Griffin for Senate - THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM

[Adam Griffin]

GRIFFIN FOR AT-LARGE SENATE - CAMPAIGN HQ

CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF RUNNING IN AT-LARGE SENATE SPECIAL ELECTIONS EVERY 54 WEEKS
And hopefully not losing by 1 vote like last time

February 15-17, 2013
February 28-March 2, 2014
March 13-15, 2015

MASON-DIXON LINE, DE - Atlasia is a game that runs in cycles. I recall being amused when I found myself up for confirmation as GM once again last year, with my confirmation hearing being in the exact week that it was one year prior. Similarly, I find myself running for Senate in an at-large special election 54 weeks after a previous run in the same situation, which too was 54 weeks after my first at-large Senate special election campaign. Perhaps it is the brisk winter climate that always ensures that a Senate seat opens up this time of the year, every year.

I enjoy a good challenge, and my past two at-large Senate races were hard-fought campaigns against some of the best politicians in the game, with plenty of political operative prowess backing them. I don't expect any less this time, and because of that, I don't feel as if your vote is obliged to me: I know I will need to earn it.

I believe that the experiences I have had in this game will allow me to serve you, the great people of this country, effectively from day one. In the past, I have served as a/an:

·         At-Large Senator

·         Regional legislator, across six terms in the South and Northeast

·         Imperial Speaker in the South

·         Northeast Lieutenant Governor

·         Party Chairman for seventeen months

·         Game Moderator (twice), for a total of eight months

·         Vice-President

But it’s not just about experience, because at the end of the day, it is about what that experience gets you. Whether you love me or disagree with me on key issues, the fact that I deliver results for those I represent and protect cannot be debated. As an at-large Senator, it will be my duty to look after the interests of all Atlasians. I can rub elbows, grease wheels, fill rooms with smoke and roll up my sleeves, all of which mean that I know how to get things done.

The critics in this election will try to make it solely about which party has a certain number of seats or will use buzz words to paint a picture they’d prefer you see, but those claims are not what the democratic process is about nor how we should pick our representatives.

I've proven time and time again that I will stand up to ridiculous economic excess like inflation-inducing minimum wages, as well as the automatic demonizing of those with whom we may have strong policy disagreements on the social front. A healthy debate about the issues is needed, for sure, but we cannot threaten the economic course of our country nor can we automatically shut out large segments of the game from participating because of our own passions and convictions.

I have always been a strong proponent of focusing on game-related mechanics to enhance the experience for all of us, and I see that continuing to be a focus of mine if elected to the Senate once again. I am passionate about maximizing our development of energies here at home and in renewable ways (and we have made considerable progress on this front already), then ensuring they are available to our citizens in the most cost-effective ways possible. I applaud the efforts of individuals such as Speaker Maxwell to enhance NASA funding, as we have to consider what the inevitability of the future has in store for us as well. There is much more to discuss, support and oppose in the coming days, but I won’t overwhelm everyone just yet.


And now, I will be more than happy to take questions and will do my best to shed light on key subjects of interest. Ask away!

[Adam Griffin]

Fully Endorsed.

you have my vote

Endorsed, of course!

Obviously endorsed

Endorsed!

Thank you all for the support!

[Adam Griffin]

Endorsed again! 

You got my vote, endorsed, good luck!

You've got my vote.

Thank you so much!


I appreciate the questions and will answer them later this evening, once I've wrapped up my real-life work for the day.

[Adam Griffin]

Do you support banning limited liability companies?

I can't see myself supporting outright abolition, no. I am, however, weary of some of the current benefits that are allocated to them.

For instance, I do not like the notion that an LLC can effectively "select" its own tax rate by choosing to be one of many different entities. I may draw some ire here, but I also think it a bit silly to allow LLCs when we're only dealing with one person as well. When you have large companies and the liability is in fact many times not attributable to any one person, then that is a different story entirely.

I don't believe we have any federal regulation passed at the moment governing LLCs, which makes me think that there is a patchwork series of laws at the state or regional level governing how they function in each jurisdiction. As such, it makes it difficult for me to assess the current situation, but I do not think banning them outright is the ideal answer.

[Adam Griffin]

What do you think about Thomas Piketty and his piece Capital in the 21st Century?

I'll be honest and say that I haven't read the book, but I've picked up bits and pieces of his broader theory over time. For the most part, I believe them to be true or at the very least, more relevant to capital and production today than the writings from the past. His broader formula of "r>g" I think really sums up why defense of unions, fair pay, and concepts such as inheritance taxes are always going to be necessary, rather than temporary "ebb and flow" reactions to a changing set of economic conditions. I do disagree with the notion that unequal access to skill sets is becoming a greater problem, if only on a technicality; I would say that access to learning skill sets is unprecedented in terms of availability, but rather the way in which we validate the obtainment of those skill sets is what is hurting us.

[Adam Griffin]

What do you believe is the best way to stimulate and grow the economy?

I firmly believe that a bottom-up approach with the full backing of our public institutions is necessary to keep income inequality at bay and ensure we reach full employment. Ultimately, it comes down to needing as many people as possible spending as much money as possible within our economy, and what policies must be enacted to ensure that.

The government cannot in perpetuity employ a majority of the workers in this country, but it can ensure that a perpetual program is in place to make the most of those who are willing to do so. We have plenty of people in this country who want to work and who want to learn new skills but who cannot due to life's circumstances. I support programs that do the following:

• Find long-term unemployed individuals who are ready to improve their lives
• Find businesses that would like to hire more workers but are uneasy about doing so currently
• Stimulate local economies through the creation of more liquidity and naturally increased demand
• Train workers in under-staffed fields that Atlasia needs to compete
• Profit

The individuals in question would need to meet three criteria:

• Be unemployed for more than six months
• Be ready to go to work full-time
• Be ready to go back to school full-time

We the public then ensure that the costs of going back to school and their wages both are covered for one to two-year periods. The individuals would work during the day and go to school (vocational training, predominantly) during the evening (or vice-versa in some cases). As long as they're enrolled in school and in an eligible field of study, their wages and school costs are covered.

Some of these jobs can be created in the public sector, but I envision that vast majority will be generated by pairing these workers with private businesses for a pre-determined period of time (3-6 months). We pay the wages, the workers develop resumes and get back into the work force, and if at the end of the period the business chooses not to hire the worker full-time, then we find them employment elsewhere. I believe, however, that a large chunk of businesses may choose to hire these people, in which case we continue to pay their school costs for the remainder of their training. Workers benefit, businesses benefit, local economies benefit, and the benefits will be both short-term and long-term in nature.

[Adam Griffin]

FORMER VP GRIFFIN: COMMITTED TO ATLASIA FOR 10 YEARS

It is worth pointing out that my dedication to public service is guaranteed. While my opponents' reliability can be questioned, I am on record as being an Atlasian voter going back all the way to 2005. As such, you can rely on me to get the job done.

THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO ENJOYS IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY

Can we really trust a Senator who doesn't know who Sweet Dee is, or just why she dropped the box of kittens? I, for one, don't even want to find out the answer to that question.

[Adam Griffin]

Ja Wohl!

Endorsed, of course!

Thank you so much for the support, and Snowguy, I'm taking that as an endorsement.


Please, keep the questions coming!

[Adam Griffin]

Endorsed, of course.

I would never consider voting for anyone that doesn't watch Sunny.

Are you also the only TPB fan in the race?

Thank you, and in regards to TPB: it's very, very likely so! I've heard rumors that Foucaulf doesn't even know what a television is.

[Adam Griffin]

You were an At-Large Senator when I first came to Atlasia. Oh, I'm nostalgic now

We're in different sides of this race, but I still expect you to build a great campaign, so good luck with that

Thank you for the kind words.

[Adam Griffin]

CLARENCE APPRECIATION WEEK

I would like to take a moment and recognize Atlasian Citizen Clarence's receipt of the The Order of the Silver Star of Atlasia for his continued service to the country over the years. In addition, Atlasia should move to recognize this week as Clarence Appreciation Week; as such, I have changed my avatar in a show of solidarity with Clarence and the idea.

[Adam Griffin]

What are your views on the external political situation?

Could you be more specific? Are you referring to foreign affairs and if so, a specific situation or conflict; or perhaps the recent round of terrorist activity?

[Adam Griffin]

What are your views on the external political situation?

Could you be more specific? Are you referring to foreign affairs and if so, a specific situation or conflict; or perhaps the recent round of terrorist activity?

Terrorist activity was of external nature

Yeah, I see someone is not reading official paper carefully...

No, I've been keeping up on affairs quite diligently, but the term "external political situation" is a rather strange and broad phrase that made me unsure as to the question being asked of me, especially when there are so many different news-worthy events as of late (with the hefty sum of them being "external" either in a domestic terrorist sense or a foreign sense - Iraq, PMA, foreign leaders' responses to the new administration, etc). Those are all "external" and "political" in one sense or another.

Assuming you mean the domestic terrorism we're facing and not ISIS, it seems that we are losing control of the situation bit-by-bit, which is worrisome to me. I think the death tolls speak for themselves. By last count, I saw we had apprehended 12 of these individuals, yet the attacks keep coming. Deeply disturbing, if you ask me, and it speaks to a trend that they are more organized than perhaps was previously thought. As I told IBDD privately in recent days, I applaud Governor Simfan's insistence on not negotiating with terrorists. I do, however, worry about the precedent that is set by cutting off an entire state from the rest of the Union as he did with Idaho.

Ultimately, I do not think we as a government were ready for such an series of attacks from within, which might be as easily classified as internal. I would highly recommend that regional governments collaborate with one another more to handle these situations, as there have been instances of violence occurring in a generally-cohesive region along the Pacific-Midwest border. In addition, our federal government needs to be prepared to enact emergency funding mechanisms to authorize additional on-the-ground law enforcement, intelligence/counter-intelligence and proactive responses (however, we must be careful not to violate the basic rights of the citizens within these areas). If such legislation is not introduced and on the floor by the time this special election ends (to my knowledge, there has not been), I will sponsor the needed actions if elected.

[Adam Griffin]

Thank you. Now, if I may ask, what is your view on what Atlasia should do or shouldn't do regarding deepening crisis in Iraq, as well as threat of Russia and Iran unilatery increasing their oil production?

First, Iraq. This came up the last time I was in the Senate. I am a non-interventionist with respect to ground troops or a permanent presence in the Iraqi quagmire. We have wasted too many lives and too much money on a part of the world that has no inclination to help itself out of its current situation. At the very best, we can only guarantee stability for the length of time that we remain in the region sacrificing our men and women in uniform, and I have no interest in doing so. While the players in each of the three fragments at the moment are not ideal, the fragmentation of the country long-term is probably better for peace than maintaining a colonial series of boundaries that keep sectarian strife amplified within the confines of an unnatural territory.

In regards to the oil situation, it is my understanding the RL sanctions that exist on Iranian and Russian oil are not present here (correct me if I'm wrong?). As such, I do not expect much trouble in the coming months in so far as the Saudis do not decide to jump into the foray in an attempt to cripple the North American energy market (which would likewise harm not only us, but the Russians and Iranians as well). Long-term and has already been the focus of Atlasian policy for some time, we must further seek to insulate ourselves from this reckless substance by aiming for complete energy independence. I would be very interesting in seeing what the current figures in terms of percentage of energy derived domestically and the sources for that energy look like before I can provide a more detailed response. Obviously and even with total energy independence, the oil markets can have auxiliary economic effects for us and the situation will need to be carefully monitored day by day for any new developments on that front.

[Adam Griffin]

Adam, are you still running now that you've been nominated for RG?

Absolutely. Cabinet members (excluding the GM) are allowed to hold two positions at once for a reason, and I look forward to bringing a consistent level of dedication, activity and attention to detail to both offices.

[Adam Griffin]

Adam, are you still running now that you've been nominated for RG?

Absolutely. Cabinet members (excluding the GM) are allowed to hold two positions at once for a reason, and I look forward to bringing a consistent level of dedication, activity and attention to detail to both offices.

Hm, if such particular instance is allowed, wouldn't that at least violate a principle of separation of powers (executive post and legislative post)?

Wha... you mean I can't have another office?

It appears as if I may have been mistaken. The GM is prevented from holding any additional office and the RG and DoFE are prevented from serving as Senators. This creates quite the pickle.

[Adam Griffin]

While it's already been reported, I just wanted to make the announcement that I have suspended my campaign for confirmation as Registrar General so that I can dedicate myself solely to the task of representing you, the Atlasian people.

[Adam Griffin]

WE ONLY GOT FOUR DAYS TO SAVE THE WORLD

With just a few hours before the election booths open, we're in the final stretch. I encourage anyone who is on the fence to ask questions now before making any decision at the polls. While some are overly-pessimistic and others are overly-optimistic about our chances, I've never believed that this would be anything other than a race that comes down to the wire.

It's your choose, Atlasia, so chose wisely.

[Adam Griffin]

What efforts have you been doing in the areas of health and education?

I haven't been in federal government in quite some time, but recently I had the fortune at the regional level of working on the Amendment to the Northeast Pubic Intoxication Act and Responsible Drinking and Driving Act. In addition, we did manage to address part of the issue of school activity in the NE Assembly with the Amendment to the T.J. Detweiler Act.

[Adam Griffin]

The first 24 hours of voting has passed, but there are still 48 more!

I encourage all of my supporters to get out and vote, and unlike one of my opponents, I won't ask those who won't vote for me to not vote at all.

As always, my office is open to any and all questions from the voters throughout the remainder of the election.

[Adam Griffin]

A SPEECH WILL COME LATER - UNTIL THEN, ENJOY...

[Adam Griffin]

Also congratulations on being the first At-Large Senator to enter office whilst I was not Regional Senator of the DS/IDS/SE since Marokai Blue in May of 2009.

Congratulations Comrade!

Congrats on your victory!

Oh, and congratulations on your victory, Adam. It'll be fun to oppose you

Congratulations

Congratulations

Congrats for your victory.  I hope I could have voted for you but having you win and me not being able to vote was almost as good.

Labor prevails!

congratulations!!

Labor prevails!

Congratulations

Congrats! Very, very impressive job.

Congrats

Congratulations. I was annoyed and impressed by your excessive hounding. I hope you make the most of your month or so in office.

My sincere congratulations, I am content you will be a Senator of outstanding quality, and look forward to seeing you in the Senate.

Thanks to you all for the congratulations and warm wishes. I promise we will have a victory party of sorts sometime this evening!

[Adam Griffin]

VICTORY

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am humbled yet overly emboldened by your dramatic show of support for me in this recent at-large election!

As of last night, preliminary results had me ready to roundly condemn former Senator North Carolina for his rude (and might I add selfish) decision to vote for JCL, denying me 60% in the final round. However, the certified results now show we finished at:

60.34%!

The critics and the nay-sayers were wrong. Despite their efforts, their vicious attacks against our Party and I did not resonate with the voters. In fact, Adam Griffin, of all people, managed to lead Labor to win *gasp* the Dreaded Sixth Seat of Doom - with the highest percentage of the vote for any Labor candidate in history. Truly glorious, indeed! We ran a positive campaign and it paid off dearly. Let that be a lesson to all those seeking office in the future.

To those who supported me: you know how appreciative I am of your support, and I'll be contacting each of you personally in the coming days because you mean that much to me. I'd like to reiterate that - as I conveyed throughout the entire campaign - my door is always open to you, and I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

To those that didn't support me: you obviously have your concerns or genuinely thought someone else was better suited for this job. I can respect that (to a degree; let's not be too unrealistic here), but what is important is that we move on from this and continue to celebrate the will of Atlasia, which just so happens to be the will of Labor! As always, my door is open to comments, concerns and some criticisms.

To the outlying IRC precincts: while we've certainly been through our rough times, I was glad to see a reasonable swing back in the right direction, and I thank the significant minority of this group for its support. For those who did oppose me, I promise that I will give you as much energy as I can possibly spare when I'm in the mood to do so, but I am all out of love to give for today.

Now quick, everyone! Strap bore to the hood of the car and let's fulfill the electorate's expectations of us!

[Adam Griffin]

Many congrats, my friend!

Why wait? Let's start the party now!

Congratulations, Senator!

Congratulations!

Congratulations, Senator!

Congratulations!

Thank you all so much!

You really like that sunglasses GIF, don't you?

It's a bit dated at this point, but I didn't feel like making another one.

[Adam Griffin]

RIP my illustrious title

Wonderful news! A true victory for The People!


I hereby name you The People's Griff

This will do instead!