Progressive Union Party Convention June 2018 (Concluded)

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Hello Ladies and Gentlemen of the Progressive Union Party.  I would like to humbly ask for your endorsement in the upcoming Lincoln Senate Election.

Why?  Because I believe that the legislation I've supported has been in step with the values of PUP, such as the Let's Try This Act that Senator Pericles co-sponsored, which strengthened background checks, and reformed the no fly list to prevent terrorists from getting weapons, while also protecting due process for Atlasians.


On Healthcare, I have supported bills that expand upon the success of AtlasCare, such as the Health Through Prevention Act, which helps to lower drug prices as well as subsidize regional vaccinations and the promotion of public health.  In addition to that, I've supported the Cheaper Medicine For the Poors Act, Right to Try Act, and the Care for Veterans Act, which help to reduce drug costs to Atlasians, allow experimental drug treatments for Atlasians, and give Atlasian veterans better mental healthcare as a small token of repayment for their service. 


On Education, as you all know, I did vote against the original Free Higher Education for Atlasia Act, but because it was poorly funded and because it would've given free college to those with incomes at $120,000, which I believe is wrong due to the fact that those with that level of income should be able to afford college by themselves under most circumstances.  I believe that the new HELIOS Act is a better bill, as it would give free college for those with an income equal or less than 250% of the Federal Poverty Level. (Which, for a Family of 2 in 2017 IRL according to this would be $40,600)  and in addition the bill doesn't just cut off aid for those disadvantaged above 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, according to Section 2. A. ii. of the bill.

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Finally, the bill offers another benefit of student loan refinancing, which consolidates 2 or more Federal student loans into a single easier to pay loan for students.  So overall, I believe the HELIOS Act is of more benefit to the truly disadvantaged hardworking Atlasians, and will offer them the help they deserve in getting an education.


On Infrastructure, I support the overall idea of the High Speed Rail Act, as it will allow the production of new high speed rail projects to be far easier, and will focus on corridors to Nyman (at least it should say Nyman), which are rather needed overall to improve transportation to our nation's capital.  I was iffy about the suggestion of privatization of Amtrak, and I would like to hear further arguments on it, especially from Representative Ninja0428, who is rather strong on Transportation issues.  Finally, this bill is already fully funded from the HELIOS Act, which gets rid of any concerns I have about expanding the deficit through this bill, and I will most likely end up supporting it.


On the Environment, I supported the Environmental Regulations Act, which regulates offshore drilling, helps prevent oil spills in pipelines, and establishes taxes on chemicals.  In addition to this, I supported the Fairness to Workers Act, which levies duties on foreign nations we trade with who don't have the same environmental  production standards as us, and will levy those duties on them until they meet the same standards we do for production of goods.  Finally, I opposed the repeal of the Carbon Tax as it's helped to reduce carbon emissions significantly, and I sponsored the Amendment to the Environmental Regulations Act which struck that repeal from the bill.   In addition, I would fully support further subsidies for green energy companies as long as they're fully funded, and I believe Atlasia should continue to move in the direction it has been in becoming a greener economy. 


Now, finally, I believe this should be said.  I don't consider myself an interventionist in the end, and I'm sick of my opponent implying I am one.  I believe in the end I lean dovish in foreign policy, and the only times I support military intervention in foreign nations are when our Allies are seriously threatened, as they have been in North Korea.  As such, I would not support military intervention in Venezuela unless the new Venezuelan government began to threaten our allies in South America.  I believe that Atlasia as a whole should stick to it's own affairs normally, and try to engage in fair trade with our allies and other nations in the world, as well as promoting the protection of the environment on the global stage, through the pursuit of new treaties like the Paris Climate Agreement. 


In finality, I promise that if reelected, I will continue my record of expanding upon AtlasCare's successes in Healthcare, promoting the expansion of education and aiding those who really need help in pursuing education, expanding and rebuilding Infrastructure nationwide in coordination with regions, protecting the environment and shifting Atlasia to a greener economy, and avoiding military intervention in foreign wars unless our allies our threatened, and pursuing new treaties to protect the environment on the world stage. 

Thank you all for your time, and I am willing to answer any further questions you all have on my positions.  May Dave bless Lincoln, the Progressive Union Party, and Atlasia.

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Alright I'll respond to the Foreign Policy section, because I'm rather amused by Jimmy's answer.

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Also in one of his speeches, Senator Not_Madigan expressed support for escalating the Korean War:

I support Aerial intervention in North Korea to support our allies, and the People's Republic of Korea.  Our allies have been fighting this war alone, and have been struggling already, but with the return of the Kim Dynasty to power in "Loyalist" Korea, I believe it is finally time for Atlasia to enter.

It is clear that Senator Not_Madigan is not the same kind of noninterventionist like me, and furthermore, he actually supports a few interventionist ideas, especially those involving the Korea crisis.[/quote]

First, you don't support defending our Allies when they're threatened?  Well, two things on that.  One, you apparently want to abandon our commitment to aid our Allies when they're threatened, which is incredibly out there as a position, and I believe Ninja, the PUP Candidate for President, supports intervening when our allies are threatened. 

Ah he does, his position from the debate is here. 

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Two, your answer now appears to be contradicting what you said in the debate Jimmy,let me refresh you on your answer. 

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You seem to be flipping back and forth on this, which is it Jimmy?

Second, I'll respond to the speech of me supporting escalation.  I supported escalation when our allies, Japan, South Korea, and the PRK were all threatened, and even then I didn't support sending in ground troops, just air support.  But since the situation has escalated since then and the President has chosen to send in ground troops, I've backed that in order to help our Allies.

So to conclude on this, I've been consistent, and despite being generally non-interventionist I, like many others in Atlasia, including Ninja, want to stay committed to helping our allies when they're endangered.  Jimmy however, seems to be having a bit of trouble with staying consistent and has went from supporting "Full military force" in Korea to now attacking me for wanting to help our Allies, and apparently wanting to abandon our commitment to aiding them.   

I, and I assume many others, want a straight, consistent answer on this issue from a Senator (Or candidate for Senator), and would love to hear Jimmy explain this one.

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Alright, I'll believe you on "misspeaking" on your official foreign polcy plank then, yet you still seem to be forgetting the People's Republic of Korea, our Democratic ally and the real government of North Korea that is supposed to control North Korea. 

You don't seem to understand that the PRK is one of our Allies, as well as South Korea and Japan, and that we aren't "invading North Korea", but helping the PRK, South Korea, and Japan reclaim the PRK's rightful territory and stopping the Chinese from restoring the authoritarian regime that existed and oppressed the people of North Korea for decades.  You don't seem to have an understanding of the situation and what nations actually exist here, especially with the following:  "This includes giving aid to modernize North Korea if they surrender."  North Korea is split between a puppet state of the Chinese, and the rightful Democratic government of the PRK, and the PRK is trying to reclaim it's rightful territory in this war.  What you're calling for now, if I'm interpreting it correctly , is for Atlasian troops to fall back to the South Korean border and abandon the front currently held by allied troops, Including Canadian, French, British, German, Japanese, South Korean, and PRK troops.

Now to conclude this, I agree with you that we should pursue a diplomatic solution to this crisis, but Atlasia must ensure that North Korea is under the control of it's rightful Democratic government, and our Ally, the People's Republic of Korea. 

Jimmy, in my view you've failed to have a consistent position on this crisis, and fail to have a full understanding of events in Korea, as you're proposing we abandon our ally militarily, an ally you seem to have completely ignored.  Atlasia and Lincoln cannot afford to have a Senator with a partial understanding of the issues at hand, especially in regards to foreign policy. 

I'd like to thank the Progressive Union Party for their time here, and hope you will endorse the candidate with experience, an understanding of the issues at hand, and one who has been consistent in their positions. May Dave bless Lincoln, Atlasia, and the Progressive Union Party.