House of Representatives candidate forum

[YE]

Ground rules:

Approximately 48 hours for discussion. Will cover 4 topics over the next 8 days.

Posts in this thread that are not made by myself or valid declared candidates will be hidden. That doesn’t mean don’t make them per se but I don’t want posts from outsiders taking over the forum.

Feel free to rebut each other as much as you want. Considering this is a non-oral debate, I don’t see a need to intervene here.

[YE]

First question: From a gameplay standpoint, what are the biggest issues facing Atlasia?

~48 hours.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

First, I would like to thank YE for hosting this forum, and the ownership of this venue for allowing this discussion to take place. Although it is unclear, at the moment, whether I will be able to continue on as a candidate, right now I can promise full transparency to those here and those watching at home.

To answer the first question: I, personally, believe the biggest issue facing Atlasia is one of activity. A great Atlasian statesman once said many years ago that offices in this game should be like treasures. We should never take our constituents for granted, be that on the basis of party affiliation or otherwise.

Yes, it is true that with a governing system efficient as hours, it is not uncommon for us to have periods of writer's block. The left, which I am a part of, has been in control for some considerable uninterrupted time. But that makes our levels of activity more, not less, important. The same should be said for the opposition as well.

I intend to have an ideas-oriented debate and maintain a positive campaign. I will not call out my fellow candidates personally, but I will note there is one congressman in particular whom we've seen elected and reelected, time after time, who hasn't introduced a single piece of legislation going back to at least October. He rarely makes floor statements, and he rarely justifies his votes, when he can be bothered to vote.

And as a general rule, a typical so-called 'campaign' for House consists of a single statement in the Candidate Declaration Thread. The voters are given no indication of what a candidate's priorities will be, let alone where they stand on those issues. And very rarely do we see candidates make the effort to even open a thread so that the public can ask questions and make their voices heard.

This is not an issue that can be solved with legislation, but only with the people whom we elect.

I tried challenging this culture, of merely expecting votes from one's respective machine, by opening a campaign thread stating what issues I hope to champion in Congress as well as running unaffiliated and reaching out to an ideologically diverse array of voters. As someone who may not be eligible to appear on this month's ballot, I have been forced to go out and reach out to anyone who might be open to voting for me and giving me their first preference. That includes some of our center-right Atlasian friends who desire a change from the status quo when it comes to our bi-monthly campaigns.

That is the biggest issue facing Atlasia, and it is not only a matter of how one votes, but how one intends to represent people and be responsive to their needs and their concerns.

[RC (a la Frémont)]

Before I start I would like to thank YE for hosting this forum. It isn't often enough where the candidates we vote for are actually questioned on policy. A function like this could only be beneficial to our democracy.

While I agree with Mr. Scott that activity is and always has been a problem within some sector of our government, I believe there is a different problem that recent inactivity has stemmed from, that being off-forum recruitment. I believe that there is some form of exploitation from both major parties in recruiting people solely to vote for a certain candidate, then becoming inactive once their purpose is served in the eyes of a party.

Never should a constituent be ignored in any region, but when they are being used by politicians for the purpose of gaining or holding onto power, that is an exploitation of the people. I believe there needs to be a fine line to find a solution to this problem, by no means should there be something that is rushed and could disenfranchise voters, but when there are almost 90 new voters who hadn't participated in federal elections between November and February, there must be a system that keeps the integrity of our elections intact.

I believe that we can find a bipartisan solution to this issue, nobody wants our elections to be influenced by outside figures to elect party-picked insiders as our head of state. I've been in the House long enough to know we can cause some real change in Atlasia, because as things stand, we desperately need a change in how the game is played.

[Dr. MB]

The biggest issue facing Atlasia today is lack of excitement and activity. Ishan and I have done 70% of the House's work for this cycle. Not many bills have been introduced by the other members and several members have low attendance rates. This inactivity crisis is felt in both Congress and in the presidency with only a few people keeping the government running. If you don't want to at least debate on bills and show up to vote, don't f**king run. You don't even have to introduce anything. I'm not sure if Poirot ever introduced a bill but he still made his opinions clear every time and pointed out things which may have been ignored otherwise.

Ninja has missed 19% of votes, Harvey has missed 23%, Lfromnj has missed 38%, and Deadprez has missed 42%. That's unacceptable. Anyone paying even minor attention should be able to at least show up to vote on almost every bill. A couple occasional misses are fine of course (and LOAs obviously) but when you're missing 2 out of every 5 (as 2/3 of the federalist members have) it's ridiculous.

There's also a lack of controversial issues being explored. The House has done a better job of this than the Senate, but most of the bills introduced now are uncontroversial and easily pass.

This issue is even seen here in this thread. Before me, only two candidates posted statements and one has since dropped out. It's annoying. Majority of the candidates running haven't even bothered to make a thread. If you don't do that at least have the decency to post here.

[Joseph Cao]

Let me preface this by thanking YE for hosting this forum and to any of you reading this for reading this, and apologies in advance if any of my points have overlapped with those of the three before me.

One of the major problems that the game faces is the same as it ever was. We know perfectly well that activity is something to strive for, but we also know that activity levels ebb and flow through the year and that, for any one person, they are subject to a lot of external influences when RL or personal issues must take precedence. I mention this not as an excuse – it would be convenient to wave my own spotty record away with this if there weren’t other, more experienced players having the same problems, which seem to multiply at this time of year – but to note something else. MB has done an excellent job of keeping the House docket full, no doubt about it. Still, the rest of us who were elected have jobs to do and to actually argue for the principles that we stand for and it is fairly apparent that there is much left to be desired on that front. I’ll return to this in a moment.

On a broader scale it does seem like we have an activity paradox of sorts. We have a larger volume of legislation in the House than in previous sessions of Congress but less involved debate. As a whole, regional legislatures have been puttering along; Lincoln’s Council in particular has been positively buzzing with activity in recent weeks. And there is a glut of new candidates for elected office – Abdullah, JoeInator, SN, Nyssus technically, Sunrise formerly, several others, certainly more at once than in any election in recent memory – to join the regional luminaries like Lumine and Tmth and Siren who can provide the experience needed for good bills in their legislatures. I don’t quite know how to square that with the apparent drop in the number of people actually being active. It is possible that that number never actually dropped. All things considered, however, the current state of the game both elections- and government-wise strikes me as being a fallow period that will pass come the next presidential election or the growth in confidence of some of our newer players.

Addressing the House itself, and having now had the opportunity to scan the previous statements, I wholly understand MB’s frustration here. When I served as Speaker previously there would be representatives who would barely show up to vote, or indeed at all. Congress by design is supposed to be no less than the sum of its parts. In previous Congresses we have had people like Poirot, like OBD and Falterin, and earlier back people like Cinyc and Lumine and Thumb who were not all prolific billwriters; all of them introduced bills, and some were in fact especially prolific, but more importantly they were willing to debate and discuss even mundane bills like the one by RC which abolished the penny. We can track House members’ activity, as the Speaker is very commendably doing. We can PM people on Atlas and elsewhere. But productivity, actual productivity, needs engagement on multiple fronts: from the House leadership, the members, the other chamber, the administration, even the GM.

There are things we can do in the House and in the game more broadly to increase the chances of activity on the part of our members, but ultimately the choice to be active or inactive rests with the members themselves. Ditto for the population of the game at large. If people are incentivized to treat the game as a world unto itself, as an opportunity to engage in the better elements of politics, and as something worth engaging in, they can become active. If the users of the Talk Elections Forum are able to see that the game is worth playing, they will come in. I came in when I had just under 40 posts, in the midst of national complaints about an inactive vice-president and a dead Southern legislature, and who knows what other prospective Atlasians might be able to do the same?

[lfromnj]

The most important issue would be the issue of the lack of a properly simulated game economy. The economy system we use where 100% tax rates give exactly double the revenue of a 50% tax rate makes no sense. Although it might be a bit harder to work with to set up, once an easy formula is established for factors such the extra calculations wouldn't be much harder. Changing up the game economy would result in actual problems arising from the economy which makes balancing a budget a much harder act to do while at the same time more fulfilling.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

The biggest issue facing Atlasia is inactivity. I have to agree with Scott that this problem requires a cultural solution, not a legislative one. No bill can effectively stop party machines that basically do all the work of doing gotv, where a candidate doesn't even need to start a thread or campaign for themselves at all. It'll require the parties themselves to pull support from their own candidates that are inactive. Until this happens, the root cause of inactivity will not change.

In a related issue that some blame for inactivity are the zombie voters or offsite recruits, those who only vote and don't play an active role in the game. The problem with this is that reducing the number of those voters doesn't actually increase the number of active players. The idea of making voting requirements higher just reduces the number of votes, especially when the changes would have disenfranchised already-registered voters. Increasing activity requires increasing the number of active voters involve din the game, not just decreasing the number of zombie voters and saying problem solved.

[YE]

Second question: How much of a role should regions play in this game? Do they currently posses too much or too little control?

[Saint Milei]

Q1: Changing the game up to include more foreign policy play can make the game more interesting, competitive, and overall represent the issues facing regions and nations in real time. The game often feels too much like a game and too little like the real world.

Q2: To piggy back on the lack of real world experience in the game, I do feel as if the regions have no real differences. There are some things that can't be changed, but I do believe there should be some distinct differences between regions. The south is probably only region that has its own culture. I don't think regions have too much control as of now.

[Continential]

The greatest issue in Atlasia is in my opinion, activity. As Representative MB stated, one third of all Representatives are missing votes regularly, and voting is very easy to do, and it feels like there is little to no debate on bills. In this session, it feels like the vast majority of the bills were introduced by Representative MB and myself, and two thirds of all Representatives from the Federalist Party, the main opposition party in Atlasia miss more than 1/3 of all votes, and the fact that the opposition is inactive shows quite a lot about the activity of the House.

I could talk about activity for quite a while but I'd like to ask you to vote Ishan for a first or high preference in the April 2021 midterm elections, because I have been an active Representative this session.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

I believe there needs to be an equal balance between federal and regional control.

We demonstrated that by passing AtlasCare, which consolidated our existing public healthcare programs and enabled the regions to pass universal access to care if they do not like the federal AtlasCare plan. It is, ironically, a program that both Labor and the Federalists have claimed credit for, because it simplified our public programs and guaranteed regional autonomy over their own health care laws.

During my time as First Minister of Frémont, for example, we adopted a German-style system that bans for-profit insurance while not banning private options, in addition to allowing a public option choice. Biased as I might be, I believe that Frémont has the best healthcare system in the country. It is the best because we designed our system responsibly. Our current First Minister, Truman, and Parliament, have done a tremendous job managing our healthcare system.

Speaker Siren, in particular, deserves credit for our successful vaccine roll-out.

We also didn't make the mistake of giving hospitals millions of dollars that they didn't need, as what sadly happened in Lincoln.

The regions - and to a lesser extent, the NPC states - are truly the laboratories of democracy. And it is because of the regions that we are able examine which system works best, which system might be appropriate as a national model. It is my personal belief that our parliamentary system in Frémont has been a success, while the so-called "Philadelphia Plan" has been an absolute failure. But such is the benefit of having distinct regions for which to compare outcomes and improve the nation as a whole.

So with that said, I couldn't disagree more with Congressman DeadPrez - who, by the way, I am glad is taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in this forum.

The regions are distinct, and that is what matters. That must be taken into consideration for every bill that's considered in Nyman.

[Talleyrand]

Q1: As others have mentioned, there's an activity crisis in this game. Not only is the government board devoid of debate, but the fantasy elections board lacks any discussion, period. As much of the banter that used to take place on this forum has migrated over to discord, it seems as if the game has faded except for the monthly election adrenaline high.

I think game reform should always be on the table. Periodic reforms strengthen Atlasia (as evidenced by the 2015 reset). I think a reconfiguration of the legislature should be discussed (including a move to a parliament). I would also be open to reconfiguring the number and size of the regions. We should never get too wedded to the status quo.

Q2: I don't think the big question is whether regions have too much or too little control, but what regions should control in general. We need clear delineation of regional and federal powers so that conflict does not arise, and healthy legislative activity occurs on both levels of government. I think what Fremont has done with the parliamentary system is fantastic; as Scott mentioned, experimentation can thrive in the regions.

[Harvey Updyke Jr🌹]

Q1:  Of course, we all have real life that often gets in the way of things.  I'm fairly active on my party's discord, and anyone who needs to contact me can shoot me a PM on discord or on these forums.  Now, I am finally getting into the comfort zone where I feel like I can introduce bills and not have them being disasters from the get-go. 

The right honorable member, MB might be very adamant about a lack of participation, and I do have a qualm with him on a few votes that got through without the appropriate announcements being made through both party and unofficial House channels to make the right honorable members aware of a bill being submitted.

It seems as if the transition of power was not smooth from the last Congress to the current one.  That said, Speaker is a tough job with a steep learning curve, and despite my minor criticism, I want to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker on doing a job well done.

I plan on being much more active in the next congress, and without giving too much away, I have a bold policy position that I plan on submitting to the House next congress.  I will hopefully be working on the finer details with the Southern members of the Senate. 

[Dr. MB]

I don't have an issue with the status quo around regions. I don't think the number of regions should be changed, 3 seems to work fine. My only issue is how some regions are disproportionately balanced with Lincoln having twice the population of Fremont for example. That's why I introduced the Regional Registration Act which passed the House and hopefully will pass the Senate. Regional legislatures are a good place for new players to the game to get a start in a more low pressure environment.

[YE]

Third Question: Ever since the election of Adam Griffin a little under two years ago, we’ve seen increases in the deficit and the welfare state at least temporarily in part due to the pandemic, and the de facto end of austerity and removal of so called dumb regulations. Do you consider this change of politics a good thing?

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Second question: How much of a role should regions play in this game? Do they currently posses too much or too little control?

Regions should play a big role in the game. It's a good way for new players to get involved in the legislature. The amount of control they currently have over policy is perfect. I oppose attempts to unnecessarily weaken or reduce the importance of the regions.

[Dr. MB]

I've always been a supporter of a strong welfare state. It's one of the main functions of the government and the progress we have made over it the past couple of years is a major step in the right direction. I'd like to see us go even further though and I'd vote for plenty of other bills should they hit the House floor.

The pandemic is a good experiment for a more expansive public welfare system and I'd like to keep many of the changes long after it's done.

[Talleyrand]

I need to catch up on all the new programs enacted, but I'm also generally predisposed to a stronger, more efficient welfare state. I might disagree with a few specific bills, but for the most part, I'm happy to see this sea change in our politics (within reason). I think we are investing in the long-term future of Atlasia as a communitarian, civil libertarian society.

[lfromnj]

Second question: How much of a role should regions play in this game? Do they currently posses too much or too little control?

Not 100% sure, I feel like they are a good opening for newer players but they still usually require an experienced older player atleast guiding the newer players through. I feel like they generally have an adequate control but it would be nice to see the clear line of the separation of powers.

[YE]

Fourth question: Considering both federal and regional level taxes, are Atlasians paying too much or too little in taxes?

[RC (a la Frémont)]

I think that the too much or too little question isn't the right way of going at it because of course, it depends on the amount of income an Atlasian makes. In terms of those in the top 1%, of course they aren't paying enough in taxes, in this country, there is such thing as excessive wealth, and I believe we need to reinvest that money into the millions that are suffering in poverty, and we should take this to heart now more than ever due to the expected rise in poverty and bankruptcy as we exit this pandemic.

[Joseph Cao]

Q2: Regions can and should adopt a larger role in the game. As others have pointed out, they are a reminder that the federal government isn't the sole arbiter of what goes on in government. They allow reforms and programs to be tested out at a lower level with PC input, some of which are successful and some… are not. It is clear that even setting aside things like the Philly Plan saga being emblematic of Lincoln politics, regional policymaking has the effect it needs to exert on the game at large and occupy the attentions of at least a majority of active players, either regional legislators and officeholders who set that policy or federal ones who need to take regional policy into account. I have generally tried to respect the contours of regional policy when discussing federal bills and I'm glad that most members of the federal government (of all parties) have done the same.


Q3: My view is that our goal should be a more efficient means of government, one that avoids spending too much on too many extraneous elements of those programs where possible while continuing to help our citizens with the problems they face. Part of that is naturally down to the extra measures that have sprung up due to the COVID situation; I am inclined to reexamine them as we wind down from the pandemic in the (hopefully) near future, as some of them were pretty explicitly temporary measures, based on the impact they had (which the GM can hopefully help with as well). That is part of my intent for the second stimulus extension that has just been brought to the House floor. Hopefully we will be able to continue that path of legislative oversight for other bills on a case-by-case basis.

I stand by the dumb regulations repeals that we enacted back then, however, and suspect the Federalists writ large feel generally the same, as those were genuinely dumb and often head-scratching regulations that in the larger sense were more of a hindrance than a help.


Q4: Building on from that, the regional tax rates are obviously very varied and I am going to refrain from commenting on the cluster we have in Lincoln as that has been a constant source of pain for the Council. This is only one of the many areas where I would argue for better coordination between the federal and regional levels in a way that helps both levels of government without balancing the budget on the backs of people who can't afford it. Certainly, however, the levels of revenue in Atlasia as we come out of COVID need to be monitored and handled as best we can at both levels of government. To the extent that we have a budget debate this year I hope to be in a position to bring that side of the debate to the table, reexamine our revenue and spending levels, and adjust taxes as necessary.

[Talleyrand]

Fourth question: Considering both federal and regional level taxes, are Atlasians paying too much or too little in taxes?

Not sure what the current tax rates are, but assuming they haven't changed that much since 2014-15, I'd say they're quite reasonable. Need to look at current numbers to say for sure.

[Dr. MB]

The tax rates as they stand are fine. I'm for higher taxes on the wealthy and lower taxes on ordinary people. I also believe in entirely eliminating the sales tax. It's regressive and targets poor people the most. Same with tolls, sin taxes, and any sort of flat tax.