxed at every turn. An economy-wide increase in savings and investment can have positive spillover effects, such as a boost to the housing market, financial services industry and automobile industry.

Individuals are encouraged to work harder, earn more money and further their careers under a flat tax system, whereas a progressive tax system tends to punish people for success. This can serve to increase economy-wide spending and small business startups, providing a further boost to a range of industries and the overall tax-base.

A flat tax would lead to higher economy-wide income, resulting in an increase in the overall tax-base. Tax evasion and avoidance would become less profitable, decreasing the number of people who do not pay their taxes, and it would no longer be possible to manipulate the deductions in the tax code to completely negate the tax burden of high-income individuals.

The flat tax will replace the current tax code with a flat-rate income tax that treats all equally. All income is taxed only once and at one rate. There are no breaks for special interests and no loopholes for powerful lobbies, just a simple tax system that treats everyone the same.

All deductions and credits would be eliminated.

Every Atlasian will benefit under a flat tax system.

[Lincoln Republican]

I have previously addressed the issue of tax reform regarding personal taxes with my proposal of a 12.5% flat tax.

I will now address the issue of tax reform regarding corporate tax. 

As President, I will be proposing a single corporate tax rate of 24%.

Corporations, some earning billions of dollars in profits annually, must pay their fair share of  tax. 
 
My bill would end special tax breaks favoring any particular business sector and  would not  allow companies to defer taxes on income earned abroad. The exception would be small businesses — roughly defined as outfits earning less than $1 million annually — which would be allowed to expense all equipment bought in a given year.

My corporate tax reform proposals will result in actual job creation.

I expect this tax reform will add 2 million jobs and pump more than $500 billion into the economy by 2015.

[Lincoln Republican]

As President, I will propose the following energy policy.

If we create the right kind of system, we can not only get off the fossil-fuels roller coaster, but speed the transition to a clean energy economy that puts the interests of people before interests of polluters.

My goal is to cut carbon dioxide emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. This will be accomplished through a cap-and-trade system that would auction off 100 percent of emissions permits, making polluters pay for the CO2 they emit.

I intend to channel revenue raised from auctioning emissions permits,  between $30 billion and $50 billion a year, toward developing and deploying clean energy technology, creating "green jobs." 

25 percent of electricity is to come from renewable sources by 2025, and 30 percent of the federal government's electricity is to come from renewables by 2020.

I will propose investing $150 billion over 10 years in R&D for renewables, biofuels, efficiency, clean coal, and other clean tech.

This plan is designed to achieve the following results:

-Improving energy efficiency 50 percent by 2030.

-36 billion gallons of biofuels to be used each year by 2022 and 60 billion gallons of biofuels to be used each year by 2030.

-All new buildings to be carbon neutral by 2030.

-Reduce oil consumption by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels a day, by 2030.

-Get 1 Million Plug-In Hybrid Cars on the Road by 2015.
 
-Create a new $7,000 tax credit for purchasing advanced vehicles.

-Weatherize one million homes annually.

-Increase fuel economy standards.

-Crack down on excessive energy speculation.

-Develop and deploy clean coal technology.

I will be working toward less oil dependancy from the middle east and Venezuela, markets which will become more and more volatile in the coming years.  I propose to increase our oil imports from Canada, a more dependable supplier.

Off shore drilling will only be permitted once it has been established that adequate controls are in place to ensure no oil spills will occur.

[Lincoln Republican]

As President, I shall be encouraging Atlasians from all across the nation to institute in their lives and in their homes, to the greatest extent possible, the following green solutions, so that all Atlasians can participate in the battle against global warming.

1. Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb
(cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300
pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

2. Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at
night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your
energy bill.

3. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You
could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple
adjustment.

4. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

5. Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy
efficient products available.

6. Do not leave appliances on standby
Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3
hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby
mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.

7. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can
save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.

8. Move your fridge and freezer
Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they
were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room
where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an
extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.

9. Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic
defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their
predecessors.

10. Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period
When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a
small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six
cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2
emissions.

11. Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through
windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer
(wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon
gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.

12. Get a home energy audit
Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly
insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and
1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy
specialist.

13. Cover your pots while cooking
Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better
are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!

14. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting.
There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so
efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.

15. Take a shower instead of a bath
A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximise the energy
saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and
provide the same comfort.

16. Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low
flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your
clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.

17. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6
months out of the year.

18. Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill
and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can
save another 1,700 pounds per year. Energy Efficient has more information on how
to better insulate your home.

19. Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste
your household generates.

20. Recycle your organic waste
Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by
decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if
you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you
compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your
compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.

21. Buy intelligently
One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of
0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to
make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.

22. Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can
You will also cut down on waste production and energy use... another help against
global warming.

23. Reuse your shopping bag
When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of
accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and
methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.

24. Reduce waste
Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g.
during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box
instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch
boxes.

25. Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided
by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day
Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with
membership.

[Lincoln Republican]

26. Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources
such as wind and solar. In some of these, you can even get refunds by government
if you choose to switch to a clean energy producer, and you can also earn money
by selling the energy you produce and don't use for yourself.

27. Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your
plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.

28. Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.

29. Seek out and support local farmers markets
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you
by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them.

30. Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils
from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d
remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

31. Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the
greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to
produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.

32. Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking
mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of
carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.

33. Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide
emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. eRideShare.com runs a free service connecting
north american commuters and travelers.

34. Don't leave an empty roof rack on your car
This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind
resistance and the extra weight - removing it is a better idea.

35. Keep your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When
just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon
dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.

36. Drive carefully and do not waste fuel
You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper
gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal
brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for
more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on
both fuel and car mantainance.

37. Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon
of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every
increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference.

38. When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3
miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon
with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency on FuelEconomy and on
GreenCars websites.

39. Try car sharing
Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations
provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and
insurance. Many companies – such as Flexcar - offer low emission or hybrid cars too.

40. Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive
every week. For more information, check out the Telework Coalition.

41. Fly less
Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by
even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. You can also
offset your air travel carbon emissions by investingin renewable energy projects.

42. Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions
You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home
by actively encouraging other to take action.

43. Join the virtual march
The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people
concerned about global warming together in one place. Add your voice to the
hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.

44. Encourage the switch to renewable energy
Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable
energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to
be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. U.S.
citizens, take action to break down those barriers with Vote Solar.

45. Protect and conserve forest worldwide
Forests play a critial role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are
burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere -
deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Conservation International has more information on saving forests from global
warming.

46. Consider the impact of your investments
If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and
savings will have on global warming. Check out SocialInvest and Ceres to can learn
more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products
and projects that address issues related to climate change.

47. Make your city cool
Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by
passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation. If you're in the U.S.,
join the cool cities list.

48. Tell the Government to act on global warming.

49. Make sure your voice is heard!
Atlasians must have a stronger commitment from their government in order to
stop global warming and implement solutions.

[Lincoln Republican]

Where'd these points come from??

From an internet search for Solutions to global warming.

[Lincoln Republican]

The Winfield/Jbrase administration will do a study of Atlasia's military bases around the world, in order to determine which bases are to be closed.  Providing the security of Atlasia and Atlasians is not compromised, those particular bases that can be closed will be closed and the troops brought home or deployed elsehwhere where they may be needed more.

As President, I will ensure that our military is always prepared to defend the intrests and security of Atlasia, and that the military has the tools to do the job.

The emerging economies of China, India, Brazil, and Mexico warrant particular attention.  As President, I will cultivate our relationships with these nations from an economic and political standpoint, and will work with the leaders of these nations in order to ensure strong ties resulting in positive economic benefits to Atlasia.  I will work to increase Atlasian goods, services, and technology moving from Atlasia to these nations, in particular China, in order to achieve a more favorable balance of trade for Atlasian interests.

[Lincoln Republican]

A Winfield/Jbrase administration will institute a code of ethics for all members of the Atlasian government.  Under a Winfield/Jbrase administration, we will expect the highest standards of ethics to be adhered to by all elected and appointed officials in the Atlasian government.

Code of Ethics for Government Service

ANY PERSON IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE SHOULD:

1.  Put loyalty to the highest moral principles above loyalty to persons, party, or Government department.

2.  Uphold the Constitution, laws, and legal regulations of the Republic of Atlasia and of all governments therein and never be a party to their evasion.

3.  Give a full day's labor for a full day's pay; giving to the performance of his or her duties his or her earnest effort and best thought.

4.  Seek to find and employ more efficient and economical ways of getting tasks accomplished.

5.  Never discriminate unfairly by the dispensing of special favors or privileges to anyone, whether for remuneration or not; and never accept, for himself or his family, favors or benefits under circumstances which might be construed by reasonable persons as influencing the performance of his or her governmental duties.

6.  Make no private promises of any kind binding upon the duties of office, since the Government employee has no private word which can be binding on public duty.

7.  Engage in no business with the Government, either directly or indirectly, which is inconsistent with the conscientious performance of his or her governmental duties.

8.  Never use any information coming to him or her confidentially in the performance of governmental duties as a means for making private profit.

9.  Expose corruption wherever discovered.

10. Uphold these principles, ever conscious that public office is a public trust.

[Lincoln Republican]

I commend you on this code.  Though you're platform is far off from my views in certain areas, you certainly have a sense of morality and character that is required in a President.

Thank you Cincinnatus.  Your comments are appreciated.

[Lincoln Republican]

There has been far too much partisan bickering and animosity in the Republic of Atlasia of late between the JCP and the RPP.

This situation is poisoning the atmosphere in the nation and in the game.

My running mate, Senator Jbrase and I, neither of us a member of either of the two warring factions, offer Atlasians a fresh start.  We are, in essence, running as an independent ticket, not beholden to any party.

We offer Atlasians the opportunity to elect a new administration, an independent administation, free from the partisan wrangling that has dominated this game lately.

Partisan loyalty is fine, to a point.  But when it begins to threaten the very existence of of this game, then it has gone too far. 

Continued partisan contention will ultimately lead to the demise of this simulation.  Members will continue to lose interest because of the situation, in fact, some very good members have already begun to leave.  I note as well that President Polnut has left the JCP to become an independent, for whatever reason.

The ticket of Winfield and Jbrase transcends partisanship and ideology, and offers Atlasia and Atlasians a real choice.

[Lincoln Republican]

My fellow Atlasians, even though varying viewpoints will always and must always exist, I believe it is important that our society is founded upon the principles of caring, compassion, and understanding.

As in any society, we will find in Atlasia

those who think differently  

those who talk differently

those who are powerless

those who are different

those who are suffering

those who are lonely.

I envision a nation where even though we will always have varying points of view on any number of issues and events, nevertheless a nation where there is acceptance and tolerance amongst Atlasians for the myriad of differences that will always exist.

[Lincoln Republican]

Illegal immigration is an enormous problem for Atlasia, and one that is growing.  Spotty or haphazard efforts to end illegal immigration cannot succeed.

I shall propose the following recommendations towards the enactment of an effective illegal immigration policy.

-use expeditious exclusion of fraudulent entrants at airports
-cap the number of asylum grantees
-grant authority for the Border Patrol to conduct open-field searches
-eliminate legalistic delaying tactics in immigration hearings

Incentives for illegal immigration must be eliminated.

-withhold work authorization to those with pending asylum claims
-establish a universal system for checking welfare and work eligibility

The penalties for violating immigration law must be increased

-bar from later immigration those who make frivolous asylum applications  
-make alien smuggling and document fraud into racketeering crimes
-bar reentry to any alien receiving a five-year prison sentence
-withhold funds from localities that refuse to cooperate with efforts to end illegal immigration
-hold sponsors accountable for immigrants they sponsor
-deport immigrants who become public charges

Additional measures

-widen use of pre-inspection programs abroad and frequent-traveler inspection procedures
-institute a Border Patrol canine program and highway checkpoint system
-create an interior repatriation and deportation hearings of criminal aliens by telephone

Government agencies must coordinate their efforts better and more extensively

-improve coordination between border agencies and between intelligence agencies
-limit judicial review of immigration decisions and expand judicial deportation
-speed notification to INS of jailed aliens, including certified records of conviction

A greater investment must be made in the personnel who combat illegal immigration

-increase personnel in inspections, intelligence, border patrol, and detention and deportation
-dedicate investigators to work solely on employment of illegal aliens
-expand on-going training programs for inspectors, intelligence officers, and investigators
-establish systematic performance reviews of immigration judges

Top-of-the-line equipment must be available to the enforcers of immigration law

-provide a facility for immigration classified information
-establish equipment plans for immigration intelligence, the border patrol, and investigations
-improve vehicle fleets of the border patrol, investigations
-create a centralized case database for immigration investigations

New technology must be harnessed to the battle against illegal immigration.

-introduce new, up-to-date technology in inspections, border patrol, and investigations
-create a secure intelligence database and distribution system
-set up a verification system for welfare and work eligibility

[Lincoln Republican]

Do you support a path to citizenship for those already here illegaly who haven't committed a crime?

That is a very good question, and thank you for asking it.   

Although we have to protect our borders, we also have to be practical about those already here illegally.  We also have to take into consideration that many of these people have their families here, and have children here, some born in the country.  I am not a proponent of separating families.  Let's face facts.  It would be impractical and virtually impossible to expell every illegal in the nation.  However, public safety and national security must be paramount in deciding which illegals could be granted citizenship.

For those already here illegally who have not committed any crime, I would propose proceeding with any decision on citizenship on a case by case basis, in order that a determination could be made which would warrant citizenship and which would not.  For those who warrant it, the normal citizenship proceedings could then begin.