Atlasian Civil Liberties Caucus (ACLC)

[Q]

Introduction
The ACLC welcomes any and all new members.  To become a member, just post your intentions in this thread, and we'll keep you updated on our progress and on how you can get involved.

See the ACLC Wiki page for more information.

Current members are:
Akno21
Alcon
Bono
Max Power
Emsworth
Everett
Frodo
Goldwater
Harry
Ian
Josh22
KEmperor
Lewis Trondheim
LiberalPA
Ebowed
Cosmo Kramer
Q
Sam Spade
Skybridge

[Q]

To all Caucus members and potential members:

Below is a proposal for our Bylaws, and I'd like to open it up for suggestions for changes and additions.

Barring major problems, pursuant to those Bylaws, forty-eight hours from tonight (or beginning at 11:59 PM Eastern on Tuesday (June 28), I will open a thread in the Voting Booth for voting on whether or not to adopt these Bylaws.  Voting will end forty-eight hours later, at 11:59 PM Eastern on Thursday (June 30).  I’ll send all members (including any new members who join in the next two days) another PM to remind you of that vote.  Eligible voters will be all members as of 11:59 PM Eastern this Tuesday.

On another note, members may submit their names for nominations for Regional Chairs, of which there will be 5.  As the Bylaws currently stand, you need not necessarily be registered in a particular region to run for Regional Chair there.


ACLC Bylaws (Proposed)

I. Membership
A. Any Atlasian may join the Caucus, subject to approval of a majority of the caucus.
B. Membership may be petitioned by announcing one’s intentions to join.
C. Any current member may ask the Vice-Chairman/Secretary to hold a vote on the prospective member’s petition for membership.  If no member requests a vote, the prospective member becomes a member.  If the vote is held, a simple majority vote of voting members is required for the member to attain membership.
D. The Caucus may expel any member if the members believe that member’s actions to be antithetical to the well-being of the Caucus.  A recall petition must have the signatures of three Caucus members in order to be brought before the electorate in an immediate vote. The vote may begin within forty-eight hours of receiving the required number of signatures.  The member shall be expelled with a two-thirds majority vote of voting members in good standing.
E. A member in good standing shall refer to a member against whom three or more signatures for expulsion have not been gathered.

II. Leadership
A. Eligibility
1. Any Caucus member may run for any Caucus leadership position.
2. A member may run for as many positions as he or she desires and may hold multiple positions simultaneously.
3. A candidate for Regional Chair is not required to be registered in the region whose Chairmanship he or she is seeking.
B. Positions
1. Chair
a. Responsibilities shall include general responsibility for the well-being of the Caucus; acting in the role of any other Caucus leader if he or she is unable or unwilling to carry out the responsibilities of office; organize Caucus conventions; gavel open and to a close all conventions; and act as the primary spokesperson for the Caucus.
2. Vice-Chair/Secretary
a. Responsibilities shall include conducting Caucus elections and other votes, including establishing, opening, and closing voting booths and providing sufficient notice to Caucus members of these votes.
3. Policy Chair
a. Responsibilities shall include maintaining and updating the Platform and Bylaws to reflect changes mandated by votes on member-suggested changes as well as serving as an intra-caucus leader on policy issues.
4. Regional Chairs
a. Responsibilities shall include acting as an agent of the Caucus in his particular Region, with responsibilities twofold.  First, managing Caucus outreach in a given region by welcoming and keeping in contact with members from that region, promoting their participation in the Caucus and organizing the members registered in that region, and recruiting new members from that region whose ideology is compatible with the mission of the ACLC; and second, reporting to the Caucus on the affairs of that region, including making recommendations to the Caucus on endorsements for that region's elected officials (including corresponding District Senator: ME=1, MW=2, NE=3, P=5, SE=4) and ballot initiatives pending in that region.  The Regional Chairs shall serve as liasions between the affairs of region and Caucus, and vice versa.
b. A Regional Chair is not required to be registered in the region of which he or she serves as Regional Chair.

III. Voting
A. All votes on new members, leadership positions, endorsements, platform changes, and other issues as they shall arise shall be taken consensually.
B. The Secretary shall open a vote in the Voting Booth section of the Fantasy Elections board.
C. Votes shall be taken when Caucus matters necessitate, and at the discretion of Caucus leadership.
D. Elections shall be open for forty-eight hours, during which time votes may be cast.
E. Elections shall be announced with sufficient public notice.  If possible, the Secretary shall send a personal message to all members in good standing at least forty-eight hours in advance of any vote in which that member is eligible to vote.
F. The vote of each member in good standing shall have the same weight in determining the vote outcome.  An approval system shall be used to determining the winner of any vote, such that voters may list all candidates or positions of whom/which they approve.  Order shall not matter, and the candidate or position that receives the greatest number of preferences shall be the winner.
G. Voter intent shall be determined at the end of the voting period.
H. Only members registered in a particular region may vote for candidates for Regional Chair of that region.
I. Caucus members may recall any Caucus leadership position.  A recall petition against any position must have the signatures of three members in order to be brought before the electorate in an immediate vote.  The vote may begin within forty-eight hours of receiving the required number of signatures.  The office-holder shall be removed from office with a two-thirds majority vote of voting members in good standing.

IV. Platform
A. Any member in good standing may suggest changes in the bylaws or platform.  A vote of the membership shall be held on these changes.

V. Conventions
A. Shall take place before each Presidential election, in the month of that election.
B. While members are free to propose changes to the Platform and Bylaws throughout the year, and votes will be taken on those proposals,

VI. General Provisions
A. In case of insufficient clarity in the Bylaws in determining the time and procedure of a vote of the membership, or in any other Caucus matter, any or all Caucus leaders shall confer and determine how best to proceed.  Their decision shall be valid even if it may violate a preexisting clause of the Bylaws if they determine the spirit of the Caucus to have dictated this override.


Announced Candidates for Caucus Positions

Chair:
Bono

Secretary:
Q

Policy Chair:
Emsworth

Regional Chairs:

     Midwest:
     (no announced candidates)

     Northeast:
     LiberalPA

     Mideast:
     Akno21

     Pacific:
     Goldwater

     Southeast:
     Ebowed

These elections will take place concurrently with the referendum on the Bylaws, from Tuesday the 28th at 11:59 PM to Thursday the 30th at 11:59 PM.

[Q]

C. If the vote is held, a two-thirds majority vote of voting members is required for the member to attain membership.

I would suggest that the required majority be a simple majority, rather than a two-thirds majority. A two-thirds maority should be necessary for expulsion, but it should not, in my opinion, be so difficult to become a member.

Assuming that Bono and Q are running for the positions of Chair and Secretary, I would like to indicate my desire to serve as Policy Chair.

I've made the change, Emsworth, and added your name as a candidate for Policy Chair.

[Q]

I've got you, Ebowed.

And we won't be just like the real ACLU, I don't think, Alcon.  We'll maintain tact and diplomacy in situations where the real ACLU seems to just go ballistic.  Welcome.



A few ACLC members and potential members have asked exactly what the Region Chairs will do.  I have updated the proposed Bylaws to include a more thorough description of what I envision for their roles.

[Q]

Since the District 1 Senate race between MHS2002 and LiberalPA has gone into a runoff, I move that the ACLC vote on endorsing a candidate in that race.

As a member of the Caucus, I'd like to extend an invitation to each of the candidates to tell us some more about their stances on issues related to civil liberties, and have sent each of them a PM informing them of this opportunity.

I believe I speak for all Caucus members when I say we will make our evaluation based solely on what the candidates have to say on the issues and will not take membership in our group into account when making our decision.

I'll open a voting booth thread after we hear from the two candidates, or when sufficient time has passed.  The election will be held beginning on Friday, so there's not much time.  ACLC members, consider this sufficient notice for a vote, although I will PM you before I open the vote.

Best of luck to the candidates on the campaign trail!

[Q]

Can I join?

Of course!  Any Atlasian is welcome to join us here in the ACLC.

Welcome, Casey!

[Q]

Policy Chair Emsworth has submitted the following as a preliminary draft of the ACLC platform.  I'd like to commend him for his efforts.

I hereby open a comment period by the members.  Once all suggestions have been discussed, I will open a vote on whether to adopt this as our platform.

Please reply in this thread with any suggestions or comments.

Thank you.


Religion

Establishment of religion
The ACLC believes that the government must maintain the strict separation of church and state. We believe that the government should neither endorse nor inhibit religion. Instead, by maintaining a neutral, secular stance, the government can equally and impartially protect all religious views.

School prayer
The ACLC deems that students should be free to pray in schools if they so choose. However, we do not feel that the government should write prayers, or formally set aside time specifically for praying.

Pledge of Allegiance
The ACLC feels that the inclusion of the phrase "under God" in the pledge of allegiance is unwise and unconstitutional. We feel that it is inappropriate for the government to link one's allegiance to one's religious beliefs. Therefore, we support the removal of the phrase from the pledge.

Speech

Freedom of speech
The ACLC holds that the ability to express one's views without retaliation from the government is a hallmark of a free society. We believe that freedom of speech and of expression is vital, and that the government should not endeavor to hamper it. We feel that even the most controversial opinions are constitutionally protected, and should not be banned or restricted by the government.

Freedom of the press
We deem that a free press is vital in a republic such as Atlasia, as it serves to keep the government in check. Efforts to censor the media are contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Constitution. Therefore, the ACLC opposes governmental regulation of media content.

Freedom of assembly
The ACLC holds that the right to peacably assemble is an important one. We feel that no organization should be denied the right to protest simply because its opinions differ from those of a majority of the society. Furthermore, we oppose "free speech zones," which violate the right to assemble peacably.


Reproductive rights

Contraception and abortion
The ACLC supports the right of a woman to use contraception and to procure an abortion. We feel that the government should not attempt to impose its moral values on the People by banning contraceptives or abortions; instead, the decision should be left to the woman.

Sexual freedom
The ACLC believes that the state does not belong in the bedrooms of the People. We believe that the government should not prohibit sexual relations between consenting adults. Furthermore, we hold that the government should legalize prostitution.


Criminal Justice

Surveillance
The ACLC opposes any effort to turn Atlasia into a surveillance society. We feel that the government should use wiretaps and other surveillance tools only with a warrant issued upon probable cause. We feel that the arbitrary and capricious monitoring of law-abiding citizens is incompatible with a free and democratic society.

Enemy combatants
The ACLC opposes holding individuals as "enemy combatants." We feel that incarcerating such individuals without charge and without the effective assistance of counsel contravenes the Constitution and violates a fundamental principle of justice: "innocent until proven guilty."

Right to counsel
The ACLC holds that every defendant is entitled to the aid of counsel. If a defendant cannot afford a lawyer, the ACLC believes that the government should provide one for him or her. We believe that the police should not attempt to deny a suspect the aid of counsel by failing to issue the Miranda warning or by otherwise concealing the suspect's rights.

Death penalty
The ACLC opposes the death penalty in all cases.

[Q]

I hope my problems with it are addressed

All issues raised by the members will be addressed.  We are currently a small enough group that we have little room for division.  I think each component of the platform needs a strong degree of concensus among the membership in order to be included.

Ultimately, Emsworth will be the one to ensure that changes are made, but I think the easiest way for changes to be proposed will be for a member to re-word a particular section or to write a new one, as opposed to, say, just pointing out problems.  Of course, we need to know what the problems are, as each of you sees them, but more importantly we need alternate proposals for wording or regarding our stances on issues.

I'm really encouraged by the debate that's already occurred here.  Keep up the good work, guys!

[Q]

I, too, would like to welcome Everett and Frodo to our group.  I think you are registered in CA and VA, respectively (the voter roles are somewhat out-of-date), so your respective Regional Chairs are Goldwater (Pacific) and Akno21 (Mideast).

A18, or John Wilkes Booth (deliverer of the most famous utterance of your current name), you are welcome to join as well.


As far as platform goes, what about the death penalty?  Goldwater, I believe, voiced his opposition to a blanket anti-capital punishment stance, and I must agree with him.  While I actually support capital punishment for just about every premeditated homicide, I'm willing to concede here, but some discussion on any cases in which we might not be opposed to the death penality might be productive.  How about for espionage?  Extradition to countries that do have capital punishment?  Etc.  Might I also suggest that judges and juries be given life sentences with no possibility of parole as sentencing options - rather than having to choose between death penalty and prison with possibility of parole (as is sometimes reality in the U.S.)

[Q]

I was just reading the platform of the Progressive Caucus.  I think we need to be careful to distinguish ourselves from that group (of which I know several of our members are also members).  We want the ACLC to be a unique organization with a unique mission.

Progressive Caucus platform: http://www.progressnj.com/atlaswiki/index.php/Progressive_Caucus

[Q]

I know it's been a while, but how about we continue the platform discussion.

I've looked through every one of the comments in this thread, and I've incorporated as many of your changes and addressed as many of your concerns as was possible, given the contradictions among them.

I submit the following as a second draft.


Proposed ACLC Platform (Second Draft)

The mission of the Atlasian Civil Liberties Caucus is to advocate for the protection of the fundamental rights of the People.
The ACLC stands for individual sovereignty.  We believe that decisions regarding matters that affect the individual should be made as close to the individual as possible, and that individual destiny should not be subject to the whims of an intrusive government.

We value the input of our members in creating a list of rights we believe should be defended.  Individual members, however, may disagree with specific provisions of the platform, which is an evolving document that does not constrain our organization or our members.


Religion

Establishment of Religion
The ACLC believes that the government must maintain the strict separation of church and state. We believe that the government should neither endorse nor inhibit religion. Instead, by maintaining a neutral, secular stance, the government can equally and impartially protect all religious views.

School Prayer
The ACLC deems that students should be free to pray in schools if they so choose. However, we do not feel that the government should write prayers, or formally set aside time specifically for praying.

Pledge of Allegiance
We oppose the mandatory or coerced recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, or other pledges of nationalism or allegiance to region or state, in schools and workplaces.
We hold that the inclusion of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance is unwise and unconstitutional. We feel that it is inappropriate for the government to link one's allegiance to country with one's religious beliefs. We therefore support the removal of the phrase from the pledge.


Speech

Freedom of Speech
The ACLC holds that the ability to express one's views without retaliation from the government is a hallmark of a free society. We believe that freedom of speech and of expression is vital, and that the government should not endeavor to hamper it. We feel that even the most controversial opinions are constitutionally protected, and should not be banned or restricted by the government.

Freedom of the Press
We deem that a free press is vital in a republic such as Atlasia, as it serves to keep the government in check. Efforts to censor the media are contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Constitution. Therefore, the ACLC opposes governmental regulation of media content.

Freedom of Assembly
The ACLC holds that the right to peaceably assemble is important. We feel that no organization should be denied the right to protest simply because its opinions differ from those of a majority of the society. Furthermore, we oppose "free speech zones," which violate the right to assemble peaceably.


Reproductive and Sexual Autonomy

Contraception and Abortion
While the ACLC recognizes that contraception and abortion are distinct concepts that have discrete magnitude of impact on the creation of life, we support the right of a any person to use contraception as well as the right of a woman to procure an abortion. We feel that the government should not attempt to impose its moral values on the People by banning contraceptives or abortions; instead, the decision should be left to the woman.

Sexual Freedoms
The ACLC believes that the state does not belong in the bedrooms of the People. We believe that the government should not prohibit sexual relations between consenting adults.


Justice

Surveillance
The ACLC opposes any effort to turn Atlasia into a surveillance society. We feel that the government should use wiretaps and other surveillance tools only with a warrant issued upon probable cause signed by a judge. We feel that the arbitrary and capricious monitoring of law-abiding citizens is incompatible with a free and democratic society.

Enemy Combatants
The ACLC opposes holding individuals as "enemy combatants." We feel that incarcerating such individuals without charge and without the effective assistance of counsel contravenes the Constitution and violates a fundamental principle of justice: "innocent until proven guilty."

Right to Counsel
The ACLC holds that every defendant is entitled to the aid of counsel. If a defendant cannot afford a lawyer, the ACLC believes that the government should provide one for him or her. We believe that the police should not attempt to deny a suspect the aid of counsel by failing to issue the Miranda warning or by otherwise concealing the suspect's rights.

Rights of Convicted Felons
The ACLC recognizes that convicted felons cannot be granted the same battery of rights as unincarcerated persons, for allowing them all such rights would infringe upon the rights of others.  In committing such a crime, a citizen forfeits certain rights when he or she violates the rights of others, and punishment by the temporary suspension of those rights is an acceptable result.
However, we believe that those convicted of any crime still have some rights as an Atlasian citizen.  We believe that upon termination of a period of incarceration, an Atlasian should not be denied the right to vote as a result of that incarceration.

Sentencing
We support that judges and juries be granted life sentences with no possibility for parole as a sentencing option.


Additional ACLC Positions

Right to Bear Arms
The ACLC supports the right of the People to keep and bear arms, and thus we oppose any ban of handguns.  We believe that fireworks should be legal in Atlasia every day of the year.

Monetary Freedom
The ACLC supports the legalization of gambling and prostitution throughout Atlasia, with some regulation by the government.  We hold that the government should legalize prostitution among consenting adults, but we recognize that certain regulations of prostitution may be necessary in order to protect the public health.  We believe that a minimum age of 18 for participation in prostitution and gambling would be appropriate.

Drug and Alcohol Freedom
The ACLC supports lowering the drinking age to 18.  We oppose mandated smoking bans in privately-owned businesses and instead hold that any decision to limit smoking should be up to the owner of the business.  The ACLC also supports the full legalization of marijuana, for both medicinal and recreational use.

Racial Freedom
We believe that the use of race or class in public university admissions is unconstitutional.  We oppose racial profiling, racial quotas for public schools and government workplaces, hate speech legislation, and hate crimes legislation.

Pornography and Female Nudity
The ACLC holds that pornography, depicting consenting persons over the age of 18, should be available for the public.  We support some restrictions on production, but not on the viewing, of pornography.  Anyone aged 16 or over should be able to purchase pornography.  While we hold that any individual should be free to observe any form of pornography that he or she wishes, we believe that any producer of child pornography should be punished to the full extent of the law.  We also support the right of females over the age of 18 to be topless in public.

Needs work:
We hold that government should not decide who may marry; rather marriage, and the nature and regulations thereof, should be defined solely by the entities that perform marriages.  We thus support civil unions as the only government-recognized affirmation of … (?).  This includes the right of two people of the same gender to enter into a civil union.  (Incest; age limits; polygamy; etc.?)

[Q]

Where is the right to go topless is the Constitution?

Ben Franklin was irate when they denied him this request.

[Q]

Looks good, Q! I only think that the Caucas should support same-sex marriage, not civil unions. The age limit for marrying should be 17, I believe, and no to polygamy and incest.

Thanks, Casey.

I think several members argued for civil unions for all, and marriages as an optional service that may be undertaken at the couple's discretion and has no legal consequence.  Inter- and intra-gender couples would be treated the same way under the law.

Unions limited to only 2 people - I'll include that in the next draft.

Caucus members: minimum age for union set at 17?  What do you all think?

Regarding incest: what relation is prohibited, both for sexual contact as well as civil unions?

[Q]

but it's up to Q.

No way!  It's up to the membership, and caucus leaders have only 1 vote each, same as every member .

We're going to have to try to reach an agreement or compromise on several issues, but if we can't, then I see no reason why we have to include points of contention.

For example, if it winds up being that we declare our support for the right of a woman to have an abortion during the first trimester, but make no mention of our stance on abortions after that, I don't see why that would be a huge problem.

And I think we should declare support for adoption as well, but that's just my opinion.

[Q]

Jake, would you consider joining us here in the ACLC?

Your views on abortion, even if you wind up disagreeing with what we eventually adopt as a platform plank, are welcome, as we are a diverse group.  Your perspective during such debates, I feel, will strengthen the final platform.  A lively discussion of the issues will be good for all of us.

[Q]

As debate on our platform continues, I'd like to solicit suggestions for the site and time of the ACLC's first convention, in anticipation of the August elections.  This will be a mini-convention, as our Bylaws provide for conventions preceding the Presidential elections.  Hopefully we will be able to work out any flaws in our system in this off-month meeting.

I don't want to see Atlasia's extra-party organizations fall into inactivity and inconsequentiality.  Let's accomplish something that we'll all be proud of.

[Q]

I am reminded me that while we are especially strong in the other regions, we have only one member in the Mideast and no members from the Midwest.

Having spoken with Mideast Regional Chair Akno about the matter, I think it might be a good idea to hold our first mini-convention in one of these two regions in order to encourage increased participation there.

The Midwest Regional Chair position is still vacant, and while it would be great if a Midwesterner would join us and fill this role, would any existing member who is generally on good terms with the Midwest Region be willing to do some encouraging in that region (and possibly serve as region chair there if no one else joins up)?

[Q]

Thanks for keeping us up to date, Ebowed.  Your work on the abortion planks is valuable to sorting out the caucus members' range of opinions on the subject.

I won't campaign for a particular outcome on the abortion plank, but I think the adoption plank is brilliant.  Perhaps it could be strengthened to include a general reference to our support for the principle of adoption, although I suppose the wording would have to depend on the outcome of the vote on the abortion plank, so that could wait until our October convention.

Do we care about female toplessness?  Is that really something our group should wade into?

I think we should add a platform opposing the imprisonment of people who don't pay their taxes or child support.

What alternative incentive would you propose for encouraging people to pay taxes and clild support?

[Q]

I am pleased to announce that the First Triannual ACLC National Conference will take place from August 5-9.

I'm opening a vote in the Voting Booth right now (in the old ACLC voting thread) on the convention sites that have been proposed.  Voting will end 48 hours later, on Wednesday the 3rd, and we shall hold this meeting in the city that receives the greatest number of preferences.

During the conference, any candidate for office in the August elections is invited to address the membership.  I will be contacting all the candidates about this opportunity.  We will then vote on endorsements as well as on the contested platform planks, and discuss further what we stand for, and how to encode that in a platform amenable to as many members as possible.

I will soon be contacting directly all Caucus members about these developments.

(A final vote on whether to adopt that platform shall be taken at the October National Convention, at which time elections for caucus officials shall again take place.)

[Q]

BTW, it is Quahog, RI not Quohog, RI.

Duly noted.  Thank you, King.  Always keeping Atlasia on its toes.

[Q]

Welcome to Portland, Oregon[/color]

site of the
First Triannual ACLC National Conference[/color]
Friday, August 5 through Tuesday, August 9[/b]

[/size]Our first-ever Caucus meeting will open tomorrow, and it is my pleasure to welcome all Caucus members, our invited speakers, and any and all other interested Atlasians to beautiful Portland, Oregon, our member-chosen conference site.

During the conference, the floor will be open to any Atlasian for speeches, questions, or comments.  I have sent invitations directly to every candidate in the August general elections to address our organization, and several candidates have informed me that they will be making the most of this opportunity.

Caucus members will vote on candidate endorsements on Tuesday through Thursday of next week, with balloting to begin after the conference closes.  Endorsements will be announced next Thursday or Friday.

We will take a look at some contested platform planks and discuss further what we stand for and how to encode those values in a platform amenable to as many members as possible.  Hopefully we can also do some public thinking about our group's role within Atlasia and its politics.

Thank you all for coming, and until the conference opens tomorrow, enjoy the Oregonian hospitality.  Please help yourself to the cocktails and cheese cubes that are now being served in the lobby.

[Q]

[gavel] The First Triannual Atlasian Civil Liberties Caucus National Conference is hereby open.

[Q]

Any candidates is welcome to make a statement at any time over the course of our conference.

Furthermore, I would like to encourage Caucus members to now voice their opinions on any matter related to our organization.


I have been in communication with Keystone Phil, a candidate for the Senate from District 2.  He has informed me that he regrets that he will be unable to address us in person due to a vacation, but I thought I would pass along to you all his kind words for our mission.  He said, in part, "Send the Caucus my best wishes.  We may not always agree but I believe that there is good in the way the organization is always alert when it comes to fighting for our rights."

[Q]

Thank you, Mr. Hobbes and LiberalPA, for your excellent speeches.  Some very interesting ideas and proposals.

I think it's great that one of our members, LiberalPA, is not taking our endorsement for granted, but rather taking the time to fight for it.  I didn't know you were a vegetarian though?  That makes two of us.

And to Mr. Hobbes, especially, thank you for taking the time to come here today and address us.  I find that all too often in Atlasia, candidates campaign mostly on friendly turf.  It takes backbone to state your views to a crowd, and even moreso when addressing those likely to disagree with you.  Any other candidates who may not believe in the mission of our group, or any other extra-party group here in Atlasia, I point to this speech as an example of trying to connect with those with whom you disagree, and it's not always by pandering and agreement that you win someone's respect. (Edit: I'm not accusing anyone of doing that, by the way.  Just a general statement.)

[Q]

As I have stated elsewhere, a situation out of my control has dictated that I take a limited leave of absence, and thus my participation in Atlasia has and may continue for a short period to be markedly decreased.  Thus I apologize for my limited involvement in our organization as of late.

Nonetheless, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to each of the candidates who took the time and made the effort to address us here.

Unless there is any motion to extend this conference, I would like to call it to a close.  Candidates may continue to make speeches here if they wish.

Voting on candidate endorsements will begin in the Voting Booth.