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

[Lumine]

AZ, thank you for the questions:

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To the first two questions, the answer would be an emphatic yes. I believe those measures are among many that can be enacted to tackle gun violence and address gun safety in a reasonable manner, and above all, prevent the loophole abuse which has already led to unnecessary violence and deaths.

The assault weapons ban is something I'm open to as well, but it would require a rather comprehensive effort to ensure that ban is not merely a gesture that fails to address the problem at hand, particularly if it accomplishes little while unfairly targeting responsible and law-abiding Atlasians.

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At the very least, I could argue there's three difference roads to target gun violence rates: a restrictive one, which involves the usual debate around gun control, a preventive one, often untouched beyond the emphasis on mental health, and one that is associated towards the wellbeing of communities as a potential antidote for some types of violence.

Respecting the fact that Congress will necessarily be the protagonist of most efforts despite the actions the White House may take on the matter, I do believe there is work to be done on all three roads.

On the first because, as a staunch believer in the rule of law and as a President who did his best to be tough on crime, terrorism and rebellion I would like to work with my Attorney General to ensure sentencing for certain crimes (such as a gun-related crimes) to be toughened up, among other measures one can take on the issue.

On the second because I feel there's still substantial work to be done not only on further funding and organizational efforts to improve mental health in Atlasia, but because further efforts should be pursued to educate Atlasians about gun safety and being responsible with your right to bear arms. Only the gods know how many people lose their lives out of carelessness, and a public campaign can make a difference.

And the third because of my personal priorities on this race is to address the current levels of unemployment in Atlasia and how even as a prosperous nation we still see millions of our citizens struggle to rise up and find true social mobility despite their best effort, or despite being perfectly responsible, hard-working people. Of course that's one part of the platform that will take longer to address, but I do think there's merit to the idea that if you ensure better standards of living in some of the less prosperous corners of Atlasia (particularly in certain cities) crime rates can be lowered, specially if that is combined with more comprehensive efforts and a reasonably tough (but not unfair) stance against crime itself.

All in all, that's a part of domestic policy I can see entrusting a potential cabinet member with (among other responsibilities) should I win and someone be interested in implementing these types of policies.

[Anna Komnene]

Environmentalism:

Community and Commitment

Policy Speech:

Yosemite National Park, CA (May 21st)

As John Muir once said, "everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike." Some people believe in protecting the environment to preserve its beauty. Others want to fight against climate change to make a better world for their children. Still more are pious servants of a myriad religious or spiritual traditions that teach followers to act as stewards of divine gifts. Some wish to protect Atlasia's interests against foreign oil. No matter the reasons for calling yourself an environmentalist, a few things have always been true. Preserving the environment requires commitment, community, and passion. Preserving the beauty of nature has been an ongoing battle over the past two centuries or so and it is one with heavy consequences. If we didn't protect public lands, places like Yosemite National Park wouldn't exist, and many species such as the buffalo would no longer roam these lands. The benefits of that protection are obvious and unlike many other things in politics, they are things that can be shared by all through tourism, photography, and film. For many people, the environment is also their way of life and it is integral to the rural economy.

The presidency is an office that's uniquely positioned to have a big impact on these issues. The legislature and the regions are important too of course, but the presidency is the only office that has its hands in every aspect of environmental policy. While most candidates will offer lip service to protecting the environment, the true test is the actual actions taken in office. It's kind of like how some people will say it doesn't matter who gets elected so long as they're from the right party. That ignores the importance of individual agency in proposing and negotiating bills. If you really want to protect the environment or think of any other issue in Atlasia, you should consider who you think are the most likely candidates that will have the passion to bring the issue to the forefront and the dedication to fight for the hard earned victory. I think Lumine and I have a record in our time in Atlasia that you can trust us to do that for you.

Executive Action

There are so many things the President can do in environmental policy. The President can declare national monuments to protect public lands and work with the legislature to create new national parks. The environment can also be made a priority in the budget process by allocating funds to environmental protection, the park service, land protection, and meeting agreements such as the Paris Accords. The President and the cabinet can also be influential in creating environmental policy, such as working on legislation to work toward divestment from fossil fuels and can act through their own example by living and operating eco-consciously in Nyman.

International Politics

As I stated earlier, environmental protection is an international community effort. Some say that fact is a reason not to bother, but if you really care about the world around you, it's the reason to jump in headfirst. Atlasia should stay in the Paris Accords and work to meet its standards. However, it may be worth exploring our ability to negotiate a new comprehensive treaty with binding commitments from all parties in the vein of the Kyoto Protocols but fitting of modern science and technology. Considering the state of the world right now (that we're involved in conflict with a member of the UN Security Council), such a task may prove impossible, but I still think it's worth exploring and something that would add a new flavor to how the presidency works in Atlasia if we were able to do it. There are also many, many other treaties and agreements relating to the environment that Atlasia should either remain committed to upholding or become more involved in. By taking the lead on the environment, Atlasia be a symbol for the world to follow.

Working with the Regions

While there's certainly a lot that can be done at the national level, the regions are a key ingredient to environmental policy as well. Fremont, Lincoln, and the South all have different climates, geography, and topography, which means that environmental policy may need to be specifically tailored to the regional politics, traditions, and climates. For instance, California recently made new infrastructure requirements for buildings to have a certain level of renewable energy. That is probably something best explored at the regional level, and I'd like to encourage the region to consider setting those standards. This sort of communication is especially important now that the Atlas forum's search feature is broken. Since it's more difficult to find information on policies that have been passed, it becomes more important to work together to make sure everyone knows what's been done and can still be done.

In Closing:

As a tree hugger, thinking about the environment just comes naturally to me! That said, protecting the environment doesn't just help trees. It helps people. For the time being, the Earth is the only home we have. We should treat it that way. A vote for Lumine / Siren is a vote for a passionate, community oriented environmental policy.

[Lumine]

New Banners:

As part of our efforts to lead the way in an active, engaged campaign (and with roughly a month to go until the election), we'll be unveiling a series of new banners regarding the message and policies of the campaign with possibly more to come in the future:

[adamevans]

I don't mess with Atlasia a lot, nor do I have any  remote influence, but endorsed.

[Lumine]

I don't mess with Atlasia a lot, nor do I have any  remote influence, but endorsed.

My most sincere thanks! I hope you feel encouraged to get more involved with the game.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I like them.

[Lumine]

A Fresh New Point of View:

Political Speech:

Chicago, IL (June 2nd)

My fellow Atlasians,

Good afternoon to you.

It has been an outmost privilege to have fought this presidential campaign for the past few weeks, easily one of the most fun and engaging campaigns I have taken part in. Alongside my running mate and various friends we have gone into the campaign trail to promote a vision and a platform across all corners of Atlasia, to debates, interviews, polls and new campaign banners to showcase the commitment we have to the serious challenge of the Presidency. And after a month of fighting our way through as underdogs, I'm fairly confident that much room remains to grow on the last three weeks of the campaign.

This brief update into the campaign (not a policy speech) is motivated by a nostalgia trip of sorts. That is to say, having been watching past songs and propaganda on American politics, I was inevitably hit by the fascinating old style of political campaigns in the fifties and sixties along with the catchy tunes and lines that probably won more than a few hearts and minds. I was struck by the hopeful tone of many aspirants to the White House and the honor of being entrusted by the Presidency, by how dynamic the pictures they painted of the future were.

My friends, we stand at an important moment in the history of our Republic. After a long era we are offered a chance to step into a different direction and pursue an alternate course of action. At the ballot boxes across the nation our citizens will be offered an important choice on whether to keep things as they are (mostly) and redouble on a road which polling has shown to be less ideal to voters than something different, or whether to step into a new direction. I feel invigorated, optimistic and hopeful on the notion that this ticket and this campaign and provide what one of those presidential hopefuls called "a fresh new point of view", a different, active and engage way of running things from the White House that can be of sincere service to the nation and encourage its progress.

My fellow citizens, along with encouraging you to take a keen interest on this election and watch the candidates and their tickets closely, I'd also like to encourage you to open a door to a dynamic government, to reform and progress, to responsibility and an ethical sense of duty. Together, we can bring this game into a new, different era, and pursue change for the good of the nation.

Let us fight for this new point of view, my friends. Let us do it together!

[Lumine]

Yet another new banner:

[Lumine]

Endorsed.

My sincere thanks, Spark!

Rising in the Polls?

It is always a good idea to emphasize how polling in Atlasia can be unreliable from time to time, just as it is also wise not to read too much into results before the votes are counted. However, it is always possible to notice trends when it comes to the larger picture, and in that context this campaign is very much encouraged by the polling trend displayed by The Atlasian Post. From a distant third at 10% to closing in 30% and having a real shot at second or first place, all we can do is to say "Nowhere to go but up!"

[Lumine]

Coming tonight: policy speech on science, innovation and the space program.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

You are an odd fellow, and I doubt they call you "Bombs Away Lumine" for nothing, but you won my party's endorsement, and considering my general apathy in regards to this election, that's good enough for me.

[Lumine]

Science and Innovation:

Looking towards the stars

Policy Speech:

Miami, FL (June 16th)

Good evening, Miami!

And what a pleasure to appear before you as the election approaches to discuss a series of matters which are of fundamental importance to our Republic. Before getting into subject, I'd very much like to thank the Peace Party for the invaluable support to this ticket and its official endorsement, as well as express my hope that the endorsement of the Alliance will be confirmed soon enough. All in all polling has been very kind despite the natural skepticism one must have towards results, and I feel confident enough  in stating that the momentum is firmly behind this team committed to change in Atlasia. As the final week is upon us, may these final days be helpful to the undecided and the uncertain to reach a decision and vote for the ticket which they feel is the best way forward.

As of today, my fellow Atlasians, I'd like to talk to you about a general idea of innovation, and its necessary association to science and the relevance of promoting it from the White House. This because this is an area of policy which is all too easy to forget about or neglect because of what are seen as biggest priorities, and while understandable it also happens to me in my opinion a mistake when we consider the challenges of the future and the necessity of a long term view regarding the future of our country. I happen to believe taking science and its progress for granted, to ignore the necessary incentives we can and should offer, to abandon the goals which once inspired us to reach far and beyond, is a fundamental mistake we can no longer afford.

Promoting Science:

One of the multiple reasons of why Atlasia has achieved greatness in the past or impulsed a general sense of progress has been our ability not only to react and adapt to technological development, but to become leaders in it. Things do seem to be stagnating a bit in the past few years, particularly as very competitive nations have begun to take the lead on separate fields with the growing effect of us being left behind. I, for one, would like to see a bigger push to promote science and its uses on this country rather than debating whether a given deity or god should be included in our Constitutional framework, and I think it is something we can very well afford to do.

My fellow Atlasians, this is the time to promote some degree of investment into scientific and technological development, to ensure that conditions allow for innovators to thrive and triumph and not be punished through red tape, or prejudice, or a lack of interest on what they have to offer. We cannot afford for the sort of talent that can build a better future for all of us to go waste, and we need to have coordinated efforts that will yield results. This is why one of the spots in the new, redesigned cabinet will be related to innovation (alongside environmental and game outreach matters) and be entrusted to the Vice-President, in the hopes that active executive action can make a difference.

Reviving the Space Program:

I've made this point before, and I will bring it up again. Why have we stopped dreaming with space? Why have we allowed our society to be complacent for so long, to reach a historic target and then leave the Space Program behind rather than at the forefront? How much we could have achieved if we haven't decided that cutting the budget of NASA was more important than exploring our Solar System and beyond? I happen to believe this is one of the many tragedies and lost opportunities of the past fifty years, and I am not willing to let it happen again if it can be avoided. My friends, the time is now, now we must put extra focus on space exploration in what clearly constitutes the future of mankind, and leaving decades and decades go by as nothing is done is something we will come to regret sooner rather than later.

A Lumine/Siren Administration would, without a doubt, place significant emphasis on the ambitious revival of the space program and would commit not only to increasing the budget of NASA and for space exploration (while making sure it is well spent), but to setting long-term targets to aspire to. A fallen President once invited his nation to dream of achieving a target within a decade, and I see no reason why this shouldn't be attempted again, with international collaboration and the valuable help of the private sector on many instances. We must set ourselves to the task of returning to the Moon to establish a more permanent human presence, and march towards the ultimate goal of finally seeing the first human being to land on Mars and break yet another barrier in space.

A Spirit of Innovation:

It seems like a curious title for this part of the speech, doesn't it? After all, what constitutes a spirit of innovation, and why should it be unique or attributable to some in specific terms? The reason is simple, ladies and gentlemen, and it is because a candidate - any candidate - can face a fundamental decision if he or she desires it: whether to attempt to break the mold and do things differently, and to carry on with business as usual. The debate is of course far more complex than that, but the reason why I reduce it to this simpler explanation is because during these dull, uninspiring times we live in I find little reason not to desire to innovate, little reason to wish for things not to change.

And this ticket, the candidates of this ticket have looked towards Atlasia in the past few years and often wondered "why should it be like this? why not do it differently?", and acted on it. That is why we have a staunch commitment to the general idea of renewal and taking a different route as something necessary for the game to thrive and avoid the stagnation that can prove so asphyxiating, and which one threatened to kill the nation for good. Whether it is game reform, or the desire to create a more flexible and interesting cabinet, or the promotion of science, culture and technology, the protection of the environment, a different manner of handling foreign policy, there is a general idea that it is worth it to try something different not just for the sake of it, but because there is merit on both the principle and the specifics.

In Closing:

I believe - and strongly so - that whoever is elected President on the coming election will face this dilemma on whether to attempt change or continue with a sense of managed decline. I believe that the basic and fundamental answer may very well shape the upcoming term, and either start the process to invigorate the nation or cement a worrying trend. For those who seek change in Atlasia and find themselves disaffected or disenchanted, for those who are sincere free thinkers and cannot always agree with the narrow partisan views of a given leadership, for those who are tired of seeing the same mistakes repeated again and again, for those who feel Atlasia has very little to offer them now, for all of those Atlasians which may even comprise a majority of the players of this game, this ticket has a message and a promise for them.

A vote for Lumine/Siren, my friends, is a vote to take a step towards necessary innovation in Atlasia.

[Lumine]

You are an odd fellow, and I doubt they call you "Bombs Away Lumine" for nothing, but you won my party's endorsement, and considering my general apathy in regards to this election, that's good enough for me.

My sincere thanks, Peebs! I actually appreciate that a lot.

As an interesting bit of trivia I actually found the origin of "Boms Away Lumine", and it came from the time in which I was facing TNF in a Senate race (roughly on January 2014). I happened to disagree with the Senator's suggestion that we should unilaterally disarm our entire nuclear arsenal or dissolve NATO (despite agreeing with his denunciation of chemical and biological weapons) and along a larger list of nicknames I was given TNF came up with this bit:

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Plenty of nations keep large and disciplined militaries without having to recourse to nuclear weaponry. I see no reason why we cannot do the same. I support a total ban on all weapons of mass destruction in the Atlasian armed forces, and will not temporize on that demand. NATO is an outdated, imperialist fixture of the Cold War with no real purpose in 2014. Why are we still in it? We hardly need an aggressive alliance to "contain" Russia. Russia is not our enemy.[/quote]

Extra irony points to him on account of that hilarious quote on Russia, I suppose.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Endorsed

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Welcome to Miami (Bienvenidos a Miami) Sen. Lumine! Thanks for supporting technological innovation and the proud Atlasian tradition of advancing scientific achievement. Happy to support your candidacy. Be sure to stop by La Carreta or Versailles while you're in town.

[Lumine]

Endorsed

Welcome to Miami (Bienvenidos a Miami) Sen. Lumine! Thanks for supporting technological innovation and the proud Atlasian tradition of advancing scientific achievement. Happy to support your candidacy. Be sure to stop by La Carreta or Versailles while you're in town.

Thank you to you both, gentlemen! Your support in much appreciated.

[Lumine]

The Politics of Disappointment:

Political Speech:

Columbus, OH (June 19th)

Reflecting on the state of Atlasia I found myself struggling to define the prevalent feeling I had when thinking of the nation and the present state of politics, and the right word seemed to evade me for some time. Eventually I realized that "disappointing" was indeed the word I was looking for, and it seemed like an interesting subject to discuss as the election is fast approaching. I think most of us can agree that offering a vision and putting it forward in a positive manner is an ideal to aspire to, and flawed as all visions are I'd like to think that I've at least tried to present an idea of what Atlasia could be with the proper leadership and change in political culture. I certainly haven't gone out of way to campaign on misery and uneasy alone, or, gods forbid, in being as dull as it is humanly possible.

And yet I find myself close to the eve of the election with a sense of unease I can't quite shake off. Because as I look around, and even with the constant reminder that things have been worse, I don't see an Atlasia which at the present moment is inspiring, or invigorating, or even welcoming in many aspects.

I look around and see much of the game being outsourced to a separate place (in which a large part of the population, me included, has no interest in joining) in a repeat of a mistake the game already committed and payed a significant price for. I look around and see how a non negligible number of people who could use some maturing in their lives (for their own good) fall to the same basic mistakes, deflect blame in the same manner, be protected by the same partisan structures under different names. I look at the very same Congress in which I serve, and find the delays, gridlock and general lack of debate - in the bicameral system some defend so passionately despite its evident flaws - not the least bit inspiring to do one's job.

I look around and I think to myself that the game is becoming exasperatedly dull in many aspects, in which seems like a reverse of what this particular game is actually meant to be for. I can't help but to think the game is becoming less interesting and far more predictable than what it could be, and cannot be convinced that this is just because I've been around for a few years by now. Between the Discord nonsense, some of the dysfunctional mechanics of Congress, the general push to turn some subjects of debate into taboos never to find a proper solution on account of obstructionism and so on, I must admit I'm concerned. And the reason why I describe this as "The Politics of Disappointment" is because I fear the collective process might very well make the Republic crumble out of sheer... boredom and apathy.

I must confess that fate of mediocrity is something I fear, finding as I did several times before the game took a decisive turn towards reform a couple of years ago that the game was becoming close to not being worth playing. I'd very much like to avoid taking another big look at the game and seeing dullness prevail - which is a personal impression, others may disagree entirely -, and I suppose that's one of the reasons why I'm determined to break the usual mold in some manner and - for once - do something a bit different than what we've had, seen and heard for some time.

Ladies and gentlemen, I don't pretend to have the answers, nor do I pretend to be a saint - as my friends and foes will attest with endless evidence I'm anything but -, but I cannot surrender to the idea that most of the players want to see these trends continue until we fall into unbearable dullness.

And that, the very idea that there is a push and a chance to have something different, gives me some hope towards the future. And this election will be an excellent chance, I think, for voters to choose between three different political projects of different personalities which do not necessarily contrast as much in policy as it would be the case in real life, but whose visions of the game and what it requires are in stark division.

It remains to be seen just what vision is what voters will embrace.

[Adam Griffin]

The Politics of Disappointment

Pretty much sums up the game!

[Mr. Reactionary]

I look at the very same Congress in which I serve, and find the delays, gridlock and general lack of debate - in the bicameral system some defend so passionately despite its evident flaws - not the least bit inspiring to do one's job.

I mean, we've passed 36 bills in the Senate since early May. I'd hardly call that gridlock.

Passed Legislation:
SB 2018-187: Who Polices the Police Act (Passed 3-0-1)
SB 2018-182: Free Speech Protection Act (Passed 5-0-0)
SB 2018-195: Tangier Island Protection Act (Passed 4-0-0)
SB 2018-196: Let's Try This Act (Passed 5-0-1)
SB 2018-199: Dumb Regulations Repeal Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-200: Censure Resolution (Passed 4-0-1)
SB 2018-201: We Should Help Workers Act (Passed 5-0-0)
SB 2018-202: Animal Policies Reform Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-209: People’s Healthcare Information Protection Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-215: Justice for Atlasian Survivors Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-207: More Dumb Regulations Repeal Act (Passed 5-0-0)
SB 2018-208: Copyright Fairness Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-211: Ethical Disclosure of Artificial Intelligence Act (Passed 5-1-0)
SB 2018-213: Postal Reform Act (Passed 4-0-0)
SR 2018-221: Supporting Democracy in Venezuela Resolution (Passed 5-0-1)
SB 2018-217: Au Revoir to Useless Coins Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-206: Environmental Regulations Act (Passed 4-1-1)
SB 2018-220: Accountability in Foreign Aid Act (Passed 5-0-1)
SB 2018-224: War Dogs Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-205: Tort Reform Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-225: Even More Dumb Regulations Repeal Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-171: Federal Electoral Act of 2018 (passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-203: Bringing Order to Aquatic Transportation Act (passed 4-1-0)
SB 2018-190: Atlasian Jobs Creation Act of 2018 (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-219: INFOWARS.COM_PRISONPLANET.COM Act (Passed 5-1-0)
SB 2018-226: I Can't Believe It's More Dumb Regulations Repeal Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-216: Truth is Not Subjective Act (Passed 5-1-0)
SB 2018-229: Dumb Regulations Act VII: The Force Awakens (Passed 4-1-0)
SB 2018-228: Live Free and Repeal Dumb Regulations Act (Passed 4-2-0)
SR 2018-231: Resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide (Passed 5-0-0)
SB 2018-222: High Speed Rail Act (Passed 5-1-0)
SB 2018-232: The FHTAGN Act (Passed 6-0-0)
SB 2018-234: Only Fascists Support These Dumb Regulations Act (Passed 5-0-0)
SB 2018-233: Governmental Efficiency Act of 2018 (Passed 6-0-0)
SR 2018-230: War Powers Constitutional Amendment (Passed 4-1-0)
SB 2018-238: Reforming Criminal Law Act (Passed 5-0-0)

[wxtransit]

Only an hour to go!

[Lumine]

The Time has Come:

Pre-Election Speech:

Salt Lake City, UT (June 22nd)

My fellow Atlasians,

Good afternoon to you.

Well, the time is here at last. When I started this campaign several weeks ago I did so knowing that I was not entering as a favorite to win, but because it was right to offer a different voice at at time in which I felt very strongly that we were going down the wrong path, and needed someone to offer meaningful change and reform beyond a dull or uninspiring vision.

And it was my privilege to run an active campaign, reaching out to Atlasians in public and in private with the merits of this ticket and why it deserves a chance to reach the White House and change this nation for the better. I have nothing for gratitude to offer to my friends, supporters and particularly to Siren, who has been a remarkable running mate and to whom I am very grateful for joining me on this endeavour.

And now the election is upon us, and the voters will get to decide the sort of Atlasia that we will have for the next four months. My hope is that the voters will make a responsible decision upon seeing the candidates, their record, their levels of experience and accomplishment and the ideas they put forward during this race, and make a choice for the good the nation.

As to me, I'm pleased of being able to run a campaign which was by far more positive than negative and more focused on offering an inspiring vision to lift the game out of a long period of dullness. The rumor has reached my ears that even as we speak there is some significant poison flying around in PM's on account of those who seem a bit too keen to win regardless of the price, and all I can say is that I expect the people of Atlasia will know better than to put too much trust on the sort of negative campaigning some have thrived on.

That is all I have to say for now, ladies and gentlemen.

May this be a fun election!

[Lumine]

Onwards to the polls, my friends!

[_]

Onwards to the polls, my friends!

Except in Lincoln

[wxtransit]

Onwards to the polls, my friends!

Except in Lincoln

Big oof.

[Lumine]

Onwards to the polls, my friends!

Except in Lincoln

Always sad when an election officer fails at his duties...