Mideast Gubernatorial Debate

[ZuWo]

Thank you for this question, Franzl, because it helps to clarify a few things.

First of all, I think that I repeatedly mentioned my record and the accomplishments of my term - this has been the main focus of my campaign so far. I often stressed how the Mideast has seen an increase in activity and lively political debate since I took office and I believe that most Mideasterners are aware of that. While I did question my opponent's integrity at some point I cannot say that I regret it because I simply spoke my mind and had my reasons for doing so. Also, I find that the claim that my campaign is overly negative is exaggerated since I never made an assertion which I didn't back with evidence: When I criticized my opponent for voting in favor of the death penalty in a caucus-internal vote, for signing in support of the "Marriage Revenge Initiative", for his sudden change of mind on the "Common Courtesy While Driving Act", for refusing to lay out his plan on the budget in the appropriate thread (or in any other thread, for that matter), for his repeated strategic adjustement of his political matrix score right on the days he declared his plans to run for Governor, for his involvement in the "Invaligate" scandal and for his not so "non-partisan" past in Atlasia, I always offered examples to show what I mean.

It is essential that the major differences between the candidates are highlighted, and I think I have contributed to that. I have received my fair share of criticism and have, for example, been falsely accused of supporting the death penalty, but I don't mind because a political campaign should reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. If we ran for an office simply to have a happy time together we'd probably be doing the wrong thing. While I'm far from being perfect, it was my goal to demonstrate that I'm the more steadfast candidate - a candidate who does not try to appeal to every side at the same time and sacrifice political substance because of that. And in order to do that, it was necessary to point out the differences between me and my opponent.

[Franzl]

A follow-up to your last statement, Governor:

Negativity is not defined by whether the statements made are perceived to be true or false, wouldn't you agree?

Furthermore, couldn't excessive attacks on the integrity of an opponent lead to the opposite of what both of you gentlemen desire: A strong, healthy...and unified Mideast?

[ZuWo]

I would indeed say that there is a big difference between attacking someone without a factual basis, which is something negative in my opinion, and challenging someone's actions and words by offering concrete evidence, which can be fruitful rather than condemnable. I think I have done the latter and I don't see why this is necessarily negative. There is nothing more boring than a campaign where both candidates agree all the time and don't dare to point out perceived flaws in their opponents and their actions. I have used publically available information - forum posts, votes, wiki pages - to back up my criticism of my opponent (the same means have been used by my opponent to criticize me) so every citizen and voter is free to decide whether they regard my conclusions as accurate or not. As this campaign has shown, some voters do and some voters don't. Furthermore, I strongly believe that criticism - even severe criticism - of a person's views and political actions should not automatically be considered a sign of "negativity", otherwise we could as well stop debating politics in public. So to sum up, yes, I think that negativity strongly correlates with the validity of an assertion, or the lack thereof.

Additionally, if there's one thing that keeps our region strong and healthy it's continuous debate. And in order to have debate in the Mideast, we need people with different points of view and people who stand for what they believe in and clash with each other from time to time. Indeed, complete unity seems like an utopia anyway, and I'm not sure if it's a desirable prospect. For example, we currently have two regions where there is almost complete unity - the Midwest and the Pacific - and these are the regions with very little or no activity. Also, we should not overestimate the negative effects of a gubernatorial election on the region: the mere fact that two candidates argue with each other does not influence the way other citizens participate in or view the game. For instance, I'm running against Tmthforu94 and not against his supporters, and vice versa. Thus, I think that our region only benefits from a lively gubernatorial race.

[Franzl]

Governor:

If you had to name one thing: What single priority for a possible 2nd term are you most worried won't happen under a Tmth government as opposed to if you are re-elected?


To all the citizens watching this debate: If you have something you'd like to ask either of these gentlemen or you have a follow-up regarding a previously given answer, please do not hesitate to send me a PM. I will be happy to word a question to satisfy your interest, and everything will be kept totally anonymous, I assure you! (Please do this soon if you have something to ask.)

Tmth: Please answer the last question I gave you whenever you get a chance.

Otherwise: I'm getting relatively close to moving into the final stages of this debate. I have a couple more things I intend on getting out of both of you, but we're getting close to the end so you'll have some time for last minute campaigning outside of this debate.

[tmthforu94]

I will be respecting the debate rules and refrain from attacking/going negative on my opponent. I will be responding to several of his allegations in my campaign office, though. I just don't believe this is the appropriate place to wage more negativity.

However, I will quickly respond to the allegation that I falsely attacked him on the death penalty by providing a quote of what I actually said. I'll leave it up to the voters to decide if this was an attempt to attack my opponent:

I'm going to assume he's supportive of the death penalty (He's more than welcome to clarify his position on this, as I'm not familiar), while I've long advocated for abolishing it.

Now, on to the issue of abortion: I have long been a pro-life advocate in this region, and that has never changed. As Governor, I signed the "Abortion Reduction Act". As a Senator, I also have supported pro-life suggestion, and while Senator Marokai introduced the most recent abortion bill, I was the one pitching the idea. I'm a pro-life guy, and I'm supportive of what the Mideast region has done in the past. I'm not going to actively seek to change any of the current legislation.

[Franzl]

Tmth, I have received a question from a Mideast voter:


You have made a point in this debate to emphasize your pro-life views and also have claimed:

Quote from: Tmthforu94 on September 12, 2012, 07:13:37 pm
I'm very proud of my pro-life record in this game - unlike many others, I have actual policy and votes to back my record, not just rhetoric.

Why then do you unequivocally support a President who opposes abortion restrictions even until birth?

[ZuWo]

Governor:

If you had to name one thing: What single priority for a possible 2nd term are you most worried won't happen under a Tmth government as opposed to if you are re-elected?

I'm worried about the Mideast budget should Tmthforu94 be elected Governor.

Not only did I introduce the first budget in the history of the Mideast - thanks to the work of former Governor A-Bob, GM shua and former GMs - but I also closely followed and accompanied the budget debate in the Mideast Assembly, where I introduced several amendments to get the budget more balanced and invited the citizens of the Mideast to put forward their own ideas. While I took numerous measures to save the budget - I sponsored two amendments that reduced tax breaks, helped to get a bill passed that will establish a regional lottery and signed the pension tax bill - I have not seen a lot from my opponent regarding the budget. Indeed, Tmthforu94 made the following announcement some time ago:

Regional Budget: It’s time for the Mideast Region to pass a budget! I am currently working with Assemblyman JCL, and also attempting to work with Governor ZuWo on finding solutions to get as close to a balanced budget as possible without having crippling effects on my economy. I look forward to unveiling specific proposals on how we can do this throughout the campaign!

However, there hasn't been a single "specific proposal" as to how we can truly balance the budget. On the contrary, we have learnt a lot about how my opponent would spend even more money, but is more deficit spending the solution to our budget problems? I told my opponent that he could contribute to the budget process in the appropriate thread but apparently that wasn't to his liking since he hasn't made a post in the budget thread in September.

I do not want to discuss the budget mainly behind the scenes, I want the process of developing our first regional budget in the history of Atlasia to be a transparent thing. It's the members of the Assembly who vote on the budget and have to voice their opinions. Also, the people deserve to know what's going on, so the biggest part of the debate on the budget must be held in the "Mideast Budget 2012" thread. After all, this is what you said about developing the budget:

The more brains the better!

It has always been my goal to move closer towards a balanced budget, and I have been specific about my plans, which has helped to decrease the projected deficit from roughly $32 billion to $17 billion. Unfortunately, the same thing cannot be said about my opponent, which is why I think that I'm the better Governor as far as the budget is concerned.

[tmthforu94]

Just a quick response on the budget: While Governor ZuWo was the first Governor to formally introduce the budget for actual discussion, it's worth noting that the entire idea behind a budget began under my administration, which was two years ago. The entire idea started, I believe, with Badger suggesting it in my campaign thread. I worked with then-Assemblyman A-Bob a lot on it throughout my time in office. I must commend A-Bob on it, as he's been a hard worker on the budget ever since it began. It's be great to come back, almost two years after I left office, and finally get a budget passed.

Tmth, I have received a question from a Mideast voter:


You have made a point in this debate to emphasize your pro-life views and also have claimed:

Quote from: Tmthforu94 on September 12, 2012, 07:13:37 pm
I'm very proud of my pro-life record in this game - unlike many others, I have actual policy and votes to back my record, not just rhetoric.

Why then do you unequivocally support a President who opposes abortion restrictions even until birth?

This looks to me like a "gotcha" question, and I have a good idea who this person is. Like any question, though, I'll still answer it.

Napoleon and I certainly have political differences - I understand that. This is a major disagreement I have with the President, and I can assure you that I will be working extensively with the President to try and come up with some sort of a solution on the bill.

[Franzl]

One to both again, answer in whatever order you wish:

Governor: How far does your support for animal rights ago? You've been strongly criticized by your opponent for sponsoring the "Muzzle for Dangerous Dogs" bill. Do you feel the affected breeds are inherently a threat worthy of discriminating against them?

Tmth: The Governor has made his opinions on education known in this debate. On what, if anything, do you disagree?

[Franzl]

And while I'm at it, I have one more from a concerned voter, directed towards BOTH of you gentlemen:

Who is the moral, political, or economic thinker who has had the greatest impact on your views? How would you describe that impact?

[tmthforu94]

I am also supportive of the "Mideast College Athletic Act." I did offer the amendment that would guarantee a student would receive the same tuition price for all four years - I realize now that it could be problematic, as colleges could find a loophole by just making the starting cost even higher. We'll have to work on a solution for that. 

As the son of someone who teaches in a charter school, I believe charter schools provide more opportunities to students, which is why I ended a cap on the number allowed as Governor. However, as the son of a teacher, I also deeply understand the needs of our teachers.

I oppose the "Teaching Reform Act" on the basis of it basing teacher salary based on student's test scores. The attempted fix for this was added lines in Section 3 of the bill, but I don't think it makes sense to have school districts changing up the test - a big loophole could be made there, as there are no clear guidelines. This is a very personal issue to me. I went to high school in a state that has this enacted - I think I know better than just about anyone the effects on it. To teachers in wealthy, suburban areas, this bill is great, as their students generally receive high test scores. However, in rural, lower-income areas like the high school I went to, this is an attack on teachers. Teachers in rural areas do not have the same opportunities and resources that teacher's in wealthier areas do. The parents of the children don't have all the resources others do to give their child the best education. The same applies to inner-city areas. I know this to be true because I have experienced it: With this legislation, all teachers will do is teach the test, not regional curriculum.

I think the idea of basing a teacher's salary is good in principle, it's just too unfair to too many. Several years ago, my mom had a class of seventeen students - of them, nine of them were in special needs, and three of those had Autism. I am so grateful that this wasn't law that year, otherwise, our family income would have taken a hit for something we could do nothing about.

If I'm elected Governor, one of highest priorities will be amending this piece of legislation.

[tmthforu94]

Who is the moral, political, or economic thinker who has had the greatest impact on your views? How would you describe that impact?

What a great question.

I know who most people expect me to say, however, instead, I will chose someone else who also shouldn't be a surprise to many - Richard Lugar, the Senior Senator from my homestate.

I've followed Lugar in the Senate for many years, and have had the opportunity to meet him on multiple occasions. He is one of the most intellectual and respectful people I've ever met. Even my political views have become very similar to Senator Lugar's. But what I try to model more than anything is the way he handles himself. Senator Lugar is known as a statesman in the Senate - his biggest downfall in the primary was his record of bi-partisanship and speaking to others with kindness. It's not just rhetoric for him, that's who he is, and that's what I strive to be as a politician in this game and as a person in real life. Once I get out into the real world, I realize I could face a problem in terms of winning a primary - I'm not a perfect conservative, and thanks to Dick Lugar, I truly believe the best way to legislate is to work with both sides to come up with solutions that will better us all.

I have to end this with a hashtag: #INGOPFAIL

[ZuWo]

Governor: How far does your support for animal rights ago? You've been strongly criticized by your opponent for sponsoring the "Muzzle for Dangerous Dogs" bill. Do you feel the affected breeds are inherently a threat worthy of discriminating against them?

I'll be frank and admit that animal rights are not a pet issue of mine. I think that there are far greater concerns for our region at this point, such as the budget, the economy or keeping activity at a high level. However, I think it goes without saying that a civilized society like Atlasia has a moral duty to treat animals with dignity. Animal cruelty is a crime that must be punished, and every citizen should eat meat responsibly. My personal piece of advice to those who eat meat is that they should have a close look at the provenance of the meat they buy and ask themselves whether it's really necessary to eat meat every single day. That's my personal opinion, of course, so I'm not planning to put forward any pieces of legislation on meat consumption.

I still support the "Muzzle for Dangerous Dogs" bill for safety reasons. I introduced this bill back when I was in the Assembly because a similar idea was debated in Switzerland a few years ago. Indeed, after several deadly attacks by certain dog breeds on children the issue was brought to a public vote. In fact, a majority of the citizens in my canton voted in favor of a ban of particularly dangerous dog breds and a requirement for certain other dogs to be muzzled. The local American Pitbull Terrier Club later challenged the decision in court, but the federal court rejected the arguments of the organization, stating that the genetic disposition of certain dog breeds makes them inherently more dangerous than other dog breeds, so measures such as a ban or a requirement for a muzzle could be justified. I agree with the arguments of the Swiss federal court and for this reason I still believe that my bill was appropriate and useful.

[ZuWo]

And while I'm at it, I have one more from a concerned voter, directed towards BOTH of you gentlemen:

Who is the moral, political, or economic thinker who has had the greatest impact on your views? How would you describe that impact?

I honestly don't know. I have always been more interested in ideas and concepts rather than the people who are behind them. Frankly, many people tend to overestimate the importance of certain individuals and often indulge in a cult of personality because of that.
What has certainly had a huge impact on my views, however, is my origin. Coming from a country that values linguistic, religious and cultural diversity, I have always been conscious of the importance to respect different points of view and attitudes towards life. My upbringing in a very democratic society where the citizens have many political rights and opportunities to voice their opinion on political questions has also taught me that the leaders of a prosperous nations cannot afford to govern against the people or consider themselves part of an elite. Indeed, I have learnt that compromising is a strength and not a weakness, and that modesty is the highest virtue political leaders should try to pursue. No one must think that he is indispensable, and we should accept with gratitude and humility what life has to offer. I cannot say that I have been influenced by a particular person in this respect, but I admire people who live in such a way, no matter whether they are ordinary citizens or politicians.

[Franzl]

Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure having you both for this debate, through which I hope the Mideast voters have been able to collect valuable information necessary to make an informed decision when going to the polls in a few days.

I have no more questions and now invite you to make your closing statements. Both of you answer when you can, irrespective of order.

[ZuWo]

Dear citizen,

I invite you to take a close look at where our region was four months ago and where it is now. Do you think our region is better off today than in May? Is there more activity or less? Are you happy that the Mideast is now the largest Atlasian region? Are you content with the fact that we have been able to introduce the first budget in the history of the Mideast and that we have gone to great lengths in order to balance the budget in a reasonable and economically thoughtful way? Do you think that I, as Governor, have made a good effort in communicating with the citizens of this region and to encourage as many Mideasterners as possible to participate in the public political process? Was it a good idea to establish the question time sessions and the gubernatorial monthly newsletter? Do you approve of my efforts to update the wiki, to carry out sensible reforms of the Mideast Sex Crime Statute and the Mideast Time of Alcohol Sales Statute and my successful struggle for a continuation of the current way of electing members to the Assembly?
Above all, do you believe that I'm capable of keeping this region on a path of success for four more months? Am I able to lead the Mideast as an active Governor and with a strong commitment to the best interests of the region?

If you can answer all or most of these questions in the affirmative, I believe that I'm the right candidate for you and the Mideast. The choice is yours, and I am confident that our region will emerge stronger from this election.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Franzl, who has done a flawless job as the moderator of this debate.

And let me say one more thing: I cannot stress enough how much I enjoy my office and the opportunity to serve you and the Mideast in my current position.

Your Governor ZuWo

[tmthforu94]

I want to first thank Franzl for hosting this debate. He did a fantastic job.

I have a very long and extensive record of contributing to this region, and it’s a record I’m proud of and will stand on. I am fully committed to seeing this region grow, and would love the opportunity to serve as Governor for the next four months.

Throughout this campaign, there has been a stark contrast between my opponent and I. First, that difference has come on policy – while both my opponent and I are committed to passing a budget, we have different ideas for what we want the final form of the budget to look like. There are other policy differences, a couple being the “Teaching Reform Act” and the issue of dog breed equality. I have elaborated on those differences and many more in my campaign thread.

Additionally, we’ve seen a difference in the style of the campaigns – From day one, I committed to running a positive race, and I believe, all things considered, I have done a good job at keeping that promise. From the beginning, I have wanted this to be a positive, upbeat race, where we focus on finding solutions to fix our region’s difficulties. I had hoped my opponent would share those same sentiments, yet instead, his campaign has largely been focused on my perceived failings, not on the future of this region. My opponent’s campaign has attacked my integrity and my record, and in doing so, created distractions in this race and further divided our region. This style of campaigning is just wrong for the Mideast.   

While I do like having the spotlight on me from time to time, this election isn’t about me, as my opponent has tried to make it. Both Governor ZuWo and I have records as Governor that we’re proud of, but that’s not what this election is about either. This election is about who would best lead our region forward for the next four months.

As Governor, it will be my goal to unite this region. I’ll be an active, committed Governor that is ready to work with both sides to accomplish our goals and put The People first; a Governor that believes both sides of the ideological spectrum have solutions that can improve our region. I’ve governed this way in the past, and I firmly believe it is the best way to govern.

Give me a chance to serve you, and together, let’s move this region forward to better days! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read through this debate – It certainly is great to see so much buzz surrounding our region!

[Franzl]

Thank you gentlemen!