Re: Office of PSOL—Beginning of the Institute of Atlasian Progression

[West_Midlander]

Even though I would prefer that thr33 should not take office, the handling of this election with bumping up lwp by the Labor party apparatus goes too far. It is clear that from a gameplay and moral standpoint, Atlasia needs to go with having unseen ballots and closed party lists. That would work to prevent such shenanigans in the future, while also making things more competitive as people aren’t pressured to vote by what the party or their friends desire.

I urge anyone to join me in this position so that we may improve the game.

To be fair, in the past secret ballots led to an (attempted) stolen election and party votes/lists prevents ranking one party's candidate 1st or 2nd and ranking the rest of your ballot for your registered (or lean-toward) party, which is how some swing voters vote.

Party lists also consolidate power in the hands of the party establishments while hampering down on (non-GSB, PAX, ACP, or Mario) minor party, Independent, and write-in bids.

[West_Midlander]

First:

I am not consenting to either charge, however on "opportunism" and "irrationality":

Aren't the two mutually exclusive? If you are implying opportunism as a modus-operandi, then that at least throws irrationality out the window. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Second:

The opportunism charge is bunk because the Southern Governor's race was only won by one vote and the race before that one was "won...by double-digits as a left winger" as Leinad put it.

Third (Betrayal):

When the voters of this region elected me, they knew I was pro-life and that I was staunchly pro-gun. I had removed the Paygo repeal from the legislation introduction thread and emphasized my support for soft influence of private enterprise as opposed to hard controls/legislation (in the gubernatorial debate). My support for the encouragement of private enterprise to action, as opposed to punitive measures, was demonstrated in the previous session in the form of my Southern Environmental Act. My positions have not changed. As ASV said, I was a moderate Laborite Governor and am now a moderate Federalist Governor.

Both parties are big tents so I would be content to be in either, ideologically. The main reason why I left was the culture of absolute adherence to the party line, in endorsements, appointments, etc.

That can be demonstrated as a contrast to the Federalists in that when I left the Federalists in 2017 to become an Independent, I was a Delegate having been elected in that summer at the bottom of the Federalist slate. My leaving the party, then, was due to a problem I do not have now: my ideological gap with the party. In 2017, I had a political matrix score of more than -7 on one scale and more than -6 on the other (similar to Adam's current score). I have slowly come to the center over the past two years.

For my former partisans, unfortunately, party id makes up so much (possibly the majority) when compared to my personhood and my policy positions. I am not talking about the voters of Labor as the concern expressed has insofar only been that of officeholders and not of voters.

When I left the Federalists for Independent status previously, there was not a backlash, that I can remember. The unfortunate culture problem in Labor that I alluded to is prevalent in my former partisans calling for my resignation due to my decision to change my party registration, as opposed to how my leaving was handled in the Federalists in 2017.

I really did not want to get into my reasons for leaving Labor, out of respect for my former partisans, but I felt it necessary to say these things because the same attacks keep coming up.

Additionally, my leaving Labor was not planned: I did not decide to leave the party until the day I did. Governing as a moderate does not necessitate that one is about to leave a party and if the party was more welcoming to mavericks/moderates I would very probably be there, still.

[West_Midlander]

I resent these accusations, PSOL.

As I said before, I didn't decide to leave Labor until the day I did.

As I also said before, once I decided to leave the party I did so that day so I would not/could not be accused of scheming to help the Feds if I left after the election (if I had been a part of Laborcord during the election weekend and then left).

[West_Midlander]

I assume it's a satirical remark but I don't appreciate the word, "liar," being thrown around.

I was a moderate Laborite and I am a member of the moderate wing of the Federalists.

[West_Midlander]

I assume it's a satirical remark but I don't appreciate the word, "liar," being thrown around.

I was a moderate Laborite and I am a member of the moderate wing of the Federalists.

You literally bragged about how Griffin wasn't leftwing enough on economic issues lol.

"Bragged" is a wild mischaracterization. I asked why he didn't include LGBT rights in his platform and he explained why.

I endorsed him. What would I have been bragging about? To who? Saying he "wasn't leftwing enough" (your words) for what aim? What a ludicrous sling.