Pacific Senate Announcement from the Grand Canyon

[No more McShame]

Don't tell anyone.

What could it be?

[No more McShame]

We need to get away from our computers and get in shape anyway.  Getting down there is easy anyway; up is a different story

[No more McShame]

*Live from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon*

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining me here today at one of Atlasia’s great natural wonders.  I am pleased to see the interest in this announcement as many of you have traveled by burro, helicopter, etc.  You may be wondering why I have asked you to join me here today other than to escape the searing Phoenix heat.  Today, I am announcing my intention to run for the Pacific region Senate seat in the June election!

My candidacy will be about ideas.  Thank goodness that the recent Southeastern conflict was ended peacefully.  However, the conflict underscored that the federal Atlasian government has too much power over the regions.  Some issues are better left to the regions rather than the meddling federal bureaucracy.  

Education will be one major issue in this campaign.  I strongly oppose any additional standards set by the federal government.  The only purpose that will serve is to take education dollars out of the classroom and into the bureaucracy.  Health care will be another major issue.  Too often we see insurance companies make decisions that doctors should be making.  Socializing medicine will cause a shortage and give government that power.  This will only make matters worse.  The first step to fixing health care will be to implement medical savings accounts modeled after the IRA.  I am pleased to see that the Northeast region has already proposed this.  I have saved the most important issue for last, homeland security.  Unregulated illegal immigration is the single biggest threat to homeland security.  Granted the vast majority of those illegally crossing our borders are coming for a better life.  However, it only takes a small handful of those coming across to destroy our lives to wreak havoc in our cities.  We need a sensible guest worker program that will not provide amnesty.  Amnesty would only encourage more illegal crossings.  Second, we need to increase the number of border agents.  Recent events on our Southern border proved that increased manpower will reduce illegal border crossings.  For threats to homeland security from abroad we need to provide the military and the intelligence communities the tools to combat terrorists on their turf.  I’m sure there are many other issues that will come up in this campaign, but I certainly don’t want to keep you all out here all night.

My opponent is an honorable and qualified person.  However, our ideologies sharply differ.  This election will provide a clear choice to the voters about the direction they would like Atlasia to head to.  I welcome the opportunity to debate my opponent so the voters will see our differences and decide for themselves what direction they want to head in.

I would like to thank you all for joining me out here.  Enjoy the scenery and God bless.  Thank you.

[No more McShame]

Wow, now I am really torn on my support.

Big Question: How do you plan to vote in the Presidential race?

undecided as of yet.  so many quality candidates are running.  too bad real world elections don't pose the same problem.

I look forward to a positive campaign.

As do I, good luck and may the best man win.

[No more McShame]

Thank you Colin.  And excellent work to anyone who worked on that bill.  The only change I would make to it would be to index the amount allowed to deposit into the account indexed to the inflation rate for medical expenses.

[No more McShame]

Great Western region sounds good to me.

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Thank you for your kind words Sam.  See you in Memphis

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We can compromise on that.  However, this is really a regional issue I don't think the federal Atlasian government should get involved

[No more McShame]

oh yeah, if any Atlasian citizen would like to make one of them banner thingies for me it would be much appreciated.  Thanks.