Mideast Senate debate

[Gabu]

Welcome to the Mideast Senate debate, blah blah blah, we're probably in a university of some kind.  In the blue corner, weighing in at the weight of freedom and liberty or whatever stuff libertarians like nowadays, is our challenger, Emsworth.  In the red corner, weighing in at probably some conservative weight, is the defender of the belt, MasterJedi.

I'm your moderator, but nobody cares about that person, so we'll skip it.

I'll ask a question, then these people will answer it, then another question will be asked, and so on.  Hecklers will be murdered.  Survivors will be murdered again.

On to the first question, a fairly standard opener:

What do you think is the most pressing matter facing Atlasia today, and what will you do about it?

[MasterJedi]

Right now the most pressing matter to Atlasia is still the economy. We need to cut things but it needs to be rational and not cut just to cut and get rid of things. I've supported two initiatives by DanielX that do just that. And if re-elected in March I will continue to do that when we need to pass the budget. If the people of Atlasia can afford to have it cut without any serious negative effects then I'll be for it, otherwise probably not.

[Emsworth]

I would like to thank Gabu for moderating the debate, and MasterJedi for participating.

In my opinion, the most significant issue facing this country is the plight of the Atlasian worker. He might find that he no longer has health insurance. He might discover that his company has cancelled his pension. He might realize that his salary remains stagnant while the cost of living is skyrocketing. It is no exaggeration to say that this is a grim and bleak time for many working Atlasians.

Every year, the government funnels billions of dollars into multinational corporations. In the last budget, the federal government gave IBM over $127 million. General Electric received $91 million, while General Motors obtained $79 million. While corporate executives have their snouts in the federal trough, the Atlasian worker can do nothing but stand by and watch. The government comes not to his aid: he is but a forgotten man.

What, then, should the government do to resolve this grave difficulty? Two distinct approaches suggest themselves. On the one hand, there is the paternalistic and patronizing approach. The government could treat workers like little children who are unable to take care of themselves. It could establish a $15 minimum wage, redistribute money, and control every aspect of the economy. This approach might be appealing to some, but I submit that there is a better course of action: empower the worker to help himself.

I would suggest a three-point plan to solve this grave problem. Firstly, income tax rates must be cut. The people should be allowed to keep more of their hard-earned money. Some might claim that we cannot afford tax cuts at a time when the budget deficit is so high. But I would respond by noting that a great proportion of federal spending is for the benefit of narrow, special interests, not for the benefit of the people as a whole. Does giving IBM more than a hundred million dollars of our money really help the country?

Secondly, some important adjustments need to be made to our tax code. Our tax code is structured in such a way that employees are forced to rely solely on their employers for pensions and health insurance. This ties the fate of the employee to the success of his employer. If the employer succeeds, then the employee is perfectly secure. But when a business fails, it drags down all of its employees with it. This outcome is, in my opinion, primarily a result of the way in which our tax system is structured. Modifications would alleviate the problem.

Thirdly, and finally, it is necessary to maintain the right of collective bargaining, a right guaranteed in our Constitution. No-one believes that poor Joe Smith down next to Wal-Mart owner Rob Walton, and hammers out a fair contract. It is necessary to protect collective bargaining, if we are to protect the rights of the workers. Accordingly, I would advocate the repeal of repressive measures such as the Taft-Hartley Act. This law prohibits "closed shops" and restricts union activity; President Truman accurately described this law as the "slave-labor bill". Sadly, this bill remains on the books today. If it were repealed, then I am sure that the condition of the Atlasian worker would be improved significantly.

I stress empowering the worker, not patronizing him. I feel that the former is a much more fair, much more just, and much more effective means of tackling a growing problem.

[jokerman]

Your position on Workers' Rights and corporate welfare are very commendable, Emsworth.

[Gabu]

Here's an open-ended question:

What is your ultimate vision for Atlasia?

[MasterJedi]

My ultimate vision for Atlasia is one where nobody has trouble finding a job. Everybody would have enough to survive and wouldn't be living on the streets. I would like to see a place where abortion is not necessary and the economy is booming. I would like Atlasia to still be a world power and use that to spread peace and democracy around the world. I would like Atlasia to willingly expand beyond its boarders and to have many new states join the union. I would like for the people to not have to rely on the government to aide but until then they need help and we should help them. Illegal immagration would not be a problem and people would move accross the boarder legally and in greater numbers.

Atlasia would be a grand place to live in and people from all over the world would want to come here and make it their home.

[Emsworth]

My ultimate vision is one of a free, fair, and safe society.

I believe everyone is entitled to live his life as he pleases, as long as he does not harm others in the process. I feel that an excessively large government is incompatible with a free society; thus, I would like to see the extent of government reduced. At the same time, I realize that statism is not the only threat to freedom: plutocracy is equally dangerous. Thus, in my ultimate vision of Atlasia, the political power of big business would be diminished, and the special privileges received by corporations would be reduced, if not eliminated.

Secondly, I feel that society should be fair to all of its members. There would be no class barriers, no permanent aristocracy, no perpetual working class. Social mobility is very important. However, it cannot exist while the government continues to legislate in the interest of businesses rather than the people. Therefore, in my ultimate vision of Atlasia, the government would respond to the needs of all, not the wishes of a few.

Finally, Atlasia would be safe and secure. Today, we face the constant threat of global terrorism. We cannot simply hope that terrorists will stop attacking the United States; we must be active in attempting to crush them. I recognize that they cannot be defeated completely; to hope otherwise would be utopian. At the same time, I believe that we can act to make ourselves more safe from attack.

[Gabu]

New question:

What bill currently either on the Senate floor or pending in the queue would you most want passed?  What bill would you most want defeated?

[Emsworth]

The bill I would most like to see passed is the Elimination of Selective Service and Conscription Bill. I feel that conscription is a violation of the most fundamental of human rights, life and liberty. No-one should be forced to fight, and risk his own life, against his will. Conscription is a form of involuntary servitude, and should be done away with as soon as possible.

The measure I would most like to see fail is the Term Limits Amendment. While term limits may or may not be a good idea in real life, I feel that they would not be a good idea in Atlasia. We already suffer from a lack of Senate candidates in many elections; adopting term limits would make the problem even worse. Moreover, allowing incumbents to seek re-election makes the game much more interesting and much more exciting. Accordingly, while I fully respect the principles that underly this amendment, I would like to see it defeated.

[MasterJedi]

Looking back through the Senate Noticeboard are many bills that I would like to see past but they really don't seem to have any urgency for me at the moment. Though I would like to see my "Abstain Means Abstain on Amendments Amendmnet" get through so it can help the Senate run the way it used to on amendments.

As for bills I would like to see fail there is the Term Limits Amendment for the reasons Emsworth said along with it totally screws up how we elect the President. I would also like to see fail the one he would like to see pass. I know the draft shouldn't be used unless the US is in critical danger of being destroyed and if we take it away we could be in serious trouble in the future. The draft should be used only with immenent danger to the US but it should still be an option to be called upon, not thrown away and then desperatly needed sometime in the future.

[Gabu]

And another:

Who or what has most influenced your political thought, and how has it been influenced?

[Emsworth]

My political thought has been most influenced by the works of John Locke. Locke's theory of natural rights, and of government with the consent of the governed, has shaped my ideology to a large degree.

[MasterJedi]

TR has really influenced me, and is IMO one of the best Presidents we have ever had. His views on the environment, imperialism and social reforms (not the conservative part of me) has greatly influenced me in my decisions in the Senate and in politics in general.

[Gabu]

god damnit I have to make up yet another question

Next question:

What role do you feel Atlasia should play on the international stage?

[MasterJedi]

I believe that Atlasia should try to be a peacemaker and bring peace to other regions if at all possible. We must also make it so that other hostile nations to not acquire weapons of mass destruction. This must be dealt with diplomatically but if that fails we must not be afraid to use our full force if necessary. When a nation senses weakness they will press further but if they sense strength they will usually back off.

Atlasia should also try and help other third world countries. We must help build infastructure and a reliable way to get that country to grow it's own food, provice it's own water and medicine.

In the end we must work with countries and try to solve problems diplomatically, but if necessary we should bring down our full force to stop bad situations from getting worse and negativly effecting the world.

[Emsworth]

In general, I do not believe that Atlasia should intervene in the internal affairs of foreign nations. Of course, as the world's only remaining superpower, we do have an important role to play on the world stage. Atlasia has great clout, and can help resolve foreign conflicts through diplomacy. At the same time, we should be careful about foreign entanglements. Invasions, as the experience in Iraq shows us, costs billions of dollars, and, more importantly, hundreds of lives. Our foreign policy should be careful and calm, not rash and interventionist.

[Gabu]

New question:

What would you bring to the Senate that your opponent would not?

[MasterJedi]

I'd bring an expierienced Senator back to the seat along with someone who has had a leadership position. And I'm planning to run again for PPT and if I win I hope to continue to keep the Senate running smoothly.

[Emsworth]

I have had experience as Vice President and President of the Senate. I am very familiar with the operations of the Senate, but also familiar with the operations of the executive branch. Accordingly, I feel that I could work together with whomever we elect to the Presidency.

[Gabu]

I'm running out of good ideas for questions.  If anyone has something they'd like answered, feel free to suggest it via PM or something.

Anyways...

Who do you feel is the most important responsibility of a senator?

[Emsworth]

The most important responsibility of a Senator is contained in the oath of office: preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution. The foremost responsibility of a Senator, or of any government official, is to defend the Constitution and the values for which it stands (freedom and equality).

[MasterJedi]

As Emsworth said it is to protect the constitution and to make sure that uncontitional bills don't pass but there is another part. You need to try and represent the citizens that have elected you the best you can and try to get things passed that help them (while not hurting the rest of the country) along with being fair and weighing the bills between yours and your contituents ideologies.