The Office of Senator Lumine (Victory!)

[Lumine]

Info:

Political Offices:

-One-term Mideast Assemblyman (March - May 2013)
-One-term Midwest Archduke (June - September 2013)
-One and a half-term Midwest Governor (September 2013 – February 2014)
-Two-term At-Large Senator (March 2014 - November 2014)
-President Pro Tempore of the Senate (September 2014 - November 2014)
-President of the Republic of Atlasia (November 2014 - March 2015)
-Current Pacific Senator (July 2015 - Present)

Other Offices, Awards or Political/Media Roles:

-Chairman of the Progressive Union and Civic Renewal
-Chairman of the Institutional Caucus (June - July 2013)
-Spamage’s Vice Presidential running mate (September 2013)
-Writer for the Record-Courier (December 2013 – February 2014)
-Shadow President for the Progressive Union (January-February 2014)
-Special Envoy to Ukraine (April 2014 – June 2014)
-Election and Political Tracker Director (May 2014 – August 2014, April 2015 - )
-Silver Order of the Star of Atlasia (July 2014)
-Special Envoy to Saudi Arabia (July 2015)

Political Parties:

-Independent (December 2012 – June 2013)
-Union of National Democrats (June-July 2013)
-Civic Union (July-August 2013)
-Progressive Union (August 2013 – March 2014)
-The People’s Party (March-May 2014)
-Federalist Party (May 2014 - February 2015 )
-Civic Renewal (February 2015 - )

Past Threads:

1st Assemblyman Office
2nd Assemblyman Office
Gubernatorial Office
Senate Office
President-Elect Office
White House Office
1st Presidential Campaign
2nd Presidential Campaign

[Lumine]

Why not open one? The board is dead enough, so I might as well create an office in case I have any announcements or the desire to outright plagiarize Duke with his Presidential Library, xD

Either way, welcome to my humble office!

[Lumine]

-One-term...
-One-term...
-One and a half-term...
-One and a half-term...
-(One term)...
-(One term)...

Huh. Thanks, Griffin, that helped me realize it's actually two terms as a Senator!

[Lumine]

If only Dead0man and Grant had voted, you would have been Midwest Senator too.

Which in turn may have meant Windjammer runs in the Midwest instead of the Mideast in October 2014 when you headed for the Presidency.

Every vote matters.

Indeed, it would have been fantastic to unseat TNF in that election... But I guess I'll settle for a Presidential term and defeating Griffin in a special At-Large, xD

[Lumine]

The Political Tracker is back!

April 5th, 2015:

Today Former President Lumine held a major event in his current home state of Ohio, announcing that he would lead the revival of an old initiative of his: the Political Tracker, a news media effort that covered Atlasian politics from May to August 2014, being closed after a series of controversies with the DemPGH administration.

The renewed Political Tracker will try to keep a good part of the style of the previous versions (now considered Seasons One and Two) while introducing new elements. It may not be a daily publication due to Former President Lumine's schedule, but he has expressed his belief that more media publications are just what Atlasia needs, all while acknowledging the great work the Mideast Record-Courier has done in the past weeks.

A thread for the Political Tracker and its new operations is to come in the next minutes.

[Lumine]

The "Confederation" and other affairs:

April 26th, 2015:

Former President Lumine would like to express his repudiation at the formation of the so called "Confederation of Atlasian States", strongly rejecting any attempts of seccession just as he has done since the Civil Conflict. Furthermore, the President has asked the Federal and Regional Governments to react as soon as possible, expressing his congratulations to Northeast Governor Sawx for his swift response and his concerns over the situation at West Virginia on his own region.

Regarding other political affairs the President hopes that a voting booth for the recent amendments passed by the Senate will be opened soon, so the Mideast can vote on these important proposals, expressing his support for the Electoral Reform Amendment and the Presidential Pardon Amendment, along with his opposition to the Fairness in Cabinet Obligations Amendment. Following the reopening of The Political Tracker President Lumine has decided to take a more active schedule, preparing a foreign trip at some point and considering a potential return to elected politics should he find himself with enough time to serve.

[Lumine]

Foreign Trip:

May 1st, 2015:

Former President Lumine has finally found enough time on his schedule to move ahead with his planned foreign tour, and starting today he will take a trip to Western Europe over the following days. His intention is to visit the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and Brussels as a private citizen to discuss European and foreign policy matters, thank some of the heads of government and state for their support over some initiatives of his presidency, and hopefully build a stronger relationship between center and center-right parties as the Chair of Civic Renewal.

While the former President would have wished to visit Japan, the Middle East and Latin America as well those places will be visited another time, whenever time allows it. With the June At-Large and Presidential election closing in the President has spent the past days considering his political future, and he is likely to deliver an announcement on his intentions once he returns from his trip.

Finally, the former President has expressed his full support for Secretary of External Affairs/State Superique over the short lived impeachment proposal. He has stated that he believes Superique to be the right man for his job and a very able statesman, just as he expressed his desire to see Superique remaining in office.

[Lumine]

and now I just have to explode his plane XD

Why do you think I decided not to go to the Middle East? I'm really not in the mood to die right now, xD

[Lumine]

Foreign Trip Ends:

May 5th, 2015:

President Lumine has been touring Western Europe to meet with several leaders and political organizations, a trip that ends today with the President's return to Atlasia, a special announcement on his political future to be held tonight. In the meantime, the President found time to comment on international affairs before departing for Atlasia.

"Well, it has been a remarkable journey so far. I will have to wait for the GM to see the potential results, but regardless of the outcome it is always a pleasure for me to be able to act on foreign affairs, an area for which I tried to do my best during my presidency. Hindsight is always impossible to have when it comes to the future, and so it is curious to see how things can change in a few months.

But it is with hope that I see the European continent and its future. We can all agree that the challenges are big, and that there are divisions, but the ideal of the nations of a continent working together is not an impossible one. In that regard I applaud the efforts of leaders like Chancellor Merkel or Prime Minister Cameron, doing the best they can do deal with what affects their continent and the world without shying away from foreign policy. I can only hope the nations of Europe will do their best when it comes to fighting ISIS and the threat of totalitarianism, or the potential Russian expansion.

Regarding current events, I would like to express my concern over the situation at Puerto Santos. As someone who comes from Latin America it is always sad to see when something like this happens, and I can only hope the conflict at Puerto Santos will be a short-lived one, one that doesn't leave the sort of scars that so many other nations have suffered. I also think some comments are in order when it comes to the ongoing situation on Saudi Arabia. I am deeply concerned about the recent tension with both our nations, because I believed and I still believe that a closer relationship is possible, that both nations can move towards similar goals despite the issues of the past. It is with that in mind that I decided to call both His Majesty and the Crown Prince to ask for lenience, and see if this small crisis can be solved to the benefit of both nations.

I will always state and repeat again and again that foreign affairs are not to be neglected nor ignored, and I can only hope that collaboration and communication will our allies will only become easier and more common as time goes by."

[Lumine]

Lumine for Mideast Senate!

(I don't have any pictures of Heseltine or Urquhart left, so yes, I will use John Major from now on.)

May 5th, 2015:

Despite originally considering an announcement at a later date, former President Lumine decided to shake up things a bit and finally announce his intention for the June Election: an attempt to return to the Senate as the new Mideast Senator.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Well, I’m still here.

Despite all the slander from my political opponents and the fact that many consider me to be Francis Urquhart on steroids (to put it mildly), I'm still here as an active player, interested as always in finding ways to serve the nation while trying to make things a bit more amusing for all of us. With the start of May it’s been two months since I left the Presidency and I have been able to take a much needed rest considering how tired I was after a grueling term.

I will admit that I was honored to see myself in the polls as a potentially strong challenger to President Bore, but it certainly isn't my intention to launch a presidential campaign. To be fairly honest I was planning on making this announcement at a much later date, but as things stand I suppose I couldn't stay silent for much longer. Fate has found me back in the region I entered as a newbie and the first region in which I held office, and it's perfect timing for me to return to public service while doing my best for a region of which I have such fond memories. And thus I hereby announce my candidacy for Mideast Senator in the June 2015 Election.

Mind you, I'm not starting this run because I feel it might be easy. Just like most of my political campaigns it is an enormous challenge to take on such a swing region and the powerful electoral machine that dominates the region, but the prospect of an active and challenging race is more energizing than anything. Regardless of the outcome, I take on this challenge hoping to be able to vocalize and represent the concerns and hopes of my fellow citizens, knowing full well the odds I will have to face and yet feeling encouraged by them.

I believe I am a good choice to represent this region on Nyman, and during the next two months of campaign I shall endeavor to bring my message through all the Mideastern states. As a former President, Governor, and Senator, the Mideast can count on me to represent them to the best of my ability, both with experience and activity. Now more than ever we need good representatives on Nyman that can fight for the issues that concern many of us: Senators who will stand for a stronger and healthier economy, for a consistent and active foreign policy, for adequate and reasonable government reform, for the defense of our challenged environment, for an efficient national defense, and for the spirit of pragmatism that the members of our regional government have showed through the past months.

I must say I really look forward to this campaign and I hope that Mideast citizens will feel encouraged and amused by it as well. I said it once and I say it again: there's nothing better to invigorate a region than a good old fashioned electoral fight to the death!

Lumine, candidate for Mideast Senate

[Lumine]

You have my endorsement!

Thank you very much, Governor!

[Lumine]

Here we have the campaign logo (no slogan yet, though):

I'm also working on a schedule and some surprises I have in store for this election, so I'll try to update this as soon as I can.

[Lumine]

Best of luck! Endorsed.

Obviously endorsed!

ENDORSED ENTHUSIASTICALLY!

Endorsed. We need a Senator who's deeply interested in foreign affairs.

Thanks to all of you, gentlemen! It's great to be able to count on your support!

[Lumine]

List of Endorsements:

Pacific Governor Simfan (TPP-CA)
Former Mideast Governor MadmanMotley (DR-IN)
South Governor Flo (TPP-FL)
At-Large Senator Cris (CR-KS)
South Senator HagridofTheDeep (Ind-SC)
Game Moderator Kalwejt (TPP-VT)
Supreme Court Justice Oakvale (TPP-TN)
Supreme Court Justice TJ in Cleve (Fed-WI)
Secretary of External Affairs Superique (TPP-CA)
Northeast Speaker Dkrolga (CR-MA)
Northeast Representative Altsomn Smartken (Fed-ME)
Northeast CJO Rpryor03 (CR-NJ)

[Lumine]

On the Campaign Trail!

May 11th, 2015:

The campaign begins in full swing as President Lumine starts a tour of all the Mideastern states, beginning with his home state of Ohio. The President offered some comments on the race, the political situation, and recent foreign affairs.

"Good day, Ohio!

I have spoken with Speaker New Canadaland a few days ago, and we had no problems in deciding that this race is to be an open and honest one, something for which I am quite grateful. That doesn't mean we won't see a clear contrast, but the Mideast and its voters certainly don't need two months of constant attacks for the sake of being aggressive. I am being perfectly honest when I say that my style is not based on that.

For all the reluctance some may have towards the polls, I do think we are starting this race on a nice position on them, becoming the strongest challenger in the first one and leading the second thus far. And of course, if one is able to get such a fantastic result against a popular President like Bore on a poll, I am tempted to believe we start with far more goodwill that my critics would lead you to believe.

And I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm my compromise with visiting all of the states in this great region, to grow more and more familiar with the issues that affect us all as we move forward. In that sense, I applaud the efforts of the Assembly and the Governor to amend and fix several issues with our Constitution and Laws, and believe I may have my disagreements with some of the ideas put forward (which I will probably comment on later), it is always good to see activity at our regional level, just as it is good to see this region with the lowest unemployment rate of the nation!

Finally, I will also comment on recent foreign developments. The past days have seen a lot of upheaval, with the unfortunate coup in Puerto Santos, the shocking rise of the "Arab Confederation", and the ongoing situation with Saudi Arabia. Situations like these are not to be neglected in any way, and with the federal government a bit silent over the past week I really hope we will some announcements and decisions on that very soon. I will outline my proposals for foreign policy soon as well, but it never hurts to say that if elected I will give a lot of focus on this area and I will be very insistent on its importance.

That said, let the games begin!"

[Lumine]

Endorsed

Thank you, Flo!

[Lumine]

Endorsed. Thought you did not like Major though.

Thanks, Superique! I'm not necessarily a fan, but I do respect him and (most importantly) he does have a lot of pictures to use, something that wasn't the case with the other options I had, xD

[Lumine]

Endorsed. Thought you did not like Major though.

Thanks, Superique! I'm not necessarily a fan, but I do respect him and (most importantly) he does have a lot of pictures to use, something that wasn't the case with the other options I had, xD

You have to use this one

I might as well make a logo with peas on it, xD (in all fairness, it would be fascinating if we had some sort of satire with drawings in Atlasia)

[Lumine]

Endorsed!

Endorsed!

Thank you very much, gentlemen!

[Lumine]

Basic Platform Released:

May 18th, 2015:

After his first week at the campaign trail, President Lumine has released the basic version of his Senate Platform, to be improved as time goes by. Said platform includes a pledge to continue his style of activity, pragmatism and clear stances, along with several specific proposals in foreign issues, environmental issues and government reform.

Senate Platform:

After long consideration, I have decided to release my platform (or at least the basic ideas behind it) for Mideast Senate. It contains many of my old policies and stands and new ones as well, and I think it’s important to emphasize that in this attempt to return to the Senate it remains my intention to continue the combination of clear stances and pragmatism which I sought to deliver when I served in Nyman as a Senator and I hope this platform serves as a reflection of that.

I believe that the best way for the Mideast to be properly represented is to have a Senator with a good record and a large amount of experience in the way the Senate works, which is something I am convinced I can bring to the table. You, the voter, can trust my committment to this game and to my original region.

Government Reform and Senate Style:

Reform in Nyman: I am a consistent supporter of reform when reform seems necessary, rather than reform for the sake of reform. While I hope that the Cabinet Reform Amendment passes, I would seek to continue efforts to reform the way the federal government works and the way it interacts with the regions. I strongly supported the attempt to reduce the pardon presidential power to prevent abuse, but I think we should strengthen the Presidency and the Cabinet in reasonable ways, just as we should strengthen the power of the regions.

Greater Transparency: It is my intention to be in touch with my region as much as possible, and because of that I will pledge to deliver legislative and vote updates as often as I can for the sake of transparency and communication. On that same subject, my office will always be open for Mideast resident to hear their concerns or sponsor legislation on their behalf.

Activity and Compromise: Both as a Senator and as the PPT I had a consistent record of being an active Senator through my terms, both in terms of voting and sponsoring several pieces of legislation, many of them successful. If elected, the Mideast can trust me to continue said record of efficiency and activity, along with the desire to work together with other parties as I have done multiple times in the past.

Foreign Policy:

This is obviously my favorite issue, and one that I seek to strongly address on Nyman. While a good deal of foreign policy work belongs to the President and the SoEA, the Senate can and should take an active role in foreign matters. Some of my ideas for the subject are:

International Organizations and Allies: Expansion and reform of international organizations, promoting the creation of an Asian version of NATO, seeking the inclusion of new allies into NATO and encouraging further cooperation with Latin American and African organizations. Promoting further aid and cooperation with Ukraine, Palestine and Middle East allies in need of help.

National Defense: Strengthening our national defense, reviewing and amending current legislation on the subject, promoting the modernization of our armed services and the fighting conditions of our troops, and so on.

ISIS and Totalitarisms: Prosecuting efforts against ISIS and totalitarisms in general, supporting further restrictions on ISIS allied groups and giving aid to countries currently struggling against them.

The Environment:

Endangered Species: Obviously an important issue for me since my start in Atlasia, I’d like to follow the example set by previous Senators (like Nix and Talleyrand) in the protection of several endangered species. On a more specific sense I think it’s important that we deal with the issue of colony collapse disorder (CDD), as shortages of bees only grow larger and more dangerous, so I would like to sponsor legislation on that front.

Energy: In terms of energy I have been a consistent supporter of nuclear energy as a transition source of energy, which will allow us to make the jump from fossil based energy to what we call green energy. Thus I will be an advocate for these sources of energy and their continued support and research by the federal government.

Green Areas: Naturally I think many efforts can and should be made on this zone, and we need to increase the number of green zones in our cities. I think it would be a priority to complete the work of legislation like the Atlasian National Park Renewal Initiative, an incomplete (as far as I’m aware) effort to expand our National Parks.

Domestic and Social Policy:

A stronger and healthier economy: One of the best things of the Mideast Region is its strong and usually healthy economy, and it’s important to have someone on Nyman standing up for the economic values of the region. If elected, I shall endeavor to pursue fiscal responsibility whenever possible and support efforts to ease the situation of the middle class.

Social Policy: I think it’s important to see social policy handled by the regions despite the objections one might have (for example, I am a staunch opponent of the so called incest laws) and I pledge to address this issues with pragmatism. Despite the personal concerns I may have as a pro-life politician, I wish to continue my efforts to promote and improve adoption as a pragmatic mechanism to deal with this issue.

[Lumine]

Campaign Update: May 18th

Endorsements:

So far the campaign has been endorsed by two Governors, two Senators, two cabinet members and several other politicians from Civic Renewal, the Democratic Republicans, the Federalists TPP and independents, hopefully a sign that several parties can indeed unite behind the message of the campaign.

Other:

In a personal level, I'd like to extend my condolences to the people of France over the tragedy of losing their President. In the limited contact I had with President Hollande during my Presidency I found him to be a courageous and principled man, and I can only hope justice will be made over that painful loss for our ally.

Schedule:

May 12th:
-Tour of West Virginia (I):
  -Rally in Charleston, WV.
  -Town Hall in Wheeling, WV.
  -Town Hall in Weirton, WV.
  -Town Hall in Fairmont, WV.

May 13th:
-Tour of West Virginia (II):
  -Barnstorming in Huntingdon, WV.
  -Barnstorming in Parkersburg, WV.
  -Barnstorming in Morgantown, WV.
  -Meeting volunteers and local media.

May 14th:
-Tour of Maryland (I):
  -Rally in Baltimore, MD.
  -Town Halls in Baltimore, MD.
  -Visiting the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, MD.

May 15th:
-Tour of Maryland (II):
  -Barnstorming in Germantown, MD.
  -Barnstorming in Silverspring, MD.
  -Barnstorming in Waldorf, MD.
  -Rally in Columbia, MD.

May 16th:
-Tour of Virginia (I):
  -Bus Tour in Arlington, VA.
  -Bus Tour in Alexandria, VA.
  -Bus Tour in Hampton, VA.
  -Rally in Richmond, VA.
 
May 17th:
-Tour of Virginia (II):
  -Rally in Norfolk, VA.
  -Rally in Chesapeake, VA.
  -Rally in Virginia Beach, VA.
  -Town Hall in Newport News, VA.
 
May 18th:
-Tour of Ohio (I);
   -Rally in Columbia, OH.
   -Unveiling basic platform.

[Lumine]

The Campaign goes On!

May 25th, 2015:

It's beyond evident that the past days have seen some pretty harsh rhetoric both from me and some of my political rivals (non related to the Senate race, Speaker New Canadaland remains fair and courteous as always) and I would be lying if I said I wasn't deeply concerned about it. With the benefit of hindsight it's not hard to realize that mistakes were made on my behalf, and I'd like to publicly apologize to the voters of the Mideast. I apologize to them for the approach I took to deal with this issue, and for the inconveniences they might have suffered from this situation.

That aside, my point still stands, and it is beyond clear that at this point some officeholders are willing to whatever is necessary to see me going down in flames, using quite a variety of methods. If you don't mind me being blunt I admit that I considered leaving this race over this controversy and the accusations that have been repeated through the last days (which go from the usual charges of opportunism to hyperbolic claims of being worse than the NSA), but with the advice and the support of some good friends of mine I have decided against quitting. I fight on, and I fight on to represent the Mideast to the best of my ability.

I have no illusions about the future nor I have delusions of grandeur, because I know that the road that lies ahead is a hard one. It's a hard one in terms of current voter registration (which makes one wonder by the opposition would want even more of their voters here), it's a hard one due to the skill and qualities of Speaker New Canadaland, and it's a hard one given the fact that we will see many attacks repeated over and over again before this is over, some of them old, and some of them older still.

But even if some people take it more seriously than they should Atlasia is still a game, and games are worth being played despite the challenges. Having spent a good part of my political life here involved in tough races and on the receiving end of increasingly ridiculous attacks I think it would be a pity to end it all today, specially if that left the voters with no choice at all. So yes, I will continue to campaign through this region and do my best to reach out to the voters over the month left until the election, and thus allow the people of the Mideast to see an exciting and active campaign season.

Onwards to the campaign trail, and to fight on we go!

Lumine.

[Lumine]

Well, you could have at least apologized to me.

I considered a broad apology to be better given the nature of the situation, but yes, Governor, I do extend my personal apology for the methods employed to prove my argument (and for the delay as well, I suppose, time does fly).

Endorsed, for whatever it's worth. Your dignity in the face of increasingly absurd attacks is commendable.

Yes, very much endorsed.

Many thanks, Oakvale and Simfan! It's fantastic to count on your support!

[Lumine]

For a (slightly) less dull Atlasia!

June 1st, 2015:

Good day, Mideast Region!

The days pass and the campaign goes on, as there’s less than three weeks left until the actual election! In that time span I have done my best to tour as much states in this region as is possible, and I have also managed to deliver both a platform and some of the reasons of why I believe I would make a good Senator for the Mideast Region. In the past days we have been able to received several crucial endorsements, and once again I thank the people of several different parties who have joined behind this effort.

Answering the crucial question of the motivations behind a campaign and the ideals to follow on the Senate is no easy task, and indeed not being able to articulate a vision could prove lethal if one doesn’t count with a massive base of support. Subjective as it might be, I look forward to a return to the Senate because there are many things to be done, and because something seems off with the current times, as if “dull” was the best word to define today’s Atlasia despite the hard work and bold ideas of so many great officeholders.

Long story short, I want to play a part in fighting against that. At this stage in my career is safe to say that most of the region (and indeed, Atlasia) knows me and my record, and now more than ever I wish to remain true to that. No matter the odds, I have no intention of staging this return to be a seat warmer. There are issues to address, policies to enact, proposals to be made, speeches to be given and voters to be contacted and encouraged to engage more with this game. One of the lessons I learnt very early in this game while dealing with the spectre of inactivity in the Midwest was that personal effort is without a doubt the most crucial thing for Atlasia to thrive.

Not to make this another rambling speech, I remain convinced that the Mideast is in need of a Senator who can combine both activity and experience, a Senator willing to do what needs to be done, to speak up where the occasion requires it to uphold and defend the things that make this region a fantastic one to live and to pursue a political career, a Senator that you can trust to represent you.

All of this, I hope, are things that I can bring to the table, not only because of the months and all the hard work spent on serving Atlasia so many times, but also because of the accomplishments achieved by working both alone and with others through that time.

And I suppose that’s more than enough for now!

Lumine.

[Lumine]

Endorsed!

Thank you very much, TJ!