IceAge for Chamber: For the many, not the few

[IceAgeComing]

ANNOUNCEMENT SPEECH - Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana

Ladies, Gentlemen, Members of the Press, friends all,

There is a problem in Atlasia today.  That problem is simple: significant numbers are unrepresented by a Nyman Consensus, that’s managed to trickle down to our good regions, starving our institutions of the quality debate of complex issues that are country needs to survive.  Instead; we have dying institutions barely discussing the most basic of issues, with bills withdrawn as soon as any dissent is made.  This is surely not the basis of good government!

That is why, Isaac Cummings, would like to submit myself to the people of the South.  Today, I would like to announcement that I shall be running for a place in the Chamber of Delegates!  I shall be running on the values that are strong to me and always have been: that the job of the politician, the servants of his people, are to work for the many, and not the few.

Some might say, why are you; the Chief Political Analyst of the Nyman Questioner, at all suitable for that office?  Well, quite frankly the South needs new blood; people who’ve been called to serve the South, not people who want to use Nashville as a political stepping stone to higher office.  I promise that if elected, I will serve a full term as Delegate, and refuse any other office if offered!

The theme of my campaign is simply this: change.  The South is at risk of running stagnant; its inactivity and inability to address complex issues needs to end.  Did you know, that there has not been a contested vote in the Chamber of Delegates for over a month?  We talk about the Nyman Consensus; it seems that the Nashville Consensus is even more serious!  How can we expect good laws on contentious issues be passed when as soon as literally any contrary opinion is made; the motion is instantly made to table legislation?  I’m not saying that bipartisanship and consensus government is wrong - indeed, its vital - but we need men and women of vision, of principle to stand in the Chamber.  That is why I shall release a strong policy platform, and I pledge to work constructively to improve bad bills, but I will actually vote against legislation that I dislike.  Sometimes, you have to say no!

My main policy area if elected shall be healthcare.  The Federal healthcare law gives us in the South the right to create out own healthcare solutions; and that is something that I strongly believe in as regional rights are an important thing.  Yet apparently that is not a strongly held belief in Nashville.  Recently, as I reported in my most recent Questioner article, I asked a prominent Delegate what exactly the plans were for implementing a Regional plan, to make sure that we in the South can control our own destiny and not give Nyman control of our healthcare.  I didn’t quite think that I’d get a draft or anything that complex; I did think that I’d get a level of ideas, of a future direction.  Instead the reply I got showed everything that’s wrong with Nashville: “we are working on other things at this time” - no vision, no ideas, not even any timeline for a debate.  Consider also this: that reply was given on an issue with which we have a hard deadline, healthcare needs to be done by New Years.  Yet apparently, no one in the Chamber either knows or cares about this.

My personal healthcare policy is simple: since a Southern single-payer scheme seems like unnecessary duplication I would sign the South up to Atlascare; I support the existence of mandates since that is the only way that the system would work; and ideally I would not allow Private Insurers on the exchanges to make sure that all Atlasians have access to the best Medical Care.  But the thing that I would do immediately is at least have a debate: draft some legislation and work on making sure that the South has a voice in what healthcare system we want.

Indeed, regional rights is also another strong passion of mine.  For too long, Nyman has not only taking powers away from the South; but they’ve also drained talent from it as well.  Look at how many prominent federal figures simply used the Chamber for a quick cup of coffee before they went up the greasy pole to join the Elites in Nyman.  The south needs strong voices for it in Nashville; and that is what I promise to be.  I also believe that it is important that if a person is elected to represent the South; that be their only political job, since other employment surely introduces conflict of interests.  Therefore, I support legislation banning Chamber members from accepting any role with the Federal government unless they resign their seat.  That will make sure that our representatives; the people for whom we are the boss of, shall devote their entire attention to us.

Friends, a positive message of chance; a promise to be a proud, active servant of the Southern people, and a commitment to deal with the most important regional issue.  That is what I give you today.  So please, I ask you; when election day in October comes and you think about where to who to give your first or second preference to; I ask you to give it to me; for I will seek to represent the many, and not the few.  Thank you!

[A few campaign platform is coming soon, please ask any questions or leave any comments below - The Management]

Endorsements:
(Former) President D.F.W. Liberty-Lover (Fed/TX)
Prime Minister H Truman (Lab/ND)

[Terry the Fat Shark]

endorsed for an unspecified but maybe high preference

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

My main policy area if elected shall be healthcare.  The Federal healthcare law gives us in the South the right to create out own healthcare solutions; and that is something that I strongly believe in as regional rights are an important thing.  Yet apparently that is not a strongly held belief in Nashville.  Recently, as I reported in my most recent Questioner article, I asked a prominent Delegate what exactly the plans were for implementing a Regional plan, to make sure that we in the South can control our own destiny and not give Nyman control of our healthcare.  I didn’t quite think that I’d get a draft or anything that complex; I did think that I’d get a level of ideas, of a future direction.  Instead the reply I got showed everything that’s wrong with Nashville: “we are working on other things at this time” - no vision, no ideas, not even any timeline for a debate.  Consider also this: that reply was given on an issue with which we have a hard deadline, healthcare needs to be done by New Years.  Yet apparently, no one in the Chamber either knows or cares about this.

My personal healthcare policy is simple: since a Southern single-payer scheme seems like unnecessary duplication I would sign the South up to Atlascare; I support the existence of mandates since that is the only way that the system would work; and ideally I would not allow Private Insurers on the exchanges to make sure that all Atlasians have access to the best Medical Care.  But the thing that I would do immediately is at least have a debate: draft some legislation and work on making sure that the South has a voice in what healthcare system we want.

My god I think I am in love. A regional legislature candidate who cares about healthcare!!!

[IceAgeComing]

I would like to thank our esteemed Former President for his declared support; we may have had personal difficulties in the past and we certainly disagree on some issues, but we both can look beyond the past, and towards the future.

But err, perhaps he could come to my office and take back his copy of "Imperialism and the Revolution" by Enver Hoxha - its not something that I'm, err, interested in reading.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I look forward to you stepping up civic engagement. Robust, active democracy in the South is a good thing. I wish you luck.

[IceAgeComing]

ISAAC CUMMINGS: For the many, not the few

Policy Platform

Economic Policy

The South’s economic policy is clearly not working.  Our unemployment rate, at over 8%, has spent most of recent history as being the highest in Atlasia.  We need radical solutions to our problems; yet the Nashville consensus have elected to not bother discussing economic issues.

Currently, the South gets most tax revenues from a high Sales tax; which effectively taxes working class people at a much higher rate than richer people.  This is both patently unfair to the least well off in our society whilst also patently depressing the regional economy by inflating prices relative to other regions.  I support moving towards a more progressive tax structure; cutting the sales tax and replacing that in a revenue positive way with other forms of taxation, including restoring the regional income tax.

A key part of the fight to lower unemployment is to encourage the formation of new small businesses, however the availability of capital to new companies is incredibly limited.  Therefore, I support the creation of a Southern Investment Bank, that will provide low-interest capital to startup businesses with a sound business plan and a decent chance of medium-term success provided that they meet a number of conditions, including paying all employees a decent living wage and other worker-friendly conditions.  Additionally, I will fight for tax intensives for companies that elect to structure themselves in a non-traditional manner - such as workers co-operatives, consumer co-operatives and commonly owned enterprises.

I elected: I will seek to:

• Move the South towards a more progressive tax structure; and cut the incredibly regressive sales tax
• Introduce policies that seek to encourage non-traditional corporate structures, such as workers co-operatives: and encourage the representation of workers in the corporate structure of Southern firms
• Create a Southern Investment Bank; to provide capital to new businesses in the Region with a sound business plan, provided they meet several conditions.

Healthcare

Healthcare is arguably the most important issue in this campaign due to the passing of the Federal law; however there has been no discussion of it in the Chamber.  That needs to change.  I pledge to introduce, on day 1, legislation to incorporate the Federal healthcare law into Southern legislation.  That legislation will feature the terms that I support (namely: the introduction of Atlascare and mandatory coverage) but will seek to draft the bill in such a way as to make it easy for the Chamber as a whole to amend it.  That bill will also feature guarantees that essential medical care for trans people is included within any coverage provided in the South.

Heathcare is not just about the provision of health services though; and our policy needs to heavily push for Southern people to live a healthier lifestyle.  Therefore, I support policies to support recreation sports and fitness clubs and organisations within the south in order to ensure that there are as few access barriers to exercise as possible within the South.  I also support the taxation of fast food and other unhealthy consumables, in order to fund abolishing the sales tax for all other items of food and drink.

If elected: I will seek to:

• Introduce, on day 1, legislation to use the rights that the Federal Healthcare bill give the South the right to use, and push for the introduction of Atlascare to the South, and mandatory coverage
• Ensure that transgender medical care is covered by the souths healthcare system
• Introduce policies that seek to encourage healthier living in the South; including increased funding of recreational sport and fitness

Education Policy

I support the principle of proposed federal legislation to regionalise Education.  It allows us to ensure that the education system of the South fits the needs of our region, while still allowing local school boards control over the specifics.  Therefore, I support the creation of a minimum curriculum standard for Southern schools to meet.  This would include mandatory Personal and Social Education (including Sex Education) and other non academic disciplines to ensure a well rounded education; as well as guaranteeing access to high quality education in the sciences to all Southern students.

I also strongly support ending the unequal funding of Southern schools.  It is patently unfair that schools in richer areas, by virtue of increased school district tax receipts, are in a much better place to provide the resources that are needed for high quality education than those in poorer areas.  I support the introduction of measures to eliminate this funding gap, and make sure that high quality primary and secondary education are available to all Southern students.

I also support making it easier for Southern students to access College education.  I support eliminating in-region tuition fees for all Southern students, both in academic and technical institutions.  I also commit to work with fellow delegates to put together alternative arrangements if it is impossible to put that pledge into action.

If elected: I will seek to:

• Ensure that the highest quality standard of education in the South; including making sure that all school districts get the funding that they need
• Create a minimum curriculum standard for all Southern schools (including mandating the teaching of all scientific theories); whilst still allowing individual districts and schools to draft the fine details
• Provide college level education to all Southern students free of charge

Infrastructure and Disaster Relief

The South has been hit by two incredibly large disasters in recent months, and it our duty to ensure that there is funding available for the rebuilding of affected areas.  I naturally will support the appropriation of any regional funds to support the rebuilding effort.  However; we need to ensure that there are immediate resources available for state and local governments to tap into in the immediate aftermath of a disaster to start rebuilding important infrastructure and provided support to Southern citizens.  Therefore; I will push for the creation of a Disaster Contingency Fund, with enough money present to provide immediate resources for local administrations without having to wait for the appropriation of funds.  This funding will also be available to fund immediate repairs of key items of Southern infrastructure if they are near failing and immediate funding is seen as being essential.

Our friends in Lincoln recently passed High Speed Rail, and in the absence of any Federal plan it is the responsibility of the South to put a plan together.  Therefore, I pledge to immediately work with colleagues on the production of a high quality plan for Southern High Speed rail, with connections to LincolnRail and any Fremont system.

The increasingly failing infrastructure of the South is a very important issue that needs to be tacked.  I will push for the creation of a Southern Infrastructure Improvement Fund with an annual appropriation of money.  This scheme will allow lower administrations to apply for Regional funding for important infrastructure improvements in their locality, and will create an administrative system to consider these applications and decide which projects are considered high priorities than others.

If elected, I will seek to:

• Create a permanent Disaster Contingency Fund with enough money to provide immediate reconstruction aid for any disaster that occurs in the South without the need for immediate appropriation
• Start working on a clear Southern plan for High Speed rail, in the absence of any Federal plan
• Create an Infrastructure Improvement Fund with a permanent appropriation of money, with the intention of allowing state and local governments to apply for funding for key infrastructure projects

Social Justice and Other Issues

Equality is a key part of my political principles, and this includes other areas other than economic ones.  I am proud that the South has the strongest protections for trans people in Atlasia; and I will fight to protect and extend them.  I also support similar protections for all protected groups in the South; including elderly and disabled people.

I support a women’s right to choose when it comes to abortion rights; and will fight against any attempts to restrict that right.  That includes both reducing the legal timespan, and also the placing of roadblocks in the process.  I also plan to right for women’s rights in other ways, by fighting against both legal and societal discrimination and ensuring that women are welcome within the South’s political institutions.

I also support protecting the right of firearm ownership, however I would support the restriction of semi-automatic weaponry, and the outright banning of adaptations that can effectively turn a semi-auto into a fully automatic weapon.  Additionally; I support firearm safety and the principles of responsible ownership to be included as part of the school curriculum, along with other important life skills.

[any additional questions on policy shall be answered below - the Management]

[Mr. Reactionary]

Assuming we are both elected I see many areas where we can work together.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Endorsed! Your attention to education, healthcare, and infrastructure does you credit.

[IceAgeComing]

Memphis, Tennessee, South

Mr Isaac Cummings, candidate for the Southern Chamber of Delegates, makes a campaign speech on the subject of healthcare:

Friends!

It is great to be in this fantastic city this evening!  

Memphis is an incredibly beautiful place… [cut from this copy is the usual five minutes of talking about how great the city is]

Comrades, if you do not mind, let me turn to the core subject of this speech: namely, Healthcare.  Healthcare is the most important issue in this campaign in every regional election in this country let it was not until I officially joined this campaign and began writing about how those in the legislature were ignoring it before other candidates started to publicly talk about it.  Indeed; some candidates would rather not talk about any of the important issues or indeed bother campaigning at all - preferring to introduce legislation that proposes that $900 - yes, NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS - of Federal funds go towards a Southern nature reserve.  Now I’m not against state funds going to important, key things like that - indeed; it is even more important that the South fund key wildlife reserves like that - but I mean, what an incredibly stingy sum.  Friends, surely the South can give a sum that isn’t totally insulting?

My plan is simple: I support the extension of AtlasCare into the Southern Region, and I believe that every Southern resident should have healthcare coverage.  AtlasCare is a high quality scheme, and I feel that its presence on the market would provide strong competition to private insurers to ensure that they have to provide High Quality coverage for all Atlasians.  It also means that everyone in the South shall have high quality insurance available to them; no matter where they live or their life conditions.  Indeed; in order to further move towards that aim: I believe that all insurers on the market should cover the comprehensive range of services that AtlasCare provides.

I also believe is ensuring that everyone is covered.  I do not see how the healthcare system could credibly survive without some kind of mandate - private insurers certainly will struggle to provide support for the sickest people without healthy individuals buying into the system: and AtlasCare will need a great deal of government support if the same things occurs.  However; when deciding a mandate we need to consider the policy clearly to ensure that it doesn’t punish people that can’t afford coverage and for whatever reason are not eligible for Federal support; and also make sure that we don’t immediately tax our young people immediately upon reaching the age of majority.  That is the reason why I support putting into Southern law a condition that our young people shall be covered on their parents plan until the age of 27 - a provision contained in the old Healthcare reform but absent from the most recent bill that I feel is necessary to entrench in Southern Law.

Those are the two principles that have gone into my draft Healthcare Bill: the availability of AtlasCare, and universal coverage.  I feel that these are the two most important elements.  However, I have drafted this bill to allow it to be easily amended for all measures allowable by the Federal reforms.  I support a detailed debate on the matter of healthcare, and feel that is the best way to create the best possible reforms.

Brothers and sisters, I hope that you will make sure to vote for me next week; and tell others that for real change that works for the many and not the few, they need to put their number one beside Isaac Cummings!







Provided to attending press: draft Healthcare Reform Legislation

Southern Healthcare Bill

A BILL TO implement the Reforming and Regionalising Public Healthcare Act of 2017 in the South, to enact measures ensuring that all Southern residents have healthcare coverage, to mandate the coverage of certain procedures not included in the Federal Act, and for connected purposes

Be it enacted by the Southern Chamber of Delegates; as assembled:

Section 1 - Definitions
For the purposes of this legislation:
   (a): “The Federal Act” shall mean the Reforming and Regionalising Public Healthcare Act of 2017;
   (b): “The Board” shall mean the Southern Healthcare and Insurance Regulation Board set up by this bill
   (c): “The Exchange” shall mean the Southern Healthcare Exchange created by The Federal Bill and under the management of The Board

Section 2 - Southern Healthcare Exchange

   (a): A “Southern Healthcare Insurance Regulation Board” shall be created
   (b) The Board shall manage the Southern Healthcare Exchange created by The Federal Act; and be responsible for the creation of regulations to which insurers must meet in order to provide coverage on The Exchange; plus monitor and sanction any licensed insurers that fail to meet the provisions of this act or any regulations created by The Board
   (c) The regulations that the board makes shall be limited to provisions to protect consumers, and updating required coverage to consider new technologies
   (d): AtlasCare shall be made available on The Exchange to all residents of the South

Section 3 - Mandates

   (a) All licensed Private Healthcare insurers must provide the services laid out in Section 2.1.b in the Federal Act
   (b) Both AtlasCare and private insurers must provide transition-related services to all people diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria including; but not limited to; psychiatric services, cosmetic procedures that affirm an individuals gender, and follow-up medical care deemed necessary by an individuals Doctor
   (c) Any medical professional or facility not willing to provide services under (b) may decline the procedure, provided that an alternative facility or professional able to provide such services be available within a reasonable distance of the patient, and provided that a professional or facility refers the patient to that available alternative
   (d) All licensed Medical Insurers must provide coverage of children of an insured individual until that individual reaches the age of twenty five
   (e) All Southern residents must be insured by an insurer registered on The Exchange, unless exempted by later provisions of this Act
   (f) Exemptions to the Section 3(e) mandate shall be:
      (i) Southern Residents who earn under the poverty line
      (ii) Southern Residents under the age of 27 who are not covered by Section 3(d)
   (g) All Southern residents who do not meet the Mandate shall pay a $100 penalty fee; rising with health care inflation
   (h) All funds from the penalty shall go in an “Emergency Healthcare Fund” managed by the Board and available to both AtlasCare and Private Insurers to support the coverage of those with serious conditions


Section 4 - Enactment and Title

   (a) This Act can be referred to as the “Southern Healthcare Act”
   (b) This bill shall go into force in several stages:
      (i): Section 2(a) shall go into force on passage; and shall take over the Exchange on the 1st January 2018
      (ii) All other sections in this legislation shall come into force on the 1st January 2018

[SamTilden2020]

Endorsed. You seem to be my Southern Equivalent, mr. Cummings.

[IceAgeComing]

Friends; the polls are about to open.  I would appreciate it if you would please give me your first preference - or if you do not feel that you could do that, any high preference would be appreciated.  Its time to make sure that the South works for the many, and not the few!

Polling shows that we will win; however it is still close, and as we all know the polls may be wrong.  Friends, lets make sure that we win!

[Mr. Reactionary]

Indeed; some candidates would rather not talk about any of the important issues or indeed bother campaigning at all - preferring to introduce legislation that proposes that $900 - yes, NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS - of Federal funds go towards a Southern nature reserve.  Now I’m not against state funds going to important, key things like that - indeed; it is even more important that the South fund key wildlife reserves like that - but I mean, what an incredibly stingy sum.  Friends, surely the South can give a sum that isn’t totally insulting?

To set the record straight, I snuck an earmark for a small animal shelter in my hometown as a rider into a bill related to revenue studies and set the amount at 900 because I thought anything over 1K would require a budget score which would draw unwanted attention to my riding earmark. In the next term though I will eagerly work with you if you'd like to steer more Regional money to only my hometown.