The February 2012 Presidential Debate

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Greetings, and welcome all to our Presidential Debate, in anticipation of the February 2012 elections. We have an exciting campaign ahead of us, in exciting times. A new, diverse party system in Atlasia has given us a campaign with a wider field of candidates than we've come to expect; a number of well respected Atlasians with a variety of experiences.  I'd like to thank the candidates for asking me to moderate this debate, and for their participation.  We will be taking some questions from the audience, so please submit them here, along with your comments on the debate.

I'd like to welcome our candidates. I'll let them introduce themselves to the nation they hope to lead.

Candidates, please briefly let us know who you are and what has brought you here. What has led you to decide to seek the office of President of Atlasia?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I think we have another candidate or two, and they may catch up when they arrive. 

In the meantime, I'll ask another couple of questions: 

1) Atlasian presidents have had trouble lately filling and keeping Cabinet positions.  What can be done to enable Atlasia to have a full Cabinet?  If a position is vacant, what would you do to make sure essential duties are fulfilled?

2) What can be done to make Atlasia a more interesting place to live, and to participate in politically?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

We will now take a question from our audience:

Winfield asks

Where do you stand on having a national daycare program?

To broaden that a bit:  What are the best policies for the children and families of Atlasia?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

No problem Barnes, just join us when you can.

Now, I'd like to ask the candidates to name a President, either Atlasian or American, whom they admire.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Now we come to a complex policy issue: health care and its funding. 

How do we make sure all Atlasians have access to quality healthcare, while keeping healthcare spending from becoming an ever greater cost for the nation?

Here are some more specific issues you may want to consider (I'll be happy to provide any clarification on these issues if I can.) :

It was discovered last year that the Atlaisan National Healthcare program was greatly underfunded - by half a trillion dollars or more per year.  To fix this, the healthcare payroll tax is gradually being increased from 1.45% to 6.5% (It is currently at 3%).  Is this payroll tax increase acceptable?  Do you have any alternative ideas for funding the program? 

The Atlasian National Healthcare Act gave the federal government full responsibility for all costs for patients covered by the program.  However, the Health Spending Adjustment Act reduces by 5% the funding the government pays to healthcare providers for outpatient care. Do you believe this allows for a workable policy?

Would you be in favor of allowing co-pays, or reducing the scope of covered services? 

Are you in favor of keeping the basic structure of Atlasian National Healthcare, or would you like to see it replaced with something else?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Here's another audience question for the candidates, on the topic of the military's role and strategy -

how will the candidates ensure our national interests are met overseas while avoiding as many troop casualties as possible

?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Atlasia has been investing in alternative energy sources, and is working to reduce carbon emissions through a Carbon Tax and other regulations.  Are we on the right track in terms of dealing with climate change?   Are there environmental issues that you believe we need to pay more attention to?