The Porcupine: The most trusted name in news.

[CatoMinor]

Can we please not over legislate?

Unless repealing or fixing a terrible laws that already exists, The Porcupine offers the following detailed analysis of any other legislation.

When it is nearly impossible to go a day for anyone alive to not break some obscure law without realizing it, can we begin to have the conversation that's long overdue? Perhaps a goal for the Senate is to have a session where they end with fewer statutes than when they started. But then again an addict can only be cured when they make the internal decision that they want the change. So then it is likely this may only be a dream until that majestic day comes when a majority of the Senate decides to advance the cause of liberty.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

handfull of Senators, don't pass legislation...


Jbrase is probably one of the few who might be able to get this reference without cheating.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Perhaps a goal for the Senate is to have a session where they end with fewer statutes than when they started.

If Bore's Second Repeal of Useless Laws Act passes, this will almost certainly happen in the current session.

Done

I would also point out that the number of bills passed only exceeds the number of bills failed by 2. That is a rather close distribution as 75% of bills considered typically pass the Seante.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Northeast Assembly Approval Ratings:

Deus Naturae (DR-NY)
61% Approve
39% Disapprove

Napoleon (Labor-NY)
66% Approve
34% Disapprove

SomebodyWhoExists (Labor-NY)
70% Approve
30% Disapprove

Sirnick (TPP-NY)
76% Approve
24% Disapprove

cinyc (Independent-NY):
71% Approve
29% Disapprove

Assembly as a whole:
75% Approve
25% Disapprove

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Not to be outdone by my friend Yankee, The Porcupine will be doing interviews (albeit in a different format) for those who'd like one.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

It has been a rather long time since I was interviewed. In fact this may or may not have all been a conspiracy to motivate other people to get in the act, so that I could get interviewed for once.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Interview with Oakvale

Q1: It's been a few years since your last interview with The Porcupine. Do you think Atlasia is better or worse than it was in 2010?

Well, first of all thanks for the interview Dallas. Always a pleasure to talk with you and The Porcupine.

This might surprise some people, but I think Atlasia is ultimately in a better place in 2014 than it was in 2010. I entered the game during the second afleitch administration, in comparison to which the complaints of stagnant activity today look trifling. "Game reform" was the order of the day, and I saw the Purple State/Marokai landslide happen largely on the back of complaints about a dysfunctional constitution and an anxiety that the game was dying - this fear's nothing new. And yet Atlasia has survived and thrived in the years since. There's always cycles of activity and relative inactivity, but I think the game's in a solid position at the moment and I'm optimistic about the future.

Despite the criticisms from some, I really think the dual dissolution of the RPP and JCP helped. As you remember, we'd ended up in a situation where a monolithic JCP could count on winning every election by one or two votes. Upsets were almost unheard of. This was at risk of killing the game entirely, and while we've to some extent reverted back to two major right and left parties, the existence of smaller parties like the Democratic Republicans and The People's Party mean that there's significantly more nuance than there was at the low point pre-dissolution.

What we need to be wary of is a situation where Labor and the Federalists become little more than a rehash of the old JCP/RPP divide. The ideological diversity within both parties and the offset provided by the small parties is a good bulwark against falling back into old habits. The future is bright.


Q2: You've been a wearer of many hats during your time in Atlasia. What would you say your favorite position was?

That's a tricky one. I really enjoyed being Governor of the Pacific, where I think I did a lot of good work and helped to prod the region out of its traditional stagnation to some degree - a lot like Governor DemPGH is succesfully doing now.

Being a Senator varied, largely due to real-life commitments interfering - unlike being a Governor, the Senate requires a bigger and more speicfic time commitment since you need to show up to votes at certain, specific times, and make sure to contribute to the debate so you're not just a paper Senator. This means in practice that real life can interfere quite easily and hurt your activity levels - although I should point out that my favourite time as a Senator was certainly in the glory days of the old TPP Senate, which, if I do say so myself, was one of the most productive, exciting and stimulating Senates in recent memory. I feel bad about having to resign after the dissolution of the old Party, but, as mentioned, real life can wreak havoc on a Senator's ability to do his job.

Overall, though, I'd have to say my favourite position is the one I have now - Supreme Court justice. I have job security (no elections! ), get to work with thoughtful and intelligent people like bgwah and Torie, and have the opportunity, even if it's all too rare, to really dig into the most interesting part of Atlasia for me - scrutinising the constitutionality of problematic laws.

It's perhaps telling that one job I've always regretted not having in Atlasia is Attorney General, but I'm thrilled that I got the unlikely opportunity to return to the Court, and I'm really happy in my current role. The Supreme Court's an absolutely vital part of Atlasia and the chance to contribute to it is fantastic.


Q3: Currently your job is "emergency manager." What does that entail, and how does it relate to the Pacific's regional government?

Well, given my long connection with the Pacific over my career (I think I've held pretty much every position possible in the region - Governor, Lt. Gov, Councillor, Council Speaker, and, sort of () regional judge), President Duke appointed me to be the administration's eyes on the ground in the region and to oversee the distribution of stimulus money as we try to dig the Pacific out of its disastrous economic situation.

After an initial rocky start where the Justice granted my office sweeping temporary powers in order to stabilise the situation as drastically and quickly as possible, and the transition from an "emergency" into a more hopeful situation, I've stepped back into a far more hands-off role - I'm basically around to provide advice to the Governor and Council when and if they need it, make sure that the stimulus money isn't being spent frivolously, and, ultimately, to stay as hands-off as possible and allow the Pacific to return to normal government. I think the best way I can help with the recovery of the region is by keeping up steady communication with the Governor and local government and to let them plot their own course as much as possible.

It's been working out quite well so far - I really can't praise DemPGH and the Council enough. They've been terrific partners in this effort.

I don't know how long I will stay in this role, although I am more than willing to serve for as long as the President wants me to. My inclination is that I will likely step down at the end of the Duke adminstration, and presumably the conclusion of the Project, and trust that the DemPGH/Duke/Oakvale (if you'll pardon the slight ego) reforms we've bene working on have been enough to steer the region into prosperity and activity once more.

I'm really hopeful.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Q4: Are you satisfied with the Pacific's rate of progress?

Yes, I am, although I suppose we'll have to see what our new GM's latest report says. We've seen a huge drop in unemployment, a return of business confidence, a boost in our credit rating, and, less tangibly but maybe more significantly, a renewed atmosphere of optimism and confidence in an often troubled region.

Again, a huge part of the credit  needs to go to the Governor and Council, who have been wonderful - they understand the gravity of the situation and have been proactive and engaged in dealing with it. I firmly believe that thanks to our work - both the administration's Save The Pacific Project and our partners in the regional government - the Pacific is en route to becoming the success story of Atlasia and President Duke's most proud and lasting legacy.

The turnaround will also, if I may say so, serve DemPGH well in his quest for the Presidency - if he can do for Atlasia what he did for the Pacific, and I think he very possibly can, he'll be a remarkable President.

In spite of the signficant progress, we're continuing to work as hard as we can to get our region back on track. There's nothing more important to the Governor, myself, the SoIA or the President than guiding the Pacific back to health. We're getting there, but we're not complacent - we won't be content until the Pacific is not just recovering, but recovered and is a vibrant, thriving region again.

Q5: What has been your favorite/most interesting court case that you've ruled on, in either of your terms?

Hmmm. Of course, I wish I had more court cases to talk about. Typically, I had the luck to get appointed just as an extremely active Attorney General was leaving office.

This might seem like a strange choice since the effect wasn't particularly dramatic, but I enjoyed working on and discussing with my fellow Justices Inkks.LWC v. Registrar General homelycooking, which considered the legality of the Registrar General using discretion in deciding whether to remove voters from the rolls based on the interpretation of a murkily-worded part of the Constitution. Our unanimous decision ruled that the Registrar General acted unconstitutionally in removing some voters from the rolls and ordered their reinstatement.

I liked that case because it displayed one of the most common problems in Atlasian legal scholarship - poorly-crafted attempts at legal language that serve only to confuse the situation. Our job was to attempt to wrangle an understanding of the implications out of the unclear language and issue a judgement on an important issue. It also served as an interesting example of just how important reading clauses in context is, at least in my interpretation of the Constitution.

There are some cases that I really wish I'd been on the Court for - particularly the issue of the South establishing an indpendent currency by attempting to jump through various legal loopholes. It would have been a lot of fun to rule on that case, but knowing the South they may try something similar soon, so hey.

I do hope we get to look at more cases in the near future - I notice that the Midwest is about to penalise hate speech, which might provoke some enterprising lawyer to mount a challenge - that, for example, would be a very interesting case if it happened. But there's lots of potential for interesting constitutional debates. We just need people to take advantage of them.


Q6: Do you have any plans for elective office in the future, or are you content to sit on the court for the time being?

I can answer "no" to this in the most strict sense - I have absolutely no plans, and am content to sit on the Court for the foreseeable future.

That said, I don't plan to become opebo, lingering on the Court until I'm inevitably banned. I mentioned earlier that I greatly enjoyed being the Governor of the Pacific, and that's a job I could possibly see myself returning to at some point. I think I'm older, wiser and more capable now, and armed with the experience of serving in many positions over the years as well as helping with this recovery process, I think I'd be a much more capable executive than I was all those years ago.

On which note - I've run for President twice (seriously, at least), and at least one of those times I could honestly say that I still wanted to be President at the end of the campaign (my independent run with my good friend Cinci in 2012). Would I still like to be President some day? Maybe. I won't rule it out definitively - I do think I would have made a good President, but there'd have to be a situation where I don't see any candidates up to the task, where work on the Supreme Court is scant, and where Atlasia is at a point where I think the skills and experience I've gained in guiding economic and activity-based recovery can help the nation as a whole. That's not a point I've reached - we have two very strong candidates this time around, DemPGH and SirNick, and I'm more than content to stay on the Court for the time being.

If the time ever comes for me to step back into elected office in any serious capacity (obviously discounting possibly serving as a temporary Councilor in the Pacific if necessary or helping my friend Snowstalker gain ballot access) it would be as a candidate for Governor or for the Presidency, nothing else.

But I don't expect that time to come any time soon. I love my job and intend on staying there.


Thanks again, Dallas. It was great talking to you.

[Fed. Pac. Chairman Devin]

May I have an interview?

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

May I have an interview?

Of course! I'll draft some questions in a bit.


It seems that The Porcupine has some competition. That being said...

[Fed. Pac. Chairman Devin]

Thank you

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Interview with North Carolina Yankee

Q1: You allude that the demo has returned. Will anybody be spared?

First off I would like to thank you inviting me to be interviewed by your legendary, even if old-fashioned, media enterprise.

I presume you mean demon. I am sure we have nothing to worry about, I think I even hear "Don't Worry Baby" by the Beach Boys playing in the background. KILL YOU ALL!!!

Q2: You've been the PPT for ages. What is it that makes you take up such an arduous (and at times thankless) job?

I feel that as long as I am able to do it, I should offer my services for it is as you say and the Senate functions far better with a functional administration. Now that the VP is actively administering on a regular basis, and I would feel satisfied leaving now. We have crushed the queue backlog to below 20 (almost a 2/3rds reduction from the high) and we have made numerous improvements over the past year.

Q3: Are there any reforms to the OSPR that you'd like to see?

I would like to see more consolidation and there are segments that have yet to be done in this regard. Working with Senators in numerous parties we have managed to cut down on a lot of the clutter. The amendment vote section was three paragraphs, it is now one. We reduced the final Vote section in length by nearly 30% as well.

We have also made great strides in improving the functionality of the Senate in other ways as well. The Amendment vote times was cut from five days to three and final votes from seven to five days. Senator Spiral led the effort with his bill to increase the number of slots and that combined with Senator shua's recent Queue Sanity Amendment have together with the activity of Cincy as well as myself as PPT enabled us to get within the current month on all bills for the first time in probably a year or two.

Q4: How would you critique the current Senate session, and do you long for earlier days? Which session was your favorite, since having been elected to the body?

I would like to see more engagement, and more interest in the big projects. We have a disaster of a healthcare plan in place that was exposed litterally as a result of my decision to takeover sponsorship of Riley's bill, originally sponsored by Tmth. Now we are trying to craft a market based proposal but we basically have just me and Shua forming a text from scratch to restructure the way our healthcare system operate and it is taking too long.

What I would like to see is Senators opining at the start on most or all bills so that we know where people stand and then have them engaged constructively on at least five to seven bills that are within their wheelhouse so to speak.

I long to go back a good ten years and start over, but of course that isn't possible.

My favorite session has to be the September-October 2010 session once I regained the position of PPT back from BK. At the very least I had the most fun for that was the first time I used "creative PMing" to get people's attention. It included Halloween and it was notlong after the most recent episode of the "Demon's blind rage" so there was a lot of inspiration.

Q5: You were previously RPP chair, and have once more assumed the role of Chairman of the premier center-right party (the Federalists, of course.) How does it compare to your leadership of the RPP, and how do the two parties as a whole compare?

The RPP was a dying party in a complete downward spiral when I came to lead it and we lost even more ground before we finally turned it around and began to build upward again. We were helped by the fact that our most controversial members were gone save for me when I was out of my head and thus we became an attractive center right alternative by showcasing some of our best talent with Duke as At-Large Senator, Smid as a Vice President in early 2010, and several key players in the Mideast like Inks and others. We also managed to bring in a lot of newer members over the next two years, as well as to attract members of other parties who had either previously defected or were new to the organization and all of whom formed a critical part of our party's success.

The Federalist Party is different. It has suffered setbacks but it is no where near the apparent moribound condition of the RPP when I came to lead it. That said it does have it own unique challanges and just like the RPP, will depend largely upon the energy of relatively newer faces as most of the big players from last year have left the Party or have pulled back from the game to a large extent. To some extent that is normal as people generally go through cycles in terms of their involvement in this place, whilst for some there were a lot of mistakes and miscommunications that caused a lot of unnecessary strife during the Winter season. One thing I have said we needed is to listen more to each other and to engage more with on another so as to avoid that going forward. Progress has been made, but there is still a ways to go.

Q6: Do you think Atlasia was better before, or after dissolution?
Dissolution was by far the worst event that has ever befallen this game and those who assisted in bringing it upon us shall be struck down in an instant of violent rage.

Just kidding Or am I?

I think the destruction of the RPP was premature. We had won the Presidency the previous February, had a bad June for a variety of reasons and bounced back to within two votes of winning in October. This created a sense of malaise that nothing ever changes, and that combined with a desire on the other side "to go out on top" produced dissolution. The RPP had also bounced back in the Senate by the going from a six seat JCP majority in September to a six seat RPP majority by January 2012.

I think it is classic example of people trying to legislate a change in the game's direction activity wise. "Stirring things up" only lasts a short time though and we got maybe 16, 17 months and we were moving right back to a duopoly. The best changes, the ones with the biggest and most long lasting effects come from the bottom up. The only difference between this game and Survivor is that there is no million dollars waiting at the end and it builds up from the bottom as opposed to a destructive race to the bottom to see who is left standing.

Q7: Is there a Federalist going to run for President?
"You don't really know how its going to turnout" - Mitt Romney

There might still be, but it depends on whether or not they want to run now or wait. Like I said it will be up to largely new members I think to take the Party forward, my position is merely to support and assist them. Kind of like I put forward the best talent to change people's opinions about the RPP back in late 2009. There was a time when I considered running in June but that is completely off the table now, I think there are people better suited to it, who have patience to put together a cabinet and stuff more so then I do.

Q8: If not, who are you going to support?"
I like all the big candidates right now actually. I worked with DemPGH to run the Senate and thought he was given kind of a bad deal back in October. I have not had a chance to witness much of Windjammer's work but most of what I have heard and seen is positive. Sirnick/Dallasfan is a solid combination as is the combination of Winfield/Andrew, and speaking of Andrew I am glad to see he has returned after his long absence. Another success for the reign of Duke/Cincy. I think the campaign has a long way to go and there is plenty of time for someone else to get in, run a good champaign and then win if they decide to. 

Q9: Seeing as you were elected to Senate in 1918, are you going to run again yourself"?
You see someone had to stop Woodrow Wilson's big gov't, pro-war and Segregationist agenda.

Sometimes experience does have its advantages. One of the most controversial debates I plunged into was the initial debate over Fritzcare, and I did everything I could to stop it, water it down, or at the very least make it somewhat less of a disaster once it became clear passage was likely. MasterJedi and I were the only ones in the Senate to vote against it. At the time we had another trainwreck in the form of a constitutional convention that started with divisions over its purpose and it was no surprise when it came off the tracks that summer. Also over the ensuing time, I have managed to push for reforms and still preserve and protect Region's, Regional Senate seats and carve out as much of a piece of the pie for Region's as possible to ensure the Federal Govt' didn't hog all the bandwidth. There are times when I have supported bills that in real life I would not have supported like the Regional Exemption Act by Mr. X, because I figured some drug debates in the regional legislatures would be fun. Generally I favor liberalization and ending the war on drugs and would have supported such with regards to any IDS legislation on the matter should the Exemption have passed.

It gets harder with each time I think becuase the expectations are rightfully higher as to what else can be offered in exchange one more time. Many times it is a combination of unfinished business and/or a sense of obligation that keeps me going for one more. I would really like to get a market based healthcare system enacted, finish the Mental Healthcare Reform project, and do something permenent on the minimum wage maybe even along the lines of what Nix suggested in the his interview. We have other tools that are far more effective and less damaging, we should move towards them now. Here again my experience comes in handy because I know people love to keep changing it all the time and typically in a direction that fails to consider employment or local economics, and if that history isn't a good advocacy for a change in policy, I don't know what is. On the other hand I experienced a traumatic loss just two months ago and have to consider the real life situation as well in making my decision. I plan to take as much time as possible and will probably decided around the end of this month. Two and half weeks is plenty for time for an active campaign if I decide to go for it.

[Napoleon]

May I have an interview?

Of course! I'll draft some questions in a bit.


It seems that The Porcupine has some competition. That being said...

Ill apply. Honestly this is still my favorite paper.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

The Porcupine is pleased to announce it is adding Maxwell, Napoleon, and Devin to their staff!

Any of the previous editors (as mentioned in the OP) are invited to reprise their former roles.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Interview with Devin

Q1: How long have you been involved in Atlasia for?

I first declared my run for council on new years eve 2013. It was the legendary Governor Zuwo, and Senator TmthForu94 that got me involved. Flo was also another close friend who got me up and running.

Q2: The Pacific has somewhat of a unique situation, from what I understand. Could you elaborate on the nature of it?

The Pacific has long been dominated by one party government. This always leads to a lack of new ideas, and general interest. Combine that with poor management, and laws that hinder instead of help the economy, and you get our current situation.
But now we have a new new Council, and a very successful Governor.
Q3: How would you rate the progress of the Pacific?

I would say a 7.5/10. while we have made progress, double digit unemployment is not something to be proud of. But I am proud to say the Council is working hard to turn the Region around.

Q4: Do you have any aspirations for higher office?

Yes I do, I have been waiting for this interview to make an announcement. I am officially running for Governor of the Pacific!

Q5: How would you appraise the presidential campaign?

I must say we have a great race, and I agree on atleast some issues with all of the candidates. Despite that my official endorsement goes to Dem PGH. He has the experience, and bipartisan credentials this nation needs.

[Maxwell]

The Porcupine Interview - Senator LumineVonReuental

Senator LumineVonReuental started his career in Atlasia as a Mideast Assemblyman. He had won in a massive upset due to a strong campaign and a pledge not to do PMing, and made strides to put into place speed limit laws. He lost his re-election bid, but after that he begun his career in the Midwest. First as Archduke, then as Governor, he garnered a reputation for respect among even his opponents. He ran a hard, dedicated campaign for Senate in the Midwest against incumbent TNF, who had a significant advantage due to Labor registration in the region. In spite of that, Lumine tied TNF and could’ve gone to a run-off. Instead, he conceded due to voters invalidating their own ballots, and ran for At-Large Senate. Since then, he’s been cultivating an image of foreign policy guru and game reform enthusiast. He’s certainly one of the rising stars of the game, and a friend of the author.

You were a previous Governor of the Midwest, what would you say about the recent controversy over the Hate Crimes legislation? Would you support a repeal of the bill, or merely amending it?

I have to be completely honest with you here, when that bill has being discussed I followed some parts of the discussion, and at the beginning I failed to notice the problems related to how constitutional the bill actually was, perhaps because it was based on actually good intentions. With hindsight, I probably should have reflected on Cris’s concerns and then offer some advice to the Althing, so in my condition of former Governor and former Archduke I feel slightly responsible for not doing anything at the time. And yes, we need to repeal that bill and replace it with something with the same goal but with a constitutional and more efficient method. Gov. Windjammer said something that I find somewhat worrying when he talked about the right to free speech being silly. I understand his frustration and the context of that specific remark, but free speech shouldn’t really be negotiable in bills like that.

What would you say are your biggest goals for your tenure in the Senate?

You might say I tried to overreach in my Midwest Senate race, and while I put a comprehensive and complex platform I ended up leaving domestic policy to focus on foreign policy, game reform and the environment. As a result, my goals from now to when my term ends in early September are to continue my efforts in those areas which I feel have been neglected (expect for Game Reform, in which Griffin and Bore have done some fascinating work). I wish to resume my efforts for green energy with some plans for the cities and urban renewal, to see how to contain our rivals in the world and to contribute as much as I can to achieve significant Game Reform. Sure, I could do what most people do and focus on domestic bills, but if there’s an area in which we are practically doing nothing, I wish to focus on that.

Do you have any thoughts on the federal budget, whether we should make any changes in the upcoming year?

Being as candid as I can, I am quite worried about the next budget. So far the Senate as a whole has had some interesting proposals that I find quite interesting and worth some expenses, but so far all we have done is to spend more and more money (my own bills often have that problem, requiring a good amount of money to work). The next budget will have the problem of having to face the combined spending of TNF’s economic proposals, some tax cuts, my expenditures in energy and foreign policy and the health care issue, and I fear we may very well be in debt already (which is why I hope Simfan does the calculations as quick as he can). Broadly speaking, next budget should deal with spending and try to reduce it in some way. I’m not an expert in the economy, everybody knows that, but we must discuss what we want to cut if we want to pay for all the ideas we have passed. I’m pragmatic in the sense I would favor a raise in certain taxes, but there’s a limit to that before we start damaging our economy and the people itself. So far, I would only advocate for an increase in military spending, as I feel Senator TNF (and Labor in general) have led us into having a military that spends too little in regards to what it needs to maintain global capabilities.

Follow-up - Is there any part of the budget you feel, definitively, needs to be cut and why?

Well, a quick review of the Nix budget shows that most of the expenses are reasonable (or hard to cut), but I guess the two areas that stand out are Health Care and Labor. Health Care by itself consumed like a third of the budget, so that's an area in which we can significantly reduce the expense by introducing free market elements as Shua and Yankee are trying to do. Labor figures seem reasonable within that same budget, but we have passed a good amount of expenses in that front thanks to TNF, and I wouldn't mind cutting some of that.

You've been a strong advocate for talking more about foreign policy. What would you say we need to do differently on foreign policy?

This will sound awfully mischievous, but acknowledging that it exists might be a good step. You see, for most of the time I have been here all I hear about foreign policy Is related to Israel and Palestine, and right now SoEA Superique has managed to broker a peace deal in the Middle East, which means that soon we will be able to finally put that issue to rest. And then what? The issue here is that there are many challenges out there and many things we could and we should be doing, but most people here are exclusively devoted to the economy and domestic policy. China and Russia are expanding, and we need to act now and stand up for our allies (Japan in the South China Sea, Poland, Ukraine and so forth). Africa and South America are undergoing a crucial political process, and we have to be a part of that. I’m not advocating for military adventurism and scream “send the marines!” every time something happens in the world, but we must take stances and then act on them. If we can keep foreign policy in the public discourse then I am convinced the efforts will start coming, but we must start discussing foreign policy.

Follow-up - What can we do, if anything, about violations of intellectual property rights by China, who have a noted history of lawlessness in the area?

First of all, we need to send the message. It sounds obvious, but no administration so far has tried to confront China on this, and because of that nothing has stopped them from doing what they please. I have a firm belief in trade being a weapon on by itself, and if China has proved that they are quite willing to engage us aggresively by manipulating their currency, we might as well be willing to restrict trade and prove that nobody can do as they please in the world stage.

More to Come: Pacific Economy, Senate Approval, and will Lumine run for President?

[Maxwell]

The Porcupine Interview - Sentor LumineVonReuental Continued

The Pacific economy is returning, but still moving slowly. What reforms would you impose to speed up this economic growth if you were in charge?

First, I would honestly advice against any radical turn in economic policy for the region. The biggest problem the Pacific faces is more related to confidence than anything, and from a realistic point of view it’s hard to see most businessmen (from small or large business, it doesn’t matter) considering the Pacific an attractive place to go because of the issues related to governance. Tyrion, PJ and DemPGH have provided much needed stability and Oakvale’s efforts have managed to raise confidence and slowly reduce unemployment, so I think the recovery of the Pacific is something that will come slowly, perhaps over a year from now. What we could do is to experiment with the taxes in a creative way, an idea I drew from some of Riley’s proposals and some measures taken in the Midwest. If we could reduce some of the taxes that serve as a constraint to business to make the region competitive while we increase other taxes (I’m looking at the vice taxes here, as I feel an increase would actually have positive effects in reducing consume) to avoid a deficit, we could probably speed that recovery and growth. Of course this is just a theory; remember economic policy is not my area of expertise. In the issue of stimulus dollars, the Council has faced some issues when dealing with the PJ legacy of bills (which I view in a positive light, even if they are bills that should necessarily be a priority), but you can see them right now discussing what to make of the next stimulus (which comes in July-August), so I’m looking forward to see what they do.

Do you approve of the way the Senate has been doing its job, and if not, in what ways could the Senate do it better?

I would say I do. If we backtrack a little on to November and December, you had a Senate with a queue overloaded with bills and inactive Senators like Xahar and Napoleon, which I believe were nothing but a negative influence for the Senate. Our current Senate has some issues with inactivity (I’m inactive myself from time to time thanks to college and other issues), but so far it has done a great job and we are close to completing the queue (expect for the current group of TNF bills). Now, the credit for this obviously has to go to Yankee and Cincinnatus, as they have proved that they can manage the Senate more efficiently than anybody. I respect former VP Matt, but it has to be said that he was not efficient when it came to managing the Senate (and I understand that, it’s a tough and demanding job that I probably wouldn't like to do). Since I have started to let go of my proposal to recover the committees (perhaps the activity levels are not enough yet to bring them back), the only way the Senate can improve itself right now is by doing the personal effort to being more active, effort that all of us have to do.

And finally, the ambition question - Do you see yourself making another campaign for President, and do you support a Draft Riley movement, and if not, who do you think is a rising star in the Federalist Party, your new home?

This is where I should make the typical statement of being a Senator first and having to think it over and such, but I guess it’s better to be blunt over something like this… Yes, I certainly see myself making another campaign for President, and I think I could do a much better job than in October 2013. Of obvious reasons I’m not running now, since I fully support SirNick and Dallasfan, and I don’t think I will run in October as well, but you can count on me running again at some point in the future, whenever I feel I’m ready and that it is the right time for me. When it comes to Draft Riley, you might say I have mixed feelings. Riley is a rising star, and I have supported most of his efforts since he entered the game (with some exceptions, of course). If I had no candidate as of now, I would support the Draft Riley movement, but I have pledged my support to SirNick and I believe in him as the best candidate to lead and to defeat Labor. When it comes to rising starts in the Federalist Party, I believe Devin and Cassius hold a lot of promise for the future, and in the Presidential level I have already pointed out that DC al Fine and Dereich would be interesting Presidential candidates if they decided to run.

Thank you for agreeing to this interview.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Great interview, Max.

The Porcupine is pleased to announce the addition of Flo to its staff!

[SWE]

Interview?

[CatoMinor]

Masked Vigilante on the Loose in Kentucky!

Louisville KY, Eyewitnesses in multiple neighborhoods report seeing a masked man attacking criminals on the street. The man is described as being Caucasian, in his 30's, wearing a red hood and cape, and rambling about everything being part of a vast rightwing conspiracy. Police say this vigilante, going by the name "Bandit, The Worker" is suspected of arson after several private schools in Louisville burned down last month, in addition to charges of obstruction of justice. There is also charges of theft after reports of the Bandit breaking into homes in the wealthier parts of town and stealing all the valuable items in the homes, only to drop them off outside of donation centers.

If you have any information on the Bandit, please contact the Louisville police.

Update: Police are now reporting that Bandit, The Worker has possible ties to another vigilante from Indiana. A younger part Native American male who has been referred to as the Green Hoosier. The Green Hoosier is suspected of being trained by and is the accomplice of the Bandit.

Here is the police sketch:

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Interview with SWE

Q1: Since joining Atlasia, you were briefly part of the Progressive Union (which was moribund at that point) and have since joined Labor. How do you feel about the party?

When I first joined Atlasia, I didn't really understand much about it beyond what was directly stated in the "Introduction to Atlasia" thread, and looking at the descriptions of the parties in the threads, I thought the PU was best for me. However, as I learned more about the major parties in Atlasia, and as my own views started moving increasingly to the left, I realized that I'd be more at home within the Labor party. I feel that the Labor party has generally been a party to represent my views the the PU was.

Q2: How long have you been in the Northeast Assembly?

I was elected last February and an currently serving my second term.

Q3: How would you critique the current and previous sessions? Do you think there is room for improvement?

In general, I think that the previous session was more productive than the current one, and there's certainly some room for improvement, but both sessions have been pretty productive. The Northeast Assembly has been a little quiet lately, with only two bills currently sitting in the queue, especially compared to last session, when it seemed like we always had something to debate. I do think that there's room for improvement, definitely, although for the most part I've been satisfied with both sessions.

Q4: What issues would you like to pursue, either in this session or future ones? How do you feel about the remaining legislation in the queue?

Having recently passed a ban on private prisons, criminal justice reform is a big issue for me, and I'd like to read more of our regional statute on the issue and see what reforms are still necessary. Health Care and environmental protection are two other big issues I'd like to address that I really haven't done much on already. I support both bills currently in the queue.

Q5: Do you have any ambitions for higher office?

Right now, I'm pretty happy where I am. I like both the Northeast's regional governor and senator, so I don't really plan on challenging either. If I did try for a higher office, it'd be the next At-Large Senate races

Q6: How do you feel about the June presidential election?

I've endorsed the DemPGH/Windjammer ticket (no offense ) and am happy to give them my full support. Both have been highly effective governors that worked hard to restore regions struggling with activity. I have no doubt that they would make a fantastic President/Vice president team.

[Maxwell]

The Porcupine Interview - Senator TNF

Senator TNF and Senator Lumine, despite their combative ways, started in very much the same way. TNF ran for the Mideast legislature, and nearly won. Seeing a low potential for the future in the Mideast and the retirement of Senator Snowstalker, he decided to run for Senate in the Midwest. Since then, TNF has become the premier voice for The Labor Party, pushing policies of the far left consistently and adamantly. TNF has faced tough re-election bids in the Midwest, but has never wavered from his positions on the issues and has fought hard for his ideas.

You made your voice clear during the constitutional controversy over Hate Crimes legislation in the Midwest, and yet I didn't pick up your full views. Do you support making hate crime laws, and if so why?

At the present juncture, I do not support legislating hate crime laws at the federal level. I understand the support for such legislation and think that such legislation would ultimately be constitutional, given correct wording (and I think this extends to a ban on "Hate Speech", quite frankly), but I do not think that this is something that needs to be written into our legal code at the present time, nor would I vote in favor of such legislation if it were brought to the floor of the Senate in the near future.

You've stood strong against Senator Lumine's Ukraine aide legislation. What is your view of how Atlasia should interact in the world, and more particularly, in the situation with Russia?

I think that Atlasia should interact with the world on a peaceful basis, first and foremost. The situation in Crimea is volatile and quite frankly, I don't think we should be in the business of aiding or abetting either the Russian attempt at annexation or the new government in Kiev, which is composed entirely of elements hostile to democracy. And I have made myself clear to that effect, which is why I oppose Senator Lumine's efforts to aid this anti-democratic, right-wing government in Ukraine, while likewise supporting efforts to condemn the Russians for their imperial actions in the region. In stating that, I also understand that past Atlasian policy (specifically the expansion of NATO) has something to do with these developments, and I likewise condemn our own imperialist acts. The future of Ukraine should entirely be in the hands of the Ukrainian people, not of the armies of Russia or Atlasia.

Follow-Up - When, if ever, should Atlasia use force against another region?

I would say that Atlasia should only use force if force is first used against it.

Your record is full of legislative accomplishments, but your particular focus seems to be on Labor. What would you say the next step is for Atlasian Labor?

I think that the next step forward largely rests on challenging the hiring and investment prerogatives of Capital. That means, essentially, building up a strong cooperative sector and increasing direct control over production and investment decisions by workers themselves, acting through their trade unions. I think that every workplace that has a union ought to have a union hiring hall, and that the unions should be responsible (through an elected works council) for the day-to-day management of their workplace. I think that unions should be given seats on corporate boards (my most recent effort at this failed, but make no mistake, it will be revived and I do expect to see it passed before my retirement) and that gradually, workers should become the major shareholders in every industry, perhaps along the lines of what was ultimately unsuccessfully tried in Sweden in the 1970s.

Fundamentally I think that the next moves for Atlasian Labor are all those which put it in a revolutionary position. The time is ripe for the workers of this country to assume the management of the industries that they work in, and move us into a post-capitalist (if not necessarily post-market, at first) stage of development.

One big bill that you have supported fervently is the nationalization of energy. Why do you support this and what is your justification for such a large change in our handling of the situation?

I think that energy is a utility and should be treated as one. We don't let private fire brigades operate, we don't have private police, and so it's kind of ridiculous that we have a private energy sector, a sector that is, in and of itself, something that all other sectors feed off of. We saw what that lead to in the 1970s when the oil shocks hit and threw us for a loop; nationalizing energy means reclaiming control over our energy. It means being able to rationally plan out future production and phase out harmful carbon polluting energies derived from fossil fuels.

Follow-Up - You pointed to the 70s as evidence for the case for nationalization. The opposition to this argument points to price controls as the reason  for the harsh time in our energy history. Would you agree with that assessment? Or is your evaluation of history different.

It is commonly argued that price controls cause shortages by reducing the incentive of the capitalist to invest and expand production or even maintain existing production. The difference between a price control and nationalization is of course that price controls retain private production of a given commodity, and thus given an incentive for the capitalist to act in a way contrary to the public interest. Nationalization, on the other hand, removes the capitalist from the equation, allowing for regulated production of a given item in addition to allowing for lower prices. The problem with price controls is that they do too little, not too much; the real way forward in guaranteeing affordable production is the elimination of capitalist ownership and management of industry.

Ambition - You ran for President last cycle, and you did a lot better than people expected. Could you see another run in your future? Or was that stand the last one?

You never want to rule anything out, but for the time being I am content with my position in the Senate. I am quite happy with our (presumptive) nominee, Governor DemPGH, and would be delighted to be able to work with both he and Governor Windjammer in Nyman come July.

[Maxwell]

The Porcupine Interview - Former Senator Ben

Benconstine maybe one of the most experienced politicians in all of Atlasia. A former Governor, Senator, Secretary of External Affairs, Ambassador, Attorney General, and Mideast Assemblyman, he's served Atlasia in just about every capacity. It's no secret in the past that he's had Presidential ambitions, and even ran for President once against Oakvale and Tmth. His overall views are known to most Atlasians - On domestic issues he's a genuine Atlasian centrist, while on foreign policy is one of the nation's premier hawks. These views put him somewhat out of step of the country (which is left leaning) and his region (which is increasingly moving to the right), and yet, he won many competitive races in the Mideast. Now he's running for Senate again on the same things he's been pushing for since the beginning.

You've had a long career in Atlasian politics. What position would you say you accomplished the most in and what were your accomplishments in that position?

I served in the Senate for over a year, representing the Mideast.  During my tenure I instituted the committee system, made foreign policy a priority, introduced legislation legalizing online poker, and limited the ability of CEOs to commit crimes and keep their pensions.

Follow-Up - Would you say the committee system was a success or a failure? Would you try to re-institute the committee system?

I think, ultimately, people just weren't committed to the system.  I wouldn't try to bring it back, simply because I don't think enough people would want to be actively involved.

One position you've held rather prominently is SoEA. Could you give readers not so familiar with your record a glimpse into how you view Atlasia should behave in the scope of the world?

I believe that Atlasia needs to utilize its position in the world to help spread democracy, and to help our allies.  I am a firm believer in a strong military, and that we cannot be afraid to use that military when the situation calls for it.

Follow-Up - How do we handle violations of intellectual property rights by China?

After a while, we have to start applying actual sanctions on China.  I'm not an expert on the appropriate type of sanction, but we have to protect intellectual property rights.

The last position you held at a federal level was Attorney General, and you were impeached for inactivity in one of the major roles of the job. How can voters be reassured that you will not become inactive if elected Senator?

I was stupid.  I took the position of AG not expecting to need to devote time to the wiki.  Even while I was failing in that regard, I was never inactive overall.  This won't be a problem with the Senate.

Follow-Up - You didn't answer the full question, how can you reassure voters that you will be an active Senator?

At a certain point, all I can do is give my word.

What is your position on reducing tax rates in Atlasia, and do you agree with the Duke plan, or do you think we should take a different route?

I think we need tax cuts, but that they should be focused towards those least able to pay.  I think the Duke cuts lean too much towards the rich, and I'd seek to correct that.

Finally, the demographics of the Mideast have changed dramatically. Can you see yourself winning this race, and how would you do it?

I can.  I plan to run as a moderate, tied to neither extreme.  That's how I've run my races in the Mideast before, and I don't see why it won't work now.

[Maxwell]

The Porcupine Interview - Former Everything Tmth

Today the Porcupine is blessed with perhaps the most experienced person in Atlasia - Former Senator, Governor, Vice President, and President Tmthforu94. Say what you will about him, and many have, his record of election victory and accomplishment is nearly unmatched in Atlasia history. He was the first President of Atlasia's right-wing in years when elected, and even after a prominent scandal, many voters were willing to put him back in office for another term. He recently left his post in the Senate after winning his re-election bid confidently, and ran for President for a short while. He is still someone who people are wondering what is next for, and that is not too common among Atlasian Presidents.

On the budget, President Duke has been pushing for a tax cut. Do you think the tax cut the President has proposed is the right one, and if not, what kind of tax cut, if any, would you propose?

I am supportive of the President's attempt to bring taxes in Atlasia down to reasonable levels. This is a game and I understand that the easy approach is to raise revenue that many see is by raising taxes. Once you take into account what our taxes are, especially income and corporate, at both the federal and regional level, I don't find them to be practical at all, and if this were reality, our economy would be in the tanks as a result.

Follow-Up: Is there any area you think we are spending too much money on?

Without going through the budget, one area I know that we write a huge check on is education between the federal and regional governments.


Senator Lumine has made a push for more conversation on foreign policy. Do you have any observations from your years of experience that you think we have done wrong in the world sphere, and how would you correct wrong doing?

I applaud Senator Lumine for trying to make foreign affairs more relevant. While I have never considered myself an expert on foreign policy, I have been apart of several attempts to create interest, but the facts are that most people don't really care - domestic issues will always take precedence.

In terms of what we have done wrong, we have increasingly had a diminished presence worldwide - Presidents rarely take foreign trips or comment on global issues. Similar to our tax policy, if this were RL, our foreign policy would also be in the tanks.

You ran for President for a short while, but dropped out and endorsed Winfield. With Winfield gone and only left Sirnick and DemPGH, what are your views on the race, and would you endorse either candidate for President?

Sirnick and DemPGH both strike me as pretty capable individuals, but I am disappointed that the center-right faction, particularly the Federalists and D-Rs, have been unable to come together and run their own ticket. We need a real contrast in policies in this election - it's what keeps the game going. At this point in time, I don't see myself endorsing, and even if I did, I doubt it would make much of a difference.

Follow-up - What do you think is the biggest issue the next President is going to have to face in the upcoming year?

Keeping people involved in the game over a long period of time.

Finally, ambition. As said before, you had announced a run for President, only shortly after to withdraw. Are you planning a comeback of sorts into the game, or are you still relaxing at your Presidential beach house?

I am enjoying my time away - I wanted to test the waters several weeks ago, only to withdraw after feeling confident in Winfield's abilities to lead the center-right. I was sad to see him depart. I am sad that I had to leave the game so abruptly back in February, but I do feel that it was the right decision for me. Never say never - I have come back from retirement before. But I am pretty comfortable in the position I am in now.

Thank you for speaking with us Tmth!

[Maxwell]

Supreme Court strikes down Hate Crimes Legislation

June 11th, 2014 - Supreme Court Justice Oakvale announced the decision today to strike down the Midwest Hate Crimes Legislation, ruling in favor of Snowstalker in the case of Snowstalker v. The Midwest. A large part of Oakvale's opinion seemed to point at the poorly written nature of the bill, citing it as a reason that the bill would be completely unenforceable, and therefore, unconstitutional. In a more obvious arguement though, Oakvale cited the freedom of speech as a reason to strike down both the Hate Crimes part of the bill and Verbal Abuse part.

Oakvale's opinion can be seen here and here. More opinions from the other justices to come.