Hi folks.
I have come here tonight to ask you for your vote.
More specifically, I have come here to ask you to not give the Chief Justice, KEmperor, your first or second preference vote.
This is not based on his record on the bench. It is based on his lack of belief in Democracy in the Atlas.
Yesterday, he tore into Akno for PMing Atlasians who are active on the Forum but not active or not very active in the Elections Section.
He then demanded an activity requirement linked specifically to posting in the Fantasy Section. He later expounded:
The problem I have is basically that people who are not playing the game are able to influence the game. This is not like real life where the decisions affect everyone. It only effects those who play the game. And when you have people voting who pay little to no attention to what is going on, dont really involve themselves, but are still able to influence it, I find that unfair to those of us who are trying to play fairly.
This sounds fair enough at first glance, and indeed it is the most succint, and most honest, summary of the argument for such a requirement that I have seen to date.
It is an anti-Atlasian argument.
Atlas Elections exists courtesy of the kindness, and the expense, of Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas. It was created for the enjoyment of the regular posters at the website's forum. Now, some of them, including me and KEmp, have gotten more involved with that enjoyment than others. But that does not give us the right to withhold envolvement from others who are maybe saner than us.
If people
really want an Atlas Forum where only those who regularly run for office and comment on legislation can vote, I would very much advocate for them to take their game elsewhere where it's not costing a man uninvolved in the game money. They would still be welcome to come back here to vote.
There are some practical considerations, too. Even right now, Atlasia has too few people who are only voters and very occasional commenters, not too many. We had 85 votes cast in the last presidential election. We have about 30 offices* to fill. That's not a healthy ratio.
If KEmperor's proposal came to pass, the number of voters would fall further, the number of offices would remain the same, and the number of posts on the Forum would likely increase but their quality would not as some posters would attempt to fulfill their activity requirement even though they have nothing valuable to say.
There is another important consideration: Time and again, formerly very active Atlasians have reduced their involvement or drifted away because of vicious partisan attacks, but have continued to vote. Under a law such as the one proposed by KEmp, they would likely fail activity requirements. Essentially, the most active posters would get a chance to handpick the voters, and there would be no more negative incentive to such behaviour.
I do not think it is a coincidence that one of the most vicious attack dogs on this forum is also one of the most vocal supporters of KEmp's idea.
People,
ponder this well before you vote. Vote for a candidate who seeks to uphold Atlasian democratic values and to maintain the balance of the game. Give another such candidate your second preference.
Remember: I need you, I need North Carolina, I need the Lumbee People. Goodbye, and God Bless You.
*10 Senators, 5 Governors, ca.5 Lieutenant Governors and Magistrates, 1 President, 1 Vice President, 5 Members of the Cabinet, 3 Supreme Court Justices, 1 Game Master
