Liberal NPC Elections: November 2020

[Poirot]

I'm in Middletown in Delaware to unveil the campaign banner for the state.

Delaware is the second smallest taste in the nation so the banner indicates Small is beautiful. The official song is So Small by Carrie Underwood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEQj6RrQbgA

[Poirot]

I'm in Dover in Delaware. Elect a Liberal government to help children living in poverty. 16% of the state's children live in poverty.  Kids should not be hungry. They need to be fed properly. It is a condition to be able to concentrate in school and learn. We will put in place a food program in schools in low income areas, providing free healthy food to poor children. Some parents might choose to stay home to save on expensive daycare. That cuts earning potential income. We will provide low income earners an option of low cost daycare. Children will be in a stimulating environment of early learning which will help their development. The parent will be able to work and keep more money with a low cost daycare.

[Poirot]

I'm in Milford in Delaware. Voters in this state have a habit of electing people from the same party. That is not good. It favors cronyism and could lead to corruption. Don't let the same group become too comfortable in power. Change is good. With new people comes a new way of doing things and dirty secrets can't stay hidden. Vote for change. Vote for the Liberal Party candidates.

[Poirot]

I'm in Lafayette in Louisiana in front of the building of the state agency Council for the Development of French in Louisiana. Cajun French is in decline. There were an estimated one million native French-speakers in the state in 1968 and in 2011 the estimation is 150,000 to 200,000 people. Teaching French in school is a good way to keep the knowledge of the language but sadly this was not always easy, such as the ban of teaching French in all public schools in 1921. We will support the efforts of the Council for the Development of French in reversing the decline and especially the education efforts. We will favor bilingual education and immersion schools for students to be fluent in French. If there are not enough teachers we will recruit in other countries. There are young teachers in francophone countries interested in getting a visa to come to the country. We will also support efforts to get local Cajun culture better known through music and local vocabulary.   

[Poirot]

I'm in New Orleans in Louisiana to talk about the big investments in infrastructure needed to be made and that a Liberal government will make. The Society of Civil Engineers gave a D+ mark for the state of the infrastructure. It needs immediate attention because it is poorly maintained and not adequately funded.  Because of this Louisiana is losing economic competitiveness.

We will prioritize the type of infrastructure with the worst marks. One type is roads. More than 25% of the state's road are rated in poor condition. We want to improve the state of roads, that should alleviate repair costs for drivers, and built roads to lessen the costs associated with congestion.

Bridges received a D+. A bridge not in good condition might have to be closed or have its weight limit reduced. That causes access problems and troubles of detour and associated costs. We don't want accidents so bridges need to be safe.

The worst mark was D- and was for drinking water. 58% of water systems in the state are over 50 years old. A big investment is needed to avoid breakdowns and it's a health and safety concern. Citizens should be confident of receiving safe drinking water.

These three types of infrastructure will be our priority because they are in the worst shape but other types of infrastructure are important too and will not be forgotten. Work needs to be done but as a side effect it will bring economic stimulus.

[Poirot]

There will be an event organized by local volunteers in New Orleans in Louisiana. It takes place in the French Quarter. They have called it Flash your App. It serves to increase the download of the LibApp, the Liberal Party Application. People need to come at the location and show the LibApp on their phone and someone will give them blue beads, like in Mardi Gras. The blue is the color of the Liberal Party. They've thought about people with no phone. They can get beads also by shouting they will vote Liberal or they love Liberal party. Let's flash your App.

[Poirot]

I'm in Baton Rouge in Louisiana. The official song is Jambalaya (on the Bayou). Here it is sang by Fats Domino who was born in New Orleans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb77JJ3t_-A

This is the official banner of the Louisiana campaign. The flower is to remind of the French history and the Cajun people. The musician represents the music of New Orleans. The alligator is for the bayous. Swamps are a natural element of the state so not a good idea to drain the swamp.

[Poirot]

I'm in Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. The pandemic has shown us that workers, often low-income, had to go to work even if sick because they couldn't afford to stay home. That brought up the fact many workers don't have paid leave. We want to require employers to provide a minimum of 3 days paid for sick or family leave to employees. Staying homw when sick is the responsible thing to do. You take care of yourself and you don't risk the health of coworkers and customers. And since we have to take care of our families, taking care of a child or parent would also be eligible. We need to be compassionate and value the wellness of all.

[Poirot]

I'm in York in Pennsylvania. The state government should be run for the people. Politicians might be more tempted to work for themselves instead of the people if their decisions and actions are kept secret. That is why it's important to have strong freedom of information laws, so citizens are aware and informed.

Freedom of information is a tool to keep the government transpsarent and accountable. Citizens and journalists can scrutinize what is going on in public organizations by having access to their documents. Organizations have a tendency to divulge the least possible and find excuses not to release documents. There should be the least exemptions possible to refuse giving information. It is imperative there is an impartial appeal mechanism to contest a refusal to give access to documents and information.

We are committed to give the public access to government information. Freedom of information keeps people in the know about the government and knowledge is power.

[Poirot]

I'm in Towanda in Pennsylvania. Oil and gas exploitation has been beneficial for the state economically. Many counties get revenues realted to this. If we look in the future, the industry should decrease. Federal legislation will transition the country to a greener economy with more renewable esource of energy. During the transition there must be support for retraining workers who will have to find other jobs.

In the meantime, there have been serious concerns about the impact of natural gas industry. On this we have to act now. There are reports of people or animals living near gas wells that are chronically sick, especially children. Some residents water get contaminated. There is heavy truck traffic and air pollution in some communities. It is the role of the state to protect citizens from the health effect of fracking. Government agencies should not cozy up with the companies to let them do as they want. We will have more strict oversight of the natural gas exploitation, with more inspection and higher fines for rules violations. We will also increase the distance to set a well from a house, business, or school. Economic development shouldn't be done at all cost, we must protect the health of people and the environment.

[Poirot]

I'm in Coudersport in Pennsylvania. There are 800,000 people in the state who do not have access to broadband connection. That is an official number but in reality it's more than that. Speed tests done across the state show in many more places the real speed fails to meet the broadband standard. It's important not not left some people behind in the digital revolution. There is still effort to be made to have everyone access to broadband. We will create a fund to finance broadband expansion and improvement. The main beneficiary should be the rural sector.

[Poirot]

I'm in Pittsbugh in Pennsylvania to support a transit project, a bus rapid transit sytem that will go from downtown to the Oakland area of the city. Oakland is the location of many universities, hospitals and museums. The bus rapid system will run on exclusive bus lanes. This will be more efficient, buses will be on time and not slowed by being in traffic. This project will give a boost to the Innovative district of Pittsburgh, with easier access to medical centers, campuses, labs, offices, a hub for the knowledge based economy. Companies in innovation will be even more attracted to locate here.

[Poirot]

I'm in Old Orchard Beach. We want to protect Maine's way of life and the natural coastline by banning potential oil and gas exploration and drilling in Maine's ocean water. Many jobs depend on the ocean and we can't risk oil spills or disturbances to sea life and animals. Let's just think of the fishery industry and the tourism industry who could be negatively impacted by industrial and polluting activity in the ocean.

As we move to renewable sources of energy, we will have talks with Canadian provinces who could be interested in selling hydro-electricity or from other sources of renewable energy. The state could negotiate a long terms contract at a low rate (not just a contract for peak periods). That would give us affordable electricity that is cleaner than fossil fuels. 

[Poirot]

I'm in Brunswick in Maine. There is a rule in the state that require personal cars to pass a safety inspection every year. This is cumbersome and cost people money every year. More than half the state don't require safety inspections. We plan to eliminate the inspection for cars aged less than 6 years. There is very low risk to have new cars be dangerous. A comparative study of insurance rates from states with inspections and states without inspections don't show a link between paying less in insurance in state requiring inspection. There is no clear relation either with having less accident with deaths with a required inspection. Mandatory safety inspections are not that useful, so it seems a good compromise to remove it for newer cars.

[Poirot]

I'm in Old Town in Maine. Maine is an old state. It has the highest median age of any state and the highest share of people ove 65 years old. We will do our best for seniors to have the ability to stay in their homes as long they they wish. We will help subsidize organisations that offer meal delivery to seniors. Sometimes they have trouble preparing meals every day or eat a variety and nutritive food.

We will also make telehealth easier, Seniors could have to travel hours to consult a health professional if they live in rural or remote areas, or in winter. If they can use telehealth it could be an option to make their lives easier. We'll make it so health care plans in the state would have to cover telehealth services as they do for in person services. We want seniors to live long, healthy and at home.

[Poirot]

I'm in Orono in Maine, at the University of Maine. I was just nearby in Old Town taking about seniors and we also have at heart needs of young people and students. Education can be costly and you also have to pay for materials like textbooks. We are proposing to eliminate the sales tax on textbooks. It will give a little financial break to students. Textbooks are essentials to study and they don't have to be taxed. Learning and knowledge should be accessible to all. I know some are studying for final exams so I will not disturb you longer. Don't forget to vote this weekend.

[Poirot]

I'm in Chicago to support our mayoral candidate. Sadly I have witnessed inequality while visitng the city. Education is a tool to combat inequality. There are many children coming from households who do not have English as first language like recent immigrants. They can have more trouble at school because of language proficency and affect many years of thier schooling. We will give more resources to city schools for non-English speaking students.

We also want to make change to school governance by having a fully elected schoolboard. I think it's better than having city officials control the schools. The community will elect the school board representatives directly so they will be elected on education issues and projects. It will improve the accountability of schoolboard managers and reflect the wiill of the community.

[Poirot]

In Nageezi in New Mexico. Native populations have a rich history and New Mexico must cherish it. We need to keep important Native objects and artwork in the state and stop the selling and exporting of items identified as sacred by Natives. Culturally important objects should stay here, near the people, to keep the patrimony.

[Poirot]

I'm in Little Havana in Florida. Many in this community have links to a country with a totalitarian regime. I want to tell you the Liberal party will defend your freedoms we enjoy here in this country. We favor a democratic country with many political parties. We will defend people who speak their minds and who express a diversity of opinions. We are against political witch hunts and abuse of power by the government. I understand the fear of an arbitrary justice system. Some years ago I was arrested and put in jail for an ivented infraction of ponyism while I was in a political camapaign. Fortunately I was not in jail for too long and I could count on Atlasians to demand my release. It must be terrible to live under a dictatorship. The Liberal party will fight for democracy and your freedoms.

Viva la libertad, viva nuestro país libre y democrático. Vota Liberal.

[Poirot]

I did a radio interview for Northern Marianas. I told I just saw a report on projected seal level in 2100. The island of Saipan is described as critically vulnerable to the sea level rise and change in rainfall patterns. There is a map and the western coast is more affected. It could force relocation inland. Sea level is expected to rise by more than 3 feet around the islands. This is terrible. I have so fond memories of my visit to the island. It shows the urgency to fight climate change.

I invite voters to support the Liberal party. I've shown your state is important by taking the time to visit, other party leaders did not. And I remind people we propose cooperation with Guam on education, we'll better monitor workers conditions and we will promote local culture.   

[Poirot]

I'm in Tampa Bay in Florida. If you are waiting for affordable housing you have to wait a long time to get a unit. In Tampa 25,000 people are on the waiting list. The average wait time can be 10 years. This has to be reduced. A third of renters put more than forty percent of their income towards rent. We will make affordable housing a priority. Every family, elderly, veteran or disabled should have a decent home. We can use zoning regulations and incentives for more affordable housing to be available. Let's be realist, we can't solve this problem overnight but we can improve the situation. Vote for the Liberal Party to tackle this issue.

[Poirot]

I'm in Lewiston in Maine. For hundreds of years Maine has relied on the resources of forest. The biggest part of the forestry sector is pulp and paper. There are less print newspapers. People send things electronically and don't use paper as much. We need to look at the future and the opportunities. The government will work with the industry and academic research institutions to develop an industry of the future. We'll be moving towards a bioeconomy. What is that you say?

The bioeconomy means using renewable biological resources from land and sea, like crops, forests, fish, animals and micro-organisms to produce food, materials and energy.

New technologies can convert wood pulp and forest residues to products and materials. It is possible to transform pulp and paper to renewable packaging material, bioplastic and, biofuel. The University of Maine is a leader in this field. They are developing human bone replacements, green building materials, and renewable packaging. There are opportunities and innovations in moving away from a fossil fuel economy. Trees are sustainable. We can adapt to a changing world and revitalize our rural economy.

A Liberal government will move the forestry industry to the future.
Vote for ME. Vote Liberal.

[Poirot]

I'm in Madawaska in Maine. A majority in this town speak French at home. Maine is the state with the highest percentage of the population living in household in which French is spoken (3%). I will say a few words in French.

Je suis heureux d'être parmi vous ce matin. Dans quelques jours vous irez voter et j'espère que votre vote sera pour le parti Libéral. Nos candidats ont mené une campagne énergique et ils ont écouté la population. Ils vont défendre les intérêts des gens ordinaires. Sous un gouvernment de notre parti le Maine va connaître un nouvel essor. Nous somme tourné vers l'avenir et voulons réaliser bien des projets mais pour cela nous avons besoin de votre appui.

If you are young or old, live in a rural area or more urban, I ask you to go vote this weekend. Your vote count. You will decide the future of the state. The Liberal party wants Maine to be prepared for the future and we have many projects but we need your help to get them done. We have a great slate of candidates passionate about the state and who want to improve your lives.

Merci et bonne journée. Thank you.
Vote for ME. Vote Liberal.

[Poirot]

I'm in Augusta in Maine. Transparency of the way taxpayers money is spent by the government is necessary for accountability and trust by the public. Maine has a website that contain the name and amount value for payments for all state agencies and boards funded by the state budget. The information is there but it's not well presented. We will make it more user friendly. It should be easily searchable and all all the information in one place. If someone wants to know who receive grants for a particular program, the information would be clear and available. We would also add information from public university on the website. We will put all state grants and payments to vendors by every department and public organizations at the same place, easily searchable by state agency, program or by name. We will give you an open and transparent government.

Vote for ME. Vote Liberal. 

[Poirot]

This is an ad that runs in Florida. It uses the sun / light theme of the Florida campaign.

The music during the ad is Let the sunshine in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxFz2s2lmWM

It starts with an image of the sun rising.
The quotes from previous speeches appear with images:

You can see children's face light up (image of children having fun at Disney World)

We will install free sunscreen dispensers (image of people using sunscreen dispenser)

Clean water is important to us (image of sun rays entering Everglade water)

They are a beacon of courage (image of military person in uniform)

At the end a middle age woman appear ans says: I have seen the light. For a bright future I vote Liberal.