Liberal National Convention, June 2012 - Houston, TX -- Standing In Solidarity

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Presidential Nominee: Gov. Napoleon (CT)
Vice Presidential Nominee: Rep. Kalwejt (AL)

Hello, and welcome to the second ever Liberal National Convention, coming to you live from Houston, Texas!

Our schedule is as follows:
Friday, June 1st: Sign-in and general discussion of business
Saturday, June 2nd: Open Floor- Speeches
Sunday, June 3rd: Voting on party leadership and bylaws

Delegates, fellow Liberals, honored guests, please sign in.

x Scott
Northeast Regional Senator, Party Chair

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

x et moi

[Napoleon]

X Governor Napoleon

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Bump.

I'm going to be mad pissed if there are only four sign-ins at the end of the day. :/

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

I PMed Badger last night.  I'm going to start messaging some others.

[Rooney]

x Rooney, signed in so I have done my part as a voter!

[Sbane]

X Sbane

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Good evening, and welcome to the beginning of the second day of our convention.

At first, I must say- it is an honor having the privilege to serve as this party’s chair.  I am proud to preside over currently the biggest major party in Atlasia, with twenty-five fantastic members coming from all five regions!  We are now at the beginning of the second day of this convention, and much business needs to be done.  I encourage our convention attendees to review the bylaws I have put forward, and to please participate in the upcoming votes for our bylaws and party leaders that will be held tomorrow.

Now, onto business.

It is important to say, personally, I consider myself good friends with most of the candidates running in this election.  However, it is clear that there are only two people who have what it takes to bring our country the energy and reform it needs.  And that, of course, is Governor Napoleon and Mr. Kalwejt.

Many of you may not know, but Governor Napoleon is the one who brought me into this game.  I still remember the day Governor Napoleon private messaged me last summer and asked me to be the JCP candidate for the special Northeast Assembly election.  At first, I wasn’t sure whether to run.  I was new to the game and wasn’t sure what to expect.  But I threw my hat into the ring, and after that election, I didn’t regret it.

As we all know, Governor Napoleon is one of the most active governors in the country.  He has continued the Northeastern culture of activity by drawing plans, crafting bills, and speaking on issues not just facing our region, but our entire nation.  He has underlined the importance of being an active contributor to the game and he has been a great leader for the progressive movement.

And that is why it is of utmost importance that all leftists unify around this ticket.  While it is true that the Labor Party and Liberal Party differ on some issues, we cannot afford to lose this election and we must not repeat the same mistakes we made during the last midterm season.  In order for the left to continue to be a prominent force in our political system, we must put minor differences aside and embrace the true partnership that Liberal and Labor can have.  Only then can we work together to achieve common goals just as we did when our parties were one.

Indeed, the challenges facing us today are crucial.  Enthusiasm is low, voter turnout has decreased over the months, regions do not have the activity nor the oversight they need to keep their governments working, and every week we see new people register to the game but do little to nothing afterwards.  Right now, we have one hundred thirty seven registered voters in the game.  Only a score of these players are active today.  And this is not the fault of any person, any party, or any government- it is the fault of growing apathy and the petty, back-and-forth flamewars we see too often.

But unfortunately, our political opponents, both in the race for President, in local governments, and in the Senate, have consistently said no to ideas that will move our country forward.

They said no to enacting legislation that provides free broadcasting so we can enrich our nation’s rich culture and provide an avenue to export them abroad.
They said no to retaining the jobs of our nation’s hardworking teachers.
They said no to protecting our country’s glorious mountains from unneeded destruction and pollution.
They said no to preserving a women’s right to choose.
They said no to keeping marriage a universal right for all to enjoy, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
They said no to preventing our country from going back to the days of failed, irrational, and senseless Drug War-era policies.
They do not understand the fundamental truth that a government that protects you cannot force you to risk your life fighting overseas at the same time.

I do not question the patriotism, nor the intentions, of our opponents.  But I do question the wisdom of their ideas, both on a practical manner as well as a matter of principle.

The Napoleon/Kalwejt ticket will offer you something better- good policy, good reform, and the activity that we so desperately need.
Right now, our country is in the hands of someone who has been in Atlasia for many years, and as president, has stayed faithful to this country in good times and bad.  I hope you will all join me in thanking President Polnut, as well as Vice President Tmthforu94, for their hard work these past four months and beyond.

But make no mistake.  Paving the road to a better future doesn’t end now, and it won’t end in the next four months or in the four months afterwards.  We, as Liberals, know that the journey doesn’t end after the next election.  We must continue to fight and to govern on essential principles.

We must pass sensible business regulations and maintain an economic environment that’s ripe for investment and opportunity.
We must keep abortion remain a safe, legal, and rare decision for women and protect the rights of homosexuals.
We must take the proper steps toward balancing the budget without effacing programs that Atlasians use every day.
We must maintain a well-knit safety net without tear.
And most importantly, we must always put do what is right and put practicality over ideological pureness.

Finally, I would like to close with a quote that President John F. Kennedy once said: If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."

Thank you.

[Svensson]

X Governor Townsend, belatedly.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I will be speaking at 8pm Houston time.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

x Dallasfan65

[Peeperkorn]

x peeperkorn.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The President's address


Ladies and gentlemen, fellow liberals and fellow Atlasians…

I have taken this opportunity to speak with you all today, to talk about what we have done together and what we must continue to do.

I want to start by talking about what being a liberal means to me. I have had a bit of a confused party membership over the years, Social Democratic, Progressive Liberal, JCP, UDL and back to JCP… through that time I had never felt I really belonged in the party I was a member of. They were usually too aggressively left, not really liberal in the way I am.

It is tremendous honour to have been elected the first, of what I’m sure will be many presidents under the Liberal banner. Indeed, even before this party was created, I have sought to serve you with those Liberal principles.

We stand for economic common sense and we have begun the slow road to recovery. Economic recoveries take time, but unemployment has dropped by two per cent in less than a year, we have seen increased small business confidence, increased tax receipts, despite my tax plan which reduced corporate and lower-income taxes . My economic platform is a Liberal one, reduce wasteful spending, find ways to deliver vital services without bloating, reduce tax burdens where they can be and at the same time promote a path to eliminating debt. This is a Liberal economic policy and this has been the policy of my Administration.

We believe in personal freedom and responsibility. We believe that rights must be extended, not contracted. We will never, ever, allow those freedoms of expression, marriage, adoption, and reproductive rights to be weakened. They matter too much. We will have disagreements, and will have civil arguments. But the people of this country deserve better than petty or childish name calling. We work for the Atlasian people and we are the party that will defend those most precious rights.

We stand for an Atlasia that knows its place in the world. As we face continued instability on numerous fronts, Atlasia is a force for good, for democracy and for the rights of people to live in peace and harmony without fear. In that end, as President, my foreign policy has been formed to those most Liberal of principles. Negotiation and diplomacy over swagger and war. We must be prepared to defend ourselves and our friends who share our values, but conflict must never be our first port of call. During my first term I negotiated an exit from not only Iraq and Libya, but we saw our final combat troops arrive home from Afghanistan last week. We have shared positive dialogues with friends and allies around the world. We cannot shelter ourselves from the world, we have a role to play and we cannot shirk the responsibility.

We also stand ready to protect our public health and education system, during my presidency, we have worked together to ensure its security for future generations. I believe that the public services provided by the state tells you a lot about the state and the values of its people. We believe that no person should lose out on a world class education or healthcare because of their circumstances. We should be proud of our public services, not denigrate them. They are efficient, they are now truly cost-effective and they are the cornerstone of this country.

We stand for balance. Too often we spend too much time fighting for causes to the death, without results. We must strive to serve as many of our fellow citizens as we can. We can serve our deep principles about fairness, equality and personal freedom and responsibility without allowing ourselves to get trapped in a bog. The capacity to compromise is a virtue, not a weakness. I hear ‘moderate hero’ directed at those who, when the path is blocked seek to forge a new one by compromise and recognizing common-ground, rather than running head-first against a wall.  We must be the party that looks beyond our own interests, but look to serve as many people as we can.

This is a difficult time in Atlasia, activity is down. Some believe that the only way to change this is to reform… reform, reform, reform. The history of Atlasia is littered with reforms that have been created for reform’s sake. Some believe I haven’t done enough, some believe that I am sitting on the sidelines. But it’s something that years in Atlasian politics has taught me. Reforms need a point, they need to be directed to a goal and be long-lasting. We cannot allow ourselves to get tangled in meaningless, directionless reforms. So to my successor, I say this, and to my fellow Atlasians, move forward together with purpose, not purely for activity. Atlasia will survive as long as people care enough to be involved, we have gone through rough patches in the past, and we will again. But difficult times do not suggest a lack of worth. So I’ll repeat… move forward with purpose, that’s the only way Atlasia will remain the place we love.
 
When I leave Nyman in a month’s time, I will be formally retiring from politics and yes, this is final. The presidency matters, I look forward to seeing my successor, whomever that may be, continue to govern for all, working for the interests of all Atlasians.

I want to thank you all for your work and for the unwavering support you have given me. The future is as bright as we are prepared to make it, let us all direct our collective light towards a progressive future, thank you all.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Guess that's it for speeches...

We will now begin voting on our party leaders and bylaws.  Please review the bylaws carefully, and then cast your vote.

Voting will last 24 hours.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Convention Ballot

Party Leaders
CHAIR
[] Scott
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

VICE CHAIR
[] Napoleon
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

WHIP
[] Averroës Nix
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

Adoption of Bylaws
[] Aye
[] Nay
[] Abstain

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Convention Ballot

Party Leaders
CHAIR
[X] Scott
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

VICE CHAIR
[X] Napoleon
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

WHIP
[X] Averroës Nix
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

Adoption of Bylaws
[X] Aye
[] Nay
[] Abstain

[Napoleon]

Convention Ballot

Party Leaders
CHAIR
[X] Scott
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

VICE CHAIR
[X] Napoleon
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

WHIP
[X] Averroës Nix
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

Adoption of Bylaws
[X] Aye
[] Nay
[] Abstain

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Convention Ballot

Party Leaders
CHAIR
[X] Scott
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

VICE CHAIR
[X] Napoleon
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

WHIP
[X] Averroës Nix
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

Adoption of Bylaws
[X] Aye
[] Nay
[] Abstain

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Convention Ballot

Party Leaders
CHAIR
[X] Scott
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

VICE CHAIR
[X] Napoleon
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

WHIP
[X] Averroës Nix
[] Write-in:__________________
[] Abstain

Adoption of Bylaws
[X] Aye
[] Nay
[] Abstain

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Voting time has expired.

Nix, Napoleon, and myself are unanimously elected leaders and the bylaws are adopted.

Governor Napoleon has informed me that he will be making a speech soon.  I will close this convention shortly afterwards.

[Napoleon]

I will be speaking tonight.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Just fyi, I would love to have the Liberal endorsement for the Mideast Senate Seat, and will happily address the Convention if invited

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Eh, why not?
I will let you speak, Ben.  I will also hold a vote for the Senate endorsement.

Voting will last 24 hours.

Mideast Senate Election Endorsement Ballot
[] Benconstine (I-VA)
[] JCL (W-IN)
[] Write-in:__________
[] None of these candidates

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Mideast Senate Election Endorsement Ballot
[X] Benconstine (I-VA)
[] JCL (W-IN)
[] Write-in:__________
[] None of these candidates

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Mideast Senate Election Endorsement Ballot
[X] Benconstine (I-VA)
[] JCL (W-IN)
[] Write-in:__________
[] None of these candidates

Ben has my full support and I would urge the Liberal Party to support him too.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Thanks, Scott, for the opportunity to speak.

This is a critical election, for rarely has there been such a stark contrast between the candidates.  During my term in the Senate, I have actively worked to achieve liberal goals; my amendments to the budget have resulted in tax cuts for the poor, increased spending not only for education but also for veterans.  I am believer in Atlasia's ability to do good, not only at home but abroad as well.  I will not shrink away from the international community.  I am willing to compromise in pursuit of a greater goal; party labels will mean nothing to me.

My opponent does not stand for what I do.  He supports a drastic reduction of government services.  He would turn Atlasia away from the world, and ruin our international position.  My opponent is a partisan, who will not compromise with the other side; he would rather lose 9-1 and claim moral superiority than compromise and win.

The choice is clear: vote for the experienced liberal who can work with everyone, or the hardline conservative who would rather lose than compromise.