Presidential Candidates: Why Should We Support You?

[Bacon King]

I know I speak here with a strong disposition already stacked against me, but I thank you all nonetheless for allowing me time to speak.

I simply ask, please don't look upon me merely as the "JCP Candidate." Yes, I do identify myself with that party. However, my campaign is not partisan in the slightest; my Vice Presidential candidate is of the Democratic Alliance and my prospective cabinet appointees range across the spectrum from SDP to RPP. I ask that you not make this election a referendum on "one-party control" because, simply, that would be a misstatement of the facts. How can the JCP be an Atlasia controlling "machine" when we don't even have a third of nation's Senators? And anyway, I reiterate that I am not running as a member of my party; I am running for President as a member of Atlasia.

If you look at my tenure as Vice President, you will see that I am a man who stands up for this nation whenever and however I am called to do so, whether that be the micromanagement of the Senate or the successful prevention of New Mexico's secession. If elected President I will always behave with such a focus on the tasks at hand. I will promote an active Atlasia by serving as an example to the nation.

Ideologically, to know where I stand, one simply needs to look at my extensive record in the Atlasian Senate. Along with Former Senator PiT I masterminded an overhaul of Atlasian drug laws, decriminalizing a wide variety of substances and effectively ending the war on drugs. I also singlehandedly prevented the passage of a Federal Carbon Cap and Trade bill, injecting moments before it's apparent passage to describe in detail how horribly inefficient and pointless the system would be, garnering enough support to defeat the measure.

You can also see my small-government, no-nonsense approach to governing through the Southeast's initiative process. Over the last year I've introduced successful initiatives prohibiting traffic cameras, instituting new drug laws in step with Federal statute, and eliminating speed limits on rural highways, among many other policies.

Ultimately, I consider myself to be socially minimalist while economically pragmatic. Simply look over at my Political Matrix score if you wish to see that quantified. Your party may not agree with me on every individual issue, but I hope that by demonstrating my history of activity and my record of experience through all layers of Atlasian government, that I have shown myself to be capable, competent, and qualified. As such, I humbly ask for your party's nomination this Presidential election.

Thank you for allowing me to speak, and Dave bless.

[Bacon King]

I ask the candidates what they will do to cut spending.

Although a literal budget no longer exists in Atlasia, I have stood for responsible spending even since the Senate was responsible for a budget! Simply, I will veto any egregious and excessive increases in spending. I will promote efforts to streamline the government and trim spending, and in particular will make a point to cut pork from the military (which I believe most past reformers have neglected) while still ensuring Atlasia is secure, of course.

I come here not only as a Populare and Concerned Citizen, I also come here as a Libertarian. I can't vote, but I think other Libertarians need this answer as well. None of the current three candidates have very "Libertarian" records, and I would like to ask the candidates why they deserve, if they deserve, Libertarian support in the upcoming election.

I actually used to have a yellow avatar, you know

I think I've ably demonstrated earlier in this thread my small-government approach to a huge number of issues. I may favor a more nuanced economic policy than the Libertarian platform, but I believe I am indeed the candidate closest to Libertarian beliefs

[Bacon King]

Question: How does someone with such a libertarian/small-government record have the support of people like Antonio V?

Otherwise, you seem like a great candidate, as far as I can tell.

I would call my campaign a "big tent" campaign, I suppose. I believe my pragmatic and active approach to governing has significant appeal throughout the political spectrum.

Also, I would argue that one doesn't need a Presidential candidate to match 100% with their political beliefs, as most ideological battles occur in the Senate anyway. I'm a good political match for many of you even though I'm slightly to the left of you on the political matrix, just as I'm a good match for Antonio V even though I'm slightly to the right of him.

Bacon King, some members of your party have recently equated certain new members of Atlasia such as The Last Moderate, Vane, Redcommander, among others as "zombies." Do you stand by these accusations?

While I don't know enough about these specific members to make a statement one way or another, in general I would agree with Badger in assuming these new members come in the best of intentions. I would thus answer you that no, I do not stand by those accusations. I think Atlasia's zombie problem was solved with Hamilton's exile and I believe members of Atlasia should not jump to paranoia when dealing with new members.

I have 10 questions for presidential candidates. Fulfill 7 of these (with proof!) and you have my support.

1. Have you always supported socially libertarian measures?
2. Have you always supported fiscally responsible measures?
3. Do you support free trade?
4. Open borders?
5. Are you opposed to state ownership of industry?
6. Are you a regionalist?
7. Are you against the death penalty?
8. Do you support liberalising the age of consent?
9. Are you a dove?
10. Do you support the rights of the individual over the collective?

I will provide proof any further evidence is needed, but:
1. An unqualified yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes, except in cases where other nations fail to meet basic human rights.
4. Yes, unequivocally.
5. Yes, in almost all circumstances. The government should only do what it can do more efficiently than the private sector.
6. That depends on your definition of the term. I've long been active in the Southeastern region and support the status-quo regarding the place of regions in Atlasian government.
7. Yes, in all cases.
8. That depends on what you mean. Ideally, the age of consent should be 16 nationally with a two/three year window for those around the age.
9. Yes, in that I support avoiding war except when no other rational possibilities remain.
10. Yes, though I suppose to be specific I must ask you to define "collective." This can potentially be a very nuanced question. Do I support, say, an individual's right to privacy? Of course. Do I support a murderer's right to assert himself over the will of the "collective" by killing others? No, not at all.

I hope my answers have helped you better understand my ideology and political positions.