Unknown Once More - A Fictional Election Game (Sign-ups, rules, and backstory)

[Kamala]

Unknown Once More
an election game of the 2018 Lamarnan election

May 4th, 2018 – The "Mother of the Revolution" Nellie Hedrock has passed away at her home in Alberton last night. At the age of 106, Hedrock has led a long life devoted in service to our country, from leading the successful protests to oust Admiral Blakelee in the 1974 riots to guiding the nation during the Transition.

Prime Minister Jackie Mulbridge said in a statement, "The nation of Lamarna is forever indebted to Ms Hedrock and her lifetime of service. She was a leader who touched the souls of our people and yet was firm in her humility as she returned to life as a private citizen. An entire generation of Larmanans remember her university lectures and the knowledge she imbued.

All parties in Parliament agreed to delay the election until after the state funeral, which will be held at Alberton's High Church.

United States President Russ Feingold also released a statement, stating, "My heart goes out to the family of Nellie and to the people of Lamarna. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to lose a person so vital to the history of one's country. It is as if George Washington or Thomas Jefferson would have passed away today."


Rules:

1. Turns will last a week in-game, and 72 hours in real life. This means that, technically, each player can schedule 14 events in a turn, whether it is campaign stops, interviews, party functions, endorsements-gatherings, fundraisers, or rest stops.

2. DM me regarding endorsements.

3. You'll have to create a candidate by creating a backstory, choosing a party, and choosing positions.

4. There'll be two, up to three, stages of the game; general election and coalition negotiations, and a primary stage, if needed, for parties with more than one candidate.

5. News and such will be based on a random number generator on a scale of 100, with 0-15 being bad news, with 0 being worst, and 85-100 being good news, with 100 being best.

6. There'll be debates, not sure how many yet, but there will be some.

7. Try to have fun; I'm learning alongside you all.


Parties:

Socialist Party Democratic socialism Social liberalism Interventionism Civic nationalism	Anticapitalist Action Marxist-Leninism Anti-Americanism Feminism	Democratic Labour Party     Socialism Social moderatism Pacifism Mālno nationalism	Ocean and Sky Green politics Deep green environmentalism Ecofeminism
New Alliance Social conservatism Economic centrism Pro-americanism	Progress. Neoliberalism Social liberalism Pro-americanism Secularism	National Party Ultranationalism Anti-collectivism Anti-immigration Social conservatism	Republican Party Internationalism Liberalism Oceanic federalism Bright green environmentalism

You can also form your own party.

Refugees: In 2013, Lamarna took in 300 Filipino refugees in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Recently, increased environmental and political strife, caused by the Dueterte regime, has led to more and more Filipinos to file for asylum in Lamarna. Smugglers, sailing on outdated and dilapidated ships, have transported hundreds of refugees to Lamarna's shores. The current government has neither formally granted asylum nor sent the refugees back, but many voters see this as an important issue that needs to be resolved.

Immigration: In addition to refugees, immigration in Lamarna has increased from many Asian countries, such as Vietnam, China, and Indonesia. These immigrants are from a varied economic swath, ranging from poor workers to educated upper-middle class professionals. The rate of immigration is worrying for some, as they suspect these immigrants take a significant amount of jobs. Questions over whether the immigration system should be reformed have been raised.

Healthcare: Lamarna currently has a public healthcare insurance scheme for elderly and children, as well as minor health insurance provision for the poorest citizens. Private insurance rates have recently increased rather quickly, and waiting times at hospitals and clinics have also reached a new record. Rural clinics have also consistently ranked much lower in care quality than those in metropolitan areas.

Energy: Lamarna's growing cosmopolitan areas have necessitated the importation of significant amounts of petroleum and natural gas. Many are concerned regarding Lamarna's energy independence, with some calling for increased renewables and other for exploiting underwater reserves of natural gas in protected marine ecosystems.

Poverty: Economic inequality has reached a record high in Lamarna as different parts of the country have developed. The capital metro's population has boomed, with Alberton, Sunderland, and the new city of Winter Park having very high incomes and quality of life. The city of Morganville has continued its decline as industry has continued to leave the country to cheaper countries in Southeast Asia. Most of the Southern Islands have also failed to prosper, with incomes having remained stagnant for the past twenty years.

LGBT Rights: Same-sex marriage is banned in Lamarna.


2018 Constituency Map [these are places you can pick to campaign in, as well]

In addition to the 58 constituency seats, there are 129 members elected on a national proportional ballot.

[MAINEiac4434]

Anthony Milton
Leader of the Socialist Party, MP for Alberton University

Name: Anthony Matthew Milton
DOB: November 13, 1986 (age 33)
Party: Socialist
Family: Wife Mikayla, 3 kids
Seat: Alberton University
Occupation: University professor

Anthony Matthew Milton was born in Neukiel to Emerson Milton, a unionized millworker, and Theresa, a nurse. His father died when Anthony was 11 from leukemia caused by conditions in the Neukiel Mill, triggering a lifelong commitment to trade unions and universal healthcare. He became politically active as a teenager, helping found LGBTEENS, the first LGBT youth organization in Lamarna. He joined the Socialist Party at age 18, before departing to the United States for University. Upon returning from his studies, he received an adjunct professor role at Lamarna University for English literature. He was propelled to national attention when he was one of few faculty to join a student strike in 2012 against LU administration for their refusal to fire a vehemently racist, sexist and homophobic economics professor; the strike last four weeks and culminated in the resignation of the professor and much of the administration. He was elected to Parliament in a by-election from Alberton University in 2015, and was subsequently elected leader of the Socialist Party prior to the 2018 elections.

Political positions:
LGBT Rights: A cause that remains very close to his heart, Milton is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage and sweeping anti-discrimination policies. He remains Honorary Chair of LGBTEENS.

Workers Rights: He remains broadly supportive of trade unions and workers rights. He opposes "right-to-work" legislation.

Malno Rights: His wife Mikayla is part Malno, and he is strongly supportive of Malno Rights, including the right to their own schooling. He supports teaching Malno language and heritage in non-Malno schools.

Military Intervention: He opposes most military intervention, but supports closer ties to the United States and NATO.

Abortion rights: He opposes all restrictions to abortion access.

Welfare: He remains supportive of Lamarna's UBI scheme, and wishes to see it tied to the cost of living.

Healthcare: He is one of the foremost advocates for single-payer universal healthcare.

Taxation: He supports tougher penalties on tax dodging and offshoring, the removal of tax loopholes, and the increase of capital gains and inheritance taxes.

Refugees & Immigration: Milton remains broadly supportive of immigrants and believes that Filipino refugees should be given asylum and a path to citizenship. He also believes that the rate of immigration is "acceptable" but he wouldn't be opposed to "slightly" limiting it.

Energy: Milton is a major supporter of renewables. He pledges to invest in solar and wind power, and to "explore" nuclear energy, which he says has been made much safer in light of Fukushima and would create thousands of new, high-paying jobs.

Poverty: "Poverty is the result of disastrous neoliberal trade policies," was Milton's tried and true campaign plank that helped win him the Socialist leadership. He says that creating a single-payer healthcare system will put more money into everyday people's pockets and tying the UBI to cost of living will help pull people out of poverty. He also supports additional benefits for the disabled who cannot work, and casting a skeptical eye towards free trade, though not necessarily becoming fully protectionist.

[Kamala]

Declared candidates:

Socialist
– Anthony Milton (Chris Murphy 2020) - MP Alberton University [Leader]
- Michael Henderson (GoTFan) - MP Arcadia University [Deputy]
- John LaMalna (TimTurner) - MP Alberton Venisse

Anticapitalist Action
-

Democratic Labour
-

Ocean and Sky
- Lei Thompson (Attempting Life) - MP Winter Park

New Alliance
- William Esser (diptheriadan) - MP Morganville South

Progress
-

National
- Andrew Merrill (Yankee) - MP Weald [Current Leader]
- Alfie Morgan (Cactus) - MP Morganville North [Challenger]

Republican
- Violet Gardner (Lumine) - MP Sunderland East

Conservative
– John Smith (wxtransit) - MP Sunderland West

[diptheriadan]

What party would a left-wing populist with a traditionalist bent go with?

[Kamala]

What party would a left-wing populist with a traditionalist bent go with?

Democratic Labour seems like a solid choice. If you don't feel comfortable there, you could always form your own party, though it's a bit more difficult.

[wxtransit]

What about a person who's center to center-right economically, right socially, and left on the environment?

[Kamala]

What about a person who's center to center-right economically, right socially, and left on the environment?

New Alliance, most likely.

[wxtransit]

John Smith

Leader of the New Alliance Party, and MP, Sunderland West

Name: John Edward Smith
DOB: November 9, 1984 (age 35)
Party: New Alliance (leader)
Family: Wife Angela, 2 kids
Seat: Sunderland West
Occupation: Meteorologist

Biography: John Edward Smith was born in Bedford, a smaller town in the west side of Sunderland West. His mother immigrated from South Korea to meet his father, who was born in Lamarnia to a native Lamarnan (John's grandmother) and an indigenous Lamarnan (John's grandfather). While John was born after the Transition, his father lived through the military dictatorship and his grandfather was actively persecuted due to his heritage. Hearing the stories of injustice, John was determined to do something. At age 21, John ran successfully for the office of Mayor of Bedford (by a 1.5% margin) and became one of the youngest mayors in Lamarnan history. He soon created an aggressive tourism campaign for the city of Bedford, which caused national prominence for the coastal city and soon caused a major influx of tourists, which still continues to this day. After his second two-year term as mayor (which he won by a 22% margin), he decided to not seek a third term and instead ran for the Sutherland West constituency in 2009 under the New Alliance party label. Vocal in Parliament and considered a rising star within the party, Smith soon gained national prominence and staged a run for leadership of the NAP in 2015, which he won with 56% of the vote and a 21% margin over his closest challenger.

On the issues:
Social issues: center-right
- pro-traditional marriage
- pro-life
- pro-Malno rights (he is part Malno himself)

Economic issues: center to center-right
- Believes that taxes should be lowered and should not be spent exorbitantly, however, he also believes in investment for major capital projects such as the proposed Lamarnan high-speed-rail line.

Immigration: center to center-right
- Believes that while restrictions should be set in place as there is a terrorist crisis, he also believes that legal immigrants should be fully accepted into society (like his mother).

Environment and energy: left
- A major believer in renewable energy and a supporter of offshore wind farms. Believes that the environment should be protected, not destroyed.

Healthcare: center-right
- Believes that healthcare prices should be lowered and that there needs to be a new system, however, he does not support single-payer healthcare.

Military: right
- Believes that keeping a strong military is key to Lamarna's defense. Supports a "special relationship" of sorts with the United States, and supports NATO.

[diptheriadan]

William Esser
MP for Morganville South

Name: William Reinhardt Esser
DOB: September 7, 1963 (age 54)
Party: New Alliance
Family: Wife Madeline, 1 kid (Amelia)
Seat: Morganville West
Occupation: Business Owner

Biography: William Reinhardt Esser was born to Karl Esser and Lorraine Atkinson, a working class couple in Morganville. During his childhood, he and his family would be persecuted by the Blakelee regime because of his German heritage. After the regime fell, they would begin to bring in enough money to send William to school and later, Lamarna National University. While at University, he would first begin getting involved in politics by joining the student wing of the Labor Party and supporting Nelson Crane's leadership bid. Once his studies ended, he would be hired as a Floor Manager at a factory in Morganville, but would later be laid off after the labor reforms in 1987 due to his closeness with trade unions. When the Civil War broke out in 1988, he would join the rebels and eventually serve under Jack Aldun. After the war ended, he would found a construction company that would rebuild much of Morganville. After seeing that many of the old industries within Morganville weren't returning, he decided to run for Parliament. Because he felt that the Left was abandoning it's working class roots and his friendship with Aldun, he would run for Parliament as a member of the New Alliance. 

Political positions:
Social Issues:
-For the legalization of Same Sex Marriage, but believes the churches or businesses shouldn't be forced to perform services.
-Pro-life and believes that there should be a new referendum. He also believes the the Government should mandate sex-ed in all schools.
-Believes that the Mālno should be allowed to teach their language and history in their schools, but just their schools. He is also against any form of affirmative action for the Mālno.

Economic Issues:
-He is against most trade.
-He believes that taxes on the wealthy should be high, but taxes on corporations should only be about ~20%.
-He believes that the safety net should be bigger and better, but is against handouts (Unrestricted Welfare and the UBI), believing that it doesn't truly address poverty.
-He is for forms of welfare that encourage family structure.

Immigration:
-He is against any and all form of immigration, legal and illegal.
-He is for a "turn back the boats" policy similar to Australia's.

Environment:
-He is for the exploiting of underwater natural gas reserves, but believes that it should be heavily regulated.
-He believes that subsidies should be given to more affordable forms of renewable energy.

Healthcare:
-He is hesitant to support large scale healthcare proposals like single payer, but if it can be afforded, then he can bend.
-He believes that more funds should be allocated to rural hospitals.

Military:
-He is for a large and well-prepared military, but takes a non-interventionist stance on global affairs.

[MAINEiac4434]

Socialist Party's 2018 election logo

[wxtransit]

Socialist Party's 2018 election logo

What language is that?

[MAINEiac4434]

Socialist Party's 2018 election logo

What language is that?

The language of the Malno people who exist in the game universe as large minority.

[wxtransit]

Socialist Party's 2018 election logo

What language is that?

The language of the Malno people who exist in the game universe as large minority.

My question is, what IRL language is this?

[DFL]

What districts do you think are best suited for support for the Progress party?

[Kamala]

[snip]
My question is, what IRL language is this?

It's based loosely on Samoan, Hawaiian, and a bit of English. Mostly nonsense.

[Kamala]

What districts do you think are best suited for support for the Progress party?

Most urban and suburban districts, aside from Morganville, are probably a good fit. Blacksburg or maybe Winter Park? It's also possible to be a List MP instead of one from a constituency.

[MAINEiac4434]

DOB: November 13, 1984 (age 35)

Our candidates have the same birthday! But yours is two years older than mine.

[wxtransit]

DOB: November 13, 1984 (age 35)

Our candidates have the same birthday! But yours is two years older than mine.

Yes...for some reason.

I'll change it

[Kamala]

What districts are best suited for support for the National Party?

Rural districts in the Northern Islands. Weald, perhaps?

[Cactus Jack]

Alfie Morgan
MP for Morganville North

"A Morgan in Morganville. The height of originality."
  - Pundit and political humorist David Leati, after Morgan's election in 2009.

Name: Alastair Henry Evander "Alfie" Morgan
DOB: August 10, 1969 (age 49)
Party: National
Family: Wife Sefina, two kids
Seat: Morganville North
Occupation: Businessman

  Born the eldest child of shipping-and-shipbuilding executive and former MP Archibald Irving Morgan (1943-) and educator Charlotte Eleanor (nee McKinnon, 1946-), Alfie Morgan is only the latest rising star in a long, storied genealogy of businessman and politicians tracing back to Alfie's great-grandfather, eccentric millionaire industrialist and Scottish transplant (as well as namesake of both Morganville and Alfie himself) Alastair Cormag Morgan (1886-1977). With a childhood and adolescence shaped in equal parts by his deeply traditionalist Anglo-Scottish upbringing and his bearing witness to the advent of modern Lamarna almost at firsthand, his political conscience developed earlier than most and evolved, ever slowly but ever appreciably, into an idiosyncratic political philosophy combining the stiff patriotism and conservative sensibilities of his family with the visionary optimism endemic to the very core of the free Lamarnan spirit.
  Though his name remained ever-present in the background of his father's business and political careers, Alfie Morgan only truly began forging a national profile for himself after taking over his father's shipping business in 2006, following the elder Morgan unexpectedly being diagnosed with a benign, but debilitating spinal tumor. Three short years thereafter, having spent his stint as chief executive of Pacific Horizon Industries modernizing both the company's fleet and its business practices, Morgan sought and won his first term in Parliament, representing his family's ancestral home in Morganville North and once again succeeding his father.
  In the years since, he has spent both his breathtaking wealth and his not-inconsiderable political clout advocating for his unconventional species of Lamarnan ultranationalism, winning public trust through his personal philanthropy (most noteworthy being his substantial donations to urban development in the shipping districts of Morganville), incisive wit, and ceaseless belief in Lamarnan greatness and potential for Pacific dominance.

Political Positions

Refugees: Right-wing. Morgan is a very firm believer in, and advocate for, stiff non-intervention on the international scale, and this belief is what informs his stance on the ongoing situation in the Philippines. He has advocated for a complete shutdown of the refugee program, emphasizing what he sees as insufficient vetting on the part of the government, and has been quoted as suggesting that, "the Filipinos ought to be trusted to fight Filipino fights."

Immigration: Right-wing. Though he doesn't take the especially extreme anti-immigration tack that some on the National fringe have adopted, Morgan is an advocate for immigration quotas and thorough vetting of immigrants from especially dangerous areas of the world, considering it a matter of both public safety and preservation of Lamarnan jobs.

Healthcare: Center-left. Though he emphasizes the need to allow private insurance for those who would prefer it, Morgan is an advocate for a single-payer healthcare system broadly similar to those in Europe and has suggested a need for an expansive program aimed at modernizing Lamarna's rural hospitals and clinics. "We are on the precipice of becoming a dominant force in industry and energy production," he has said. "We have the potential for naval dominance as well. If we can excel in those areas, we must also recognize the need to excel in healthcare."

Energy: Left-wing. Accounting both for the explosion of Lamarna's urban centers and the nation's boundless potential for an energy economy independent of foreign petroleum exports, Morgan has gone on record as advocating for, in his own words, "another groundbreaking revolution in Lamarna - this one green." He is among the National Party's highest-profile supporters of offshore wind and solar farms - Lamarnan-made and Lamarnan-owned, of course - as a means to exploit the energy resources most ubiquitously abundant in the region. "It cannot be accomplished overnight," he has said, "but it can be accomplished."

Poverty: Center-right with a populist flavor. Blending traditional business philosophy with the economic populism endemic to the mid-to-late 2010s, Morgan has advocated for an economic plan that combines a complete withdrawal from what he has called "industry-crippling, job-destroying globalist trade agreements" with government programs incentivizing upstart Lamarnan businesses and a stiff tax levied against companies that practice outsourcing. In the meantime, he is a soft supporter of the universal basic income, but has emphasized the "dire urgency of making it so that our people no longer need it."

LGBT Rights: Center-right. Catholic by birth and upbringing, Morgan supports the current ban on same-sex marriage.

Mālno Issues: Left-wing. Somewhat unconventionally, at least for a National Party politician of exclusively Anglo-Scottish descent, MP Morgan has made a point of discussing what he has called "the indelible importance of the Mālno to Lamarnan culture and history." Having married a Mālno woman himself, Morgan supports the teaching of Mālno history and language in non-Mālno schools, as well as programs to aid struggling Mālno villages on more rural islands. "The Mālno are Lamarnan just as you and I," he has said. "Proud and true. They are our equals and our partners in creating a better, stronger Lamarna, and we must not allow them to be left behind."

Military: Right-wing isolationist. Again running to the core of his nationalist philosophy, Morgan is a vocal advocate for the development of the Lamarnan Armed Forces, in particularly the Navy, for the sole purpose of building Lamarnan strength and military independence. He is a staunch opponent of military intervention done on behalf of foreign powers and has stood opposed to all attempts to bring Lamarna into international defense treaties.

[GoTfan]

Michael Henderson

Deputy National Secretary of the Socialist Party, MP for Arcadia University

Henderson celebrating his by-election victory in July 2017

Name: Michael Thomas Henderson
DOB: June 1st, 1993 (24 years of age)
Party: Socialist
Family: Girlfriend Leliana, brother Cameron, sister Robyn
Occupation: Civil rights lawyer

Michael Thomas Henderson was born the youngest of three children to a middle class family in Morganville. His mother Julia worked as a schoolteacher, while his father worked as a baker. While his brother and oldest sibling Cameron seemed aimless in life, his sister Robyn introduced him to the world of politics. He joined Socialist Youth at 15. This would not last long, as he was a prodigiously intelligent student, and graduated high school at 17. He began studying law at the University of Lamarna's Arcadia campus the very next year. He also continued to remain involved with the Socialist Party, being elected President of Socialist Youth at age 21 in 2014.

Upon his graduation at age 22 in 2015, he resigned as SY President to pursue his legal career. The high level of energy and charisma he displayed in his career caught the eye of the recently elected MP Anthony Milton. In late 2016, it was announced that the Arcadia University MP was resigning due to a scandal. Henderson, 23 now, was contacted by Socialist Party officials to run for the seat in the upcoming by-election. Reluctantly, he entered the race in January 2017 and won preselection fpr the seat. He won the election by a narrow 2% margin and in mid January 2018, was appointed as the Party's Deputy National Secretary.

A charismatic young MP,  Henderson relies on what has been described as his 'boyish charm' and affinity with young voters to see him over the line. He is known for not always toeing the party line, and has called out other MPs from his own party when he sees them as being hypocritical. This has led to his old university's newspaper calling him "The political alumni keeping his party honest."

Political positions

LGBT Rights: Left wing. With a homosexual sister, the rights of the LGBT population is an issue that Henderson takes very seriously. He strongly believes in full rights for LGBT people, including full marriage rights, as long as religious freedoms are protected and churches are not forced to carry out LGBT weddings against their will.

Refugees: Center-left. While he is welcoming to refugees, he does acknowledge concerns. He believes that amnesty should be granted immediately and without delay to all refugees in the country, while also streamlining the current system. However, he believes that intake agreements are the first and last word; in his mind, the country should not accept more or less refugees than agreed to.

Immigrants: Center-left. Similar to his views on refugees. While a supporter of immigration rights and an automatic path to citizenship, he at the same time believes that immigrants should only take the jobs that have trouble finding workers for, while being paid the minimum wage, along with education outreach programs to them.

Healthcare: Left wing. He supports a universal healthcare system, financed by the federal government, with the caveat that people should be able to purchase private insurance if able to, while making sure that public and private we kept separate. He supports an extensive overhaul to healthcare in rural areas, supporting a scheme that offers incentives to trained staff to go to rural areas to aid in the improvement of rural healthcare, as well as the establishment of a Flying Doctor Service, based on Australia's.

Energy: Left wing. He supports ending subsidies to those companies that exploit fossil fuels whole providing incentives for companies and individuals who ake the switch to renewable energy. He supports a federally funded scheme to establish a serial of wind farms, biofuel plantations and hydroelectric dams.

Poverty: Left wing. He supports increasing the Social Security net, while making it conditional on people seeking jobs and a 'work for the dole' program. He also supports training the unemployed to run government funded renewable energy plants, as well as working in immigrant and refugee outreach programs.

Military: Left wing. Opposes most military interventions, judging that the country should only intervene when directly threatened by a foreign power. He also favours cutting the military budget in order to pay for renewed social programs.

Malno issues: Left wing. He supports the mandatory teaching of Malno history and the Malno language in all public schools. With a Malno girlfriend, he also supports affirmative action for the Malno people, and that there is some degree of institutional racism, having stated "Leliana wouldn't be a lawyer at the moment without it (affirmative action)  . . . She does a damn good job and would've been leapfrogged by others less talented because of her skin colour."

[Kamala]

Here's a question; since we have two people each for three parties so far, are you going to collaborate or challenge the other person for the leadership of the party?

Socialists - GoTFan and Chris Murphy 2020

Nationals - Cactus and Yankee

New Alliancites - Diptheriadan and wxtransit

[diptheriadan]

I'm challenging for the leadership.

[wxtransit]

I will be running for re-election to the leadership.

[wxtransit]

Also, what were the last election results?