A Choice, Not an Echo! A Voice, not A Cricket! - NC Yankee for Atlasian Senate

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Ladies and Gentleman,


As I am sure many of you feel just like me in that your are thoroughly alarmed as well as sick and tired of seeing our elected representatives in large numbers sit on the hands on do absolutely nothing when we face a looming budget deadline at the end of the year, I have decided that I cannot in good conscience sit idly by and do nothing.

I have the utmost regard for Senator Haslam and appreciate his gracious act in stepping aside for the good of the Southern Region. That being said we have become far too complacent and far too condoning and accepting of inactivity in this game, no party is innocent in this regard, but every voter has right to demand change and every politician has the right and the responsibility to hold each other to the standards we have established.

Right now there is an amendment being debated before Congress to establish a blanket rule of forfeiture regarding activity. I am reluctantly endorsing this amendment, because I fear we are in a desperate situation. However, I would note that we already have a process that has been woefully underused and I do applaud Senator Sestak for introducing a motion to expel in the case of Senator Haslam.

There is too much at stake and there is too much work to be done to do nothing. Therefore, I am throwing my hat into ring for Regional Senator for the Southern Region, both for the special to succeed Haslam2020 and for the regular election in December.

If elected as your regional Senator, I promise to do the following:

1. Participate in every bill thread discussion and work to compel the participation of other Senators through procedural motions.
2. Introduce Expulsion motions against any and all Senators who have failed to meet the activity standard established in Senate rules, regardless of Party.
3. Collaborate and Coordinate with the Governor and Regional Legislature - I did this when I was Senator and PiT was an executive. Basically I would inform the regional officials of pending legislation that affects them and seek their input on a regular basis. This includes introducing legislation they recommend or desire.
4. Immediately introduce a continuing Resolution to avert a Shutdown on January 1st and work to get a budget done ASAP
5. Support a legitimate peace agreement that accomplishes our objectives for the security and freedom of the North Korean People and work with the administration to ensure that such is obtained expeditiously.
6. To not run for the position of PPT unless every other Senator is dead or dying.


While it might have taken time to read in some cases, throughout my long career in the Senate, my opinions were available on virtually every single bill that came up. A Senator has to be a voice, a powerful voice that represents the interests, and the needs of their respective region. A senator has to be a conduit for the concerns and ideas of Regional Government officials into the Congress and a Senator must serve as a check, a sort of quality control agent on legislation in Congress. Too often we have seen bad bills not only make it through the Senate, but even come out of the Senate itself and get passed into law. One person cannot be expected to find every last mistake, but with all six scouring to find such, the chances of one slipping by drop considerably. Too often we have seen regional concerns go unaddressed or unexpressed in Congress. Too often we have seen idle acceptance of idle incompetence.

I want to be your voice and your messenger in the Atlasian Senate. I would be honored to have your vote for Senator!

Regular Election: December 14th - 16th


Events:
Outrage over Inactivity and the Constitution
Debate: Opening Statement
Debate: Market Competition and Monopolies
Debate: Presidential Activity and Senate Activity
Debate: Federalism and Balance of Responsibilities
Debate: Abortion, Environment and Immigration
Debate: Foreign Policy
Debate: Deficit Reduction
Debate: Economic Growth
Debate: Trade and Technology
Debate: Tax Code Reform
Debate: Response to Homestar's Answer on Discord and Open Discussion on the Boards
Debate: Response to Homestar's Answer on Activity and the Role of the President
Debate: Response to Homestar's Answer on Chamber of Delegates
Debate: Response to Homestar's Answer on Monopolies and Nationalization
Debate: Response to Homestar's Answer on Abortion and Regional Activity
Debate: Closing Statement
Florida Speech on Activity


Actions in the Senate Partial Term:
Office Thread

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

X CELTICEMPIRE

[fhtagn]

Endorsed, of course!

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Mega Endorsed!

[diptheriadan]

Endorsed!

[Lumine]

Endorsed, Yankee, and good luck. The Senate deserves a serious kick to get moving.

[TPIG]

Endorsed!

[Sirius_]

Endorsed, congress needs to get moving!

[Pragmatic Conservative]

Endorsed!

[West_Midlander]

Endorsed!

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Endorsed!

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

Endorsed.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

There might not be a special election

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

I'd like to ask this of both candidates, so reposting with edits:

Would you consider your position on gun rights to be more or less liberal ('liberal' as in supporting looser laws) than Yankee's Homestar's?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

There might not be a special election

Indeed, but if there is I would rather have people aware that such might happen and then not have it occur, then have it occur and people not realize it is even happening.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I'd like to ask this of both candidates, so reposting with edits:

Would you consider your position on gun rights to be more or less liberal ('liberal' as in supporting looser laws) than Yankee's Homestar's?

I cannot speak to Homestar's position on guns because I am not familiar enough with them to cast my views relative to his so I will merely state what my views are and then let the voters make the decision.

I believe in a right to responsible gun ownership. I think that includes rights to own guns for the purposes of hunting, sport and yes self defense. However, like with all things, there are reasonable expectations of responsibility, and we are not completely unfamiliar with reasonable limiting factors when it comes to constitutional rights. For instance, people cannot harm public safety through free speech by shouting fire in a crowded theater and people are subject to incarceration for violation of laws through due process.

I think we can therefore respect, protect and preserve the right to keep and bear arms and that those rights should be protected via due process. However, those who have committed violent crimes and or suffer from mental illness, can be restricted in their access to gun ownership, provided those rights can be restored through due process with a reasonable and uniformly applied set of standards.

I think it is within our power to preserve the general right to gun ownership without punishing them for the sake of the bad actors and therefore there is a way that we can combine background checks with due process and solve most of our problems in this regard.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Statement in Response to my Distinguished Opponent

To begin with I would like to welcome my opponent back into the race, as I was beginning to worry that he was gone.

That being said I find it deeply disturbing the tone of the statement put out earlier. I believe fundamentally that our game and our country is stronger when we welcome all who want to participate and value each other's contributions. This includes valuing both the old and the young and valuing the contributions that they make to the game. I would never deny my opponent's input because of youth and inexperience.

As for the contributions, my opponent says that I bring nothing new. Well since declaring my candidacy twenty four hours ago, we have seen a new spurt of activity from my opponent.  

Right now we have record inactivity and incompetence from our officeholders and we face massive important decisions ahead of us of great importance and consequence. So I put it to the voters, can we afford exclusion while our troops remain exposed overseas at risk of losing their pay and their supplies? Can we afford discrimination when we see inactivity on officeholders both new an old?

The South has always been a leader in embracing the input of wise elder and the energetic youth and putting both to work for the betterment of our people. Let us not succumb to exclusion, let us not succumb to discrimination, let us embrace and encourage one another to do better. Let us set higher expectations for each other, and encourage, mentor and support each other along the way to getting there. Let us value the ideas and contributions of those who want to get things done.

I am eager to get to work for you, the people of the Southern Region, regardless of party, regardless of age.

[TheSaint250]

Endorsed

[Vern]

Mega Endorsed!

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Endorsed. If it was possible to endorse more than once, I would.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I have linked all the debate answers and my speeches in the OP

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Congratulations on your victory!

[Pericles]

Congratulations on your victory!

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Congratulations on your victory!

[Wisconsin+17]

Congrats on your overwhelming victory, eternal senator Yankee!