Liberal NPC Elections: November 2020

[Poirot]

The November campaign starts in Sunrise in Florida. It was a very early event, taking place at around 6:30. There is a lot of work ahead of us so we must start early. There is music playing and it's Here Comes The Sun by the Beatles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQetemT1sWc

Thank you for being here this early and enjoying the sun rising. At the end of the month voters will have the choice between many political parties. In electing the Liberal party the state will enter a new era. It is a chance to have a new beginning like a new day. The dark hours are over, now we are seeing daylight and activities will start, and it will get warmer. It's like electing a Liberal government.

Here is the official campaign banner for Florida, the sunshine state. Because at the Liberal party we are generous, we did not only put one sun, we put three. With the Liberal party the future of the state is very bright.

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I'm in Okeechobee in Florida. The Everglades are unique and famous wetlands. It is a fragile ecosystem  that is now half in area of what it was 100 years ago. There is a problem of algea blooms in Lake Okkeechobee. It is caused by phosporous pollution, a majority of it coming from agriculture. The toxic algae blooms cover the lake surface and stop aquatic plant from receiving sunlight, and in turn if there are no plants aquatic life become in peril. The algae blooms can be the cause of health problems to humans. We are committed to regenerate the Everglades. Clean water is important to us. We will drastically lower the use of pesticies and chemical fertilizers for people living near the Everglades. We will increase the state budget allocated to Everglades restoration projects. The Everglades are a natural gem and we must take good care of the area so our children and grandchildren can enjoy it.   

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I'm in Daytona Beach in Florida.
Intro music is Sunglasses at night by Corey Hart:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56HSPQHSqEE

An evening event has a good side. We are protected from the damaging rays of the sun. It's not because our logo has three suns that we are encouraging you to take too much sun. Cancer of the skin is the most common cancer in the country. Florida is the second state for the highest amount of skin cancer. We will increase prevention to curb the growth rate. There will be more efforts made by the public health agency about symptoms of skin cancer and the best ways to avoid risk factors and sun burns. We will install free sunscreen dispensers in many beaches and parks so sunscreen will be available. We will hire students to give out information about skin cancer and how to protect from it in public places. Getting sun is good but don't overdo it.   

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I am attending a Veterans Day ceremony at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City in Florida. I pay tribute to the military personel who served our country. They are a beacon of courage and dedication. They defend our freedoms and values. Like they have fought to preserve democracy, the Liberal party will defend democracy and freedom in the politcal arena. Let's have a thought fo all those who have fallen serving the country.

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I'm in Orlando in Florida. There are many famous tourist attractions in the area like Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World. You can see children's face light up when they visit these places.

Visitors to Florida poured in $86 billiion in the state economy and supported 1.5 million jobs in 2017. Tourism is one of the main industry for the state. It provides revenues and jobs. Some want to cut funding to the state's marketing corporation. We want to keep the budget and even increase it. Like many products you need to advertise and promote it so the state is in tourists minds when they decide where to go on vacation. Other destinations will market themselves and we need to keep supporting our tourism industry and all businesses and jobs depending on it. People all over the world need to come discover our attractions, beaches, museums, historical sites, architecture and nature.

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I am in Reading in Pennsylvania in front of the Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania office. This organization does great work. It's a collaborative initiative engaged in helping Veterans by partnering with local, state and federal agencies and organizations to assist with reintegration, career development, mentoring, housing and other necessities of life outside the military.

Yesterday was Veterans Day, a day to pay tribute to the men and women who served Atlasia. Lest we forget. We shouldn't forget our living veterans and we can do more to support them. We owe it to them. We will give them better health care services and especially mental health services. Those are often neglected. The young veterans who return to civilian life and look for a job will be helped. Our education system will help them train for a new career and opportunities, and we will partner with the private sector so businesses see the advantages of hiring veterans.

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It's nice to be in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and be joined by Steve Anderson, Liberal candidate for Governor. We are here to present the campaign logo.

It shows the Liberty Bell that sits in Phildaelphia. It is a symbol of our country's independence. It reminds also the party will fight for We the people, and represent all of us.

The official campaign song is What a feeling by Irene Cara from the film Flashdance. The film is set in Pittsburgh so it balances region, the song relates to the west of the state while the image is from the east.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miax0Jpe5mA

What a feeling
Bein's believin'
I can have it all
Now I'm dancing for my life
Take your passion
And make it happen
Pictures come alive
You can dance right through your life

Our party's candidates are passionate, they want to make things happen, they have the feeling and belief they can achieve great things for the state.

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I'm in Waipahu in Hawaii. The violent crime rate in the state is below the national average. But people are more concerned about their safety than the average of Atlasia. What people fear the most about violent crime happening to them in the state is being robbed in the street. and more than the rest of the country. Hawaii's property crime rate is higher than the national average. It's so unfortunate to live in such beautiful place, you think it's paradise, but no people fear more about their safety and security. People shouldn't live in fear. They should be free to live their life without worries. We will bring a sense of security. We will have more visible police patrol doing rounds. We will focus on solving property crime since it's a bigger problem than the national average. We will catch the bad guys and get property crime down.

I leave you with the campaign song which is the theme of Hawaii Five 0:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASvQ-bNURn4

Let's have a safer Hawaii with less crime.
Thank you. Mahalo.

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I'm in Honolulu in Hawaii. The Honolulu rail transit project started many years ago. It will link the downtown area, the airport, the Aloha stadium and college. Construction is facing big cost overruns and there could be delays to complete the whole project. At this point the area will get a modern transit system, that is not the issue. The issue is to finish it in minimizing the extra costs and without big delays. If you elect a Liberal government we will change mangers in charge of the project. We will hire experts in transit project management, the best engineers and it will be done for the lowest cost possible. people have paid enough already, we can't fleece taxpayers. It will be done in an efficient manner and the state will be proud of the accomplishment. The way it's going now it's more a source of shame in our ability to plan and build big projects. Vote for a Liberal government to change how it's going and to get things done.

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I'm in Peahi, Jaws surf break in Maui in Hawaii. I'm here to talk about the urgency to tackle global warming at the international level. If climate change worsens some experts say Hawaii's surf could disappear. The state's beaches and surf are in danger. Hawaii's way of life is threatened. When the temperature and level of seas rise it changes where and how waves break. As sea level rises tourist sports like Waikiki could disappear completely. If tourism is impacted it will have serious economic consequences for the state.

That's why the campaign banner has an image for surf, and the star image is to show we will bring back a sense of safety.

[Poirot]

Hafa Adai. Hello.
Thank you for welcoming me in San Jose on the island of Tinian, part of the Nothern Mariana Islands. We are close to the location of an ancient village of the Chamorro culture, which was more than twelve times more populated than this village. I hope it's not a sign of the Chamorro culture on the decline. A Liberal government would preserve and promote the local culture. It is important to keep alive what makes these islands distinct from the rest of Atlasia.

Here is the campaign banner:

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I'm in Kagman on Saipan Island in Nothern Marianas. Education is one of the most important investment we can make for the future. Education improves the quality of life and it can change the life of someone. The state doesn't have a big population so there is not a big network of education system. We have one school at the college level, Northern Marianas college. There is not enough students to offer all options and specializations in courses for all levels. I know the Governor of Guam very well. I propose we reach an agreement with Guam to exchange educational services. If someone wants to get a specialization that is not offered in Northern Marianas, they could go follow it in Guam, which is bigger. The student would pay the same tuition as in Northern Marianas, and the government could pay the difference. It could also be following a course online given by a Guam institution. I think working with Guam on education is a good idea since we are both states isolated from mainland Atlasia and it increases the pool of students to get a minimum size class for a course. With more students, learning institutions can offer more services.

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I'm in Garapan on Saigan in the Northern Marianas. A Liberal government will increase labor monitoring of workers conditions. We have witnessed abuse of migrant Chinese construction workers in the state. They were forced to work 13 hours a day, they got less than the minimum wage, they lived in horrible conditions. Some workers had guest worker permits but others entered as tourists. Today labor exploitation is unacceptable and all workers, foreign or local, should be protected by our labor laws. We will do a better job of surveillance.

It was a pleasure to visit your state. I leave you with the official campaign song: Leonard Cohen's So Long Marianne.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ACgCmBubb4

So long Marianas!

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I'm in Roswell in New Mexico. A liberal state government would be very inclusive. It would govern to represent all people, whatever their characteristics. The state is very diverse. It doesn't matter what is your origin, if you are latino, native, black, white, green, a Liberal government will be there for you. I've heard green people don't feel accepted so they hide and don't go out. They don't have to fear we accept everyone in the state. We will fight any form of discrimination. The campaign banner reflects the diversity of the population. A sombrero for mexican origin, green people, natives, all are accepted in the New Mexico adobe house at the top of the banner.

The official song is Taos, New Mexico by Waylon Jennings. It is from the album Love of the common people. The Liberal party will work for the common people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UNf90fFv_M

Vote for a government for all people. Vote Liberal. Vota Liberal.

[Poirot]

I'm in Albuquerque in New Mexico. The oil and industry directly provides over 20% of the state's revenues through leases, royalty payments and taxes. in a bad year it dips to 15%, in a good year over 30%. If we consider indirect revenues the share of the industry is even higher. over 30% of the state's annual budget. Such heavy reliance on one industry is problematic. Oil and gas is very cyclical and prices vary. State revenues can have big swings from year to the next. The state still has to deliver services in education, infrastructure, public security, health etc. even if state revenues decrease one year.

There is also a problem with the long term prospect of the oil and gas industry. It's not a renewable form of energy and with more efforts to combat climate change, fossil fuels could be less in demand. These factors show the state faces a problem of fiscal sustainability.

New Mexico must diversify it's sources of revenues and economic sectors to be able to provide good services to its population in the long term. A Liberal legislature would work in that direction. We will work to diversify the economy to be less relaible on one industry. We will attract new businesses to the state. We will favor economic development outside fossil fuels industyr. With a more diversified industrial and commercial sectors the state's revenues will be more stable and sustainable thus preserving the state's spending ability. Vote for the future. Vote for the Liberal party and its candidates statewide. 

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I'm in Santa Fe in New Mexico. We will continue funding for recovery programming for inmates. It is an alternative to incarceration. The programming is around substance abuse counseling and behavioral treatment. It looks to be effective and reduces recidivism rate. A report by the sentencing commission concluded women who took part in recovery programming are less likely to commit a new offense. Men who participated were less likely to have a violation for drug or alcohol violation. It seems the outcome is positive. We favor rehabilitation and community reintegration.   

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I'm in Chicago, near the Buckingham fountain, with a view on the high rise buildings.

I'm here to support our candidate for mayor of the city. Our candidate is a very dynamic person and if elected will get things moving at city hall. This is the offical campaign banner. I'm proud to see many of them in place coming from the airport. The logo has some inspiration from the city flag.

The official song is Sweet Home Chicago. This is a bles Brothers version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_KkgPRo4wA

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I'm in the Englewood sector in Chicago. Our candidate for mayor was telling crime and violence is one of the top concerns of voters. Chicago has a reputation of being more vilolent than most cities.  According to Gallup, 68% of adults living in Chicago's low-income neighborhoods say they would like the police to spend more time in their area. The police is not doing a good job at solving murders. The murder solve rate is much lower in Chicago than in New York or Chicago.

We will put detective bureaus in the higest crime neighborhoods (they were relocated or closed a decade ago) and we will get more gang task forces. Many view the police negatively so more efforts will be put in community policing. And we will have to invest in a longer term solution to decrease crime, have better opportunities for employment and education. It's a big agenda but I'm confident the city can pull together.

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I'm in Waterville in Maine. I am here to present the party's campaign banner for the state.

The Maine lobster represent a traditional industry, the fisheries and the tree is there for forestry. The slogan is It's all about ME. Before some say it's a sign of a personality cult, they have it wrong. ME is the abbreviation for Maine. It's all about Maine. Our candidates have deep roots in the state and they want to focus on Maine's interests. Under a Liberal government the state will blossom and be a success story and everyone in the country will hear of Maine. The song was chosen to show everyone will talk about Maine (ME).

The official song is Talk about me by Skott:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nvi7prb09Y

On a mountain in Nevada they will talk about me
Down the river Colorado they will talk about me
Go to Florida, Key Largo
Phoenix or Chicago
Everybody’s gonna wanna talk about me

[Poirot]

The candidates in Maine will have their individual signs. This is a generic banner.

It uses the same colors as the party banner but the two shades of blue are flipped. The slogan Vote for ME is a play on Me and ME. Vote for Me, as an appeal to get the citizen's vote. Vote for ME, vote for Maine, for someone who will improve Maine, for the best interest of maine, will put Maine first.

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I'm in Caribou in Maine. This is the home of Susan Collins, a moderate in her party. I ask the good people of Maine to vote for the candidates of the Liberal party. You will get what you like: strong individuals, independant, and moderate. Our party is not an ideological chapel in which you get excommunicated if you deviate from orthodoxy. Our candidates will do what is best for their community after listening to all opinions. They can agree sometimes with a centrist opinion, sometimes a left opinion, sometimes a right opinion. And I think citizens will appreciate elected officials who use their judgement rather than blind party line followers. Vote for strong, independent, moderate people. Vote for the Liberal candidates. Thank you.

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I'm in Kearney in Nebraska. This is a great agricultural state. Unfortunately farmers pay a heavy burden in property taxes. More than a quarter of its total property tax revenue comes from farmland. Property taxes account for 38% of total state and local tax collections in Nebraska. If we compare with the rest of Atasia states, Nebraska property taxes are the 10th highest. Looking at other sources of revenues, sales taxes are the 9th lowest, while income taxes is in the middle.

Land ownership is not an indication of income. Even when crop prices are low and farmers make not much profit property taxes stay high. We are proposing to change the mix of state revenues. We will decrease the burden of property taxes for farmers and to compensate increase sales taxes. The goal is the amount of one to offset the other. This will put the state closer to the averages in all categories of taxes. The sales tax is the type of tax that minimizes economic harm. More revenues will be generated by broadening the sales tax, meaning eliminate goods and services exempt if possible, and if needed increase the rate of the tax. Part of school funding comes from property taxes so schools will receive compensation from the state for revenue loss caused by lower property taxes. A Liberal government will deliver tax relief for farmers and a more efficient tax structure.

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I'm in Lincoln in Nebraska near Memorial stadium. This is whwre the Nebraska Cornhuskers play college football. The have a long tradition and are very popular in the state so we used football on the campaign banner. The red and white are for the team colors and the blue for Liberal party color.

The official song is Corn by Chris Janson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Iyg3mnYBt4

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I'm in Omaha in Nebraska. It's the home of Warren Buffett, one of the richest person, aka the Oracle of Omaha. He doesn't think the rich are paying enough taxes. We support a progressive tax system. The tax rate should increase as the income increases. People with lower income have a lower tax rate because they have to spend a larger share of their income on basic living expenses like food and rent. It seems fair the rich should pay more in taxes.

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I'm in Wilmington in Delaware. 57% of the city's population is Black or African Atlasian. We want to try to give more economic empowerment to African Atlasians. They will get more workforce training and mentoring so they have the same opportunities as others in the state. Skills training is important to have good job opportunities. We want to make it easier for African Atlasians to become entrepreneurs and develop the economy. They face some obstacles and we will try to diminish them. It is difficult to have access to capital so we'll work to make it easier. People of every race make a valuable contribution to the state when they don't face barriers.