Atlasians for Competitive Elections: Let's get serious, we need a new ticket

[Kitteh]

This is sort of out of character for me, given that I'm usually pretty non-serious here, but look, it's time to honestly state a cold, hard truth:

This presidential election is shaping up to being entirely boring, generic and uncompetitive

Does anyone here, honestly, think that Matt/Maxwell is going to win? I mean this as no insult to the M&Ms, because it's not their fault. It has nothing to do with them personally. But this is Atlasia. In an election that pits generic, competent and generally well-liked Federalist vs generic, competent and generally well-liked leftist, who do you think is going to win? According to the reputable Mew Research Center exit poll of the last election, in order to defeat Nix/DemPGH, M&M would have to take roughly 40% of left-of-center Atlasians in addition to all centrist and right-of-center voters. This means a majority of Liberal and Light Party members. Given that Nix has chosen a Liberal as his running-mate and almost all Libs/Lightists who have declared their support so far have done so for Nix, M&M getting the requisite center-left support they need to win is practically impossible.

It's time for another cold, hard truth:

A generic conservative is not going to be elected President against a competent leftist in Atlasia

This year's ticket with two generic conservatives is going to face the same fate as the last two tickets with two generic conservatives. I'm sorry, conservatives of Atlasia, but if the Atlasian Right wants to become a force that can actually win Presidential elections they're going to need a new strategy.

So, we're back to my first truth: this election is shaping up to be a virtual repeat of the last one: another uncompetitive and uninteresting leftist blowout. The Federalist ticket doesn't have what it takes to win, and there are too many people who have their panties in a bunch that some people aren't being sooper cereal about an online fantasy elections game for The Movement to win.

There's only one way to prevent this now: we need a new ticket. Another serious campaign that will upset the Generic Left vs Right nature of this race and have a realistic chance of winning. I don't know where such a ticket would come from, and I don't have anyone in particular in mind. Perhaps it could be from the "moderate" left, like the Liberal or Light parties. Maybe a center-right coalition between a Federalist and a moderate leftist. Or maybe an independent ticket. I'm not endorsing any specific possibility, but I am strongly urging anyone who thinks they could be a part of such a ticket to start exploring a run ASAP.

Why am I arguing for this? My vote is already pretty set, I'm going to give my first preference to The Movement's ticket and in the second round almost certainly for Nix. I probably won't be voting for this new ticket I am advocating. But it's time for another truth:

Atlasia is slowly deteriorating, and peoples' interest in the game is very low and getting lower

We have numerous inactive office holders, low voter turnout, census rolls full of inactives, zombies, and wolfenbots, long-time players withdrawing from the game, and entire regions sinking into virtual anarchy due to inactivity. This is not the time to be settling into a pattern of boring and predictable elections. We need to make this game more interesting, and that is why we need another candidate to shake up the Presidential race.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Now I didn't come close to reading all that. However, you and I have discussed the possibility of a "Radical/Reactionary" ticket in the past.

[Hash]

As long as the Right keeps voting for the likes of Pingvin, an inactive neo-Nazi who beats women, then we won't go very far.

[Хahar 🤔]

The greatest issue facing Atlasia is that the regions have failed, despite the assurances of all the "regional rights" campaigners, and now they are a drain on the game, sucking away people who could otherwise be expending their energies to revitalize the federal government. The National Movement is proudly centralist and will always stand against the "regional rights" scam.

[Oakvale]

I agree DRJ. I think you laid out the problems here very well.

That's why I'm announcing that I will be seeking the Federalist Party's Presidential nomination, challenging MattVT if necessary. My running mate, a great Atlas member and friend with the courage to stand for a cause, will be announced shortly. I am not your stereotypical conservative, but my aim is to save the Federalist Party from disaster.

[Goldwater]

The fact Matt and Maxwell are considered "generic conservatives" shows how left wing Atlasia really is.

[Maxwell]

I agree DRJ. I think you laid out the problems here very well.

That's why I'm announcing that I will be seeking the Federalist Party's Presidential nomination, challenging MattVT if necessary. My running mate, a great Atlas member and friend with the courage to stand for a cause, will be announced shortly. I am not your stereotypical conservative, but my aim is to save the Federalist Party from disaster.

How are you going to save the Federalist Party from disaster? If you were the nominee, considering your secrecy tactics so far, I think I'd rather walk and vote for Nix than vote for you, and I think a lot of Federalists would as well. And I think that's your intent, too.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

The chaos continues....

[windjammer]

The fact Matt and Maxwell are considered "generic conservatives" shows how left libertarian wing Atlasia really is.

[windjammer]

But seriously, I don't understand your request. Matt and Nix are both the centrist tendancy of their party, so why we would need a third ticket in the center?

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

But seriously, I don't understand your request. Matt and Nix are both the centrist tendancy of their party, so why we would need a third ticket in the center?

Extremist fringe group ticket, maybe?

[windjammer]

But seriously, I don't understand your request. Matt and Nix are both the centrist tendancy of their party, so why we would need a third ticket in the center?

Extremist fringe group ticket, maybe?

Yes you're right. Maybe a libertarian ticket? Sjoyce? Could you be interested? After all, you're very good to support right wing and left wing extremists like Rand Paul and Brian Schweitzer! And you're a member of the light party! I've found your candidate DRJ!

[Sopranos Republican]

I'm a generic conservative?! LOL, and a generic conservative supports Obama's and Bernie Sanders' reelection, because...?

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

But seriously, I don't understand your request. Matt and Nix are both the centrist tendancy of their party, so why we would need a third ticket in the center?

Extremist fringe group ticket, maybe?

Yes you're right. Maybe a libertarian ticket? Sjoyce? Could you be interested? After all, you're very good to support right wing and left wing extremists like Rand Paul and Brian Schweitzer! And you're a member of the light party! I've found your candidate DRJ!

Did you just call the Light Party an extremist fringe group?

[windjammer]

But seriously, I don't understand your request. Matt and Nix are both the centrist tendancy of their party, so why we would need a third ticket in the center?

Extremist fringe group ticket, maybe?

Yes you're right. Maybe a libertarian ticket? Sjoyce? Could you be interested? After all, you're very good to support right wing and left wing extremists like Rand Paul and Brian Schweitzer! And you're a member of the light party! I've found your candidate DRJ!

Did you just call the Light Party an extremist fringe group?

No! I'm not stupid! I've just found the ideal candidate for a third party: SJOYCE!!! I explain, he's able to both support right wing extremist like Rand Paul and left wing extremist like Brian Schweitzer. And he seems to have a moderate record on the economic issues and he's a member of the light party, a centrist party which hasn't candidates in this election!

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

As long as the Right keeps voting for the likes of Pingvin, an inactive neo-Nazi who beats women, then we won't go very far.

Well I am not familiar with half of those critiques, but I figured at the time that seconding a write-in would best advance a competative election and he was the one that appeared to be running such a campaign (as it turned out it was done independently of him, apparently). I was concerned about the activity issue to be sure, but I didn't think you would actually come up short against him in the voting once it was all counted like that.

Though I would say that I think the attitude you express is part of the problem. A good number of conservatives are "untouchable" and my theory is that a great number of people are quite unsure as to who is so and who is not. Therefore a great many potential swing voters are thus locked in place even for far more centrist candidates. Whatever reputation Pingvin has attained in other boards for extremism and on this board for activity aside, I am sure this is a problem that most Conservatives are saddled, and I wouldn't be surprised if for some just being right of center was just as outrageous or otherwise (Antonio seems to think so for example) but that is besides the point. I have seen this process in operation in many elections and heard of many fairly reasonable candidates getting rejected either for this or the more general party loyalty and the risks associated with breaking ranks.

[Kitteh]

But seriously, I don't understand your request. Matt and Nix are both the centrist tendancy of their party, so why we would need a third ticket in the center?

The point isn't to get a centrist in just for the sake of centrism, the point is that a centrist might actually beat the left, come close, or at least make it a competition for second.

I'm a generic conservative?! LOL, and a generic conservative supports Obama's and Bernie Sanders' reelection, because...?

See:

The fact Matt and Maxwell are considered "generic conservatives" shows how left wing Atlasia really is.

Sorry, Matt, this has nothing to do with you, it's just about Atleftia being what it is.

[Donerail]

Shua/SJoyce, for obvious reasons.

Of the actual choices, Clarence/Matt. I'm not running for VP, would decline any offers to be put on the ticket, would not serve as VP, etc. I just got elected to serve 4 months as Emperor by the people of this region - I'm not abandoning my post.

Modify as necessary for President.

[Supersonic]

Given that it's obvious conservatives fail on the Presidential level, thankfully that's what we have regions for as the good people of the Mideast have elected Zuwo governor! Anyhow, even the most moderate of the moderate Federalist won't win as the party is 'off-limits' to many a Labor and Liberal voter.

[Kitteh]

*bump*

If anyone is thinking of declaring, sooner would be better than later for obvious reasons.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

STop pressuring me. I support Nix.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Shua/SJoyce, for obvious reasons.

Of the actual choices, Clarence/Matt. I'm not running for VP, would decline any offers to be put on the ticket, would not serve as VP, etc. I just got elected to serve 4 months as Emperor by the people of this region - I'm not abandoning my post.

I just got elected to mideast assembly, I'm not abandoning my post.

besides I'm supporting Matt.

[Bacon King]

This is what Atlasian elections SHOULD look like

Six tickets, all within ten votes: https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/June_2005_Presidential_Election

Six tickets, close race, many big names:
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/October_2005_Presidential_Election

Three big name tickets, all close: https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/February_2008_Presidential_Election

THIS ELECTION WAS SO CLOSE WTF: https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/June_2009_Presidential_Election

Four strong and distinct parties:
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/October_2009_Presidential_Election

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

You left out October 2011. 2 vote difference. RIP The Ticket.

[Dereich]

I'm a generic conservative?! LOL, and a generic conservative supports Obama's and Bernie Sanders' reelection, because...?

Besides what Drj said, the reason that you are a generic conservative is that you are a blue avatar and you are new. Zombie voters who really dominate presidential elections don't read campaign threads or look at records in the senate, they see who they know and who has which party label beside their name. Oakvale has a much longer history in the game and is better known by the zombies who will only check at the last moment; I'd honestly say that even if less Federalists vote for him he has a far better chance of winning than any non-universally well known and well liked Federalist would.