Federalist Party NPC Elections HQ

[Joseph Cao]

Welcome to our headquarters for the Federalist Party to coordinate our campaign efforts in the NPC elections simulated by the GM.

JulyFebruary will have elections in these following states.
South: Virginia, Maryland, Alabama
Fremont: Colorado, Washington, Arizona
Lincoln: Rhode Island, Illinois, New Hampshire and the mayor of New York City

Here is a link to the rules and results thread.
https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=381650.0

Any party member interested in running a campaign for a specific state can claim it by posting in this thread.

[Joseph Cao]

[The following ad will be aired online and in television markets across Illinois, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and New York City until the election. Its audio version will be concurrently aired in the corresponding radio markets.]

V/O: All through the streets of Nyman, people are losing their minds.

V/O: But only one party still fights for Main Street.

[The following candidates are each pictured walking down a different road, as the Battle Cry of Freedom instrumental begins playing gently in the background.]

N.Y.C. MAYOR: I've fought for fairer living standards for New Yorkers under my administration.

ILL. STATE REP. CANDIDATE: I've stood up for struggling citizens of the South Side in my fight for a better education system.

N.H. STATE SEN.: I've written and passed bills that lower the tax burden on lower- and middle-class New Hampshirites.

R.I. STATE SEN. CANDIDATE: I've spearheaded successful efforts to keep our Rhode Island citizens engaged in the civic process.

[The roads converge on an intersection, as do the candidates.]

ALL: Our states are facing a crossroads and we need leaders who will put Main Street first. We're running to do just that.

Vote Federalist this February for leadership you can trust.

This ad paid for by the Federalist Party of Lincoln.

[Joseph Cao]

[Representative Cao officially launched the Illinois Federalist campaign with the opening speech at a rally in Chicago's West Side, where he was joined by the mayor, several state party luminaries, and a number of candidates for state legislative office. The rally was held with limited seating, strictly enforced masking and social distancing, and streamed online. A transcript of the speech is provided below.]

Chicago! It is a great honor to be back here, and I couldn’t think of a better place to begin the Federalist campaign than the city that placed its trust in us not so long ago and shocked the nation in the process. You defied the naysayers, the pollsters, and a twenty-three-point deficit to put a new pair of hands in the mayor’s chair – a mayor who you’ll hear from shortly about all the hard work that Chicago has seen over the past couple of months. And I think what you’ll hear is just the beginning of the Federalist vision for Illinois and for many other states we have to offer this month.

To be clear, however, I’m not going to jump straight into that. I was taught in the Scouts that you can’t plan your way ahead without first taking stock of your surroundings. So if you’ll bear with me for a few minutes, or however long this speech takes, let me try to get our bearings.

I said earlier that there couldn’t be a better place than Chicago for launching this campaign. It seems that there also couldn’t be a better time to launch it, when we appear to have picked up exactly where we left off in the middle of an unprecedentedly nasty political mudfight. We’re no strangers to dirty strong-arm politics, and if there is an alternative vision that can be offered at this time, when Atlasians seem even more repulsed by our multipartisan political immaturity than ever, I think there couldn’t be a better voice and stage for it than the one we have today. More than that, I don’t think the antidote is any different from the one I proposed back then: to refrain from fighting fire with fire or add our own oil to the flames of mob mentality, and to make a conscious effort at focusing on the real world rather than the excessively hyperbolic world of partisan politics. So what you'll see and hear from us Federalists on the ground will not feed the partisan’s inflated sense of self-importance. We will be focusing on the problems faced by our fellow citizens in their daily lives, and if our fellow candidates of other parties are so inclined they are welcome to join us – as far as the people are concerned, the more parties concerned with the issues, the better.

Naturally, there will be people who subscribe to a theory of politics in which attacks on their opponents are the way to go, with everything else in politics a means to that end. Given their proliferation on the campaign trails in recent months I hardly expect this state of affairs to change. And if they meet us on the campaign trail with an invitation to get down in the gutter with them, so be it. But I hope with all due respect that they don’t expect this to be a reasonable substitute for discussion and debate, and I trust that we’ve seen enough of the toll it can take on our fellow citizens to at least consider leaving the mud on the ground where it belongs. As a fellow former Speaker of the House once said: it is grievously hurtful to our society when vilification becomes an accepted form of political debate; when negative campaigning becomes a full-time occupation; when members of each party become self-appointed vigilantes carrying out personal vendettas against members of the other party – when parties become mere vehicles for destroying the Other Party at all costs.

That’s not what these institutions are supposed to be all about. That’s not what Atlasia is supposed to be all about. And it certainly is not what the Federalist Party is all about. As you will now hear from the community worker who proved the moral and electoral worth of our alternative vision, one focused on the community and the constructive things that can be done on local levels, even ones as big and politically unwieldy as the Windy City: it is my very great pleasure to introduce the Mayor of Chicago!

[Joseph Cao]

[At the invitation of the Mayor of New York City, the Representative gave the closing speech at an evening event in the Lower East Side to kick off the Mayor's reelection campaign. The speech, of which a transcript is provided below, was held in a large room with social distancing regulations and masks for all attendees and was streamed online on the New York Federalists' website and social media.]

Thank you for that speech! Thank you, Manhattan! It’s great to be here with you all. And I want to thank the mayor for inviting me back here, the city for hosting us, and all of you for coming in masks and continuing to stay six feet apart.

I remember last cycle when we were here – aside from the most excellent Poirot, hardly anyone was on the trail and willing to defend their vision of how New York and New Yorkers could forge ahead in the midst of these troubled waters. But we were, and you listened. We reached out to all of you, even the staunchest partisans, with a promise to govern responsibly instead of demonizing everyone who didn’t fully agree with us. So as we gather here today with a promise to do the same, I want to briefly sketch out what I see as the driving factor that has underpinned this mayoralty’s vision and the actions that have been taken by your mayor over the past seven months.

As you’ve seen in the polling numbers, our promise hasn't always seemed like the most enticing option. Governing responsibly is boring! It isn’t flashy or made for prime time, and it isn’t the sort of thing that attracts attention and popularity points. But what we’ve tried to do is study the facts carefully, debate our options and costs and benefits, and carefully roll out reforms that are continuously evaluated before codifying them into proper policy. We do our best to involve everyone who would be affected, both regular folks and experts. We ask of you an engagement in the civic process; not just your input on the policies that will affect you, but of the active involvement of community leaders and ordinary folks in crafting the policies themselves. Sometimes there are new ideas that work; sometimes there aren’t. There are plenty of battle-tested ideas that we’ve adapted for the changing society in which we live – the old and tried, after all, is often superior to the new and untried.

If “measure twice, cut once” is an unlovely way to go about politics, it’s because we understand – like the New Yorkers of times past who powered the garment industry here – that it is nevertheless a form of governance that yields results for the people. If we insisted on this approach over the past months, it’s because it was and is imperative that the policy garments we make for New Yorkers be tailored to the needs of this city. As leaders, we serve the people first and foremost; it would be a dereliction of duty if we didn’t keep you all in the loop and make sure that the authority your mayor wields in office isn’t creating detrimental effects for the communities he serves.

And as we begin this campaign in the midst of all that’s plaguing our society – the pandemic, the economic prospects, the very real damage done to families and communities as they face this snowstorm of problems and their snowballing effects – we hope that you’ll be informed. We hope that the citizens of New York will carefully weigh the candidates for City Hall, their policies, and their merits independently of the spin and partisan fighting that has consumed so much of this nation’s attention. At the end of the day, regardless of what decision they make at the ballot box, we hope that New Yorkers will see the worth of policies that have been measured twice and cut once, that keep the cold and the frost out, and that fit this city like a glove. Or even a serviceable pair of mittens. Thank you once again, New York, for your time, and remember to get out to vote this February!

[Joseph Cao]

[The following was posted to the Mayor of New York City's website and social media on Saturday morning, alongside a republication of an earlier announcement from February 2nd.]

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"On behalf of this administration, of my family and I, and of the Federalist Party of New York, I’d like to wish a very happy Lunar New Year to all those celebrating. As our city continues to fight the pandemic, we hope you’ll find prosperity – in whatever form, financial, social, or familial – even in the unlikeliest of places.

"This is the first Lunar New Year celebration held under the shadow of COVID. It’s been a hard year for Asian-owned businesses because of the pandemic and the unjustified xenophobia that they’ve been targeted with. So why not turn that around? Earlier this month, I was pleased to announce that the Mayor’s Office was partnering with our city’s Asian-owned business associations to put together a list of small businesses to support, which you can find on the Mayor's website. And you can still support them! More participating businesses have been added to the list and I’d urge us all to show them the support that only New Yorkers can give.

"My family and I have our own long history with Asian food, of which we’ve made no secret. I’m glad to have received input from some of my fellow Federalists in addition to submitting my own – special thanks to our fine state senator from Flushing and our state assemblyman from Staten Island for the suggestions they made.

"Stay safe, New York. Thank you for your time."

###

[NOTE FROM CAO: I did have a hand in creating the list – chiefly the recommendation of a certain locally owned Vietnamese restaurant in Brooklyn which I had the privilege of visiting in pre-COVID times. For obvious reasons, though, the mayor mentioned only the fellow New Yorkers who helped with the list. ]

[Joseph Cao]

[Following a masked and socially distanced roundtable meeting with community leaders from neighborhoods across northern Brooklyn regarding the COVID situation, Representative Cao joined the mayor in visiting hospital workers and doctors (still masked) at the Woodhull Medical Center. Later, on the trail nearby, Cao gave a brief* speech addressing the work that he and the mayor alongside other prominent Federalist officeholders had been doing on the COVID front, of which a transcript may be found below.]

Thank you. Honored to be here in Bedford-Stuyvesant with you all today. And I do have to remark that it’s very thoughtful of everyone to have come here still masked up and social distancing – thoughtful not just toward those gathered here, but with regard to the message that New York City is sending and the example it’s setting for the region and the nation. A little Thought for Others, as they say, can make all the difference in our continued struggle against the coronavirus.

The mayor and I recently had the privilege of meeting with the community leaders for Bed-Stuy and also those of Bushwick and Williamsburg, some of whom are here with us today, and we want to be clear – as we were during that roundtable – that this administration has been working for you from day one. Just like the public workers over at Woodhull and in other hospitals across this city, we’re serious about serving everyone and making sure we get through the pandemic together. They have their job – to keep us citizens healthy; and we have ours, which is likewise to keep this city safe and run it well. Our work with NYC Health+Hospitals over the healthcare plan that covers many of you here is part of that. Their impeccable history in keeping accurate medical records has been invaluable to the coordination of our city’s and state’s COVID task forces.

I’d like to put in a word here for the coordination and cooperation that has quietly driven our COVID response here in the city, and the ways in which it’s kept us on the road with our eyes on the target in vaccinations, the target in lowering infections and flattening the curve, and what have you. As the vaccination rollout begins across the nation, the mayor’s been fighting for New York in public and in private. Obviously at the regional level we’ve got a bit of a bottleneck with regard to getting vaccines from the federal government out to the communities of New York City. To be clear, that should not have happened. As a representative serving you all in the federal government, and as a representative who actually sponsored and advocated heavily for the bill kickstarting our nationwide vaccination campaign, I’ve recognized from the start that this has to happen as fast as possible. We’re public servants elected by people like you who count on us to get things done where you can’t, so it would naturally be a dereliction of duty if an officeholder, regardless of their party, doesn’t feel the sense of urgency that we Federalists know all too well from reading our constituents’ messages and taking their calls.

The mayor has publicly called out higher leadership where higher leadership has dragged its feet, as many of you will know. And a lesser public servant would have kept it at that, believing that their duty ends at making noise in the public square. But he’s worked quietly behind the scenes in addition to his advocation for New York City in public, trying to hash out an agreement with regional leadership to get our citizens vaccinated as soon as humanly possible. He’s worked with the Governor and with Albany to coordinate our COVID response in the meantime, including our work on the vaccination infrastructure that we’ve got to have ready to go as soon as the good folks up at the Daniel Moynihan building give the word. New York’s governors and New York City’s mayors have historically not had good working relationships, but I’m proud to say, as a fellow party member, that both of them are better public servants than to let their disagreements get in the way of serving the people of New York. So in the meantime, as with our previous work on COVID guidelines, we’re confident that the screening and scheduling systems they’ve set in place will serve all New Yorkers well regardless of their circumstances. I’m told the Governor’s team has insisted on stress-testing them to ensure they can handle everyone and not break under the pressure when it does come. And the mayor has been an excellent intermediary between Albany and the Health+Hospitals people who have offered their truly impressive expertise in communicating crucial public health information by ensuring that the online infrastructure is multilingual, accessible and navigable to all.

This is not the time for patchwork systems or for petty partisan bickering – the lives of many of New York’s citizens are at stake. I hope the mayor’s mountain-moving in the midst of a pandemic that has blown a hole in all our lives makes clear the scale of his dedication to the people, his status as an exemplary public servant, and the reasons behind his fight for a second term. We Federalists have always put the people and the communities first; we’ll continue to fight for you. And when you get out to vote this weekend for federal House, for the presidency and Senate, and next weekend for the mayor’s race, we urge you all to vote on behalf of your communities and for the candidates who will do likewise.

[Joseph Cao]

[On Wednesday morning, shortly before heading to a public townhall in the area to meet and greet constituents as part of his reelection campaign, Representative Cao gave a short address in the Queens neighborhood of Jamaica where he was joined by the mayor and his own reelection campaign. The address was held outdoors, streamed online, and had enforced masking and social distancing policies in effect.]

Hello there, Jamaica! Thank you for coming today and staying masked up and continuing to socially distance. And I’m honored to see you all here, a day out from what promises to be one of the highest-turnout elections in recent history. It’s one of the few chances you have to exercise your right to representation that gets things done for your families and your communities, so regardless of what party you support, please get out and vote!

On that note, I recently got a letter from a constituent – an upstater, living in Hudson to be precise, who lamented the state of our political scene and asked what the point of continuing to be active in such a political landscape could be. Many of us here today, myself included, are not impressed with the extent to which politics has been debased to personal attacks and pure partisanship. And I want to be clear. The people here today, the people all over New York and the country, have the ability beyond simply their votes to steer the course within which politicians operate. There is an Article II right which empowers us all to talk to our public servants, as the voter from Hudson did with me, to argue with them and give their points of view. Atlasians can exercise that right, and they can choose public servants who reject the mud and the partisan slapfest.

From my first forays into politics I’ve believed in a fundamentally decent nation of people who don’t want the political malpractice that we see today, who operate within norms that their families, friends, and communities like Jamaica sustain through simply being decent people to their fellow human beings. I pledged as well, during my election to the House, to fight for such Atlasians and uphold their values in my votes and my rhetoric. If Atlasia is to find decency again in the national square, it needs leaders who will treat the good of the nation as paramount, superseding all other partisan concerns, and focus on the people – really focus on them, in word and deed. My answer to the constituent from Hudson, then, is that my vision has not changed: to continue leading the effort to find common ground legislatively on the issues that affect us all. Public servants on the national scene like Frémont Speaker Siren, Southern Speaker Tmth, and Senator Spark have done likewise; I have had the pleasure of supporting all of them at one point or another and continue to support their efforts to put people over party.

People (and constituents) have talked to me about the naivety of holding this view, of being consistently willing to cross partisan lines to work with others on finding common ground. The Federalist Party of New York has also faced questions about their willingness to break the partisan mold here with the mayor’s actions. Maybe they are right, and I bear no illusions that every politician is willing to put partisan concerns aside on these matters. But a two-way street is necessary for effective legislating and governing on behalf of the people. I and other Federalists on the state and local level here have assumed the best of intentions on all sides when working across party lines; we have to, if we are to properly do the job of representing our fellow citizens. It is somewhat disappointing, then, when those on the other side of the aisle aren’t willing to extend the same courtesy. The people of Jamaica have seen this firsthand in the mayor’s tenure, in the concrete actions he has taken to improve the economic conditions of New Yorkers and his willingness to be conciliatory in the face of opposition and attacks. New York has a choice to make next weekend, as they do this weekend, and it is my hope when you do so that you take the mayor’s results and quiet focus on governing into account. Get out to vote, and vote your assessment of what you’ve seen here in the city over the past seven months. Thank you, Jamaica, and it is my pleasure to now welcome the Mayor of New York City!

[Saint Milei]

The following ad will be aired in all major cities and counties in Colorado.


Voice Actor in Ad: Are you tired of having a Governor that doesn't listen to the people?

Denver City Council Member: I'm a member of the Governor's party and even I can see a problem with current leadership.


Voice Actor in Ad: Are you hoping for change and reform?


Local Activist in Aurora: It's time to recall the Governor. Colorado deserves stronger leadership. The recent pandemic has affected us tremendously and the Governor is potentially doing irreparable damage.

Voice Actor in Ad: Local elected officials are considering a run against the current administration.


List of officials
Breckenridge Mayor
Boulder city council member
Colorado State Senator


Colorado House Rep: The Federalist Party will be the change you want to see. We can ensure improved quality of life, improvements in mental health, education, healthcare, and better assistance during pandemics.


Chairmen of Federalist Party in Colorado: When a politician is unpopular, constituents have a right and an obligation to speak out. It's time for a new era!


Vote Federalist this cycle for change and reform

[Joseph Cao]

The following 15-second ads by the NYC Mayor's re-election campaign will run high-intensity on local radio stations in New York City until the election:

Elect a leader who focuses on this city's issues, not an enabler of our toxic politics. Vote Lewis Silver for Mayor on Election Weekend.

We can focus on fixing New York City's problems, or we can import even more problems from Nyman. Vote smart. Vote Lewis Silver for Mayor on Election Weekend.

A flyer (of which the following is a mockup) will be distributed in selected neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx:

New York City can't be managed from Nyman.

Don't give the Nyman overreach brigade that chance.

Vote Lewis Silver for Mayor on Election Weekend.

[Joseph Cao]

On Wednesday morning, Representative Cao was invited to assist a first-term Federalist assemblyman from Staten Island in his campaign efforts on behalf of the incumbent mayor on Staten Island’s North Shore, where they later participated in GOTV efforts with local Federalist volunteers. Both activities were held under strict masking and social distancing policies.

I want to thank the assemblyman for that remarkably honest speech regarding his thoughts on our election. For myself, I can’t say that this has been the best week for people who want politics to be constructive and to help our fellow citizens get a fair shake. My constituents on all sides of the aisle have had a great deal to say about the recent election, hardly any of it good for anyone involved. And they’re especially concerned that the political process seems to be broken for them.

Like many of you, my own instincts this election were to try not to get bogged down in the drama that Nyman apparently cannot survive without. Just as I've always done, I – together with several of my fellow Federalists – kept a focus on doing my job in Congress, just as we as a nation tried to attend to our jobs and our daily lives in the midst of this nasty political atmosphere. And one particular job on we have always striven to reach above and beyond has been the promotion of a healthier local and regional politics. That’s been the hallmark of our Federalist lawmakers over the past sessions of Congress on everything from vaccinations to protecting small businesses. The people of New York City and of Lincoln at large will recognize the signs of this: not just in our words but in our actions, including the efforts of Councillor Brother Jonathan and his hard work on a farm bill that will do nothing but good for Lincoln's citizens.

I say all this because we of the Federalist Party must make it clear as a duty to our constituents where our focus is. Those at the federal level are free to propose reforms for the sake of action if they so wish, and we will naturally monitor these developments and we Federalists with the opportunity to do so will register our own concerns on behalf of the people we serve. But we will return to the one place in politics where the citizenry are best placed to have their voice heard. At a time when federal politics could not be more depressing and debilitating, the regions and our state and local governments need leaders who will keep the focus of the political process on the people, where it belongs, and most emphatically not leaders who want to bring Nyman’s toxic discourse into the few places that have not already been suffocated by them.

Local issues deserve local leaders. This election could have gone a number of ways, but at the end of it our neighbors remain our neighbors and our communities remain our communities. It will be our fellow citizens who we meet on a daily basis, rather than either Presidential candidate, who help us deliver our groceries and check on us when our electricity goes out. It will be our fellow citizens who make the decision to be kind to one another, to be excellent to each other, and to reject the jangling discords that perpetually invade our political discourse. We will continue to live together, to learn together, to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, and to take charge of this nation's survival together, on the stage where it truly matters: from one person to another. It is the people who make this city, this state, this region, and this nation truly great. And it will take leaders who understand this – who live this in their daily lives and the policies and actions they take – to guide this nation through the storms we still face.

New York City, when you get out to vote this weekend, the choice you mark on your ballot is purely your decision and will remain between yourself and your conscience. But I hope, as do the millions across our nation who want politics to work for them again, that you always choose kindness and compassion, now and in the future. Thank you for your time here, folks. Go make sure you’re registered, yourselves and everyone you know, and go make your voice heard this weekend!

[West_Midlander]

These events had socially distanced seating, temperature checks were taken at the door, and masks were mandatory and were handed out to those without one. These speeches were given outdoors and the physical attendance was limited, with the speeches being streamed and posted on Youtube.

Rally in Tuscaloosa, AL

Hey, y'all! It's great to be back in Alabama! I'm here to speak to you on behalf of Governor [X]. Governor [X] has done a great job for Alabamians even though his record has come under attack from the liberal media (addressing low approvals for the Gov.).

I also encourage you to vote Federalist for state legislature so that the Governor has the support he needs to continue his good work in Montgomery. The Federalists on your ballot in the upcoming election will keep up the fight for stimulus as needed, for life, the right to bear arms, and the other priorities that we, as Southerners, hold dear.

Thank you, Tuscaloosa, and may God bless you!

Rally in Roanoke, VA

Hello, Roanoke! I am honored to be here in Virginia to support Governor [X] in [his/her] bid for reelection. Governor [X] has always governed with Main Street in mind. That is why [he/she] receives high approval ratings from Virginians. Governor [X] knows that it is important to provide relief and aid to families and small businesses during this critical time. Additionally, the Governor knows that life is important, the right to bear arms is important, and so is Virginia's economy and environment. That is why Governor [X] has received accolades for improving the state's environment while cutting unnecessary red-tape for small businesses, in particular. Governor [X] knows that those unneeded regulatory measures for small businesses increase the cost of doing business for no reason. No one in Virginia, in the South, or in Atlasia, in general, should have the financial means to operate a small business under normal circumstances, without excessive regulations, and a great idea or product but be unable to keep their small business open because of unnecessary regulations from the state government, or from the region or Nyman. Additionally, we don't want to have potential business owners, with innovative solutions, dissuaded from starting a business because the costs are too great. This should be the state and the country for innovation and ingenuity, as it has always been.

We obviously need some basic regulations, especially those for food safety and for conserving our environment. Conservation, environmental conservation, is a conservative value, after all. However, we recognize, the Governor, you all, and I recognize that it is a boon for this state, and for our region, to take common-sense measures to make doing business cheaper and more efficient, especially for small businesses.

Regarding our party's moderate caucus, of which I was the Secretary since shortly after it was started: I recently left the caucus because it had fallen into inactivity, especially because of changing circumstances for some of its founding members. I am not a member of any caucus now and don't intend to join another caucus for the foreseeable future. I am still a moderate, of course, and I am proud to endorse Governor [X] as a former Governor of this great region, and as a citizen for common-sense government.

Thank you, Roanoke!

[Joseph Cao]

[Alongside the Mayor and several Federalist volunteers, Representative Cao spent several hours on the stump in Harlem. This involved a town hall, a public fundraising event at the local community center, and the closing speech at an outdoor rally (with masking and social distancing policies strictly enforced), of which a transcript is provided below.]

Thank you for those kind words. And thank you, Harlem, for the energy you’ve shown all through today on behalf of your families and your communities! Continuing to mask up and socially distance is an essential part of our continued precautions against the coronavirus as we ramp up our vaccination campaign, and hopefully we’ll soon reach a point in this long tunnel we’re all in where a light appears at its end.

I’m inclined to think the Mayor has perhaps been a little too effusive with his speech. This is, after all, supposed to be his election coming up in a couple of days. More to the point, we don’t want to oversell the recent federal bill, which I’m pleased to say looks likely to pass unanimously – it’s very much a small step in the right direction, and an overdue one at that. Then again, because that is the reality of our situation, I also try to be mindful of downplaying the role I hold as someone who you all put your trust in as recently as last weekend to continue bringing your voices to the halls of power in Nyman. We hold a massive responsibility here with our office, and it is our job to deliver, both myself and my fellow representatives. If I have made a small step, hopefully it becomes part of a giant step forward that our Congress and our nation takes for the underprivileged and the marginalized, for some of you here today who have been dealt an unfair hand in society through no fault of your own. And to my knowledge we’ve tried not to lose sight of that, the mayor and I.

So with that in mind, I want to talk about the health and wellbeing of our kids here in New York City, where excellent work is being done. The biggest school district in the nation is tough to manage at the best of times; even more so during a pandemic that has forced our kids into virtual learning for those who can afford it and complete academic stagnation for those who can’t. What has guided the Mayor’s team through this, then, has been two things. It is a downside of officeholding that we are always being pulled away from thinking in community terms and toward more abstract arguments about “implementing policies” that don’t involve the role of the people being affected by those policies. The Federalist Party’s focus on a healthy regional and local form of government has been part of our recommitment to the community: making sure we don’t forget about the part of politics that really matters, namely the side of it that affects ordinary Atlasians like you and I. Sure, the Mayor's office has the statistics and the school records, and they factor that information into their decisions. But like the rest of the Federalist Party, they maintain a commitment to never forgetting that behind each academic record is a child and a still-unfinished education. And we craft our policies accordingly, as he's made clear over the past months regarding his plan and the city’s path toward an education system that serves every New Yorker.

That itself forms the second thing that's guided the Mayor’s team – “every New Yorker” is supremely understated. New York has an ethnic, racial, social, and educational diversity that is reflected in its kids and ought to be reflected in its education system. And I’m pleased to say that the current system reflects the differing needs of our kids very well – accomodations for special ed, a better system for lower-income kids who need a quality education just as much as anyone else – thanks partially to the mayor’s efforts in providing further funds and stipulations for our public education system. There’s lots of talk about accountability on the national level, but I feel obliged to point out that it’s having its day in New York City and has been for the past four months. This diversity has to be nurtured; the whole idea of education is to invest in our kids’ futures, and when the pandemic ends we believe we'll be well placed to see the next generation of New Yorkers push the city onward and upward.

Obviously it hasn’t ended yet, however, and in the meantime our children are still learning virtually. As he mentioned in the very first speech of his re-election campaign, your Mayor's worked with teachers in the public school system and with some privately owned schools to craft an education plan that puts every child in a position to be able to learn remotely. I think the plan has been reasonably successful – it’s done its job, and even Laborite and Liberal members of the city council have applauded it. At the end of the day, that’s the sort of policy we aim for on the local level: one that works across political lines and works closely with the communities it aims to serve. It is not flashy or viral, as some would have you believe. It is a good steady form of governance that I firmly believe New Yorkers will see the value of when they go to the polls this weekend. Stay safe, Harlem! Thank you for coming, and get your friends and family and everyone you know out to vote for the New York you deserve!

[Joseph Cao]

[Following their GOTV efforts in Harlem, Mr. Cao and Mayor Silver proceeded further north to the Bronx to join a local leader and former state assembly candidate in doing community work, before picking up the distribution of campaign literature and stumping in surrounding neighborhoods under continued masking and social distancing measures. This ended with another, similarly masked and socially distanced event in Woodlawn Heights, where Cao once again gave the closing speech, of which a transcript is provided below.]

I talked earlier in Harlem about the diversity that we see here in New York City, and especially, I might say, here in the heart of Brooklyn. The diversity that your mayor's taken into account and acted on every day of his tenure, with results that show his understanding of what New Yorkers need as you all face a pandemic and a very specific brew of economic troubles that much of the rest of the nation doesn't deal with. He’s told the truth about New York City and about the way Labor ran this state and this region when it mattered; he's also reached out to them and cooperated with them for the good of New Yorkers when it mattered. Like another large food product I could name, the Big Apple stands alone. It's always had the problems that come with being a great city, a regional capital, and a beacon of liberty. And like his predecessors, the Mayor is a heterodox political presence who hasn't hesitated to break with his party when the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers depended on it.

The difference between him and his predecessors, however, is that the Federalist Party at all levels of government has always been a big tent which welcomes people like the Mayor into it alongside other aisle-crossers like Councillor Brother Jonathan and myself. Many of my more conservative friends and constituents have made their displeasure known with some recent actions taken by the Councillor, and we’ve had some heated court battles and decisions around this region in particular. Now, I have my own disagreements with the Council at times. I have argued my own piece in Congress where my authority to serve the people lies. And it appears heartening that the Council is broaching the subject again to move it toward a more constitutionally sound framework. But none of this should detract from the basic reality that Jonathan is a staunch Federalist like myself and like the mayor here.

Every member of the Lincoln Federalists experienced the same events in our region; different conclusions were reached, and both conclusions were criticized at different points. It showcases a diversity of thought within the party to reflect the diversity of New York City. It's a healthy process for everyone to lay out their arguments for the people, not just within Lincoln but nationwide. Within this big tent called the Federalist Party, we have historically welcomed just such a diversity of thought. We have a united vision and that’s never wavered. But there always have been and always will be differences in process and approach and method in getting there. Having a united vision for the betterment of the people and the nation doesn’t require unanimity of thought. I wouldn't want our party to fixate on that and I’m glad we haven’t headed down that road thus far. There will be disagreements, as always, but those are a natural and healthy part of a healthy party based on principles rather than personality.

Moreover, our principles are not pie-in-the-sky ivory-tower pontificating and they never have been, contrary to what some want you to believe. Our party has a history of delivering for the people as an application of just these principles, from implementation of the healthcare system we use to the continued efforts of our federal and regional lawmakers towards a better Atlasia for the people and the regions on all fronts – the pandemic, the economy, our struggling workers, and our marginalized communities. If we have ever claimed to hold heaven, in the words of Johnny Cash, we have always tried to spread it around: to the regions; to the local governments; to the people and the communities who will do best with it.

It is also why, as long as our citizens do their best with standing up for their own communities and working toward a better nation by reaching out to their fellow Atlasians, I remain optimistic that this toxic period in our nation’s politics shall pass. The people will shape the direction in which this nation ultimately goes. So get out to vote, and get out to exercise your right to steer this ship and this city toward a better future for the people of New York! Thank you all, folks, and stay safe!

[West_Midlander]

These events had socially distanced seating, temperature checks were taken at the door, and masks were mandatory and were handed out to those without one. These speeches were given outdoors and the physical attendance was limited, with the speeches being streamed and posted on Youtube.

Rally in Mobile, AL

Hello, Mobile!

It is my honor to be here today to campaign on behalf of Governor [X] and his re-election campaign. Governor [X] believes in strong Alabama families and in strengthening middle-class Alabama. Governor [X] is a compassionate conservative, he is a Main Street Federalist, an advocate for all Alabamians, regardless of political affiliation.

Governor [X] has worked hard with his allies in our party in the state legislature to pass tax cuts for middle-class families, pay raises for teachers, and to increase funding for education. This funding helps to provide to the students who don't have the resources they desperately need. We cannot allow Alabama students, whether black or white, to simply fail out. You all know, the good Governor knows, that these students need laptops to be able to borrow if they don't have any, so they can participate in school—so they can do their school work. This is why the Governor is negotiating with internet service providers in Alabama to provide free or low-cost Internet to low-income families. We know that today, the Internet is becoming a necessity especially with the advent of COVID-19. Many people are having to work from home or going to school online, at least for most of the week. We know that the government should at least provide vouchers that cover most of the cost of the Internet if ISPs refuse to reduce their prices for low-income people.

Now, I would like to introduce the Governor of Alabama!

Thank you, Congressman*! I am deeply honored to have been chosen by the people of Alabama to be their Governor last year and I hope they see fit to re-elect me. I am proud of all that we have been able to accomplish in only one term and we know that there remains a lot of work left to do! I will be tireless in this fight for all Alabamians...

*turn of phrase of using the person's most previous office, ex. referring to HRC as Secretary in the Democratic debates in 2015-16

[The Governor finishes speaking.]

You may not have voted for the Governor in the last election but you might have voted Federalist down-ballot. You may have voted for Governor [X] and you might have voted differently down-ballot. But, if you like the Governor's successful leadership, then I encourage you to vote Federalist at the top of the ticket and down-ballot. I know you may be tempted to skip those down-ballot races, but they are important. Local offices, even more so, impact your life. It may seem daunting with so many offices and candidates on the ballot, but any research is better than none. We know that most, almost certainly, all of you are very busy, many of you work sixty and seventy hours a week. However, I cannot endorse a straight party-line ticket without vetting the candidates that I campaign for and support.

In my case, I have been an Independent, and I have been a member of a few different parties, but I finally felt at home in the Federalist party. I like all of our candidates but I consider them, first, on the policy, before I offer support. Though, I usually do because they campaign, we campaign, on the common-sense Main Street issues that matter to Alabamians, Southerners, and all Atlasians.

In terms of research and being an informed voter, you can write down even on a scrap of paper, a few words about each candidate. You can do as much or as little as you like and this is my recommendation but certainly not a requirement to vote. Of course, I highly encourage y'all to be safe. If you choose to vote by mail, you can look up candidates you haven't heard of in the comfort of your own home. Or perhaps, you have already sent off your ballot in the mail, or voted early. You can track your mail-in ballot at [state website] or alternatively you can check the status of your ballot with the Alabama Votes app.

What I do, personally, is print off a sample ballot for the election in question, which you can find at [AL equivalent for the NC website that I use], and you can take that sample ballot that you have marked up into the voting booth with you. Well, that's all I have for you folks.

Stay safe, God bless, and make sure you vote for Governor [X]!

Rally in Fairfax, VA

Hello, Fairfax City!

I am here today to encourage you to turn out in the election today* for Governor [X] and your local state legislative candidates, here! Stand up y'all! [I extend my arm behind me and to my side to a few chairs, socially distanced, where the candidates were sitting and they stand up.]

*campaigning ends today, so I'm assuming the election is "today"?

These candidates are Main Street Federalists, as am I. We believe in a tax on carbon and we believe in returning that money directly to you. Your governor, here, has said agreed to sign this bill should it come to [his/her] desk.

The Governor has high approval ratings, according to the polls, and you may not be surprised by this fact. But if you like your government, I encourage you to vote Federalist down-ballot as well. Many of our candidates are moderates, others are compassionate conservatives. We all believe in federalism and in common-sense Main Street values. But, if the Governor gets a majority in the legislature to support him, you will have better, more efficient leadership, and you will have a vote on carbon as one of the first orders of business in Richmond.

[Joseph Cao]

[On the final day of campaigning, Representative Cao and some of the mayor's surrogates in the city joined a physical and online effort to get New Yorkers out to the polls. As part of this effort, the Representative delivered a final speech at an outdoor masked and socially distanced event in Sunset Park, which was livestreamed on the New York Federalist Party's website and social media; a transcript of his full remarks is provided below.]

Here we are at voting day, and in the wake of a few weeks' campaigning in the shadow of the highest-turnout presidential election in history everything has been rather like a passing vision for me. I don't know about the Mayor, or the rest of you all gathered here tonight, but I am absolutely bowled over by the support you've shown us. Hopefully the other parties campaigning can also agree on the need for actually sticking to discussion of how we in politics can help Atlasians of all stripes, because that sort of fundamental respect for their fellow citizens is something that the people I see in front of me wearing masks and socially distancing all intuitively understand and respond to.

And as people go out to vote, I suppose the basic question some may still have beneath all the policy and vision we've laid out is: why vote for this party? What's in it?

On a purely stylistic note, though one that reveals something deeper about how the people and parties of this nation choose to operate, there is one answer. During these hard and anxious times it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices in politics, voices that New York City's resident Founding Father specifically warned against encouraging. Flattering our prejudices and exciting the apprehensions of the citizenry is a great political drug which also happens to be the surest form of poison for all of us, because in appealing to and feeding to the worst parts of our politics we end up with a political wasteland populated by blind rage and partisanship for its own sake, and it's extremely difficult for the actual needs of our communities to be expressed and acted on. We must resist that temptation, and this mayor has done just that, speaking when he needs to speak and always in service of a better policy or a new political development for New York's citizens. The body politic is always in sore need of people who will steer the everyday work of politics, the sweating over legislation and arguments over regulation that dominate the day-to-day running of this metropolis.

But, on a deeper level, that need and our party's stance on this speaks to something else too. The Federalist mindset, that local government from the regions on down and the people inhabiting them need a bigger voice, is indisputably our defining characteristic. It is the expression of a far more fundamental animating principle: that too much power in the hands of someone or something is bound to have unfortunate consequences. We do our best through our policies at all levels of government to maintain that, to place more power in the hands of the people who can use it best on behalf of their families and communities, and to keep this ship of state pointed directly on course to help the nation achieve its continued progress. This is, at heart, a principle that demands constant thought and balance to keep this country from veering toward concentrating too much power in the hands of any one entity. When we say we practice the politics of prudence, it is this thought process that underlies all the effects we see on a policy level as regards good governance, clear and careful legislation, and all the rest of it.

Prudence is interesting; part of it implies recognizing bounds of some sort, whether those of the government or those of ourselves – we the people and some of us the occupiers of offices and bearers of the public trust. There are very real limits to what we can do. New York isn't a Gotham City waiting for a sufficiently wealthy and renowned public servant to swoop in and save all at once. Part of our job as officeholders is recognizing these limits – constitutional, procedural, physical – and doing our best to work within them. Again, it takes someone like our Mayor here to do the job and do it well.

So why work? Why put up the fight, with all these limits and this man-against-the-world rhetoric? To quote a party chair and former President, if we want something done, we do it ourselves: as individuals, as communities, or (in New York's case) as a city. We continue our efforts because we were given that responsibility on behalf of the people. We fight because New Yorkers need a way out for the young man next door who's been out of work for months, for the single mother with three kids up the corridor, for the elderly minority woman living in poverty and without a place to turn. It is on behalf of out community and the people we serve that those of us gathered here today have risen up to say our piece and to make the impact on politics, no matter how local, that these fellow human beings and Atlasians need.

We have fought for you, and as the care your mayor displayed in governing these past few months has shown, every part of that fight he's taken has demonstrated exceptional care and regard for you all and every one of the New Yorkers he serves – Labor or Federalist, DA or Liberal, Peace or Independent. He's fought for you, and you now get to choose whether or not to give him the opportunity to fight for you again. Get out to vote if you haven't already, New York City! Thank you all; Dave bless Atlasia and everyone in it. Good night.

[West_Midlander]

This event had socially distanced seating and masks were mandatory and were handed out to those without one. This event was outdoors. Physical attendance was limited, with this speech being streamed and posted on Youtube.

Freedom, OK Rally

Hey, y'all. It's great to be in Freedom today!

It is my pleasure to be in the smallest certified city in Oklahoma.

I grew up just outside of a town about the size of Freedom (Freedom=population 289). My parents didn't own a farm and I don't own a farm but I have lived just minutes from family farms for most of my life. I am good friends with people who own farms in our community. I lived for a time (~7-8 months IRL if anyone is wondering) on my grandparents' ranch and herded sheep, shucked and picked corn that we grew, and gathered eggs. I was born in Atlasia but my grandparent's ranch was in Mexico; we drew up water from a little well, in a metal bucket and we lived in modest accommodations.

My aunt had a cow and would bring us fresh milk occasionally. We would make jam from "berries", called bisnagas, that if I remember correctly sat on cacti and we did eat fresh cacti. We also ate tuna (fruit)/(prickly pear) from off of the cacti.

I will always hold rural Atlasia, our small towns, and the Southern region, in particular in high esteem. As y'all probably remember I had the privilege of serving as the Governor of this fine region last year and we got a Governor back to Nashville last month. With your support, we can expand our majorities in the Oklahoma State Legislature and hold onto the governorship. As a Federalist and an Oklahoma native, Governor [X] has never and will never forget about where s/he came from.

Governor [X] strongly believes in a stronger rural Atlasia, as do all of our candidates. We believe in compassionate conservativism and looking out for Main Street. We believe in strengthening family farms and bringing rural Atlasia back from the brink. We know that Atlasia and Oklahoma are about the people, first. I am committed to regulating big agriculture to ensure the prosperity of the small farmer, but lessening unnecessary regulations on the good job creator, on the small business owner. Several bills are now in the Oklahoma State Legislature on this subject and I assure you that your Oklahoma government, your Federalist government, will continue to work for you.

The Governor knows that fiscal responsibility is important but that we have more pressing concerns during this dark hour of Atlasian history (re: the coronavirus). That is why s/he has signed state income tax cuts for Oklahomans and has expanded unemployment benefits. Additionally, s/he signed a bipartisan bill that included expanded funding for state schools and food banks.

Practical government that works for you and that honors rural Atlasia is Federalist government. Vote Federalist in the Oklahoma elections!

[Joseph Cao]

[After a three-day absence from Nyman, during which he made his way westward across the nation and talked to fellow citizens and constituents, Representative Cao surfaced in Traverse City on Sunday evening to open a general event organized by the Federalist Party of Michigan and attended by state legislative candidates. The speech, which was given to a masked and socially distanced audience and livestreamed on the party's website and social media, is reproduced below.]

Hello, folks! Great to be here, and although I’m rather sad to have to return to civilization now I couldn’t think of a much better place to do it than Traverse City. (And there certainly could be more dangerous places to do it – glad to see everyone here still masking up and socially distancing!) As we stand here on the verge of spring again, while waiting for the cherry blossoms to bloom once more, I’m sure we all are looking forward to a better and more hopeful season for Michigan.

But I didn’t come here solely to compliment your scenery – I wanted to say as well that the Michigan Federalist Party isn’t just looking forward to spring along with the rest of us, but also has a forward-looking plan for this state and for communities like Traverse City. And you’ll hear a lot about that in the coming days from our candidates. Our party takes pride in representing a diverse range of political and ideological viewpoints from all over the state, from Detroit’s East Side to suburban Lansing to the small towns across the UP and the Thumb. And no matter where our candidates call home, all of them are dedicated to helping their communities through the tough times we’re all facing, to giving their fellow citizens a voice and a hand in the governing process.

We’ve just gone through a presidential cycle that it’s fair to say has left a bad taste in our mouths. Watching people on the ground in its aftermath has been an object lesson in how little of it has actually been about the needs of our citizens. There has been and is still a lot to do on the state and local level to improve the lot of the ordinary Atlasian, those living close to the poverty line and those who stretch dollars between rent and groceries and those whose kids and grandkids face an uncertain future in education and in the environment and in the shape of our nation. And Nyman could learn quite a bit from what has been done at a level at which our fellow Atlasians are best placed to see change in their daily lives.

The Federalist Party was founded on a dedication to change driven at these levels, and it continues to promote policies that do just that. It’s why prominent Federalists, including myself, have highlighted renewable energy and other efforts against climate change as investments in our collective future. It’s why we continue to push for fiscal responsibility and an economy that will remain equipped to serve our nation’s citizens for the decades to come. And it’s why we believe in economic policies that empower Main Street and keep Wall Street from rigging the economic agenda in their favor. We’ve worked with the Governor and his DA allies in the legislature, with Labor, with the Liberals, and with Peace whenever opportunities have arisen to help and empower Michiganders in any way possible. And they come up more often than you might guess from the acrimony of the national political scene!

Over the past few days, I’ve been making my way across the country incognito to keep in touch with the Atlasian people and how they’re getting by. I’ve done it before – even visited this neck of the woods last August – but as I said earlier, it’s been particularly interesting in the aftermath of the election. Talking to folks who don’t obsessively follow the political circus but who need the support people in power can offer them is something most, if not all, politicians should do on the regular; it keeps us and our priorities grounded and reminds us why we hold the positions we do. The people of this nation, those who live paycheck to paycheck and those who face challenges in a society that doesn’t always accommodate them, they remind us of what politics can be.

If this election sees the re-establishment of politics as a tool for constructive and positive change in the lives of ordinary Atlasians, and as something that gets people to come together at the local level to make that change happen, it will be a win for federalism no matter how we Federalists fare at the polls. So regardless of which way you lean politically, I encourage you all to assess the parties’ platforms in that spirit over the next two weeks – stay informed, make your choices wisely, and go vote on the 27th!

[Joseph Cao]

[At the request of the Federalist Party of Wisconsin, Mr. Cao joined the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Platteville to campaign for a promising state House candidate. The event, which concluded a day of doorknocking and a virtual roundtable featuring several other candidates for the state legislature from across western Wisconsin, was masked and socially distanced and concluded with a stump speech by the gubernatorial candidate, who was introduced by Cao in the speech below.]

Thank you. Honored to be here in Platteville this evening with you all, and I certainly am grateful to see everyone still masked up and doing their best to socially distance. As I’m sure everyone is familiar with by now, it’s these little considerations that protect citizens in every corner of the country; and if there’s one thing Wisconsinites have demonstrated throughout their state’s history it is just this consideration and Thought for Others that makes all the difference.

It is good to be back here in this particular corner of the country for reasons other than that, though. This is a part of the state lying right on the state border, with Illinois just a short drive down the road, and hardly anyone on either side of the border pays much attention to the folks who live and work here. But the Federalists are a party that cares about each and every community in this nation and we will continue to listen to communities like Platteville as we do for others like it all across Atlasia. We will be back for the people and the towns that deserve a say in their state’s affairs just like everyone else, and if you vote for your Federalist candidate for Governor and the state legislature you can rest assured that that will guide our policies as this stage navigates the problems it faces.

As a party, we’re no strangers to working across the aisle when the people we serve need assistance. Our state legislators have been proud to work with both Governor Baldwin here and Governor Gaviotti on the other side of the line with state budgets, the regional COVID-19 response, and more besides. Bipartisanship isn’t dead. Far from it! It’s a way forward for our nation that ensures communities like Platteville don’t get left behind. The lower the level of government, the less your party label should matter. Nobody argues about party platforms when town councils gather to help their fellow citizens who live below the poverty line and to provide upkeep for public utilities and parks. Cooperation is the bedrock of a functioning society; its reflection in the people we elect to represent that society is essential if our leaders are to keep Atlasia and all its communities afloat.

So I’m very proud of our local Federalists who live out that principle every day. And in particular I want to talk about one of them, a Councilman many of you will know who happens to be here with us today. He’s not a partisan by any means, a true swing voter at the national level, and he knows the value of investing in Platteville's future as well as the future of Wisconsin. Thanks to his efforts on behalf of UW–Platteville, state authorities have approved a project brought forward by the university to construct the largest solar array in this state and reduce the burden on Platteville's local energy grid. It promises to help establish Platteville as a leading player in Wisconsin’s energy landscape – and a particularly good position on a landscape which is slowly but surely shifting toward a better and more renewable-focused future. And as the university will tell you, our next generation is intimately involved with the whole process from drawing board to construction. It’s the kind of forward thinking we need much more of in politics, especially at the local level where it matters for the everyday lives of the people who need this most.

Which is why we at the Federalist Party fully support his bid for state representative, why your Liberal mayor and a prominent Labor councilwoman has endorsed him, and why we’re confident that candidates like him up and down the Federalist slate will bring a vision for this state with which the people of Wisconsin can agree. We hope you’ll all do your best to appraise us and the other parties over the next two weeks, and make your choice in the upcoming elections on behalf of yourself, your family, and your community and their needs which this state and this nation must act on one way or the other. Good luck, Platteville, and please allow me to introduce the leader of the Federalist slate, a hard worker for Wisconsin who’s done excellent work for the people with his office – the next Governor of Wisconsin!

[West_Midlander]

These events had socially distanced seating, temperature checks were taken upon admittance, and masks were mandatory and were handed out to those without one. These speeches were given outdoors and the physical attendance was limited, with the speeches being streamed and posted on Youtube.

Rally in Mayagüez, PR

Hola, Mayagüez!

It’s great to be in Puerto Rico! It is my honor to be here to encourage you to support Governor X. Governor X is a proud Latina who has lived in Puerto all of her life. As many of you know, she is a mother of two young children. She wants to see a Puerto Rico that is stronger for all Puertorriqueños.

Governor X strongly believes in equality and she knows that immigrants and diversity represent a great strength for Atlasia. The Governor knows that immigrants who choose to settle in Puerto Rico or in Atlasia at-large contribute to our economy and do not commit crime at high rates, even compared to legal citizens. Governor X believes in initiatives to curb poverty and has fought for these measures as Governor. Re-elect her and send her back to San Juan with the legislative allies she needs to govern for you.

She needs the support of her Federalist allies in the state legislature to keep up the good fight for the working-class families of Puerto Rico.

Governor X does not believe in quotas because she believes that the merit of the person, their intellect and their skills, should matter and not their natural identity—something that they cannot control.

It is important to honor family and the customs and traditions of our born heritage. It is important to recognize and to acknowledge our heritage. Though, we know that it is a bit silly to be proud of one’s race, simply for being that race. Being a person of color can give us an insight into the struggles of our brothers and sisters, but it doesn’t mean we have to divide ourselves in this way. Aren’t we seeking a more multiracial, more cohesive society, anyway? As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Obviously, people of color face certain struggles that are disproportionately worse than those put upon whites, from discrimination while seeking employment, heightened rates of poverty, and increased rates of certain health problems, among other issues. However, it is not the place of the government to equal the playing field by providing an economic boost to anyone on the basis of race. Reparations, for example, is an inherently unfair proposition and something that would probably increase racial hostility, while only meagerly increasing the status of people of color, directly. Though, I do think that those who support reparations are coming from a place of good intentions, as are we.

However, it makes more sense to tackle the poverty problem directly because this is an issue that is not a “racial problem.” We reject the stereotype of the black mother dependent on welfare. Obviously, a few people are in this situation but white women are in this situation, hardworking people are in this situation, people who work even two jobs, and people of all races.

Since poverty affects, numerically, mostly whites, but people of color at a greater rate than whites, this is a problem that if tackled will improve the lives of a large number of whites and improve the economic situation of many people of color compared to whites. We want all people to be able to partake in the great Atlasian dream, in the great promise of Atlasian prosperity.

Governor X will continue to govern an administration that seeks fairness, with your support. With your vote, Governor X can continue the fight to lift up our most downtrodden to be able to partake in the Atlasian dream. Governor X will continue to govern responsibly as a Main Street Federalist, with the knowledge that excessive spending comes around for your pocketbook in the end. Governor X will continue to fight for appropriate, meaningful reforms, from making business easier for small mom and pop shops, to cutting your taxes in the middle class. A vote for the Governor is a vote for continuing, common-sense, compassionate leadership.

Thank you, Mayagüez!

Rally in San Juan, PR

Hello, San Juan!

Today I want to talk to you about COVID protection measures. Please wear a mask. Wear two if you can. Wearing a mask protects those around you and protects you. You may think, “I’m young, I don’t need to worry about COVID-19.” But you’re dead wrong.

You could have COVID-19 with no symptoms and bring the virus home to your grandmother or elderly parents who might have pre-existing conditions. And elderly automatically have a higher mortality rate for COVID-19, even without pre-existing conditions. Just because you’re in your 20s or 30s doesn’t mean you won’t get seriously sick from COVID-19, either. You could get deadly sick, to the brink of death and you could even die. Don’t risk it, just wear a mask. And don’t wear a gator or a thin “breathable” mesh mask. Gators are normally open at the bottom, which could leave you exposed to the virus and you want a mask that’s obstructive enough to prevent the virus from getting to you. A mask that’s too thin won’t do the job.

I have a pre-existing condition (not going to elaborate, Atlasia ) and I always wear a mask when I go to a store or someplace like that.

Do social distance, at least six feet. And avoid crowded places or places where you know many people will not wear masks (like flea markets), if possible.

When you are first able to (allowed to), get the COVID-19 vaccine. I, for one, will get the vaccine as soon as I am able, as soon as I am allowed to. If you get one of the vaccines that require two doses, get the second dose as soon as appropriate, as I will do. Even if you don’t have a pre-existing condition, get the COVID-19 vaccine when you are first able because you could carry the virus home as I explained previously.

Furthermore, I do strongly recommend that you patronize local small businesses over large chain restaurants (corporations), especially in this crucial time for small business. I cannot recommend eating indoors for safety concerns but if you do, sit in a socially distanced way and avoid businesses that aren’t practicing the appropriate COVID measures (, even if not enforced in their state, locality, etc.) [this part is in parenthesis because I assume we have national COVID guidelines in Atlasia but this is sort of a reference to Texas IOTL, so ignore this part if not applicable].

Stay safe, God bless and vote Federalist. We strongly believe in keeping our fellow Atlasians safe during this crucial time and always have. Please vote for your Federalist Governor X and the Federalist candidates down-ballot to send a message that you support this administration (in PR) that appreciates and governs on the values of equality and fairness, safety, and responsible government.

Speech to the local Federalists in Woodward, OK

Hey, Woodward! It’s great to be back in Oklahoma!

It is my honor to speak with y’all this evening. I’m not an officeholder anymore but I would like to give y’all my two cents on this situation in Virginia. I always thought the Governor, Governor DeSantis of Virginia, was a well-spoken, considerate, young woman who never held any sort of bias.

Like me, she comes from a mixed-race background. She is half-black, half-white, I am multiracial, part white, part black, and a few other things. I supported the Governor and I don’t think we should be so easy to rebuke, rebuke. This cancel culture is dangerous and often means going after people who mean no harm or who in fact do good, like our good Governor up there in Richmond. Of course, in this case, what the Governor said was hurtful but given her background, she and I, we both know what it’s like, we’ve seen discrimination and we wouldn’t say something like that.

It seems an out of the ordinary comment for her, especially, to make. Perhaps she was out of her element, as in perhaps she was tired from having a lot of meetings on that day and on preceding days. Perhaps she misheard the question? Maybe the Governor has an underlying health condition that we don’t know about and a side effect of her medication was a random sling-together of words, which was what we heard. We should wait to hear her side of the story before passing judgment, and of course, while she continues to govern for downtrodden Virginians, including people of color like herself, her actions speak louder than words, as is the case for anybody.

I am, of course, only speaking for myself. If she, the people of Virginia, and the leaders of our party decide that she should step aside, I understand and respect that decision.

I do encourage all candidates to speak freely if they are suffering from mental health or substance abuse problems, or from a more traditional pre-existing condition. We want the best and the best health for all people and part of the proof for that is that this is the party of AtlasCare. We promise government that works for you, and that looks out for all Oklahomans. A vote for Federalists is a vote for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness: the support desperately needed provided to low-income families, your rights protected, and tax cuts for middle-class families.

[Re: the above event - Obviously, this won’t play well with moderates, so I addressed the party here; this is an attempt to drum up base turnout in rural OK while clawing at the foundation of this gaffe as best I can, especially while I wait for the party response.]

[Joseph Cao]

Statement from Vermont Senate Federalist Leader Elaine Stone and Vermont General Assembly Federalist Leader Russ Webster, on behalf of their respective caucuses

“Governor Campbell’s actions in regard to the enforcement of LC 10.9, and certain of her comments on the matter in her press conference yesterday, have been of enormous concern to us and to our constituents. Many Vermonters have expressed the opinion that this is very out of character for her. Until yesterday she was, by all appearances, in campaign and in policy, in public and in private, strongly in favor of enforcing a mask mandate and other COVID rules found in the No Need to Spread Disease Act.

“We would rather not be drawn on this matter, but the Governor’s apparent and sudden change of heart is not conducive to the consistent policymaking that our state needs. We would remind our constituents that, with the exception of one assemblyman, the Federalist legislative caucus is united in keeping the mask mandate and the rest of LC 10.9 for the duration of the pandemic, and we will continue to legislate accordingly. It is the opinion of our caucus that the Governor would do well to reflect on the promises she made to all Vermonters and whether her recent actions are really of help to them.

“In view of the body of Governor Campbell’s previous actions and statements, which were strongly supportive of COVID regulations, we can only conclude that her actions yesterday constitute a momentary lapse in judgement. However, we are more than ready to join our colleagues across the aisle to hold her accountable through legislative means should she continue to push this stance unilaterally. In the meantime, as we – including Governor Campbell – consistently stressed during our campaign last fall, we encourage all Vermonters to continue to mask up and socially distance and, in the words of Councillor Brother Jonathan, to be mindful of the ties that bind us all to one another.”

X Elaine Stone
X Russell Philip Webster

[META NOTE: This has been discussed with Peanut at length and a mutual agreement has been reached to avoid reopening the argument, so I will merely state for the record that the recent GM action involving Vermont’s Governor is highly, highly out of character for her, the Vermont Federalist Party more generally, and my own campaign efforts:

…as for us officeholders, it falls to us to support them [healthcare workers] and give them space to do what they need to do.

(Rally in Bennington, October 15)

To beat this crisis, our citizens need to step up en masse; and what we’ve seen, what has made us all immensely proud, has been you Atlasian citizens as a whole, doing just that. Masking up even in the absence of mask mandates; closing your businesses even before and after the duration of lockdown orders in your state; continuing to educate yourselves about this crisis and adapting to it in the good old timeless ingenious American fashion – that, more than anything we poor few officeholders can do to personally prevent the spread of the virus, is what will get us through this intact…

(Rally in Newport, October 18)

As I said elsewhere, a party that promotes going above and beyond existing mask mandates in Essex County of all places is hardly the sort of party to refuse to enforce mask mandates while in office. The statement above reflects that and is a reaction to the GM-simulated event, the sort of thing GM actions are supposed to do. Please do not take this as an attack on the GM, we have gone over that ground before and I’m trying to work within the Game Engine and the NPC system more generally.]

[West_Midlander]

This event had socially distanced seating. Masks were mandatory and were handed out to those without one. This event was outdoors. Physical attendance was limited, with this speech being streamed and posted on Youtube.

Rally in Oklahoma City, OK
Hey, y’all! It’s great to be in OKC!

Today, I want to wish y’all a happy Saint Patrick’s Day. I have some Irish ancestry according to that Ancestry test and I feel an affinity for the Irish people because I am a strong Catholic.

If y’all are planning to celebrate the holiday tonight or this weekend, I strongly encourage you to stay safe. Wear a mask, avoid crowded places and celebrate at home with a small number of people or even better, the family and/or friends that you live with. I don’t want to ruin your fun, y’all, but safety comes first.

Now, I was reading about the history of the Irish of Oklahoma the other day. As y’all know, y’all have a sizable community of Irish heritage in this state.

I read that some of those forced onto the Trail of Tears here to Oklahoma, Native Atlasians, had an Irish parent. The brotherhood of Native Indians and Irish people has larger roots too. The Choctaws sent monetary help to Ireland during the great famine and the Irish President later came to Oklahoma to thank the Choctaws.

I feel a connection to these upstanding communities as I am an indigenous Atlasian on my father’s side, though from Mexico, not from Oklahoma. The Irish and the Choctaws demonstrate the values of compassion and cooperation between the races, which is an important value. We should all work to lift up one another, whether black or white, Irish or Choctaw.

The Irish of Oklahoma have always been hard workers, from working as fur trappers to working on the railroad and in the mines. The Irish also brought Catholicism to Oklahoma, a fact that I laud them for. I will always support someone for bringing God into people’s hearts.

I should note, though, that I don’t hold ill will against people who believe differently than I do, and I have voted for people who don’t believe in God before(, because I was voting on the policies).

Our party respects hard work, believing that you should keep more of what you earn. We believe in cooperation between people of different colors and faiths, though many of us are strong believers. We strongly believe in the right of people to marry and love whoever they want to regardless of race, gender, etc. We believe in common-sense, responsible government that supports the most downtrodden but works hard to respect your rights at the same time.

If you share our values, vote Federalist this election.

Thank you, Oklahoma City!
Source used for some of the factual information in this speech: https://www.oklahoman.com/article/3470644/irish-history-in-oklahoma

[Joseph Cao]

[To aid their electoral efforts, the Federalist Party of Indiana organized a series of events to accompany a voter registration drive in towns near the Illinois border. During one of these masked and socially distanced drives, the gubernatorial candidate and a first-time state Senate candidate were joined by Representative Cao for a day of door-knocking and voter outreach in the Lafayette area, concluding in Fowler with the following speech by the Representative.]

Thank you for that. Well, folks, that was your next Governor with his plans for the state's education and pension systems, and I hope some of them have given you further consideration for the upcoming election. Good to see everyone out here still masked and socially distancing, by the way – with the excellent news from New York City that Lincoln’s vaccination initiative is well underway, let’s keep our precautions up, finish the course strong and get this country back on track.

And I must said I’m very honored to be here – my home is just over the border there to the west, but you good folks here in Fowler have just the same fundamental approach to life as my own family and friends in downstate Illinois, one that understands oftentimes the value to getting something done yourself before a higher authority solves it for you. There is value in a community composed of good people like yourself who will help each other along and make sure, like the wagon trains that passed through Indiana long ago, that nobody is left behind: not the old, not the weak, not the sick, not the struggling. And there is value in local leaders and governments who understand this intimately and act on it in the policies they push.

Local leaders like your mayor here, who I’m sure you all know is running for the state Senate. The mayor’s priorities have consistently been those who need help, but it is a reflection of his core motivation that he hasn’t fallen into the trap of considering people apart from their circumstances. People think of bureaucratic governments as faceless for a reason. A government that doesn't consider why people live the lives they do or have the circumstances they do is a government that can't truly help its people no matter how hard they try. And your mayor’s done just the opposite: the education plan he has overseen, one that heavily informed the Federalist plan for Indiana's public schools, has had some innovative input from the people it serves – our parents and kids, our long-suffering teachers, and more than a few local veterans of the education system whose experience has been instrumental in bringing it into the twenty-first century and through a pandemic that has forced our kids online. I’m extremely glad that it has borne the fruit you all have seen in Fowler’s school system over the past couple of years.

And that’s just the foremost of the many accomplishments your mayor has gotten through during his tenure, and one of the many policies he plans to bring to the state legislature. But it’s more than just policies which he’ll take there if you come out to support him next weekend. It is a fundamental appreciation he holds of what makes politics work, the product of the work he’s put into making Fowler a better place for its citizens. The experiences of people like your mayor here at the local level have shaped how the Indiana Federalist Party operates. Our policies have consistently recognized that Hoosiers of all stripes deserve the chance to put that fundamentally Midwestern independent thinking into action beyond the limited circles of their daily lives. Parents deserve a school system that actively helps their kids to step up. Workers deserve the right to not be exploited by their employers. Those sidelined on the benches of life with disabilities or handicaps, who aren’t able to climb the ladder of Atlasian society through no fault of their own, deserve a system of government that looks out for them and provides for them precisely because they are still part of the community and shouldn’t be left behind.

Candidates like your mayor have a proven record of representing Hoosiers' interests at the local level – no matter who you are or what you do, yet ever mindful of who you are and what you do – and we’ll work with all parties in the Statehouse to bring communities like Fowler a better education system and a better-run government that works for each and every one of you. You matter; you should matter; and as far as the Federalists are concerned, you will continue to matter. Good luck, Fowler, and be sure to make your voice heard – get out to vote!

[West_Midlander]

These events had socially distanced seating, temperature checks were taken upon admittance, and masks were mandatory and were handed out to those without one. These speeches were given outdoors and the physical attendance was limited, with the speeches being streamed and posted on Youtube.

Speech to the Miami Cuban-Atlasian Federalists

Hola, Miami!

It’s great to be here on behalf of your candidate for mayor, Bernardo Pérez. Bernardo is the son of Cuban exiles who fled the Castro regime in Cuba. The stories told to him by his family members, of life under the dictatorship, instilled in him a great sense of love for this country—the rights of freedom, free political expression, and democracy granted naturally and inalienably to each person in this great land. Pérez will govern as a mayor who respects and defends the rights of life, liberty, and your right to better yourself, your right to pursue happiness.

Bernardo is a Main Street Federalist. He will work to create jobs in Miami and to build and repair infrastructure projects in this great city. Pérez knows that it is important to look out for our most downtrodden, but Pérez knows the dangers of a large state that provides everything to its citizens. A state that provides everything can take it all away, can suppress political and religious freedom, and can even suppress journalists, and kill and starve its people, whether through incompetence or intentionally.

Not all of these atrocities occurred in communist Cuba but Bernardo knows that in authoritarian, usually communist countries, the danger of these atrocities increases exponentially and you only have to point to the Soviet Union and Mao’s China and to their respective successors for the proof. These countries have some private elements to their economies now; however, they still have way too much state control over their economies and in regards to political freedoms and in regards to unreasonably suppressing and preventing the existence of a free press. In the People’s Republic of China, for example, ethnic minority groups are persecuted relentlessly.

Pérez, however, believes that Atlasia’s freedom is its strength and its diversity is a part of that. This doesn’t mean that whites should feel responsible for the actions of their fathers as long as they are not personally racist, as long as they personally do better. Pérez believes in improvements for the most vulnerable Miamians. Chief among these vulnerable groups are Miami’s black and brown communities and the poor whites of Miami. If Bernardo is elected mayor, he will work to improve your Miami schools, especially those for our poorest citizens, and those in vulnerable black and brown communities.

Bernardo Pérez strongly denounces the racism and hate of authoritarian communism. Pérez will fight with his all for freedom and personal rights as your mayor. Bernardo believes in strong, financially secure Miamians for a strong Miami. This is why Pérez supports reduced city taxes, especially for middle-class families and low-income seniors. Bernardo Pérez believes that unnecessary red tape hurts small businesses but that some regulations are necessary to ensure the quality and safety of products and services, especially food products. We know, however, that some regulations only unnecessarily fine and impede the operation of small businesses when these businesses are already 100% serviceable.

If you agree with our values: freedom and liberty, personal rights, economic liberty, compassionate Main Street federalism, and strong small businesses for a strong Miami, then vote Federalist for Mayor. Vote for Bernardo Pérez!

Rally in Miami, FL

Hello, Miami!

It’s great to be in this beautiful city. Thank you to all of you who were able to attend this event today and to those of you may be older or have pre-existing conditions and are able to watch this event online. We had a hard cap on the attendance for this event in the interest of safety, so I know many of you at home may not have any pre-existing conditions and may even be young Atlasians and I want to let you know that we appreciate your support. We will continue to put your safety first as our country and this city moves onward to brighter days.

As mayor, Bernardo Pérez, your local Federalist candidate, will follow the science and will govern in a way that supports small business while ensuring that businesses follow the appropriate health safety regulations. Economic recovery and the recovery and growth of Miami’s small businesses is a priority for our party and for candidate Pérez. At the same time, keeping all Miamians safe as we continue to vaccinate all Atlasians is a top priority for us. The only people who should not take the vaccine are those who have a legitimate, rare, and serious health condition that prevents them from being vaccinated.

Unfortunately, recent reports (referencing the GM report from 3/17) shows that still 1 in 4 Atlasians are not willing to get the vaccine. This vaccine is completely safe, the worst side effects you will experience is a mild fever and a mild and temporary pain at the injection site, if you have any side effects at all. We want to be able to reopen and to get businesses on the path to recovery but this process will be much slower and much more deadly if you choose not to vaccinate. Please, for your city and country, for your family and yourself, get vaccinated.

Thank you, Miami!

Rally in Miami, FL

Hey, y’all!

Today I want to talk about the issues important to the Latino community. First of all, let’s set the record straight. It’s easy to classify Latinos in a way that is overly simplistic and seeks to homogenize this community, of which I am a member. Though, Latinos should not be expected to vote as a monolith, Latinos should be expected to vote their values and to make their own decision on the policies of each party and candidate.

We know, too, that each group in the Latino community may vote differently from another, from Cuban Atlasians, to Venezuelan Atlasians and Mexican-Atlasians. We also know that just because you are Latino does not mean that you are automatically nonwhite, that you necessarily feel a commonality with all nonwhite people, or a hatred or contempt for “privileged” whites. We know that, in fact, most Cuban-Atlasians in Miami identify as white. I believe in a fellowship between low-income, working-class people of all races, including poor whites, because I am multiracial. While I think this should be the preferred stance for everyone, I understand and this party deeply understands that the Latino community is not so black-and-white as it is portrayed on the left.

For example, I support immigration reform but this is not the only issue important to Latinos. This is my own stance and our party does not have a stance on immigration to my knowledge. This goes to show that our party is welcoming to Latinos, and to people with views on immigration similar and dissimilar to my own views. As a Latino, I always felt welcome in this party and I am content, at home, in this party.

This party exemplifies the Main Street federalism, the Main Street values most important to Latinos of all stripes. Hard work, low taxes for working families, and the Atlasian dream. Our party strongly believes that if you work hard you should be able to create a successful business. If you have a good idea and the capital to start a business, you should be free to start a business within the confines of the law. You should not be hampered, though, by unnecessary nonsense regulations that don’t exist in the pursuit of safety but almost to show the might of the state, and to quash individualism, consumer choice, and free enterprise.

We are strongly opposed to monopolies and strongly support competition because that is the capitalist way. Too much state control and too much monopoly control is bad for the consumer and bad for the small business owner and the potential small business owner.

We believe in helping out our most vulnerable citizens especially during this troubling time. We believe in a responsible government that does not spend beyond its means in ordinary circumstances. However, it is necessary to support our citizens in this crucial time.

Radio Ad by Fmr. Gov. West_Midlander

This ad will be aired through election day

Our candidate, Bernardo Pérez, is a Catholic, like myself. He strongly believes in the sanctity of life, even for our smallest Atlasians. Vote Pérez, the pro-life option for Mayor of Miami. Paid for by Citizens for Life Miami.

[Joseph Cao]

[Yesterday evening, at the conclusion of a day of door-knocking and voter outreach in Detroit’s southern neighborhoods, Representative Cao was invited to give the opening speech at a masked and socially distanced general event downtown for the gubernatorial candidate and other state legislative candidates of the Federalist Party. The Journey song Don’t Stop Believin’ was played immediately prior to the Representative’s speech, which was streamed on party websites and social media.]

Hello, everyone! Good evening, Detroit! Yes, I know there isn’t a South Detroit – Canada is right across the river, after all – but here in Downtown we are pretty far south for the city. The House of Representatives did recently pass a bill honoring a notable Atlasian from my own state after all; and if East Chicago can pass muster with the People’s House, South Detroit ought to be good enough for them too.

Now, the House has certainly been considering bills of a more pressing nature as well; one of them, which I was very happy to sponsor on behalf of former House Speaker Thumb, launched our federal vaccination effort. I’m extremely heartened to hear that many of you have gotten the vaccine and done your part in getting the nation closer to the light at the end of this tunnel. We can push the death rate down further, and the infection rate along with it, but we’re going to need everyone on board. So, for those of you here and everyone who’s watching or listening to this tonight, unless you have a medical condition that prevents you from taking the vaccine, please book a vaccination appointment at your earliest convenience – and after you’ve taken it make sure to continue taking precautions and wearing your mask for two or three weeks as you’re all doing now, because the vaccine needs that time to get you properly immunized to COVID. Though you good folks here in Detroit may know that by now, since Councilwoman Watson has been doing an amazing job at public health messaging on behalf of the City.

That’s just one of the reasons I believe, as does the Federalist Party, that she’s more than ready to face the challenges in the Governor's office. She understands quite fairly the importance that science holds during this time and has no hesitation in making sure the people of Detroit know that as well; she’ll also stand ready to get done for all of Michigan what she’s gotten done for Detroit. You can absolutely trust her to follow the science just as properly as she’s informed everyone of it. But as she has also taken care to emphasize, this city and this state has experienced an economic toll that cannot be discounted, and it will be Councilwoman Watson’s priority in the governor’s office to lead a recovery that revitalizes Michigan’s economy by giving our small businesses the help they need. Leaders all over the country from the president on down have had this fine line to walk, but few have done it as well – and will continue to do it as well – as your next Governor.

Obviously there is much in the Councilwoman’s background that has informed her considerable talent for walking this line. Like her, however, the Federalist Party of Michigan and its state legislators have also stressed the need for scientifically informed political decisions that nevertheless prioritize the people they serve. As far as it goes in politics, science is very much meant to be a means of helping the people rather than an end in itself. So is politics itself, really. Too many people see politics as something to be won, or to be bent to our viewpoint – the viewpoint that obviously will solve all our dilemmas and end the deep-seated problems in our society and our economic landscape, if only the people with different viewpoints weren’t blocking our progress. Like the scientific process, politics is a means rather than an end, and that is something our fine candidates all over this great state understand because of what they’ve seen and experienced in this vast patchwork of people and communities called Michigan. Michiganders aren’t innate voters for any one party who just need that party to flip a switch and usher in the Utopia on the backs of an approving populace. You are, in all your diversity of opinion and experience, ordinary folks who have issues you care about and are willing to discuss so as to find the best way forward, rather than blindly swallow whatever party apparatchiks tell you is the best policy.

That is the political process: the means of working through the unglamorousness, the tradeoffs and limitations and compromises, in pursuit of an end the voters need rather than an end the party wants. The Federalists have our policies – which your candidates here will be happy to expand on shortly – but they serve the people of Michigan, their constituents will attest that they’ve served well, and every single candidate here will put the needs of Detroit and Michigan first. Forget whether parties win or lose in elections: if the people you elect to the legislature this month can commit to that and act on it, regardless of party, the people will have been served well. That’s the hope we hold for this state; and now, it is my very great pleasure to welcome a fine public servant who has served you all well and will continue to do so: the next Governor of Michigan, Councilwoman Bernice Reeves Watson!

[West_Midlander]

This event had socially distanced seating. Masks were mandatory and were handed out to those without one. Physical attendance was limited, with this speech being streamed online and posted on Youtube.

Speech outside the Miami Federalists HQ

Hello, Miami!

Thank you to all of you who are here with us today and to our wonderful staff on this campaign. This is a campaign for all of us, this campaign of our fighter for Main Street federalism and for working-class people all over Miami, Bernardo Peréz. Whatever your background, whether you have always been a Miamian or are an immigrant to this lovely city, or whether you came from another part of Florida or Atlasia, at-large, to retire, if Bernardo Peréz is elected he will govern as a mayor for the people, all the people—for all Miamians.

First, I would like to note that our canvassers are taking all of the appropriate COVID-19 precautions including standing at least six feet from voters after knocking on their door or ringing the doorbell. Almost all of our canvassers are simply leaving leaflets at the residence(s) instead of interacting with voters, directly, in the interest of safety. Additionally, we are conducting this campaign mostly online and on the airwaves with the occasional event utilizing the appropriate COVID-19 precautions.

Now, I would also like to thank all of our campaign volunteers, our canvassers, our phone-bankers, and our staff managing our online, digital and radio media presence. I know that you all have put your heart and soul into this campaign, as has candidate Peréz and as have I. We fully intend to win this race for a better Miami, for fiscally responsible government that also knows that aid for the people is needed during this crucial time.

We know that if you lose, you get back up and fight on for your cause and we know our cause is right. In our last campaign here in Miami, we narrowly lost the mayorship. However, we did come second in Miami last time, and the mayor of Miami is a member of the Democratic Alliance; so if you support us, do not let up and do not feel dissuaded. Some people may tell you this is a Labor city, but this is a politically diverse city, mirroring Miami's diverse population and we appreciate every vote; every vote is fought hard for. We don't deserve any votes automatically—no party does—and we will continue to fight for your interests today, tomorrow, and in office. Donate if you are financially secure enough to, phonebank, canvas if you are comfortable doing so, and vote, vote, vote!

Now I would like to unveil two campaign banners that we are launching for this campaign. The first banner will be used for general purposes and especially for audiences who may not know candidate Peréz well. This banner reads, "Bernardo Peréz for Mayor."

(1; see below)

Our second banner will be used more often out of the two, and reads, "Peréz for Miami." This banner is meant to show how Bernardo Peréz and this campaign is really your campaign. Bernardo Peréz is dedicated to serving you in office and in line with our party's vision for Atlasia and Miami, he will fight the big interests. Our party is and has always been staunchly against monopolies. We know that competition between smaller businesses, consumer choice, and fair prices, but not ones dictated by the government, are the hallmarks of a free and fair society. We are strongly against price-gouging, especially for lifesaving medicines, and that is why we strongly support AtlasCare and why our party's chairman had a major hand in securing AtlasCare for the Atlasian people.

(2; see below)

Finally, I would like to completely reject this false notion that we are the party of "elites." As I have said on this campaign a few times, we are staunchly against monopolies and support a functional, competitive capitalist economy. I strongly support candidate Peréz and I grew up in mobile homes. I am no elite; we are not a party of elites. I have always fought for low-income people and for the working class of all races. If you know me at all, you know that I would not be a party to and I would not campaign for elites, not ever.

(1)



(2)



Image source: Miami Skyline Pictures by Alejandro Luengo - Unsplash