Office of Leinad, At-Large Senator (ConCon Address--vote AYE!)

[Former Senator Haslam2020]

I will be leaving my Election headquarters to go to Dallas.

[Leinad]

Your efforts are duly noted. I'd like to attend, but I'll be busy making sure that the protest in San Fran doesn't get out of hand and overseeing efforts to keep things safe.

Understood. I'll send you the video to your office that will be taken by a professional camera and totally not my cell phone.

I will be leaving my Election headquarters to go to Dallas.

See you there, Mr. Speaker!

(And before a smart-aleck remarks that we're both coming from the same place--the South Capitol in Memphis--and therefore we're already seeing each other, I'm actually in Georgia, about to vote in the Legislative elections in my local precinct. So there, hypothetical smart-aleck!)


Statement:

As almost goes without saying (almost...) Sharia law is not the way to go. A liberal democracy with freedom for all to live according to the rules they want is what is best for everyone. Sharia is opposed to women's rights, LGBT rights, religious freedom, and other liberties we hold dear, and therefore we must strongly oppose its implementation in the South, or elsewhere in Atlasia, to any degree.

Now, my opposition to Sharia should not be interpreted as opposition to the many democratic-republic-loving Muslims in Atlasia, or peaceful practice of their culture and religion. As long as we can live in peace, in liberty, and in equality--living our lives as we want, not hurting others, working out our differences without violence, but with understanding--we can live in happiness.

    -Leinad

[Former Senator Haslam2020]

XD on the smart aleck part


I could not agree with you more on the Sharia law speech. Good job, Leinad.

[Leinad]

Election results:

Haslam2020, Pingvin, and Steelers are re-elected.

Spiral is confirmed as Judicial Overlord.

The Southern Constitution is amended according to the People's Government Amendment.

    X Leinad

Congratulations to those elected!

[Leinad]

Statement on Events in the South and Elsewhere Relating to the ISIS Crisis:

[Transcript of Governor Leinad's words to the press after today's Atlasian Journal reports.]

Ladies and gentlemen, today, I can report that twenty-one militants believed to be part of the so-called "Islamic State," Daesh, or ISIL, have been captured in the South. These militants are currently in custody. Six of them were found in Florida, where I visited yesterday and spoke at a mosque, and the other fifteen were found attempting to cross into the border in Texas. Once again, all of these militants are under custody, and the Southern National Guard is working diligently with the Federal government to keep this region safe by following leads and using our intelligence to stop attacks before they happen.

Likewise, a group of troublemakers calling themselves "Women United" have decapitated a man with sympathies to the terrorists, yet no connections beyond that. First of all, this group of what I originally thought were merely leftists troublemakers do not speak for all women, nor do they speak for all Southerners, and they definitely do not have the authority to do things like this. They are not the police, they are not the national guard. If you want to help in the mission to end radical terrorism, good, but don't take the law into your own hands in this manner.

I have also heard reports of of a terrorist attack in Belgium, although the information is sketchy at this moment, given that the State Department has not released a report as of yet. I've heard it was a bad one, and my condolences go out to the people of Belgium after this tragic attack, should the reports prove true.

I also offer condolences to the Mideast, specifically Dearborn, Michigan. An Atlasian city was turned into a war-zone, further emphasizing the horrid lengths of this crisis.

And to the Pacific as well, which is still suffering from the St. Patrick's Day attack, and is now suffering further from deadly riots in Los Angeles. I plan to go to several locations in the region with Governor Bessell, Speaker Haslam, and perhaps others for events led by Northeast Lieutenant Governor Smith, as we continue, as a society, our efforts to heal the wounds left by the actions of these evil-doers.

Let me leave you all with a simple message: we must defeat radical terrorism. And while military intervention, I'm afraid, is necessary on some level to stop this organized force, we will only defeat the violence through peace. We must discourage religious extremism, we must discourage violence of all kinds, we must not respond to hatred by more hatred, but by practicing the peaceful, liberal democratic views this Republic holds as it's highest value. The goal is not merely to defeat the terrorists just to do so, but to live in a free society. As always, the South is doing our best to make that job as easy as possible for the citizens. I encourage everyone to keep living their own life. Stay informed, stay safe, but stay free. As long as there is liberty in this nation, the terrorists will never win.

Thank you, good night.

   -Leinad

[Leinad]

I just had an excellent interview with my friends over at the Nyman Weekly;

An Interview with Leinad: Yes, He's Running for Senate

Southern Governor and February 2016 Federalist Presidential Nominee Leinad

Yesterday, we were lucky enough to have outgoing Southern Governor and former Presidential nominee Leinad in for an interview.

We're glad to have you here, Governor.

Thanks for the interview, Ted! It's nice to be here in the Pacific, both for your interview and the recovery from the tragic terrorist attacks last week that occurred here.

1. A recent ISIS plot targeted Florida. What are you doing to prevent future attacks?

Well, we're working with the federal government and the National Guard to find threats. The Southern National Guard has been mobilized by executive order, and I think the fact we've kept one eye open for terrorism was the reason why 21 potential terrorists are now in custody, instead of on the front pages after engaging in an attack on Southern citizens.

2. You've endorsed Southeast Speaker Haslam to succeed you. Why is he the best person to replace you in the Governor's Mansion?

I think this is an important time in Atlasia. With the ConCon nearing completion, we need this era of Atlasia to leave a good taste in everyone's mouth, shall we say. The most important thing is activity. Haslam has been one of the two most active members of the Southern government since his election back in November, and along with that other member I alluded to is most responsible for turning the Southern government from me and the janitor in an empty building to a bustling center of activity. That activity and nearly five-month record of leadership equips him to end the Old South on a high and jump-start us for the Atlasia that is to come.

Haslam is more moderate than I am, but I trust him to continue the tradition of the South as a region of limited government, where individual liberty flourishes for all. With the reset, however, I think activity is more important, and that makes voting for Haslam a no-brainer.

3. What do you plan to do as a member of Governors Against Extremism to reduce violent extremism in Atlasia?

I think we need to actively combat extremism, violence, and hatred in Atlasia and across the world. This isn't a job for creating new laws and calling the problem "fixed." Yes, maybe some government action is needed, but that's never what fixes societal problems. We need to engage with our communities and encourage others to engage in theirs, we need to send the message that Atlasia is a place of peace and liberty--everyone has the freedom to believe what they want, and live how they want, and to disagree how they want--but not through violence!

Hopefully the five Governors can work together to spread this message, and yes, do what exists within the jurisdiction of the government to stop the cancer on society that is terrorism.

4. What do you think about the Education Reform Act, currently being voted on in the Senate?

I think it's a good idea, although I agree with Senator Potus that it's not quite perfect.

The most common occurrence in legislation is a well-intentioned plan to fix a real problem that ends up just putting more power in the hands of the inefficient government. That being said, some of these plans are better than others, where I might actually support them. This, for example, seems like a cost-effective measure to help students and grow the economy, without expanding government power beyond where it already is. If they can keep to that I'd support it.

5. Some people have complained that the Constitutional Convention isn't progressing fast enough. Are you happy with the rate of progress?

Well, people are always going to complain, aren't they? At least one person will complain about everything, and some people are generous enough to take up that whole job themselves. You know what haters do, Ted, it's best to ignore them.

Am I happy with the rate of progress? Looking at the big picture, I'm overjoyed with the rate of progress! Taking last summer into account, I'm overjoyed we're still having progress! I'm overjoyed Atlasia still exists to make progress on! It hasn't been as fast as any of us would've wanted it to have been, of course not. But hey, it's happening!

The Constitutional Convention is a movement of Atlasians that started last fall, and has accomplished more than most of us thought it would do at the time. It's proof that citizens can start a movement that makes a difference. I remember when this was nothing more than Classic and Cris's sideshow in the circus of last summer, but they pushed forward, the movement grew, and it became a reality! What an accomplishment that is? Under the leadership of Cris, Truman, and myself, plus countless other active Atlasians such as President Griffin, we've made a tangible difference.

Has it gone as fast as we might have hoped? No, but we don't measure to fantasy, we measure to reality. The reality was an Atlasia with membership dropping like dragonflies, movements created to end the game, one region wanting to leave, another becoming a communist theme park, notorious trolls and dissolutionists trying to get rid of the few functioning members of the federal government, and while things are far from perfect, sales of sunglasses have gone up across the nation due to the sheer brightness of the light at the end of the tunnel.

The reform movement is working, everyone. Slowly but very surely.

6. Is there a future run for office in the cards? Will you run for President in June 2016? Senate?

Ah, I'm glad you asked that!

First, will I run for President in June? Well, lots can change in three months, so it's hard to rule anything out, but most likely not. I'm not really wanting to be Atlasia's Thomas Dewey.

Regarding the second question, I actually have a bit of an announcement to make: I plan to run in this upcoming month's at-large Senate election! I've had an interest in joining the Senate for a while, and with five spots open in an election coinciding with my Gubernatorial term ending, it's the perfect opportunity! I plan to make my official announcement in the coming days, and I look forward to running an active campaign and making Atlasia better and freer in the Senate should the people elect me.

Again, thanks for the interview, Ted, and good luck both in your political career and this newspaper!

Lots of good stuff in there--this is not something to just skim over! From my thoughts on the role of government, to Haslam's gubernatorial run (#ReadyForHaslam!), to the ConCon, to the problem of terrorism, to lots of horrifically executed original metaphors.

My Senatorial campaign will kick off on my visit to Nyman, DC tomorrow night. I'm currently en route to Memphis, where I'll get some sleep, do some Gubernatorial stuff in the morning, and then take another flight to Nyman for the big event. Be there or be a two-dimensional shape with four equal sides connected by ninety-degree angles!

[Former Senator Haslam2020]

Haha! #ReadyForLeinad

[Mike Thick]

Haha! #ReadyForLeinad

[Leinad]

Great to be a Senator! I'll post more about that "shortly," but first, as maybe the last Governor to leave office in the Five Region Era (at least, not counting resignations or election defeats), I thought I should offer a farewell address:

(Belated) Farewell Address

Castillo de San Marcos, near where Leinad delivered his farewell address.

St. Augustine, Florida
May 8th, 2016

Good afternoon, everyone. It's great to be in St. Augustine, one of the most historical cities in this great region. This city was founded just over four-hundred-and-fifty years ago, more than five times the life expectancy of a human in any nation. The vastness of history is a reminder to be humble. And that humility is a reason I'm a libertarian--I don't believe anyone can ever be smart enough or experienced enough or popular enough to legitimately dictate how others should live. The opposite of limited government is, in many ways, arrogant government: the idea that you're not smart enough to make good decisions with your money and your life, yet we're somehow smart enough to avoid making bad decisions that hurt everyone. This is the key paradox of statism--a fact that I tried to keep solidly in mind during my tenure as Governor, and will try to keep solidly in mind in any office I take.

This game was founded just over twelve years ago. Very few people here today have even been here half that time. North Carolina Yankee, who I recently succeeded in the Senate, is nowadays noted for his longevity and experience, but even the Eternal Senator joined the game a half-decade after it's start. This game is bigger than all of us, and none of us have the right to act like we can simply end the game like so many people tried to do last summer.

We've bounced back from the deregistrations and pessimism of those days, and the South has been key to the revival. We've proved the Doomsday Brigade that Atlasia was not dead. We mustn't forget that this game is about contesting elections and advancing issues, and even if some people get bored and leave, we'll always have enough people who want to stay true to that mission statement. That's what we've done in the South for the last eight months, and if Atlasia is to reach the potential we know it can, we'll need to keep that in mind. It hasn't been perfect, and it's been a team effort, but I think we've done very well considering the environment.

Now, I'd like to publically congratulate Governor Spiral in his election win, and I wish him all the best in ending the Five Region Era on a high note for the South. He's a great Atlasian with tremendous experience, and I think he'll do a great job. I'd like to reiterate that if my assistance could help him in governing this region, I'd be more than happy to offer it.

Even as I go to Nyman as an At-Large Senator, I want everyone to know that, as long as I am a citizen of the South, I will keep an eye on goings-on at the regional capital--Memphis, as it is now--both in it's current form and future form, and will do everything in my power to keep the Southern Government on the side of individual rights, and against collectivism in all of it's forms. Not to mention helping to craft a good Constitution for the New South.

Thank you all for letting me be your Governor, the Governor of the best region in Atlasia, for eight months. It's been awesome, and I look forward to what the future has in store!

    -Leinad

[Leinad]

Atlanta, where Senator Leinad gave a speech on the new Constitution.

Atlanta, Georgia
May 15th, 2016

My fellow Atlasians, the remedy has been made. All we need to do now is take it.

First off, I want to reiterate how important this is. This Constitution may not be perfect, but it is the best path for reform, and the consequences of us not passing this would consist of a meltdown like this game has never seen. We need every Atlasian to vote "Aye" on what is basically a referendum on whether or not we want this game we all enjoy to survive. I see no other way possible. Fortunately, it seems like it will pass, but we should not take anything for granted until the job is entirely complete.

This effort has been in the making for years, but the final push was last fall. This was a grassroots movement unlike any other--Atlasians across both partisan and geographic boundaries deciding to come together for the greater good. To keep this game from going extinct, and to make it greater than ever.

This was no easy task. Let us not forget the history of 2015--the mass deregistrations, the declarations of Atlasia's expiry, the various movements and countermovements to do various things, and the general pessimism and panic that was the norm of that time. It wouldn't have been hard to buy into the hype that Atlasia was unsalvageable, nor would it have been hard to think the problems of the day were either exaggerated or temporary, and reject any notion of reform.

Many people have proclaimed, with the assurance of one boarding the Titanic and the arrogance of a medieval scientist saying the Earth is flat, that Atlasia is dead. Whether that is legitimate pessimism, personal boredom, or simply trolling is hard to tell, and obviously varies by the person. But, in a way, it's irrelevant: since every single one of them have been proven wrong. Not only by the Constitutional Convention's ultimate success, but by the new generation of fresh Atlasians that have arrived in the past year.

The message of the reform movement is a message of simplicity, a message of defiance to the projected course of fate, a message underlined by every vote for this Constitution, and a message we shall announce from the rooftops until it echos loud throughout the caverns of time: reports of Atlasia's demise are greatly exaggerated!

Thank you everyone,

    -Leinad