The Office of Former President & Senator Polnut - Deregistration

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

As I said, I regret your decision but perfectly understand it. I'd hope you'd change your mind, but that probably won't happen. Good luck in whatever will be your activity in Atlasia now.

A voter.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I was sad to hear this.  I really hope that my attitude regarding the Imperialism bill didn't factor too much into your decision.

I think you've been a fine president, and I'd be very happy if you reconsidered and ran for re-election.

It's hard to get things done in Atlasia because we're all bullheaded and strongwilled people.  That is no different than the real thing.

[Napoleon]

Agreeing with Snowguy, I still respect you a great deal. I had hoped you would run for reelection. I know we had some disagreements, but I don't expect to agree with anyone 100% of the time. You will be missed dearly, and I think we've got a good compromise coming up. Thanks for everything President Polnut.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The President's Speech at the World Trade Center Memorial

11 September 2011


My fellow Atlasians,

10 years ago on a beautiful September morning, the security we had had always felt through all the Wars our nation had fought through, was suddenly gone in a horrific instant.

Young men, women and children who were innocently doing what we all do, were brutally targeted. Children lost parents, husbands and wives now without each other, friends gone. The unity of resolve to support those lost and to ensure that such things never happen again, was something that should never vanish.

Every year since the attacks that morning, my predecessors have spoken about our resolve and how we will beat those who sought to do so much damage to us.

But to a large extent, I believe everything on that matter that can be said, has been. We saw in the bombing of the St Louis Arch and the External Affairs Building that the threat that terror poses has not gone away.

However, I think now that a decade has passed, and we have fought in this cause all over the world, we need to ask some fundamental questions about how we can beat terrorism, not just the terrorists.

The view of many who believe that terrorism can be beaten like any other combative enemy is to me, the view from the cheap seats. It is, despite our loss of young life and the expense of money, the easy way out. The simplistic view that a is bad, b is good and b must defeat a.

We need to face some difficult truths that terrorism is a cancer in our world, and much of what we have done since 9/11 has been to treat the symptoms, not the cause. Perhaps, because asking those causal questions makes us uncomfortable… suggesting the role of Western policy to radicalise people in the Arab and wider-Muslim world was considered tantamount to blaming those killed for their deaths. It is not. Like any illness, you need to understand why and how it came about before you can begin to truly excise it. Understanding a justification in someone else’s mind, does not mean that you have to accept it.

Many leaders have trumpeted that we have made it harder to terrorists to function, that is a fact. The work done to disturb communications, money and intelligence has inhibited groups like Al Qaeda from acting in the way they have in the past. But that defeats the terrorists as people, like any other ideology, you cannot defeat it with bombs, guns or drone strikes. You defeat a toxic ideology with better ideas.

For the history of terror as a tactic, from medieval germ warfare, the Assassins during the Crusades, to the PLA, Black September and the IRA in our recent past, there are some common threads. Terror was used as a tactic with a cause, however repugnant. The wave of Jihadism we’ve seen is now clearly without a motive, except simply to disrupt our lives and cause chaos and fear. The other common thread is the terror in our modern time has never achieved the aim of that terrorism. The PLA did not become the PLO, nor did members of the IRA become members of the Northern Ireland Assembly through terror. Terrorism did not win then and it will not win now.

We can defeat terrorism, and do it in the memory of this innocent people who lost their lives 10 years ago, but also those who died in Bali, Madrid, Riyadh, Marrakesh and London… the battle against these fanatics is global and the cause must be global.

All of those who believe that all men, women and children deserve to live in peace with each other, without concern for race, religion or any other artifice of separation need to realize that the solution to terrorism is our universal humanity. Whatever we are or appear to be is merely a casing that contains what we truly are, human beings.

By uniting together and saying ‘no’ and by showing those most vulnerable to the lies of those evil people, are indeed that, then can we  move to truly defeating terrorism. And the best part is that we can do this without more bloodshed. There people who must pay for what they have done, and as president, commander-in-chief and proud Atlasian, I will not rest until they have. However, we must stop the lies and persecution. We have to stop looking at each other as ‘the other’ and be filled with fear and mistrust.

It is said, that September 11, 2001 was the day we lost our innocence. In simple sense, that is accurate. But every day since, opportunities have been lost to work together to defeat the foul ideology or terrorism, which threatens every country, city, community, family and individual that lives with respect and tolerance for our brothers and sisters and works together towards the common goals of human family.

This is a much harder and bigger task than many want to face, but I believe that those who were lost deserve such a living memorial.

Thank you all, may those who have died rest in eternal peace, and may those who remain be comforted in that thought.  

[Napoleon]

Beautiful speech Mr. President.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The President's Speech to the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce

29 September 2011


Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me here to speak with you this evening.

Given that I have only a short time left as president, I want to make sure that you all know that one thing you haven’t got, is a lame-duck president.

I intend to keep working every single day until I see my successor take the oath of office.

In that spirit, I am announcing one of the most ambitious reforms our economy has ever seen.

If there has been one complaint I have held for a long time about our national finances it is the tiered system of income taxation.

With each region being able to impose its own income tax, it creates disparities and false economies based on the ideological bent or whim of the regions.

Therefore I am today announcing that it will be the policy of my administration to see the abolition of regional income taxation.

Now, regional governments will still need to be funded to do their work, I am not interested in further centralisation of power in Nyman. Regional governments have important roles to play and they need to be able to do their work with maximum benefits for their communities.

This is also not an issue of the abolition of taxation, so the right can stop jumping for joy and the left can stand down from the ledge; this is just a simplifying of a system which I do not think works well. I will convene a meeting of all regional governors within the next week to discuss alternatives.

There are, however, certain conditions that I will apply to alternatives.
•   The Federal Government will not increase its income tax share from either individuals or business
•   The administration of any future finance system will fit within existing bureaucracies
•   There needs to be a uniformity across the regions to ensure a fairer system than currently exists

I cannot and would not seek to impose this on Atlasia, this is an important reform that will require wide-support. I will work with the regional Governors and the Federal Senators to get this done. I know this might not be done within my term, but this is a reform that I believe needs to happen it will simplify our national finances and will lessen the burden of income taxation on many who can least afford it.

This is a golden opportunity for this country to unite and reform our national economy. Yes, we are regions that have separate interests but we are also one nation, with interconnected economies and therefore, an interconnected future.

Finally, I want to thank you for your support during my presidency. It can be a very lonely job, but knowing that the people you serve have your back makes it so much easier. The warmth of the Atlasian people is something I will certainly miss, but I made the decision to not stay on because you deserve an active and available president.

Thank you all.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

President Polnut has issued this statement on the current issues in Atlasia.

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=137599.msg3040441#msg3040441

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The President's Remarks to the Human Rights Campaign Dinner
Walter E. Washington Convention Centre, Nyman

2 October 2011

Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured to be here speaking with you tonight.

While this is a night to celebrate the work and achievements of those within the LGBTI community, and supporters outside of it, I wanted to speak to you about the larger issue of bullying.

Most of us in this room, myself included, were bullied at school. My experience was at the time was not exactly fun, but it was nothing compared to what many fellow students were dealing with on a daily basis.

While, at times, I did not want to go to school, the experience of so many young people who are afraid to go to school is something that we can no longer put down to just ‘part of growing up’.

I hear many people say ‘ well, bullying taught me character’. Frankly, I don’t buy that for a second. I’ve never met anyone who could tell me that being bullied was a good thing for them.

I commend the great work of the Trevor Project and the ‘It Gets Better’ campaign. Young queer kids should enjoy the same rights and experiences that all children enjoy, discovering your talents, exploring who you are and where you fit in the world… taking your partner to the prom…

But when I hear about teenagers ending their lives before it’s even started, because people’s thoughtless and heartless jibes have made them feel that their life has so little meaning, it utterly breaks my heart.

During my teenage years I had three friends who committed suicide, 2 within as many weeks, and one of them was being bullied for ‘acting gay’. He was an intelligent, thoughtful and sensitive person with so much love and compassion to give to the world, gay or straight, who cares – I often think what he would be doing now.
*pauses*

But because resources weren’t there, he couldn’t stand the bullying, up to and including physical assaults, this wonderful person chose to leave this world long before he should have.

Consider that the suicide rate for LGBTI kids is almost 3 times has high as non-queer teenagers. To say that there is nothing special about these cases and to treat them exactly the same as normal playground rough and tumble is a dereliction of the most basic duties of care.

Every child, gay, straight, athletic, bookish, white, black, thin, overweight deserves the right to fulfill their potential, without the feeling that that potential has no right to be fulfilled.

Bullying regardless of its basis has only one purpose to boost the egos of some  at the expense of the self-worth of others.

In that end, I am proposing the following.
The Atlasian Anti-Bullying Bill, this will provide funding to the regions to institute education programs, educator training and support services.

However, we expect the regions to contribute their fair share, in fact the Federal government will match regional funding dollar for dollar.

This is a national problem and it requires and true national solution.

While this is not a magic solution to the issue of bullying, and we must be realistic, we have to let parents, teachers and students know that there are consequences to bullying.

Every child deserves to grow up in safety and security, with opportunities to be the best person they can be. In that society, we all win.

Thank you all.

[Fritz]

Great speech!

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The Office of Former President Polnut

President Polnut has formally taken over an office suite in '111 Huntington Avenue' in Boston.

From this office the President intends to work towards greater social inclusion, social justice and cleaner and sustainable environment for the future.

He will be on a private vacation until early January 2012. Once he returns to Boston, he will make a statement on his political future.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The Office of Former President Polnut

Boston

President Polnut will be making a statement on his political future tomorrow at 7pm EST.

No details on content will be released before the statement is made.

[Oakvale]

*intrigued*

[ZuWo]

*intrigued*

[Yelnoc]

*intrigued*

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Boston

Former President Polnut walks into the medium sized conference room, and stands behind the simple wooden lectern at the front.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Last November, when I returned home after completing a very overwhelming tour from Nyman. I told all of you that I would keep you all informed of what decisions I have made in relation to my political future.

I said at the time, that I did not see myself involved beyond the most important of all, a voter.

I have spent the last six-weeks abroad, and spent a great-deal of that time reflecting on what I have achieved, what I haven't and whether or not, that calls for further involvement from me.

In my term as President, I worked with the Senate to end our involvement in overseas theatres of war with our heads held high, reduced the tax burden on low-income people and small businesses, at a time when it was most needed. I also introduced a national anti-bullying program, as well as a program to streamline our military presence.

I was elected with a record mandate, and over time increased your confidence in me. I will never, ever forget the faith the Atlasian people placed in me.

I always worked for you, not the left or the right, but for you.

However, tonight, I am announcing my formal retirement from electoral politics.

What we achieved in my term as president, does not require me to lead. The capacity to bring about pragmatic and positive change lies with you, you really don't need me. We need to demand more of our leaders, because, if we don't, and they disappoint us, we have only ourselves to blame. Because as I know all too well, I served at your pleasure, as a public servant.

I will put myself forward to serve in a way that will enable my experience to be put to better use, but it will not be in the elected political sphere.

I will take whatever questions there may be, but um... that's it.

Thanks everyone ...

[Cincinnatus]

TPP - Would you rule out an appointment as CJO of the NE?  It is of course, not elected

[Oakvale]

TPP - Would you rule out an appointment as CJO of the NE?  It is of course, not elected

I second this question!

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I would consider any appointment carefully.

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DDDDDDDDDDDDD:

[AndrewTX]

Damnit! You may never retire, ever!

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The Office of Former President Polnut

Boston

President Polnut will be launching programs of the Polnut Foundation over the next week.

Thursday 19 January - New York City, NY
Friday 20 January - Philadelphia, PA
Saturday 21 January - Hartford, CT
Monday 23 January - Manchester, NH
Tuesday 24 January - Boston, MA

He looks forward to meeting as many people as he can during these stops.

[tmthforu94]

Get out of retirement already! Run for something.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Get out of retirement already! Run for something.

[Yelnoc]

Get out of retirement already! Run for something.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Get out of retirement already! Run for something.