Freeform election game

[MAINEiac4434]

Tweet from Andy Greenfield (@Greenfield4ME)

“Can’t wait to watch Anderson and Gomez debate. I know who I think will win. Who do you think will win?”

Twitter poll by @Greenfied4ME:

Henry Anderson: 56%
Daniel Gomez: 44%

Tweet from @DGomez:

Down -12 in a Dem internal. Excellent results!

Prepare to be blown away at the NPR debate #LasVeagasDebate

@Greenfield4ME

And since you’ve tweeted it: BIGLY MOVEMENT

Twitter poll from Andy Greenfield (@Greenfield4ME):
Henry Anderson: 52%
Daniel Gomez: 48%

[GoTfan]

OOC: we should be ready soon.

[SamTilden2020]

OOC: we should be ready soon.

OOC:I've given permission to Cactus/Anderson to share both his and my responses for the debate.

(BTW: We did it via PM, to allow for some rebuttals to be added in, and for some real-time reactions in the debate.)

[Cactus Jack]

Opening Statement:

"Thank you, Don, and thanks to National Public Radio and PBS for this opportunity. As we've all seen in recent weeks, Americans are witnessing the beginnings of great economic change, and I'm eager to discuss the matter with Governor Gomez. On behalf of the great states of Utah and New Mexico, I look forward to this chance to prove the wisdom of Western common sense."

Why Glass-Steagall is a "triumph":
"Thank you, Don. It's a great question, and one that I'm happy to answer. Before the passage of the Glass-Steagall provisions, the American economy was dangerously subject to predatory, high-risk investments by commercial banks. When these investments failed, the banks responsible often would as well, leading to financial ruin for the workers and families who depended on them. What Glass-Steagall did, and will now do again, was restrict commercial banks solely to government and low-risk stocks, vastly cutting the risk of bank crises like those we saw in in 1930 and 2008. Is the reinstatement a surefire guard against economic catastrophe? No. But should we be hit with another recession, Glass-Steagall will at least help minimize the damage and lend some security to middle-class checking accounts."

Rebuttal to Gov. Gomez re: Glass-Steagall:

"Well, Governor Gomez is right on the count that there have been sensible banking regulations passed since 1999, but the sad truth is that none of them on their own were enough to prevent the major banks from getting too big for their boots and making dangerously ambitious investments in 2007 and 2008. Believe it or not, I do understand the worry about overregulation, but it's off the mark. The Glass-Steagall repeal stripped away desperately-needed stability in our economy and banking system, and putting it back in place will be a benefit to Americans everywhere."

On Cole's vote:
"Don, Rick Cole and I disagree on quite a lot. On this, though, when you put aside our fundamental differences on economic policy, we agree on the key thing: there need to be rules guiding the economy and regulating the monetary dealings of financial institutions like banks and corporations. My colleague is a good man who was on the right side of history when it mattered most, and for that, I applaud him without qualification."

On Sloan's opposition to Glass-Steagall:

"Well, for starters, let me thank Governor Gomez for giving us the benefit of the doubt on this one, at least." (faint laughter) "To answer the question, Mr. Sloan is allowed to issue - and lose - as many legal challenges as he pleases. Whether or not I think he's barking up the wrong tree, he does have that right. However, what he has no legal right to do is openly defy the reinstated provisions. The legal process can take its course, but in the meantime, I would offer a word of legal advice to Mr. Sloan, coming from an attorney: stop breaking the law."

On VT-Sen:
"Well, before anything else, I would like to take a moment to thank Senator Sanders for his decades of service, both locally in Vermont and at the federal level in Congress. We've had disagreements in style, but I can guarantee at firsthand that there are few more effective colleagues and no fiercer advocates for the working class than Bernie. He's been a real friend and ally, and the Senate will be poorer without him. As for the candidates running to replace him, as of this juncture, I can only wish all of them the best of luck and ask that they do their best to carry Bernie's message going forward."

Response to Gov. Gomez on Trump's statements:

"Don, I don't think I need to belabor the point when it comes to Donald Trump, since my opinion of him is public knowledge by this point. I consider him to be a liar, a phony, a rabble-rouser, and an incompetent, and I'm pretty sure most of America would back me up on that. Having said that, I agree with Governor Gomez on his last point. If there was anything positive to come out of Donald Trump's so-called presidency, it was the wake-up call it sent to politicians in Washington. For years, Democrats and Republicans alike allowed themselves to become complacent and succumb to business-as-usual, network politics, completely ignoring the desperate voters calling for something different. Something better. Donald Trump took advantage of that just as shamelessly as any other politician, but his election gave voice to Americans whose voice had been lost - not just his fellow bigots and agitators, as some would have us think - and showed those of us in power that they would not be forgotten again."

Closing:
"It's been an honor to be here, and I only hope that I've conducted myself well and done my home state justice, because my opponent certainly has. I thank Governor Gomez for debating me, as well as NPR, PBS, and the state of Nevada for giving us this opportunity. Thank you all, good night, and God bless."

[SamTilden2020]

Gov. Gomez's statements:

By virtue of the coin toss, Governor, you may make your opening statement.

"Thank you all for allowing me here tonight. I look forward to seeing what Senator Anderson has to say on this topic."

Governor, you on the other hand say that this will only harm the economy. Can you explain why?

"Well, this bill was originally drafted in 1933, back when the United States was in the midst of the great depression. This was intended to curb unnecessarily risky stock investment by banks, as you've said. This was indeed a useful idea back in those days. However, literally 90 years have passed, and since its repeal in 1999, more useful and sufficient regulations have been passed to ensure banks remain stable, in a post-Glass-Steagall era. Reinstating such outdated and unnecessary regulations would over-regulate the banks, providing aftershocks to the economy."

"Your rebuttal on Sen Anderson's statement?"

"You did make a good point. Overambitious banks played a role in starting the 2008 crisis as well. However, while I do oppose Glass-Steagall, I am not opposed to reform in general. Consider the New Mexico senate's Rodriguez/Ellis bill, which I support. It would reform the system in the way Glass-Steagall did, but will provide regulations more tailored to the current state of the National and New Mexican situation."

To both of you, Senator Richard Cole of Maine made the headlines by being the only Republican to vote in favor of the bill, and has stated his reasoning is that we don't have a fully democratic monetary system, and as such, the system needs rules. Do you agree with his line of reasoning?

"I disagree with this. Glass-Steagall will only provide more unnecessary regulations in today's age, for the reasons I previously mentioned. Additionally, this bill would leave a lot of the interpretation to Government officials, who can be subject to severe corruption to dangerous, destabilizing levels. Given his supposed "Libertarian" ideas, this is something I wouldn't expect him to support. While I oppose overzealous banking measures by big banks, giving more control to the Government would shift the corruption risk to the Government. And as the situation in Venezuela has shown, a corrupt Government can do far worse things to an economy than the banks. The point is, unnecessary regulations and overcentralization is the opposite of "democratic", and is a stunning rebuke to limited Government from Senator Cole."

Governor Gomez, recently former President Donald Trump criticized Senator Carson Palmer on Twitter, and is reportedly planning to hit the trail to promote his SuperPAC, Keeping America Great. In an interview recently, Mr Trump stated "The Republican Party is still my party . . . they need my supporters to win." Governor, does the former President, who had, according to several studies, one of the least successful and most controversial Presidencies ever, still a major voice in the Republican Party?

"Well I think that with every president, we have to look toward their benefits, and be careful not to repeat their mistakes. I acknowledge that during my tenure as Congressman, I've heard from many constituents from around the time of Trump's 2016 campaign say that even though they agreed a lot with his message, his baiting of 'Mexico' in essentially every other speech is what drove them to vote for Clinton, former governor Johnson, or Utah native Mr. McMullin. His controversial branding led to a difficult 4 years in congress, which is mainly why I decided to run for Governor in 2018. What Trump did accomplish, however, was that he demonstrated through both his win and eventual defeat, is that there is a considerable sect of the American Population who feels disaffected with the American political system, and seeks change for the better. These people have been let down various times, and whether you are a now-unemployed coal miner from Pennsylvania, or a poor hombre from New Mexico, I will not let them down."

Governor?

"I'd also like to thank PBS, NPR, Mr. Gonyea, Las Vegas, and of course Senator Anderson for allowing this opportunity."

[GoTfan]

Debate outcomes

Who won?

Gov. Gomez: 52%
Sen. Anderson: 47%
Unsure/tie: 1%

Gomez sees influx of volunteers for campaign

Anderson sees uptick in approval ratings. Rumors of 'Draft Anderson' movement

[SamTilden2020]

Gomez Campaign HQ (Albuquerque):

"Great job with the debate, Governor!"

"Gracias. Our numbers should be on the upwards after this."

"And we are getting all these new volunteers for the campaign"

"Excellente! ¿Dónde debemos viajar? (Where should we travel?)"

"We appear to be decently ahead in Nevada and California. We haven't hit Iowa, New Hampshire, or South Carolina yet."

"Visit the areas in regions. While we're in Iowa, for instance, we should hit Minnesota and Missouri as well. South Carolina would also warrant visits to Georgia and North Carolina. Cole probably has New England under a Topaz fist, so I doubt we should spend too much time there."

"Excellent. We need to boost our numbers."

Gomez Schedule Feb 15-Feb 28:
15: Rally in St Louis, MO
16:Rally in Chicago, IL
17: Rally in Madison, WI
18: Rally in St. Paul, MN
19: Rally in  Omaha, NE
20: Rally in Des Moines, IA
22: Rally in Atlanta, GA
23: Rally in Miami, FL
24: Rally in Huntsville, AL
25: Rally in Chattanooga, TN
26: Rally in Charlotte, NC
27: Rally in Myrtle Beach, SC
28: Fundraiser in Charleston, SC

[GoTfan]

OOC: New turn will start tomorrow. Moving houses is a b***h.

[wxtransit]

Sorry for taking so long to make my campaign announcement. I was tied up with work and school, but I think I can announce tonight.

[SamTilden2020]

OOC: New turn will start tomorrow. Moving houses is a b***h.

[GoTfan]

February 12-26, 2023

Senator Anderson introduces landmark housing bill

Following a strong debate performance, Utah Senator Henry Anderson has introduced the Affordable Housing Act, based on a similar law he introduced as Mayor of Salt Lake City And a similar bill he pushed for while working for HUD under the Obama administration.

The main points of the bill, based on the Housing First program in Utah, are as follows:

* Largely in the vain of Utah's Housing First program, the bill would provide for rent-free housing to America's chronically homeless, subject to mental health and addiction screening.
* Addressing the major fatal issue with HF, the legislation would also incentivize treatment programs to address the above two issues among homeless communities, opening a path forward for those who don't already qualify for the housing program.
* In order to fund these initiatives, the bill would affect a substantial cut to wasteful and frivolous military spending, backed up by a 0.7% hike to the capital gains tax, adjusted relative to economic trends.

The bill has been met with support from progressive groups, while also being welcomed with intense ire of conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation.

President Warren herself has voiced support for the bill, but stopped just short of endorsing it.

In other news, Chinese President Xi Jinping has stated that his country is preparing to apply diplomatic pressure to North Korea ahead of major talks to be moderated by Switzerland between the rogue state, South Korea, Russia, China, Japan and the United States.

[Jaguar4life]

February 13th 2023
THE HILL.COM
Senator Palmer proposed bill to prevent Medicare for being privatized

In a effort to boost his 2024 bid. Senator Carson Palmer (P) Arizona proposed a plan that would protect Medicare and Medicaid for generations to come.

The act would prevent any unnecessary cuts to both Medicare and Medicaid and would also give a tax credit to any citizen age 80 and over.

Also the bill adds a system that will prevent any type of scam and will go hard on any attempts of Medicare fraud.

This is the senator's first bill since the failed Gold Standard bill. When asked about it Palmer said

"I try not to make mistakes but if I do I learn from them and move on"

[Cactus Jack]

Anderson Unveils Affordable Housing Act
Deseret News, February 12, 2023

Addressing a crowd assembled outside the United States Capitol this morning, Senator Henry Anderson delivered a press conference announcing the introduction of an ambitious new bill to the Senate. The legislation, co-sponsored by Senators Emily Peebleton (D-North Carolina) and Andrew Greenfield (D-Maine) and officially titled the Affordable Housing Act, would implement a sweeping federal housing program targeted at greatly reducing the rate of chronic homelessness in America, largely in the mold of Utah's Housing First strategy, the rollout of which then-Mayor Anderson played a key role in implementing in Salt Lake City.

"For too long have we, as a society, looked the other way when it comes to our nation's homeless," said Senator Anderson, flanked by co-sponsors Greenfield and Peebleton as well as his chief of staff, Ruth Larson. "That ends today. When passed, the Affordable Housing Act will bring some direly-needed clarity to America's blind eye."

According to Senator Anderson, the Affordable Housing Act would provide for a system of rent-free housing for chronically-homeless Americans, subject to fair addiction and mental health screening. It has been speculated that the absence of such evaluations played a key role in hobbling Housing First. When prompted by reporters, the Senator openly acknowledged the failure of the original program to adequately address concerns of mental healthcare.

"[Housing First] was well-intentioned, but flawed in ways that our state government didn't fully process at the time," he said. "The local governments had to work with what they were given. My colleagues and I have put extensive effort into ensuring that no such oversight will occur at the federal level; if passed, the Affordable Housing Act will encourage the proper treatment of addiction and mental illness in homeless communities, operating through the framework of the Affordable Care Act."

In order to fund such sweeping initiatives, the bill would redirect $66.83 billion in Trump-era military spending, backed up by a 0.7% hike to the capital gains tax, adjusted yearly to suit financial needs.

"Both of my sons are military men," Anderson said when questioned on these substantial cuts. "Mark my words: I would never consider cutting our military spending in a way that endangered our men and women in uniform. But under Donald Trump, we saw an astronomical increase to our already astronomical defense budget, and much of that money was used to fund programs that proved to be frivolous at best and useless at worst. This bill would do nothing more than bring military spending back down to something closer to the levels seen under President Obama, all to benefit a worthy cause."

[Jaguar4life]

February 17th 2023
THE HILL.com
Senator Palmer announces economic plan in first campaign rally

In Reno Nevada Senator Carson Palmer (P) Arizona debuts his economic plan which seems to be populist by nature.

Palmer talks about his tax plan in which he will have a 5$ tax cut for middle and lower class families and a 7% tax cut for smaller business while a tax raise on the top 1% of the Americans and the highest corporations and CEOs.

Palmer also promised to audit the Federal Reserve in which he called a banking cartel.

Palmer also discussed his spending plan. He called out GOP leadership for overdueing the spending on the Military and said that will stop wasteful spending on the military and the NSA and spend it on NASA and education programs and healthcare.

Palmer wants to fight climate change by cutting our reliance on environment killing materials and invest into solar and Green clean energy that would In his words make them a energy powerhouse.

Palmer also reported that he will fully remove the United States out of all trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA and promise that America would rely on itself for our biggest needs and saying that these trade agreements are bad for American jobs and that he will limit our need for goods outside our country.