At Large Senate Q&A

[CLARENCE 2015!]

I have discussed with Polnut the lack of time for a debate... but we both are willing to do a Q&A togethr to contrast and Jersey Rules of course is invited. If either of my opponents wants the Q&a to be started by a 3rd party that is fine...if not we can just respond to this post

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

A moderator of sorts would potentially help to make things run more smoothly?

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Sure... but I think we have only 16 hours until the polls open!

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I understand, but it might make it a bit more difficult... unless it's just an open forum kind of thing?

[Napoleon]

I can moderate. I was going to be asking questions anyway.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

I know you have a dog in this fight Napoleon but I have no objections to you moderating

[Napoleon]

I know you have a dog in this fight Napoleon but I have no objections to you moderating

True but fair democracy trumps all in my book. Tough and relevant questions are just what The People want.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Alright... well shoot away guy

I would love to get the gauntlet of questions as the vote starts in 15 hours

[Napoleon]

I'd like all of the candidates to answer the following:

How does your experience make you a superior candidate to your opponents?

What are your top legislative priorities and why?

Is the Senate too liberal or too conservative? Give examples.

Now...

Polnut, would you support any bill that would privatize or partially privatize Atlasian health care? What options are on the table?

Clarence, how do you think the Senate should approach game reform?

[CLARENCE 2015!]

1 Putting aside my life experience, Polnut clearly stomps me in experience in the board. However I have been an active legislator in the Southeast with bill writing, debating, voting and that experience would work well in the Senate. I know Polnut is running with the whole "Experience Counts" gig but from what every one has been saying, the same old business is getting stale here and new blood can help that.

2 First is a school vouchers program. I am working on writing this up for the Soutehast and am getting information to do it but that is only a midway point... the goal is not to give power to regions but to parents and students and I want to pursue this at a national level. There is bloat in public universties  and I will examine the best way to go about this nationally but that will be my priority. Second will be to take a look at the structure of the military and if need be revise that- it is an issue I have experience with and I went thru and updated the Southeast militia act to account for salaries, costs, and expand veterans access to benefits. I will do the same thing in the Senate if elected.  I will have more  items if I get voted in but you asked for priorities- there they are

3 Judging by last election it is pretty evenby party but over all I believe the entire board skews to the left... even most members of my party on here are more centrist or libertarian then conservative. I reckon I'd be the most conserviatve member of the Senate maybe alongside TJ in Cleve, but that would sure make for some fiery debates!

Game Reform- I support the effort going on down there about lowering the requirements to play this game... if I did not have all the time in the world on my hands I would not have put forward the effort to get a start here... luckily I had some more experiences folks help out me  out. In general there seems to be a lot goin on now to reform the game with the party dissolution and caucuses, one which I founded, and the talks in the Senate about requirements. I would follow the lead of more experienced members on this... but I think electing a newboy to the Senate will be a good sign that new members are welcome and can join the fun

[Napoleon]

Thanks for the answers clarence. I'll give Polnut time before asking more questions.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Firstly, a quick thanks to Clarence for participating and Napoleon for moderating.

In relation to the questions,

1. I would never regard myself as superior, but I believe this current time of flux in Atlasia is, as I said in my formal announcement speech, both an opportunity for tremendous positive change, but also poses risks.

I'm supportive of the changes underway, and I agree with those who need to see a break from the current system. As someone who wrote legislation in the Mideast as Governor when no-one else would, I served as a pragmatic member of the Northeast Assembly at a time when it was dominated by an extreme faction, and then worked with Senators from across the spectrum as President to get valuable pieces of legislation passed, I know how to get things done, often at the most difficult times. So what I'm offering the Atlasian people is that experience when it most needs the stability.

I believe this time needs people with that experience of working for the benefits of the Atlasian people. Clarence is right that new blood is needed, in fact, I always have argued that point. I just happen to believe at this time, I'm offering a set of knowledge and experience that will be of greatest benefit to those I would serve.

2. Before I left the presidency, I was starting to get the ball-rolling on several key issues.

The first is the streamlining of our tax system. I believe that having two systems of income taxation is both cumbersome and complex. So, this is an issue that the Senate should be focusing on, in association with the regional governments and the President.

The second is to give foreign policy the place is deserves in our national discourse.

The third is to promote greater equality, and opportunities for upward social mobility at a time when for some many Atlasians  it seems further away than ever before.

3. I believe the Senate is representative of Atlasia as a whole, however, during my time as President, I saw a lot of spending going ahead, but combined with a lack of desire for fiscal restraint on other sides. So, I appreciated the pledge from President Snowguy to limit new spending without accompanying savings.

In fact, I got in trouble from my own party for forging ahead with cuts to both low-income personal taxes as well as small-business corporate taxes, and trust me, the Atlasian Senate doesn't require conservatives to be there for fire-filled debates to take place.  

On the health question...

I've made it known that I support a strong public health system. I believe that a good healthcare system that is not dependent on wealth should be the cornerstone of decent public policy. When I hear arguments which suggests that public health systems are inefficient or costly is largely based on misinformation.

Personally, I would need overwhelming evidence to show cause for the partial privatisation of our health system, as I would never support full-privatisation. I know of some options along the lines of comprehensive basic coverage with a private option for specialist, non-essential services.

...considering my time-zone, (and it's 2am) I may have to step out for the time being and catch up. Apologies.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Good night Polnut! For when you wake up later...

I want to say that I agree with his points about streamlining tax system and about foreign policy. In the Southeast, I sponsored a bill which passed to give the surplus back to the people as a rebate and if a surplus continues taxes ought to be lowered...that is a good problem to have

My question for Polnut is two-fold... What do you believe an appropriate tax structure should be and what is your general foreign policy outlook? You mention those as priorities but I would like to discuss specifics if possible...

For me, I believe in a fair tax, which taxes consumption rather then work. It also encourages sound financial decisions. For foreign policy- I believe as I said in my announcement in a foreign policy which intervenes if our national security is threatened but whih does not have our military engaged in nation building. If we want to talks pecific nations I would be glad to.

I also want to point out how truly amazing it is that we are having this conversation from across the world... it is a part of today's world and the web that you all may not appreciate but shows just how far we have come... that is one reason I love this board!

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Thanks Clarence for the question, and your patience.

I believe there are a number of option in relation to sorting out the tax system to make it easier to manage, without decreasing the effectiveness of vital services.

I understand that this will be a process driven by the regions determining what alternative would be appropriate. I have examined a few options myself, but a more detailed study would be required. But there are a number of conditions that I would put on any alternative, the first would be the average cost impost would not be increased overall, but with special attention given to the lowest incomes and that each region would individually administer any new system within existing bureaucracies.

I'm not interested in using spin-terms like 'fair tax', but a consumption tax is something to consider as an alternative, but I would stress I'm not wedded to the idea personally. I think this would require a convention to discuss the most workable options.

I believe that at this current phase of financial recovery, tax cuts must be strategic and focused carefully. When President, I combined a set of targeted tax cuts with a desire to promote a sustainable trajectory towards a surplus. Any surplus created should have gone first and foremost to paying down the debt, this is something I still hold to.

As to the issue of foreign policy. I believe Secretary Ben can attest to my commitment to a thorough foreign policy discussion in Atlasia. I came into office, with a clear decision to get us out of all of our theatres of war, appropriately and decently. Now, I know that issue caused a lot of rancour among my fellow progressives, but we took a while longer to get an agreement than was probably necessary, but it was a good plan and achieved our aims.

But I think we need to get out minds away from the idea that foreign policy equal military entanglement. I told the world as President that Atlasia would be there in we were needed, and as Senator I would continue in that spirit. But foreign policy also includes humanitarian and trade issues that do deserve attention.

I would like to ask Clarence what specific circumstances would be amenable to get your approval of the deployment of Atlasian forces externally?

[CLARENCE 2015!]

We have much in common on taxes but please know the Fair Tax is not a spin term, it is a very specific policy proposal in terms of sales tax. It is a good starting point for future discussions I believe

With regards to your question about foreign policy- I support military intervention if our national security is threatened. Take Iran- I believe that if they were to produce a nuclear weapon,t he world would be in grave danger not only because they may use it, but it may end up in the hands of a terrorist group. If we came to a point whre intelligence showed that Iran had produced a nuclear weapon- wich is contrary to what they have told the interinational community they are doing- I would vote to use force. But I want to be very clear... I have long agreed with the strategy of using our technology over our manpower nowadays. We have unmanned drones and stealth bombers and long range air defense and field artillery that makes having men on the ground a needless risk. My heart weeps for the young man or woman who comes home wihtout a limb because of an IED or does not come home at all. I support a new kind of warfare that uses our technology and does not place as many of our service members at risk. I also would support intervention in humanitarian situations as you would, but would defer to an organization such as the Afrian Union or local nations to handle nation building and would not get bogged down for a decade.