Good evening southerners.
I speak tonight to humbly ask for your vote in the Southern Senate election next month.
Since I joined Atlasia last fall, 47 bills, 2 chamber rule changes, and 1 resolution I have drafted have become law in the Southern Region. I love being able to help my fellow southerners by passing laws which benefit them. Given the great strides our region has made recently on a regional level, I feel as though it would be in the best interest of our people to send me to Congress to represent our interests there. As of now, only 2 federal bills and 1 treaty I have drafted have become law (another bill is close to passing though). If elected, I hope to balance out that ratio by introducing a bunch of bills into Congress; bills which will protect our freedoms, our workers, and our budget, while targeting stupid regulations that burden southerners.
Protecting the Bill of Rights
I plan on introducing bills to protect our liberties largely modeled after similar bills I wrote in the Southern Chamber. Particularly: Free Speech, Free Exercise, policing practices, asset forfeiture, eminent domain, and prison practices. Additionally I plan on introducing a bill I have been working with Sen. Pericles on reforming the no-fly list to ensure that due process is protected, as well as a bill I have discussed with Rep. Masta to protect Atlascare customer data.
Helping workers
I plan on introducing a bill imposing environmental tariffs along the same lines as those proposed by Sen. Boren’s International Pollution Deterrence Act (102-S.984). This will selectively target the manufacturing imports of countries who do not adhere to minimum pollution standards with countervailing duties to ensure that southern workers do not have to fear that the costs of complying with environmental regulations will undercut their jobs. I also plan on introducing a bill to reform funding practices for the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (Basically the FDIC for pensions) to ensure that worker pensions are solvent and protected, as well as a bill strengthening “buy-Atlasian” contracting preferences for federal procurement, a bill proposing we use the U6 measure of unemployment to better account for the long-term unemployed and underemployed, and a bill lowering the cap on H1B visas and requiring accountability in the EB5 visa program.
Responsible deficit reduction
It is important to begin working on the deficit while the economy is strong. That can be done responsibly.
For revenue, if there is enough political capital I would be happy with a Bowles-Simpson/Dave Camp style tax reform package, but in the meantime, I plan on introducing a bill eliminating certain tax deductions which favor special interests (which I will list upon request), mildly increasing certain excise taxes (also will list upon request), and repealing IRS Memo 2011-20019 which exempts tar sands oil imports from the oil spill liability tax. I also plan on introducing a bill pegging user fees to inflation, increasing select user fees (will list upon request), and boosting revenue from resource production on federal land, wireless spectrum auctions, and the sale of federal power plants (will list upon request).
For spending cuts, there are plenty of special interest legacy items which are not important to the safety net that can be cut. I plan on introducing a bill largely modeled on a Southern Chamber bill that eliminates archaic farm subsidy programs that only serve to enrich big ag and squeeze out small farmers. I also plan on targeting other unnecessary programs at the Sub-Department of Agriculture (you get it, available upon request), ending maritime differential subsidies, scaling back distortionary federal loan programs, phasing out federal flood insurance, consolidating a bunch of redundant programs (A.U.R.), and eliminating a few redundant agencies and bureaucratic sub-units (A.U.R.).
These changes alone probably won’t completely eliminate the deficit, but they will definitely make a dent. I don’t plan on pushing the issue, but I also have a plan that CRFB rates as making social security indefinitely solvent, while still creating a minimum benefit and reducing the payroll tax rate if anyone else actually wants to get within 10 feet of the issue. (A.U.R.)
Targeting stupid regulations for elimination
I know at the sometimes glacial pace of federal lawmaking, it could take forever to repeal all of the stupid laws and regulations on the book. I am happy to see that several are about to be repealed as the Cheaper Medicine Helps the Poors Act creeps to passage. This term, my plan is to introduce bills allowing meals on wheels to accept SNAP payments (food stamps), allowing terminal patients to try medicine which has passed FDA phase I trials, eliminating the unnecessary cap on federally funded residency positions for medical schools, repealing ethanol blending requirements, eliminating mandatory propane distributor participation in marketing boards, and letting the Regions decide upon their own medical cocaine policy.
I am open to hearing about other stupid regulations we should repeal, so feel free to forward any to me.
The gun issue
Everyone knows I will vehemently oppose any measure I see as infringing upon the right of southerners to keep and bear arms. My view of what constitutes an infringement is very broad. That being said, I intend to introduce a bill this session specifically categorizing bump stocks and hellfire triggers as machine gun components, thus requiring they be subject to the same heightened regulation that machine guns are. I also plan on introducing a bill I have discussed with Sen. Pericles that will extend the time the FBI is allowed to review the 9% of background checks which require more than an instantaneous determination from 3 days to 7 days and rewards and punishes agencies based on their diligence in reporting to the NICS. That’s pretty much as far as I am willing to go without fighting.
My record on the issues is thorough, open, and consistent; if you vote for me, you never have to worry that I might switch ideologies or that I will get bored and stop writing and pushing for good bills. You can count on hard-work and good laws which grow the economy, help our neighbors without picking our pocket, and ensure the blessings of liberty to all Atlasians. I am happy to have earned your past support and I hope to earn your vote in April.
