Office of Chairman TNF: Red Army takes NM, UT, ID, AZ

[TNF]

Thank you for your support, Comrade!

[TNF]

WHAT DOES REAL DEMOCRACY LOOK LIKE?
A discussion on the democratization of Atlasian politics

Comrades, I address those of you joining us today on the ongoing struggle to more fully democratize Atlasian politics. As of late, our lameduck administration has continued in its efforts to undermine the democratic character of our constitution, hard-fought over several generations and constant struggle, by expanding the power of the executive and proposing the outright gerrymandering of the Senate - to the benefit, of course, of his failed political party and its backers on Wall Street.

I have consistently sought a different path. In the past I have advocated the right of recall, term limits, and even parliamentarianism. Today I'd like to reiterate some of what I have supported in the past and expound new ideas to make our nation more democratic and more responsive than it has been thus far.

First and foremost, the biggest impediment to genuine democracy in Atlasia continues to be the separation of executive and legislative powers into two branches. The President is an elected monarch in all but name, with the ability to veto legislation on his own whim or even propose wholescale revisions of legislation presented to him by the Congress by means of the Presidential re-draft process. He has the ability to arbitrarily commit troops abroad without Senatorial approval for pre-approved times and has the ability to nominate the most powerful office in the game itself, the Game Moderator. The cabinet, although in theory accountable to the Senate, serves at the whim of the President. I propose tearing down this imposition of divided powers by moving that the Presidency, the Vice Presidency, the Cabinet, and all executive agencies and functions be abolished and their powers transferred to the Senate. The Senate, as the sole representative of the Atlasian people as a whole, should legislate and should carry out that which it has legislated. I am a known enemy of the committee system, but nonetheless, I favor one committee to be established in place of the formal executive branch, and that would be a National Executive Committee elected by the Senate, which would constitute those aforementioned abolished posts and agencies.

I oppose the introduction of bi-cameralism in all of its forms. Unicameralism is the most democratic means of government and the means of government most likely to deliver the public that which it demands via the vote. I do, however, support the expansion of the Senate on the basis of proportionality, with one Senator representing every 20 voters. This would expand the Senate from the current 10 Senators to 12, and would allow the Senate to grow in size and shape to meet the demands of the growing electorate. I propose that we abolish the regional election of Senators and the at-large election of Senators, replacing both with the election of the Senate in special electoral districts consisting of five states each. These special districts would be proposed by the public itself, and then be approved in an official ballot every second year after their initial creation. To fill these districts, random registration would be adopted so as not to pack too many members of this or that party in one district, to provide for competitive elections. Districts would likewise be limited to 20 voters each, and those voters would be randomly re-assigned to new districts every sixth month after their initial registration.

The Regions should be abolished outright and be replaced by District Assemblies, elected from among the members registered in the districts. District Assemblies should function in much the same way as Regional Assemblies, but should also have the ability to recall members of the Senate representing them at any time and host a special election for a replacement.

These are just a few of the ideas I have for game reform. Stay tuned!

[TNF]

VICTORY


Pictured: The device the electorate used to euthanize the Fedoralist Party yesterday

Good night, sweet prince

[TNF]

As reported in Izvestia, there has been a cowardly attempt upon the life of my colleague, Senator windjammer, today. A brave proletarian, who opened that mail-bomb, is unfortunately injured and in the hospital as a result of this cowardly act. I wish a fully and speedy recovery to Comrade-Postman, and will be sending him a get well basket with a bottle of the finest union-made and worker-owned wine as soon as I conclude this statement.

The recent rise in terrorist activity is unfortunate and stems from the uncertainties of life in a socioeconomic system that prioritizes profit over people and promotes ignorance, bigotry, and hatred. I will not call for empowering the bourgeois state to combat this act of violence, but I will instead reiterate a call to arms on the part of the working masses. If you see something, say something to your fellow worker, not to the police. Join the Nat Turner Brigade or form a local workers' militia of your own to police your own communities. To the workers in the Pacific, heading out on the picket line, I encourage you to defend your pickets against the bourgeois dogs that call themselves police officers and against right-wing vigilantism. Si se puede!

[TNF]

Why would I encourage the working people of this country to speak with their enemies? 'Law enforcement' is a euphemistic way of speaking when what we're really referring to is the modern day descendant of the slave catcher.

[TNF]

My office has received the following communique from what I can only assume are right-wing terrorists:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

In light of this, I would like to reiterate that I will not be swayed into silence by the enemies of the working class. I will continue to act openly in the spirit of the communist project and will continue to fight for workers. If the 'True Atlasian Patriots' wish to make an attempt upon my life, so be it. I will be waiting for them with my trusty rifle and nerves of steel.

[TNF]

Comrades,

It is with a heavy heart that I address you in wake of the attacks upon the Keystone Phil Federal Building in Topeka. As our regional Senator, I will be visiting Topeka tonight to speak personally with the first responders and will be paying visits to the injured and the families of the dead. This is a tragic event without parallel in our recent history, and as such I would like to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to those who have lost loved ones in this tragedy.

Terrorism is an unforgivable act. I condemn in the strongest terms those who have committed this vile atrocity and demand they be brought to justice as soon as possible. That said, I have literally no confidence in the government of Lumine von Reunthal to do what is necessary to bring these criminals to justice, and I do not trust the bourgeois state with whatever expanded policing powers it will seek to gain in the wake of this terrible accident. I have, in my capacity as the elected leader of the Nat Turner Brigade, instead dispatched brigadiers to all federal and state property across the Midwest, and have authorized a crack team of specialists among the Nat Turner Brigade's numbers to hunt these terrorists down and inflict the people's justice upon them.

I do not doubt the resolution of those class conscious workers who have taken up the rifle to put an end to the lives of those terrorists who inflicted this greatest of tragedies upon us. I am confident that the Nat Turner Brigade will bring these criminals to an ignominious end. Long live the martyrs of 2/25! Long live the Nat Turner Brigade! Long live the Republic!

[TNF]

The Nat Turner Brigade is an organization constituted for self-defense. I will order no actions that compromise that mission, nor do I expect the class conscious men and women under arms as part of the NTB to carry out any orders that violate their oath to protect and defend the working class and its organizations.

[TNF]

I am willing to place the NTB under the control of the Governor on the condition that it retains the autonomy to act in defense of workers' picket lines and working class communities.

[TNF]

Again, a self-defense measure to prevent any further attempts by these scoundrels. I am in the process of hammering out a deal with the Governor over the matter, rest assured.

[TNF]

Comrades,

I am addressing you today in the interest of making known my intentions for the future. I was lucky enough to be elected to a record sixth term to the Senate last month, and now am (with the recent defeat of North Carolina Yankee by Hagrid) the most senior member of the Senate. As such, I have been acting as the administrator of that body until we can elect a new Speaker. I want to give a ringing endorsement for that position to my good friend and colleague, Senator windjammer of the Mideast. I have no doubt that he will do a superb job as speaker, and entrust him with all the power due such an office, having occupied such an office myself not too long ago (when I was elected the first non-Yankee President Pro Tempore in some time, shortly before the election of Lumine to the Presidency).

I have also recently retired from any official leadership capacity within the Labor Party. Since my joining the game in May 2013, I have served as Vice Chairman of the Politburo and as Chairman of the Politburo, and I am happy to leave the leadership of the party in the capable hands of comrades Barnes and Lief. I am sure that they will carry on the undying commitment of the Labor Party to the Atlasian worker, even in the face of right-wing counterattack. I am proud to say that in my tenure as Labor Party chair that we reversed the downward trend in party membership and won both effective control of the Senate and the Presidency once more. I am sure that President bore will do as fine a job in that capacity as he did when the both of us entered the Senate two years ago.

Today, I am making one more announcement: I will not seek another term as the Regional Senator for the Midwest. I will continue to serve out my current term and will continue my unblemished record of activity in the Senate, of that you can be assured. For the past two years I'd like to think that I've been one of the driving forces in the game, pushing the limits of debate and forcing through legislation that is probably the closest thing this game has ever gotten to really progressive (hell, socialist) politics. There are no illegal drugs at this point, we've legalized group marriage in one region, and unions are now probably as powerful as right-wingers pretend they are in real life. I'm proud of my record and the record of the Labor Party over the past two years.

But I think that the time has come to allow new leaders to push the envelope further. We have a great crop of promising young legislators (Blair and SomebodyWhoExists come to mind immediately) and older members getting involved again (Gass3268, Adam Griffin, Lief) that continue to make this game as exciting as ever. I am confident that my legacy will live on beyond me, in the form of the modern Labor Party and the social legislation that we have so crafted. This game has helped me forge friendships with many on this forum and helped me test out and craft policy ideas. For that I am grateful, and you guys know who you are. It's been a lot of fun.

Another reason I'm going to retire from active politics has to do with developments in my personal life, which are moving in a positive direction. I'm currently working on a union organizing campaign and couldn't be more excited to be involved in that. I'm not sure how far my Atlasian politicking skills will get me in the workplace, but I'm sure they'll be some experiences I can draw on, especially when it comes to backroom scheming, secret IRC plots, and writing songs about my opponents.


In solidarity,


Senator TNF

[TNF]

St. Patrick's Day!

Comrades,

I'm proud to be spending my St. Patty's Day in a cooperative, worker-owned and managed Irish Pub. This is a day that we recognize the contributions that Irish-Atlasians have made to our nation, our game, and our history. There's something special in the bond between the people of Ireland and those of the Republic. We have been long a safe-haven for those fleeing the tyranny of the British crown, from Ireland to India, from Africa to Australia. The Irish struggle for liberty, equality, and brotherhood is our struggle.

One day, I believe, we shall see a united, socialist republic of Ireland. I will never cease in my support of the republican cause, for the cause of Ireland is the cause of the world. Let us lift our voices and hands in support of our brothers and sisters across the sea. Let us encourage the smashing of all monarchies everywhere, the destruction of imperialism, and the full fledged embrace of republican liberty. Let us create a socialist world.

Tiocfaidh ár lá!

[TNF]

SEN. TNF TO MAKE MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING FUTURE IN ATLASIAN POLITICS

Stay tuned for a forthcoming announcement from Midwest Regional Senator TNF on his future plans in Atlasian politics.

[TNF]

SEN. TNF LAUNCHES GUBERNATORIAL BID

Comrades,

Today I would like to make it known publicly that I am going to pursue the Governorship in the Midwest this June. I want to highlight a few of the reasons why this is the case below.

First and foremost, I have enjoyed my years in the Senate and am glad that much has been accomplished in the two years I have served in that capacity. I am proud of my work and am proud that I can say that the Labor Party has more often than not been able to deliver to the people of Atlasia a lot of progressive legislation that I can directly lay claim a role in crafting and developing. However, I think that, at this juncture, constitutional questions concerning these kinds of legislative acts and intransigence from certain quarters has made further progress impossible, at least for the time being, at the federal level. Take for example the recent debate concerning a bill to reign in police violence in Atlasia. The original bill, while lacking in some aspects, was more or less dismissed out of hand by the coalition of moderate heroes that holds the balance of power in the Senate at the moment, thus condemning the Republic to a half-assed, watered-down alternative that, as of this posting, is still being debated and leaves much to be desired.

I think that the time has come for me to shift my focus to my own back yard. For the past two years, I have called the Midwest home and have been glad to represent it in Nyman. But there's no denying that there's been a lot of unfortunate or half-assed activity here, as well. I don't condemn the actions of our legislature or our Governors harshly in that regard, but I do condemn the fact that as of yet the Althing has been unable to enact much of anything beyond the kind of cosmetic legislation that was once the hallmark of the Senate before June 2013 and the upsurge of legislative activity we had with the election of Averroes Nix as President. As I played a role in making that upsurge possible, I want to do the same in Cheesewhiz, and do what cannot be done at this juncture in Nyman.

The fact is, we may have hit our limit in terms of welfare state legislation. And while there's still some work to be done in those areas, the bigger questions shall now be those of power and control in society. After all, with powerful labor unions and a strong welfare state, the disparities of wealth become all the more unbearable. We seemingly have a control over a great deal of what our wealth creates, but at the end of the day, the bulk of it is still going to a parasite in a three piece suit. As Governor, I want to see the Midwest embark upon a new direction. We have pioneered legislation on workers' rights and the welfare state in the past; let us now pioneer legislation that will neuter capitalist domination of our society and empower workers to run society themselves.

I will reveal my campaign platform in the coming days, but rest assured, you can bet it will be as controversial and as direct as anything I have proposed in the past. I am ready to fight for the legalization of hard drugs, workers' control of policing, group marriage legalization, and the reconstitution of our schools so as to promote life-long learning and critical thinking. I want to make these things all clear, and furthermore, I want you to know that I will be just as critical, combative, and some might say abrasive in Cheesewhiz as I was in Nyman.

I will take no prisoners and take not take no for an answer.

Comrades, let's begin a new chapter in the Midwest. The chapter of Workers' and Farmers' Government. The chapter of Governor TNF.

[TNF]

TOWARD A WORKERS' AND FARMERS' GOVERNMENT
A political program for the Midwest

Part One: Criminal Justice

What would a Workers' and Farmers' Government mean for the Midwest? In the realm of criminal justice reform, a TNF administration would advocate for the following measures:

☭ The immediate release from prison of all nonviolent offenders, excepting white collar criminals.

☭ The repeal of all statutes criminalizing behavior in which the participant is the only person likely to suffer adverse consequences.

☭ Legalization of any and all drugs prohibited within the bounds of the Most Serene Republic of the Midwest and the money saved on law enforcement to be put to use helping addicts kick the habit. The socialization of the entire pharmaceutical sector under the control of democratically elected workers' and farmers' committees and the sale of any such products in committee-owned and operated stores.

☭ Moratorium on prison construction.

☭ Workers' and farmers' control of policing. Establish democratic, community militias to patrol our streets and keep our children safe. Elect all militia commanders by public vote and allow for internal, democratic decision making. Disarm and dissolve all existing police forces within the Midwest.

☭ Major prison reform. Give prisoners the right to form unions and collectively bargain for better conditions. Ban the use of prison labor in the Midwest outright. No incarceration for non-violent offenses. Reintegrate offenders with the communities they have wronged and allow communities to supervise those who have committed offenses against them. Restitution-oriented policies rather than retribution-oriented policies. Cap all prison sentences at 25 years, at which point the imprisoned must be legally released. Expand parole and furlough programs and allow for prisoners to visit their families on holidays and other special occasions.

☭ Take an aggressive stance on white collar and organized crime. No quarter given for social parasites.

☭ Repeal of existing gun control statutes and devolve all questions of gun control policy to workers' and farmers' committees.

☭ Release all incarcerated persons suffering from mental illness to treatment centers.

☭ Automatically release any and all persons in prison who have reached the age of 65, unless he or she can be proven to be a significant threat to community safety.

☭ Respect the democratic rights of prisoners to speak with the public, publish their works (so long as they do not profit from doing so), and have access to adequate shelter, food, recreation, and other basic human needs.

[TNF]

TOWARD A WORKERS' AND FARMERS' GOVERNMENT
A political program for the Midwest

Part Two: Social Insurance

What would a Workers' and Farmers' Government mean for the Midwest? In the realm of social insurance provision, a TNF administration would advocate for the following measures:

☭ The socialization of the medical-industrial complex. A TNF administration would bring all hospitals, health insurers, medical device manufacturers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers under a single, social monopoly, with tripartite control by elected representatives of the workers in this sector, citizens selected by lot, and medical experts appointed by regional authorities. All care (including dental, mental, and other forms of care presently left out of socialized medical schemes elsewhere) shall be free of charge at the point of use, and any costs incurred that cannot be paid for via socializing these sectors shall be paid entirely by the wealthy, not the workers.

☭ Education from womb to tomb, paid for out of the pockets of the wealthy, not the workers. Socialize the entire educational sector, from pre-kindergarten to graduate school, and redesign education so as to teach our children to make use of both their brains and brawn. No person should graduate from a Midwestern school without being able to think critically and play an active and educated role as a fellow comrade in arms. Free education for all workers displaced by capitalist sabotage of production (euphemistically referred to as 'outsourcing' or 'offshoring') and for all workers who just want to learn something new while retaining their present jobs. Living stipends for all students and free room and board for those at universities.

☭ Universal access to housing. Ban the ownership of more than one home and seize all excess properties for the housing of those in need. Transform the great estates of the rich into socially owned vacation sites for the working class, and expand public housing for all on a communal model. Socialize the banks and immediately cancel the debts of all workers trying to pay off a home. Require all unoccupied hotel spaces be given to the homeless for shelter and use regional funding to retrofit public housing stock to make it more energy efficient and liveable. End the segregation of the rich and poor by building mixed-used public housing, open to all, in areas hardest hit by gentrification.

☭ Full employment. A TNF administration will move to immediately seize control of all financial institutions headquartered within the Most Serene Republic of the Midwest and amalgamate these into a single, regional Workers' and Farmers' Bank, which will be utilized to put to work the unemployed by providing financial backing for a variety of economic development initiatives. No Midwesterner will be unemployed as long as I can help it, and the funds at the disposal of a TNF administration will be used to provide universal broadband access, rural public transit, the construction of nuclear power facilities, and the building of 'valley authorities' not unlike those in my home region of the Mideast, where the Tennessee Valley Authority brings abundant, cheap hydroelectric power to millions of people.

☭ A right to leisure. Nothing insurers social security more than the right of the masses to have time to themselves, and as Governor, I will do everything in my power to reduce the working week in the Midwest and empower workers and farmers to spend more time doing what they love, unperturbed by the pernicious influence of the capitalist exploiters. As Governor, I will seek the establishment of a 5 hour day, 20 hour workweek for the working people of the Midwest with no loss in pay. In addition, I aim to expand the paid leave provisions offered by the federal government and establish more paid holidays for the workers and farmers of our region.

[TNF]

Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Vice President. Rest assured, I'll aim to cause enough trouble in the Midwest that the Senate debate won't go totally sclerotic in my absence.

[TNF]

Endorsed!

Also what is your opinion on my proposed new Constitution? Would you be willing to assist in its passage? Are there any amendments you'd like to see be made?

It looks great! I am willing to help out in any way that I can, of course.

[TNF]

I'd like to endorse you in turn. The workers of the Midwest will greatly benefit from your stewardship as Governor just as they have benefited from your time in the Senate.

Thank you for your support!

[TNF]

TOWARD A WORKERS' AND FARMERS' GOVERNMENT
A political program for the Midwest

Part Three: Social Policy

What would a Workers' and Farmers' Government mean for the Midwest? In the realm of social policy, a TNF administration would advocate for the following measures:

☭ Legalization of all marriages in which the parties involve actively consent to said union, without regard to the number of persons involved, whether or not the persons involved are related, etc. The only thing that should prevent a union from going forward between parties is a lack of consent.

☭ The establishment of bilingualism at the Regional level by adopting Spanish as a second working language of the Most Serene Republic of the Midwest.

☭ The construction of socialized daycares, laundromats, and cafeterias to strike a blow at domesticity and allow for women to free themselves from the 'double-shift' of work in the capitalist sector and work at home. The establishment of communal public housing facilities to encourage smarter land use and a sense of community among Midwesterners.

☭ An end to the practice of automatically changing a woman's last name to that of her husband upon marriage. Persons should retain their last names by default rather than losing them, and should have to actively 'opt-in' to the name changing process. Children should have the surname of their mothers unless the mother has opted to take her husband's surname.

[TNF]

"socialized laundromats"

well i guess people can't have dirty clothes in THE REVOLUTION

The point is to provide a low cost alternative to both privately owned laundromats and allow women not to slave all day at home doing their husbands' and childrens' laundry. The socialization of domestic labor is the first step toward ending the subordinate status of women.

[TNF]

Recommendations for the Labor Party Platform

Outlined below are a few recommendations I would like to make for the Labor Party platform committee run by Vice Chairman Barnes. The Labor Party must enter a period of reorganization and ideological affirmation of principle in order to avoid certain political splits in this unparalleled time of political inactivity and reaction in Atlasia:

1. The Labor Party must call for the defense of existing institutions and legislation which defend the right of workers to strike, organize, and collectively bargain. Likewise, the Labor Party must call for the repeal of all existing anti-labor statutes and do everything in its power to expand the right of workers to strike, organize, and collectively bargain. Legislation must be introduced which (a) repeals restrictions on the right of municipal, state, and federal workers to assert the same labor rights as other workers; (b) abolishes all state interference with the internal affairs of labor unions; (c) prohibits employers from locking out workers during contract negotiations or a labor dispute; (d) transforms the voluntary 'codetermination' system into a binding and mandatory means by which the working class can assert control over the workplace, with elections for managers and workers' decisionmaking on the shop floor; (e) legalizes the formation of union defense squads; (f) endows union hiring halls with exclusive control over the training and recruitment of the unemployed for meaningful work in the public sector; (g) prohibits discriminatory labor contracts that allow older workers to be paid more than younger workers, i.e. the 'tiered wages' system; and (h) creates a system that guarantees full employment by automatically investing (in a counter-cyclical manner) cash into underserved areas of the economy.

2. The Labor Party must call for the speedy distribution of reparations as called for by the Civil Rights Act of 2015, and must further double-down in pushing for expanded opportunities for black Atlasians and investing in black communities. As part of those efforts, the Labor Party must continue to assail racist and fascist movements within Atlasian society, and should make every effort to combat these groups by empowering organizations like the Nat Turner Brigade, union and black defense guards, etc. The Labor Party must call for the repeal of existing gun control legislation (to provide for armed self-defense by the working class) and the devolution of all gun control policy to workers' councils at the local level.

3. The Labor Party must call for the seizure of education by the state and its socialized administration by students, teachers, and parents. The fact that we have failed thus far to extent even matching funds for impoverished schools is pathetic and reflects the Menshevik nature of a good deal of so-called Laborites afraid of running a budget deficit. The solution is the full nationalization of education, with open admissions to all without regard to ability to pay, a living stipend for students, and full academic freedom. The Labor Party should likewise call for the abolition of military recruitment programs on campuses and the expulsion of police officers from all schools.

4. The Labor Party must declare itself a feminist party and must take every step necessary to make women's liberation a reality. Anti-abortion terrorists should be condemned and penalties for targeting abortion clinics for destruction should be dialed up. The Party must end its detente with the anti-woman Mensheviki in its ranks and embrace a full throated defense of the right to abortion, including a public declaration that the party is 'pro-choice' at the June convention. Likewise, the Labor Party must reject all attempts to curtail abortion rights and should henceforth actively seek to repeal all anti-abortion statutes, especially the egregious 'partial-birth abortion' ban at the federal level. Laborites must advocate for free abortion on demand, as well as socialized daycare centers and laundromats.

5. The Labor Party must double-down in its efforts to fight for the liberation of LGBT people, and sexual liberation. In this context, the Labor Party should call for the abolition of all legislation which prohibits the free expression of sexuality between sexually mature persons and attack those reactionary institutions in society which claim that LGBT are the problem. The problem is reactionary conservatism, and the answer must be a full-fledged defense of LGBT persons on the part of the Labor Party.

6. The Labor Party must call for the abolition of all national borders and the free movement of people. In government, Labor must systematically dismantle the state security apparatus used to harass immigrants and activists alike, and must stop the unconscionable practice of deportation of undocumented workers.

7. The Labor Party must call for the withdrawal of the Republic of Atlasia from all collective security agreements and aggressive military alliances. Military spending must be cut and the resources saved spent instead on creating jobs in working class communities and improving social service provision. Nothing less than strict non-intervention must be called for in foreign affairs, and friendship must be proposed with those nations with which we are currently in conflict.

8. The Labor Party must call for the strictest observation of the separation of church and state and the chasing of religion from the classrooms, the public sphere, and the state apparatus. No quarter should be given to those who seek to enslave women, subjugate blacks and other minority groups, force LGBT people back into the closet, or apologize for the exploitation of workers. The Labor Party must call for an end to the tax-exempt status of churches, the removal of religious symbols on government property, and the restriction of religion to the private sphere.

[TNF]

Reading through Midwest statute today, and it struck me that we have some utterly insane levels of taxation for things like cigarettes (50%!), alcohol (40%!), marijuana (40%!), and gun sales (50%!). As Governor, I will fight to abolish sin taxes in favor of socializing industry and bringing in revenue by making the Regional government a major player in the regional economy.

[TNF]

In addition, I will combat the heinous nanny-statism that infects every aspect of life in the Midwest at the present juncture. Under a TNF administration, smokers shall be able to light up in public without recourse to a lecture from the anti-smoking health nuts. I will personally advocate for a policy that prohibits states and localities from enacting outdoor smoking bans and will support the right of workers to decide whether or not smoking will be permissible in the workplace. As far as other policies are concerned, I will propose legislation striking down bans on public intoxication, hard drug use, and all other crimes without victims.

In the realm of social policy, the Northeast is the region to emulate. But I would like to take it a step further, and as Governor, I will attempt to do just that.

[TNF]

Id strike down open container laws except in cars/trucks.  There's no reason anyone shouldnt be able to have a beer on the street except as an excuse to put the ball in the cops' court.

As for sin taxes...they shouldn't be eliminated because these things incur public health costs.  Cessation programs and the cost to healthcare needs to play a part in determining the tax levels of cigarettes/booze/other drugs.

Let the rich foot the bill.