Clyde for Northern Senate

[Clyde1998]

Following the de-registration of LongLiveRock, I have decieded to contest the Northern Senate special election.

I have decied to run as I believe that the North, and the whole of Atlasia, needs stable governance during this time of crisis and a strong Senate is the start of this. The North needs a Senator who will listen to the views, and seek to impliment the views, of all Northerners in order to achieve progress for the whole region and nation.

My platform consists of plans to assist the poorest people in our society in getting out of poverty, ideas to grow the economy while reducing our national deficit, policies to ensure that no employee can be exploited in the workplace and a vision of a greener, more environmental friendly Atlasia.

I seek to legislate for a worker's rights bill to bring together and strengthen the legislation on worker's rights in our nation. I will bring forward a small business grants bill which will enable people to set up their own businesses without fear of them collapsing after the first few years, while expanding diversity in our economy to enable growth. I'll re-introduce subsides for renewable energy in order to reduce our dependancy on fossil fuels.

Together we can make Atlasia better.
Will you be resigning as Game Moderator?
It is my intention to resign as GM, as I believe that it would be a conflict on interest to serve as GM and as a Senator. I have not done so at this stage in order to allow a smooth transition into a new Presidency; it's my understanding that both Blair and Yankee have people who will replace me as Game Moderator waiting in the wings. Additionally, I am assisting both Fremont and Northern Governors in completing their budgets and I feel that my abrupt resignation would undermine their ability to do this. I have alerted President Leinad on my intention to resign as GM already.
Feel free to ask me any questions about my campaign in this thread or via the PM system, if you have any.

[Clyde1998]

Endorsed. Although this seat seems to be cursed

Thank you. If elected, I will try and overcome that.

[Clyde1998]

Endorsed!

it's my understanding that both Blair and Yankee have people who will replace me as Game Moderator waiting in the wings

Wait, what? Why would anyone want to replace you - you've been a fantastic GM.

Anyways, endorsed for the Senate.

Thanks!

[Clyde1998]

Endorsed and stuff. Do a good job.

Thank you. I'll try.

[Clyde1998]

Endorsed.  I trust that you will do a great job.

Endorsed!

Thanks guys.

[Clyde1998]

Endorsed Clyde!!!

Thank you.

[Clyde1998]

I have but one question - will you use your platform as a Senator to ensure ALL VOTES are fairly counted and the depraved attempt to steal the Presidential election is thwarted?

I'll seek to support a bill that prevents members of the Supreme Court from running in any election without resigning, and the SoFE from running in any election that they will be conducting. I note that Siren has introduced a bill in the House that has this intention. Should that fail, I'll introduce my own bill.

I agree that there needs to be clarity on what constitutes an invalid ballot. I hope that the Supreme Court rules in favour of Bacon King, in his case, and in favour of the SoFE and the RG in the other two cases.  We will, however, need to tighten our electoral laws to ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again. The Supreme Court ruling with help determine the current state of our electoral laws, enabling us to see the extent that they need fixing.

[Clyde1998]

Please, don't leave the GM position. You're too good at it.

No!!!! I will not accept you leaving the GM position.

Seriously, I wish you the best.

Thanks guys. It obviously wasn't an easy decision to make, although I feel that Congress needs stability during this turbulent times. I'm sure that whoever replaces me will do as good a job, if not better, than I did in this role and, who knows, I may return to be postition at some point in the future.

[Clyde1998]

Endorsed post-mortem

Thank you.

[Clyde1998]

What changes, if any, would you like to see made to federal election law, particularly in light of the recent uncertainty surrounding the presidential election?

I'd like to see an effective tie-break system that reduces the chance of a race going into a run-off. We'll need to agree what tie-breakers to have. My preference is total preferences, then first preferences, then a run-off - with the same tie-breakers in place for the run-off before going to the House. Although, to support a tie-break method different to this, if it reduces the chance of having a run-off.

I wish to have a restriction on the SoFE and Supreme Court members on running for elected office while they are in the role.

We need to have clarity on what an invalid ballot is, with examples. The Supreme Court decision will assist us with this.

Additionally, it should be clear whether there should be, what I'm going to call, "flexible electorates" between a general election and a run-off, enabling people to be registered and de-registered between the general and run-off votes. This is the case for French and Polish Presidential elections, as I understand it.

I would, personally, like to have a requirement that voters have to have posted at least once in the Atlasia Fantasy Elections section before being able to cast a valid ballot, along with the current (or similar) posting requirements. I'm not sure how practical this would be thigh for the SoFE to keep track of, however.

[Clyde1998]

I would, personally, like to have a requirement that voters have to have posted at least once in the Atlasia Fantasy Elections section before being able to cast a valid ballot, along with the current (or similar) posting requirements.

Thanks for your answer. I assume this would be in addition to their post in the New Register thread?

Yes, of course.

Congratulations on your appointment!

Thank you.

[Clyde1998]

Congratulations on your appointment!

Thank you.

Sorry Clyde, I accidentally invalidated my vote.

Don't worry. I hadn't noticed that the voting booth was up already and that it was unlocked. Thank you for the support anyway.

[Clyde1998]

What about the 21st century Robber Barons on Wall Street who rapaciously help themselves to obscene bonuses from selling junk bonds to unsuspecting citizens?

What actions, if any, would you take to correct situations such as this? 

I would like to see cap limit on banker's bonuses. This would make them less likely to take risks that could have a negative impact on the economy.

Additionally, following the global financial crash, Iceland decided to jail the bankers responsible. I feel that we should introduce legislation that would make it clear and reaffirm that defrauding innocent citizens out of their hard earned cash will earn the people responsible prison sentences. It must also be clear that there is no route around that; bankers shouldn't be allowed to pay a fine to avoid going to prison.

I feel that restricting bonuses and having a risk of prison sentences would do a lot to deter bankers from exploiting others in our society.

[Clyde1998]

I have but one question - will you use your platform as a Senator to ensure ALL VOTES are fairly counted and the depraved attempt to steal the Presidential election is thwarted?

I'll seek to support a bill that prevents members of the Supreme Court from running in any election without resigning, and the SoFE from running in any election that they will be conducting. I note that Siren has introduced a bill in the House that has this intention. Should that fail, I'll introduce my own bill.

My recommendation would be a law requiring automatic recusal of a Justice who runs for office and a forced leave from the court lasting for the duration of the campaign.  

We have a five member Supreme Court, so the impact of one justice being put out of commission for two-three weeks is less so and less of concern then having to replace a justice for a life time appointment, especially if said candidate loses anyway. This has the equivalent effect, at least temporarily than an increase in the number of offices would.

Consider this, if I had to resign, I never would have ran. This distinction could mean the difference between a competitive race and one that is not.

I like your approach to minimizing runoff occurrences, though.

Anyway, Endorsed!

Thank you for your support.

I'd be open to having Supreme Court members being recused during the campaign, rather than being forced to resign. Obviously, my view would be one of six in the Senate if I am elected.

I think the main thing the Presidential election has shown is that there is a lot of work to be done to our electoral laws.

[Clyde1998]

Endorsed.

Thank you for your endorsement Mr SoFE.

[Clyde1998]

(Now that the site is working...)

I'd like to thank everyone who supported me in the Special Election. I have already proposed a bill that will strengthen employee's rights, as promised in the campaign. I note that Siren's bill to reduce the ability of members of the Supreme Court and the SoFE from running in elections has been introduced to the House. I seek to continue pursuing the policies that I announced for this election.

If any private individual has a bill that they'd like to see debated in the Senate, I'd be happy to sponsor it.