Senate District 3 Special Election Debate

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Greetings!

Welcome to the Senate District 3 Special Election Debate!

I am your moderator, Ernest, editor-in-chief of The Region newsthread of Columbia, South-Eastern.

The two candidates who have agreed to this debate tonight are to stage right, Demrepdan, and to stage left, PBrunsel.

The format of tonight's debate is as follows:

To begin with, there will be a set of five questions addressed to both candidates which in the interests of time I would like both to answer as soon as they may and then to reply if they wish to their opponent's answer.  Then each candidate will be given an opportunity to ask two questions of their opponent.  A coin toss was taken before tonight's debate and PBrunsel will get to ask the first question, to which Demrepdan will respond, with each candidate asking the question allowed a brief reply.  Then there will be one more question asked of each candidate individually as selected by the moderator.  Finally each candidate will allowed one brief post for comments, with PBrunsel receiving the last chance to post in this debate.  We will begin when both candidates indicate that they are ready.

[PBrunsel]

All ready Ernest.

[Demrepdan]

Goodevening everyone. Goodevening PBrunsel. *shakes PBrunsel's hand*

[PBrunsel]

Goodevening everyone. Goodevening PBrunsel. *shakes PBrunsel's hand*

*Shakes DemRepDan's hand.*

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

1) I would like each of you name the person in American Politics, living or dead whom you admire most and briefly explain why. While I expect that many of our viewers suspect they know Pbrunsel's reply, *laughter from audience* I would like both of you to answer and perhaps PBrunsel will choose to confound expectations.

[PBrunsel]

As most would expect, I will say the man from West Branch, Herbert Clark Hoover, the 31st U.S. President.

Herbert Hoover is an American sucess story. He said as a young boy, "My dream is that I will never have to rely on someone else for help." At age 10 both his parents were gone, so with two dimes sewed into his pockets he took off to Oregon. This scared little boy, with two dimes, would work very hard. He was a millioniare by age 30. He worked hard to save Belgium from starvation in 1917. He worked hard to make sure U.S. Soldiers got food when he was on the National Food Board from 1919-1920. He worked hard as Secretary of Commerce to build dams, roads, and make all tools have specific sizes. He workes hard as President, working 18-hour days, as he struggled to get America out of the Great Depression.

Hoover worked hard and was a great man. He saved 100 millkion Belgians, and after World War !! saved over 500 million Europeans on the Relief Board. OPn the Hoover Commision he revealed problems in the executiv4e branch that saved Americans billions of dollars. He came from a poor family to reac the pinnacle, the Presidency. At his funeral, the deacon said of Hoover, "He has believed, he has worked very hard, he has endured."

[Demrepdan]

I'm not sure if I can honestly say I have ONE person who I admire most from American politics. I would probably say I have two, with one leading with slight precedence over the other.

The first person would be Abraham Lincoln. I man who was in essence a political failure, and a small town lawyer and was able to rise to greatness using his powerful intellect. He was elected to the Presidency in a time of great conflict, and the conflict only worsened when he became President, which ultimately cause the Civil War. He was able , in this dark time in American history, to keep the union alive and preserve democracy in America.

The second person I admire most in American Politics, would be Franklin D. Roosevelt. I man, who like Abraham Lincoln, faced conflict and war, however, he did not face the same dividedness that Lincoln faced. FDR was able to pull our nation up at a time of great depression and also lead our country through the worst war that history has ever seen, World War II.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

While either of you may reply to the other's previous answer, in the interests of time I shall pose the next question now.

2) I would like each of you to name an activity currently done by the government that it should stop doing, and an activity that it doesn't do that you wish it would.

[Demrepdan]

While either of you may reply to the other's previous answer, in the interests of time I shall pose the next question now.

2) I would like each of you to name an activity currently done by the government that it should stop doing, and an activity that it doesn't do that you wish it would.

I would ask the moderator if he would please rephrase the question, in order to resolve the confusion as to WHICH goverment he is referring to. (The US Government or Forum Goverment)

[PBrunsel]

In 1964 LBJ initiated his "War on Poverty," He said that it would, "Give a full stomach, and a fuller life." It hasn't given a fuller life at all. What has the Food Stamps program done, it has created a new kind of curency. Food Stamps can be used to purchase anything from bread to Twinkies. That was not what LBJ wanted Food Stamps to do, he wanted it to be inatiated so all could eat. i favor all eating, so I fabor the WIC Program. WIC gives out cupons that say that you can but milk, eggs, bread, cheese, and so on. It states that only the foods in the packet that the recipiant is given can be bought. The cupons can not be used to have your tax dollars buy Twinkies. I feel the Food Stamps Program has failed, and must be ended and replaced with a nation WIC Program.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

While either of you may reply to the other's previous answer, in the interests of time I shall pose the next question now.

2) I would like each of you to name an activity currently done by the government that it should stop doing, and an activity that it doesn't do that you wish it would.

I would ask the moderator if he would please rephrase the question, in order to resolve the confusion as to WHICH goverment he is referring to. (The US Government or Forum Goverment)

I was intending the US government, since I am not aware of the Forum government as having actually passed a budget, I do have some Forum specific questions as well, tho.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Let us proceed with question 3, and while I apologize to Demrepdan for this seeming rush, I would like to get this debate over with before 9:00 Central Time.

3) It has been suggested by some that regions should be eliminated and that the Forum should only have a single central government.  I would like you comment on whether you feel that the role of the regions should be increased or decreased.

[Demrepdan]

Thank you for clearing up question 2, I would have had my question answered sooner but I was waiting for your response. Allow me to answer question 2 before I answer 3.

I would currently like to see the government release restrictions on stem cell research. I believe that stem cell research should be carried out to it's full potential. For those who say it may be unethical, they fail to see the good ethics that can result from stem cell research. There could be a possibility for a man who has been crippled most of his life, to finally walk again. Or a man who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, as the late President Ronald Reagan was, to be cured from his disease. Restrictions on this research will leave America behind in the modern world, while other nations push forward on medical research and medical triumphs, we will stay in a medical deadlock. And of course, stem cell research can be done in a completely ethical way.

Another activity that our government should invest more in, is alternative fuel research. If we invest enough in this research, we may possibly find a way to create a fuel from something that can be grown and grown again in this country. Such as the ethanol used in gasolene, that is from corn oil. Even work with hydrogen powered cars, that will emit no pollution. If we were able to produce our own environmentally safe fuel, we would prosper as a nation. We would no longer be able to depend on foreign countries for petroleum, nor would we have to worry about a fuel that may not be as abundant as fossil fuels. If we develop such a means, the world would come to us for their energy, which would boost the economy, and give chance for every American's life to prosper.

[PBrunsel]

Regions were put together so the people of the forumcould presiden in one where they could work together in their region to help the forum as a whole. I do not oppose regions, for I feel regions are needed to keep the federal government from getting too big. I feel we should keep things the way they are. Almost every region has a Constitution, the regional Constitutions were created to not only govern the regions but to keep the regions free from the hand of the Federal Governemnt. I support keeping regiosn the same way as they are now, and not touching the what the National Constitution says on them.

[Demrepdan]

Let me answer question 3 by first stating, I support the idea of Regions. I have ALWAYS supported the idea of regions. After having drafted the Constitution, I was a STRONG supporter of Article IV of the Constitution, which states that the regions shall always have rights. I do not wish to eliminate regions all together and give all power to the Federal government. Anyone who thinks regions should be eliminated, are simply thinking it would be SIMPLER to condense the government into on package. I believe the regions still serve a purpose. First, they organize different areas of the country and with a Governor in place over them, it allows the regions to have one voice to represent them. Governors, at one time, had the right to replace an empty Senate seat if it was within his own region, or a regional Senate seat. However, with elimination of Regional Senators which resulted in the number of district Senators to double, the Governor no longer has that opportunity. One of the jobs of Governor, and most important job, is that he help plan the redistricting whenever it occurs. Without the Governors in place, 5 persons elected by the people from different geographic areas of the country, who shall help in the redistricting? The Senators? An executive appointed body? The Governor is: However, they must have a Governor to govern the region and act as the Chief Representative of the respective region.
Lets also not forget how regions give more power to the people, by giving them positions of power regardless of how small. Each region has the right to govern themselves and carry out regional elections as they wish. They may have as many elected or appointed Regional Positions as they so choose.

Also remember my favorite amendment, the Fifth Amendment. The Amendment that these fantasy elections are ALL about, and are sometimes forgotten by the people. The fifth amendment states that everyone shall not feel left out of the fantasy election process. I believe with the elimination of Regions, people will feel smaller. As if they don't matter. The regions give them a sense that they are part of something. Without regions, people will be ruled by a council of 10, over lorded by a dictator.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Let me remind the candidates that they are free to ask followup questions concerning their opponent's answers to the previous questions if they wish.

In case they don't wish, let me go ahead and ask my fourth question.

4) What lesson should be learned from the invasion of Iraq?  Please feel free to comment on diplomacy, the military, intellegence, or any other aspect that you feel should be learned from our actions there.

[PBrunsel]

Iraq has taught us to always be prepared. I mean prepared millitarily and when it comes to intelegence. No WMD's have been found "in stockpiles" as George W. Bush had stated in March of 2003. Saddam Hussein had acted like he had WMD's, but it seems now to prove to the contrary. Although I feel intelligence reports led President Bush astray, I feel intervening in Iraq was a good thing.

It has also taught the nation we need a strong millitray to be free. To quote what American soliders say today half way accross the world, "Freedom is not free." A strong millitray is needed to take on threates from terrorists and rougue nations. Ronald Reagan said in 1980, "When the forces of freedom our strong our enemies are not antious, it is when they are weak that tyrant's are tempted." I feel Iraq has showed the nation that only a well funded millitary can keep the nation and the world free. Only a strong millitray can keep freedom alive upon the earth, To quote FDR, "WE must be the great arsenal of Democracy." We must remain to be that strong.

Iraq was ruled by a crazed mad man who oppenly threatended the world. He hung children before their mothers' eyes. His sons brutally raped women in mass Raping Rooms. Mass graves have been found in Iraq. Even the UN had to say that Hussein had doen wrong to Iraq when it came to human rights. We interveened in Iraq to spread freedom to a oppressed people and to topple a cruel dictatorship. If Iraq has taught the nation and the World anything, it has taught that freedom can blossom out of a tyranny, and freedom can prevail against all odds.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Since it has been 20 minutes since I asked the last question, let me proceed with my final question.

5) The Cabinet nominations of President Gustaf were announced earlier today.  Do you have any comments you wish to make about these nominations?

[Demrepdan]

In response to question 4, sorry for my delay.

         There are several lessons to be learned from the invasion of Iraq. Not just ONE. First of all, we were told that there were weapons of mass destruction that Saddam Hussein had within his country. We were also told that Iraq had an Al-Qaeda connection. With these weapons, and with this connection, the Iraqi government could potentially give the terrorist one or more of these weapons of mass destruction. Which could mean that they might use it against American abroad, use it on our friends and allies, or possibly even sneak it into our country, and create a terrorist attack worse than 9/11. After we attacked Iraq, we later found out that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, or none to be found, and there was no Al-Qaeda connection. So that questions are reasons to be over fighting in Iraq and risking American lives.

I suppose the POSITIVE aspect of the war is that we defeated an enemy of the United States. A man who would NOT, if he had weapons of mass destruction, hesitate to use them. He also supported small terrorist organizations, by promising to pay money to the family of suicide bombers. Of course, after 9/11, President Bush stated that if you're a friend of a terrorist, you're an enemy of the United States. And I do agree with that. Another POSITIVE aspect is that we have liberated an oppressed people, we have freed people who could grow up hating the United States. "But what about the people who hate the United States more than ever because we invaded and are doing suicide bombings to U.S. soldiers right now?" you may ask. Well, I believe that in the LONG run, sometime in the not to distant future, we will earn the respect of most Iraqi citizens.

Now, *sigh* onto some negative aspects about the war. I did, myself, support the war. But I didn't support the way we went about doing it, and now my approval for how we proceeding going to war is even worse. I believe the Bush administration failed, diplomatically. We failed to work with other people and slowly gain more and more support as others see the potential threat that Saddam Hussein may be in a post 9/11 world. President Bush could have reached out to other nations, instead of turning a sneer of arrogance. The arrogance that we know what we're doing, so come alone whether you like it or not, because we are all in danger. I believe we could have slowly brought enough support to end the reseigm of Saddam Hussein. We rushed to war. Why did we rush? Because of the weapons of mass destruction, that were not there. Which brings  me to the point of intelligence.

There obviously must have been SOMETHING wrong with the intelligence given to President Bush to make him believe that there were weapons of mass destruction. Before you send nearly 900 American people to die to preserve and in the name of OUR freedom, you'd better make DAMN sure that all the evidence is correct, and not a BIT of it was faulty or questionable. And it's hard to argue that "Well, at the time it didn't seem questionable at all." To many it did, including me.

So I believed we failed diplomatically as well as in our intelligence. As far as our military success, I have no complaints of that. I believe we did a terrific job in quickly getting the job done, with minimal damage to our military. However, no we have terrorist bombings that kill as many as 10 U.S. soldiers every week. We have our military forces spread so thin across the globe, that we have to cut the salary to our military men, and call upon untrained, unprepared army reservist to fight war. Even top military officials have stated this, and have also stated that many people in the military or preforming duties for which they have no training. And ask people who's time in the military has already expired, to continue their service in the military.

Perhaps the war with Iraq was inevitable, and I did support the idea of the war. But I didn't support our quickness to a threat that we later find out was not there.

[PBrunsel]

President Gustaf has proven himself a brilliant man for assigning such good men who are so bright to the Cabinet. He was bale to break partisan lines and appoint members of the Democratic, Atlas Independence, and Republican Parties. His choices reflect good leadership and confirm my hope in him that he will make a fine president.

Nym90, being a former president, was the best choice anyone could make as Secretary of State. He has expierience working with foreign nations and with the State Department. He will be a grand Secretary of State, and I wish him luck in his new position.

Fritz as Secretary of Forum Affairs is yet another great choice. His work as Secretary of Labor will give him a connection with the working men and women of Atlasia, and that is what we need in a Secretary of Forum Affairs. Fritz is a hard worker who understanfds the regular man, the man on the make.

Mr. Fresh, of my own Republican Party, knows much of Forum Constitutional Procedure. He has a mind for law, and has the feel for enforcing justice. he will be a fine Attorney General.

John Ford is a man of charecter. He is a man who understands that we need a strong defense if we are to remain free. He understands that America needs to remain the millitary superpower it is. I say that he is a grand choice for Defense Secretary because he belives that freedom does not come free.

Ben, where can I begin? He is honest, trustworthy, has a head for numbers, knows how to ballance his own budgetm so he can ballance ours. Ben has shown to be a dedicated man who always tells it like it is, he is a great choice for Secretary of the Treasury.

[Demrepdan]

Question 5:
I beleieve President Gustaf, who refuses to change his name to that, made good decisions for his cabinet. I'm sure Nym will make a good Secretary of State, having served as President for 4 months, he should do a good job upholding the diplomacy of the Forum. John Ford will make a good Secretary of Defense, and by Gustaf picking a former Republican, only shows that Gustaf wants to balance out his cabinet and keep it fair. Fritz is a rising star of the Forum. I can see great things in his future, and I'm glad that he will be one of my successors as Secretary of Forum Affairs.

One grievance I do have with the Gustaf administration, is that they REFUSE to obey the Constitution, and appoint 2 other cabinet positions. The Attorney General, who upholds the law in the Constitution, and the Secretary of Labor, who helps new members to the foru find work so they can contribute to the forum as best they can. I believe these two  cabinet positions are vital, and they ignored them. And I may seriously consider action of some kind against them, possibly severe, if they do not satisfy this simple rule.

[Demrepdan]

Question 5:
I beleieve President Gustaf, who refuses to change his name to that, made good decisions for his cabinet. I'm sure Nym will make a good Secretary of State, having served as President for 4 months, he should do a good job upholding the diplomacy of the Forum. John Ford will make a good Secretary of Defense, and by Gustaf picking a former Republican, only shows that Gustaf wants to balance out his cabinet and keep it fair. Fritz is a rising star of the Forum. I can see great things in his future, and I'm glad that he will be one of my successors as Secretary of Forum Affairs.

One grievance I do have with the Gustaf administration, is that they REFUSE to obey the Constitution, and appoint 2 other cabinet positions. The Attorney General, who upholds the law in the Constitution, and the Secretary of Labor, who helps new members to the foru find work so they can contribute to the forum as best they can. I believe these two  cabinet positions are vital, and they ignored them. And I may seriously consider action of some kind against them, possibly severe, if they do not satisfy this simple rule.

I appoligize for the mistake, the Attorney General position HAS been filled, but in place of the Secretary of Labor, comes the Secretary of Treasury. A Department of Treasury would be irrellvent for this government, since we have no money transaction, and our government is in essence, broke. We all agreed upon this LONG ago, that the Secretary of Treasury was a bad posititon, and Gustaf throws away the Secretary of Labor, a position which actually serves a PURPOSE, with a Secretary of Treasury, who is nothing more than a figurehead.


I also beleive the nomination for Mr. Fresh as Attorney General is just a political move, in order to appease Republicans. I'm sure Mr. Fresh will do his job well, however, he has no legal experience of any kind. Especially with our forum constitution. To my recelection he has not made any attempts to question the constituion. And besides he did not even SIGN the constitution. So it questions his ablitlies, and makes someone wonder if he truly KNOWS the constitution.

[PBrunsel]

Secretary DemRepDan, if I remember right Mr Fresh was appointed Attorney general.

A Secretary of Labor is needed though. The Gustaf Administration may have already appointed one, but he or she has not accepted yet or is not informed on the decison.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Now that I have asked my five joint questions, the time has come for the candidates to do the asking.  So PBrunsel, if you would please ask your first question of Demrepdan?

[Demrepdan]

Secretary DemRepDan, if I remember right Mr Fresh was appointed Attorney general.

A Secretary of Labor is needed though. The Gustaf Administration may have already appointed one, but he or she has not accepted yet or is not informed on the decison.

I corrected my mistake in leaving Mr. Fresh out of the cabinet as Attorney General, PRIOR to you making this post. And I also made my comments about him.