Lumine/Siren: A Civic-Minded Atlasia (Concession)

[Lumine]

Lumine for President

A Civic-Minded Atlasia

Opening Remarks:

Salt Lake City, UT (April 23rd)

I took my time to reflect, and my decision has been made.

My fellow Atlasians, today I stand before you to begin another adventure in the complex, unlikely and competitive road towards the White House. Today I confirm that I will seek the Presidency in June for a second, non-consecutive term as your President, and that I will seek to bring a renewed spirt of reform, activity and civic-minded politics into the White House under the banner of the Alliance Party.

This road is not an easy one to take, particularly on account of steep competition. But having squared off against many of the great political titans of Atlasia – winning and losing along the way – I am convinced that not to try would be a mistake. Particularly now that Atlasia could use something different. So allow me to note some of the main pillars of this campaign, which also explain the purpose of this decision:

Changing the Course:

For the past sixteen months we have seen continued governance on behalf of a rotating number of presidents from the same party, and even while respecting the best intentions and accomplishments of this period I believe these sixteen months have been in many ways mediocre, particularly on account of the potential to build a different Atlasia. No President and no Party alone can ensure full prosperity for Atlasia, but they can make a real difference in the way our citizens live and the players experience the game. Rather than seeking what we’ve already had, we need to correct the course and exploit that incredible potential hidden in the nation.

Ethics and Transparency:

I will be the first to tell you that I am not a saint – far from it – and neither am I a puritan with an unrealistic, hopelessly naïve view of politics. But I will also tell you that having a set of standards matter, and that the continuing list of scandals over the past few months have only eroded trust in our democracy and made the game a more toxic place. Having led the way in the past in increasing oversight and transparency, and believing that certain standards of ethics must be kept even in politics, I want to preside over an Administration which is more open, more visible, more transparent and accountable in nature.

Game Reform:

Despite not looking kindly to the notion of change for the sake of change, I happen to believe no constitutional document is perfect and can always be improved to serve the nation and the people better. That is why I have always championed what I find as necessary or useful game reform, and will continue to champion it despite the cost. As President it will not fall to me to reform the Constitution, but I will be not only an advocate for necessary reform and for innovation for the sake of a more interesting and engaging game, I will also be prepared to innovate with the Cabinet and the potential it offers if used in a different way.

Realist Foreign Policy:

For years I have been a firm advocate for a foreign policy which is grounded in reality and in the best interest of Atlasia rather than over dogmatic or overtly ideological motivations, and very much against the idea of isolationism. And while those views may not be those of the majority, I remain true to the ideal that Atlasia cannot abandon its responsibilities to its allies and commitments across the world. I remain true to the ideal that totalitarianism is evil and unacceptable, and that if millions can be saved from a life of tyranny and slavery then we, along with others, should do our part. I want to see us move into a more realistic direction on foreign policy, and pledge to work to that objective.

Modernization, Responsibility and Prosperity:

Whilst Atlasia enjoys significant advantages compared to the rest of the world, they are not advantages that may last forever. The time is right to encourage an ambitious agenda of modernization and innovation for Atlasia through scientific and technological efforts, through new sources of renewable energy, through space exploration. And even as those advantages are real, it is also undeniable that millions of Atlasians are yet to find prosperity despite years of false hopes. I want to see a more detailed, long-term strategy to tackle issues associated with poverty and social mobility in Atlasia, and even wish to empower a new Cabinet officer for that noble purpose. I want to stay true to the concept of fiscal responsibility, and not riddle the future generations with unsustainable debt.

In Closing:

And the list can go on, my fellow Atlasians, and it will go on as I unveil a platform and a series of policy announcements through the course of this campaign. There is of course plenty of time yet in what will constitute a long campaign – and things may yet change even further -, and I intend to enjoy the experience of talking to you and offering a picture of what Atlasia could be if we changed the course and the focus, and did so without falling into some of the traps offered by the past. On this adventure, I ask for your support. Together, we can build a more Civic-Minded Atlasia.

[Lumine]

Campaign Info:

Endorsements:

Alliance

Peace Party

Spiral

Wxtransit

Cris

Blair

Virginia

Scott

Razze

Sjoyce

Winfield

Dkrol

X

[NeverAgain]

Lumine would make a wonderful President and I wish him the best of luck!

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Endorsed for 2nd pref

[fhtagn]

Endorsed for 2nd pref

[Goldwater]

Endorsed for 2nd pref

[TheSaint250]

Endorsed for 2nd pref

[Vern]

Endorsed for 2nd pref

[Blair]

Fully endorsed.

For the first time since I joined Atlasia in 2015, I’m more than prepared to cross the aisle and not vote for the centre left nominee. I think it’s good to have a canidiate who challenges the consensus, and who actually brings some energy and focus to the game.

I’m more than happy to support someone who I know is going to tackle the cosy, and idelologically barren consensus that has dominated the game for the last 3 years.

[Lechasseur]

Endorsed for 2nd pref

[PPT Spiral]

Endorsed without a shadow of a doubt!

[wxtransit]

100% endorsed! I can't think of a better person to lead our party into June!

[Lumine]

Press Release:

Former President Lumine's running mate is to be announced at a campaign event in Nyman in the next couple of hours.

[Adam Griffin]

Spoiler alert: it's me

[Lumine]

Spoiler alert: it's me

I get the feeling that would literally break Atlasia for good!

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Siren?

[Lumine]

Vice-Presidential Announcement:

Nyman, DC (April 24th)

Ladies and gentlemen,

The task of choosing a Vice-Presidential candidate is never an easy one. It involves choosing a person in whom to place enormous trust, someone that you should be able to work with in the White House to the benefit of the nation, and someone who may well have to shoulder the responsibility of being President should the unexpected happen.

I have been critical of the Vice-Presidency in the past, and critical today as well. I think it requires reform, and potentially, even a change into something completely different. However, it is also certain that so long as the position exists then it should be filled actively and responsibly. And furthermore, even more than a position saddled with excessive legislative work, I would want my Vice-President to have an active role not only giving input and advice, but crafting, enacting and promoting policy as a member of the Cabinet with concrete, real responsibilities.

Having such plans for an active, powerful Vice-President, I had the daunting task of finding the right person. It was imperative to me to stray away from cynical or manipulative choices, to choose someone I could work well with, someone I could trust, someone whom I would honestly pick due to qualities and accomplishments and not mere electoral arithmetic. Several people went through my mind as having what was necessary, but someone stood over them as the best choice I could possibly make. To my joy, this person accepted the invitation to join this ticket and work towards something greater.

This person has a wealth of legislative experience and accomplishment, putting constituents first while serving the Senate with dedication and dignity. This person has been a friend to me for several years, all the way back to when we were new Atlasians filled with enthusiasm and perhaps a bit naïve about what Atlasian politics meant. This is a person who, despite hardships or challenges, has moved forward and given many of us an example of a welcoming, kind politician. This is a person whom I may not agree with all the time, but with whom I can have a sincere, respectful and open debate about what we believe in. This is a person which shares a dream of a better Atlasia, of a civic-minded White House, of having fun in this game of course.

Today I present to you my running mate, and hopefully the next Vice-President of Atlasia: Siren!

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

With all due respect to Siren: Why?

[Anna Komnene]

It's time for a new adventure Atlasia! I think the biggest thing I've learned in my time in here is that if we really want to accomplish anything, we have to do it together. We is the keyword there. I'm not just talking about winning elections, writing bills, or passing legislation through congress. I'm talking about all of us coming together and making Atlasia the kind of community and the kind of game we want it to be. If you really think about it, we're such a diverse community with parties and ideologies across the political spectrum. Despite all of that, we're all here together, to create a community that's not just a game but it's own little country.

The community aspect of Atlasia is easy to forget sometimes, but for the game to thrive, it's what we need to focus on. We need excitement. We need fun. And yes, we even need drama - but through it all we do it together. Whether you're a longtime resident or new, a voter or a politician, a journalist, a judge, a cheerleader, or a lawyer, everyone is equally needed. Everyone needs to be equally cherished, encouraged, and provided with the environment that's best for them to succeed. When something isn't working, we find ways to fix it, but when something is working, we need to make sure that's known too. Mike's Atlasia Awards were a great way to do that, but we can do it just in our everyday interactions too by letting people know they're appreciated and doing well in the regions, the federal government, the courts, the news and polls industries. Atlasia would not be Atlasia without all of that. It wouldn't be Atlasia without you, without us. I think that all of the things Atlasia has to offer need to be more widely known, not just in the community itself, but on the forum at large.

When Lumine asked me to join him on this adventure, I didn't have to give it a second thought.

Lumine and I have been through a lot together. We started out in the game together and formed the original Progressive Union™. We haven't always agreed on everything, but we've always agreed on the most important things - believing in a community of people that respect one another and have a good time, believing in fun and vibrant party systems with groups of all shapes and sizes, believing in lifting people up out of poverty, cherishing the environment, and exploring new frontiers - metaphorically through game reform and literally through exploring the unknown. Perhaps most of all, we believe in the power of love. Lumine and I have come and gone over the last few years. We've held many offices and taken different journeys. We're no longer members of the same party - we've even ran campaigns against one another! - but we've always supported one another despite everything. We're still friends, and while we may have our struggles alone, we're stronger together. I'll freely admit that I've dealt with personal struggles that led to me being overwhelmed at the thought of my own candidacy, but Lumine stuck with me through that and still wanted me to run with him. And I feel like this is both the journey that I want and the one that I can do.

I'm couldn't be happier to say that I'm joining this ticket with Lumine. I'm ready. I'm excited! If you believe in our vision for our community, I hope that you'll join us too. Let's do this Atlasia! Let's do it together.

[NeverAgain]

I came for the gifs, I stayed for the good speech(es).

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

I came for the gifs, I stayed for the good speech.

[Lumine]

On June, Vote Lumine/Siren!

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Holding off my endorsement just yet, but if Siren can use her Peace credentials to curb your hawkishness, I could see myself voting for you after a series of write-ins.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

That is a magnificent banner.

[Clyde1998]

I came for the gifs, I stayed for the good speech.