Townhall Midwest Recall Debate

[LeBron]

To start out, I'd like to thank you for organizing this townhall. I'm more than happy to give our voters a chance to hear where we stand on the future of our region.

In just 3 short months as your governor, we've come very far in turning this region back into a success. It was in July where we were facing major crises in our regional government including large inactivity. At one point a merge was suggested to fix the problems. I still had hope that this region would only get better, and it was at this time that the former governor and I did all we could to keep this region running.

It was right around then to my amazement, I became governor following an unexpected resignation and subsequent special election. Upon becoming governor, I made no hesitation in making some much needed appointments for Archduke and to the Althing, some even across the aisle. Within no time at all, our government was beginning to run on all cylinders again. We faced a few tragedies so far such as the Colorado shooting or the Atlasian Civil War, but we pushed through. I helped bring this region back up to the standards that it once was.

During my tenure, I've been a fighter for the right of every Midwest voter to go the polls every election whether it's for a constitutional amendment, a general election or another election and cast their ballot. I've brought many new and excited Atlasians to our region which helped boost our population, and encouraged more people to run in the legislative elections. I've given my views on where I stand on important issues affecting the Midwest including many of the bills brought to the Althing floor. And all those bills I've signed. I've yet to veto one bill brought to my desk, and that's because our productive Althing has passed many bills that will help move the Midwest forward. I sponsored a bill that would help decrease the amount of fatal car accidents by banning texting while driving, and we got that passed into law. We're also one of the first regions to provide immigrants with several fundamental rights such as voting, quality education and healthcare, fair and equal housing, and competing with tough language barriers. That's one of many ways where we've went and passed a bill to help the less advantaged and minorities. Our region also had one of the most radical abortion laws ever as it banned abortion in most cases after the first trimester, and we changed that and made it easier for women to access their right to seek an abortion.

I realize and admit that I have made mistakes as governor, however, everyone makes mistakes. It's a common thing and I'm still a young pup in my term as governor, but there have been more pluses than minuses. Our economy, our expanded social rights, and our high activity rates show for that.

If you keep me as your governor, I as promised have a bill ready to put a stop to gun violence in our region. There is nothing more tragic than a death of someone who's close to you, and regulating the safety and protection standards of guns will help alleviate that problem to the best of our ability. We will also work on expanding union and workers' rights including a bill I plan to sponsor that would give college athletes the right to form a union. One of our Representatives proposed a bill to raise a living wage that our workers can live on in everyday life, and I'll enthusiastically sign that if it makes it to my desk.

On top of appointing a new Bank Chair, I will also find and appoint a Chief Judicial Officer that our region can go to for legal advice on laws, and it will be someone who I believe everyone, including the Althing, will be able to agree on. Our Constitution also needs several reforms, including to the poorly worded Recall Amendment itself, and adding a clause that would hold Althing members accountable if they are inactive. That's where you guys will come in and have your right to vote on those.

I will always continue to be there for all of you when this region is facing triumph or downfalls, as the chief election officer will be impartial and uphold the integrity to vote, and will strive to continue our work on our own merits. I will be more open to partnerships with other region's governors, and I will always say no to giving up on our region.

Thank you again, and I encourage all of you to ask any questions you guys might have!

[LeBron]

I have and will always oppose a merge with another region which in this case is the Pacific. Our region has had tough regional relations with the Pacific ever since the Pacific Governor temporarily invaded our region, and I'm working on fixing those tensions between us.

Besides that, with a Pacific merge comes large doubts. The Midwest over the past few months has shown to be a strong region on it's own while the Pacific presently and in the past have had substantial problems with activity. In the Midwest, it was only temporary, and it was during the crisis that the Midwest was facing that the referendum took place. That referendum in particular was previously held about 3-4 months ago and it passed in the Midwest, albeit reluctantly. Only 9 of our voters cast ballots on the referendum, 3 of which were in favor of the referendum, but the number of abstentions and those against was double that of those in favor. If it was brought up for a vote again in the Midwest with greater voter participation and a notably striving region compared to August, a merge would be favored to go down in defeat.

The problem certainly isn't the population, either. As of the last Census, the Midwest and Pacific have identical population rates, and if the Pacific were to merge with the Midwest, could we be so certain that it would make a large, or even partial, significance in the amount of activity the merged region is producing? Bringing more people to a region won't always help. That's a step, but it doesn't automatically simulate activity. You need to get your region involved in the government, and make sure if elected they're showing up for their jobs.

Just like the Midwest, I strongly believe the Pacific can survive if they reform their government to necessary standards. Their constitution doesn't allow for a recall option of elected officials, and at this time more than ever, that definitely needs to be an option for them given a few of their legislators as well as the governor have been fairly inactive. However, if I stay as governor and our region is able to patch things up with the Pacific under new, active leadership over there, then I would be willing to compromise for some sort of temporary confederation to get the Pacific back on it's feet. As it stands, a merge is unconstitutional, so that's by no means an option, but a confederation or alliance just may work.

In the Midwest alone, our government has greater outreach and relationships with our citizens than we would with a merge and despite our relatively low population we have been successful, so I would have to give a definite no to the project if I had to make a decision today.