AF Primaries: Illinois Primary (Deadline Monday 11th 6pm EST)

[7,052,770]

$1m-$500k-$250k seems better.  Unless anybody else thinks otherwise, I'll probably go with that.

Thanks Akno.

I wish we could do that retroactively

[Joe Republic]

Dammit Joe... can we just assume that state screw ups are basic typos now?  I acctually read each of those to make sure I didn't do that again too.  How in the Hell did I let that through.  DAMMIT sh**t F...

In general, I ignore all spelling and grammar mistakes, as long as the speech is still readable.  But the 'wrong location' mistake was a different kind of carelessness, and one that unfortunately would be picked up on if it were made in a real speech.

[Joe Republic]

$1m-$500k-$250k seems better.  Unless anybody else thinks otherwise, I'll probably go with that.

Thanks Akno.

I wish we could do that retroactively

I would do that, but having these new bonuses provides a new impetus to win each primary.  I expect that all of you would have put far more effort into each stage before now if there had been more money at stake, and therefore it'd be unfair to suddenly spring that on all of you.

I should also point out that those bonuses will be applied to each state from now on, and not just each election stage.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'd like a level three organisation in Wisconsin please.

Will work out rest tomorrow

[Akno21]

I don't mean to be a dick here, but I was looking through the results thread and I noticed that you didn't put down a speech I had and 16 hours of fundraising for Nevada. My instructions post was edited, but I got the edits in a minute before 6:00.

[Joe Republic]

I don't mean to be a dick here, but I was looking through the results thread and I noticed that you didn't put down a speech I had and 16 hours of fundraising for Nevada. My instructions post was edited, but I got the edits in a minute before 6:00.

I'm very sorry about that, Akno.  The problem is that I simply don't have enough time to keep checking and re-checking people's campaign posts, which means that some edits are included and others aren't.  The best policy for everybody when making any edits to old posts is to let me know, so that there is no chance I'll overlook it.

I don't want to make this sound like I'm admonishing you for what is essentially my own mistake, but I also need to clarify these things so that it doesn't happen again.

As for the Nevada results, I'm afraid I can't change them.  It'd be too difficult a precedent.  But if you wish, I can include the 16 hours fundraising into this stage.  Let me know if you still want to do that.

[Akno21]

Very well. If I were to fundraise in this stage, would I get less money than I would have gotten in Nevada since my standing has gone down since the Nevada race?

[Joe Republic]

Very well. If I were to fundraise in this stage, would I get less money than I would have gotten in Nevada since my standing has gone down since the Nevada race?

No, fundraising isn't related to performance.  It's purely a matter of chance, depending of course on how much time you spend doing it.

[Akno21]

Level 1 Campaign Organization
96 hours of general campaigning

Level 2 (800k) adverstisement:

Ad: Minimum Wage

The federal minimum wage has not been increased since 1997, the longest time peroid without an increase in over half a century.
Calendar flipping

During that time period, the value of the minimum wage has fallen by almost a dollar.
Downward line on a graph

To me, it is unacceptable that the federal government has not increased the minimum wage. Hard-working Americans nationwide can tell you that $5.15 is not enough. Every day, congressional inaction is hurting Americans who need help.
Image of a drab senate hearing, then switch to video of workers in plant

Cut to Bernstein in his office
As President, I will put pressure on Congress to take action on this vital issue, and raise the minimum wage to at least $7.00. We have waited too long, but it's not too late to make a difference.

I'm Alexander Bernstein, and I will fight for all Americans.

[12th Doctor]

Eh... I would like to spend the remainder of my hours on fund rasing... then I am withdrawling and endorsing Cereal... election day is coming up and with my job and what not... Super Tuesday is coming up at just the wrong time.

Good luck MnC.  Thanks... this was fun but I just don't have the time.

[12th Doctor]

Quite frankly, I was having more fun when I was the hopeless insurgency, as well, now that I am ahead... it has kinda lost something.  I acctually had general election strategies planned out and everything, but sorry, my heart just isn't in it.  Not only am I busy, but I feel another bout of "The Black Dog" coming on and I don't know if I am gonna have it in me to keep going.  Frankly, if that is the case, I would rather get out now whiel there is still a viable candidate then do it later when I am the guy in the race.

[MaC]

Wisconsin
Level 3 Organization

Level 3 ad: The Peace President

(veiw of an explosion) and then soldiers running out

voice over:War
George Bush told us that it's not America's problem to intervene in war

(veiw of 2000 debate with Gore)

And now, we have...
(more veiws of the damage done in Iraq)

Cereal:  Hi, my name's Andrew Cereal and I don't believe in war.  Yes, I believe Osama binLaden should be responsible for the 9-11 murders.  But going out of the way to war with Iraq is irresponsible.  I will work with diplomats of other countries to make a non-threatening deals for peace around the world. We have a lot of problems here in America to deal with-and I'll make them my priority as your Peace President.

Speech-Education
I have to say I've not spoken much on this issue yet.  Like my opponent I would also get rid of the No Child Left Behind Bill that makes unrealistic goals the mandate for trying schools and increases governmental bureaucracy.  However, I would see fit that the education policies of this country are put back where they belong-the state and local governments.  Since the Department of Education has been crated we're seeing lower text scores, higher amounts of failures, all while more money is spent on education.  This is to say government doesn't work plan and simple.  I would make it possible for each state to set it's own policies.  Whether it's all private education, all public education, or school a voucher system.  The federal government is not the way.  Thank You and God Bless.

Libertarianism
Yes, I am running on a libertarian platform.  My opponent, Mr Wallace would make you think that I'm a looney hell bent on making America an Anarchy-but nothing could be further from the truth.  Anarchy is total freedom with no reprocussions.  Libertarianism is freedom with limits when individual rights are infringed upon.  I believe libertarianism is better applied in certain areas than others.  My previous speech was recognizing-not 'all schools should be private', it was on the basis of state rights when dealing with the issue.  As different as we are, the neolibertarians, the paleolibertarians, the civil libertarians, the market libertarians-we all have the common goal-to reduce the amount of governmental interference in your life-so you can live how you best see fit.  Thank You.

Upcycling
Ladies and Gentlemen.  For years humans have polluted the environment.  For the longest time we've done little or nothing about it.  For now we've got a dilema-but there is a way to solve it.  For the longest time I thought that the free market and environmentalism were incompatible-then I learned about upcycling.  Most recycled products turn into a "lesser" product when they are recycled.  Upcycling is a way to change these products and make them even "better" than when they started off.  For all who are interested-look at William McDonough.  He's a civil engineer who's transforming the way we veiw things.  We can maximize the efficiency of solar panels so that we can store energy-and not have to worry about burning fossil fuels and polluting the air.  There's so many possibilities we can take into account so that we can live the current lifestyle we enjoy and not do harm to the environment.  So, I urge you-vote environmental, vote Cereal.  Thank you.

100 hours campaigning please

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Can I have 100 hours general campaigning and a level three ad please?

[Jake]

Joe, add this if you can.

Wisconsin

Campaign Ads

It Can Work - Campaign Ad @ Level 2

>Andrew Cereal appears on screen speaking at a campaign stop in Wisconsin.

Cereal: The federal government is not the way.

>Picture freezes.

v/o: Wait, repeat that Governor. The federal government is not the way?

>Cut to me talking at a campaign rally.

Me: I believe the federal government is the way, because it is the only way to put the collective resources of America to work solving America's problems. The reason my opponent offers no plan for the Healthcare crisis, the Social Security crisis, and the Energy crisis is because his ideology doesn't believe that the government can work in a positive manner, for the people. He would rather leave it to 50 separate states to solve problems, with less funding and less resources. I know our government can do better, and folks, we can do better than him for a President. If you agree, I hope that you'll vote for me, Jim Wallace, for President in Tuesday's primary.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Ad to be shown in Wisconsin...

---
Voiceover: Wisconsin is a manufacturing state...

Shots of various factories, production lines, assembly plants and so on across Wisconsin

...and what times are good for the manufacturing industry, times are good for Wisconsin...

...but over the past few years times not been good for manufacturing...

Shots workers filing out of a factory for the last time

...and times have not been good for Wisconsin...

Shots of derelict factories, families struggling to make ends meet and so on

...between 2000 and 2005, Wisconsin lost about 60,000 manufacturing jobs...

Shot of graph showing a rapid decline in manfacturing jobs

...while unemployment and poverty have surged...

Shots of graphs showing those rates increasing

...for ordinary working class folks, life has become tough in recent years. But is everyone feeling the pinch?

...No... in fact... some people have been doing very well for themselves...

Graph of Congressional pay 2000-2006, followed by a graph of CEO pay 2000-2006

...politicians, of all parties, rich businessmen, corporate fat cats and other parasites continue to get richer and richer, year on year, while ordinary folks struggle to pay their bills, struggle to find decent jobs and struggle to afford good quality healthcare...

...is there an alternative to this?

Shots of Rev. Widdershins preaching to crowds, talking to children, touring factories etc

...the Reverend Al Widdershins is proposing radical changes to America, radical changes that will help ordinary working people like you and like me. Al Widdershins will fight to save the manufacturing industry, will fight for universal healthcare and will fight to make the lives of ordinary Americans better...

Rev. Widdershins: and to prove that I'm no politician, if elected I will not take the full Presidential salary.
I'm Al Widdershins and I approve of this message.

[Joe Republic]

Eh... I would like to spend the remainder of my hours on fund rasing... then I am withdrawling and endorsing Cereal... election day is coming up and with my job and what not... Super Tuesday is coming up at just the wrong time.

Good luck MnC.  Thanks... this was fun but I just don't have the time.

Quite frankly, I was having more fun when I was the hopeless insurgency, as well, now that I am ahead... it has kinda lost something.  I acctually had general election strategies planned out and everything, but sorry, my heart just isn't in it.  Not only am I busy, but I feel another bout of "The Black Dog" coming on and I don't know if I am gonna have it in me to keep going.  Frankly, if that is the case, I would rather get out now whiel there is still a viable candidate then do it later when I am the guy in the race.

  I'm incredibly sorry to see this, but I understand your reasons.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Some short speeches in Wisconsin...

---
Manufacturing is at the economic heart of Wisconsin and more jobs in this state are in the manufacturing industries than in any other sector of the economy.
But it's a sector under pressure; and not just because of foriegn competition. Just raising up huge tariff walls won't save manufacturing in Wisconsin; what is needed is government intervention and support in industry and for co-operation between industry, government and unions. If I am elected President I will push for strong regional development bodies and a strong industrial policy, aimed at saving jobs in states like Wisconsin, while raising millions of people out of poverty.
---

As most of you know, I am a strong supporter of labor unions and have been over my entire career as a minister and activist. But you might not know that I support radically reforming both unions and the laws that regulate, and in some cases opress, them.
If I am elected President I will push to make unions more democratic, to make it easier to join a union and to give these democratized unions a greater say over economic and industrial policy. And if a democratic union has more power over economic policy, so do it's members. Ordinary working people will gain real power over their lives if I am elected President.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

More speeches!

---
A lot of people tell me that healthcare costs keep on rising, keep on rising, keep on rising... and that as the cost of healthcare rises and rises and rises, it becomes harder and harder for ordinary people with ill relatives to make ends meet.
This is immoral, this is wrong and if I am elected President I will do all I can to change things.
I will work night and day to get a national healthcare system, based on need not greed, up and running. A healthcare system in which the financial burden is placed on those with a lot of money and not on those who are ill or who are poor.
---

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Another 50 hours general campaigning please.

[Jake]

Put my remaining 16 campaign hours into general campaigning, please.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Another speech...

---
As most of you know, the minimum wage has not risen for years, and that because of inflation, it's value in real terms has fallen, meaning greater hardship for those at the bottom of our economic system.
Most Democratic politicians think that because of this, the minimum wage needs to rise.
They are correct, but they do not go far enough. Not only does the minimum wage need to rise, but it needs to be pegged to inflation, so as to prevent the current situation from ever happening again.
And maybe there's a need for further reform; perhaps small businesses should be paid a subsidy from the federal government so they aren't hurt by a sudden rise in the minimum wage, and maybe we need to think about having a lower minimum wage for those under the age of about 21 or so, than for everyone else.
I'm not entirely sure what the best thing to do is, but here's the thing; I am prepared to think about it and come to a decision based on facts, not politics.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

My final Wisconsin speech...

---

Power. That's why most people run for office, and certainly why most people who run for President do so.
And to be honest, that's the case with me.
But while most run for office to obtain power for themselves, I run to give power back to the people, back to communities and back to alternative centres of power to the Beltway.
And here's the thing; I really mean that. And here's some proof; I will not accept the full Presidential salary. I will not pardon crooked businessmen and crooked cronies. I will not surrond myself with yes-men or try to concentrate power in the White House. The time has come... for change. Real change.

[Akno21]

Speech #1

Social Security is an issue that has come up often recently. It is an issue that we must be careful with; rash action is not a solution, it is only an addition to the problem. Many on the right have called for Social Security to be privatized. I am staunchly opposed to such a proposal. Social Security has long been in existence as a safety net. It should not be transformed into a money-making device designed to make a few people millionaires. Most people in our country need the benefits offered by social security, without them, many elderly Americans would face personal financial crises. Advocates of Social Security reform have charged that the system is broken and there is a great impending doom. While I think they may be exaggerating the nature of the threat, I accept that in some point in time we will need to make changes in the system. However, I favor other methods of reform, such as raising the cap on taxable earnings. Social Security is a vital program in our country, and it is of the utmost importance that it be preserved.

Speech #2

While often lost in between sexier issues in our foreign policy, the securing of loose nuclear materials needs to be a top priority. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, this has been a problem, but it has not been sufficiently addressed. Terrorists could feasibly get a hold on nuclear material and use it construct a weapon to harm America or her allies. A study recently released Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government says that in the former Soviet Union, there is enough material to build 80,000 nuclear weapons — and only half of it is secured. We need to apply pressure on Russia and other countries to secure that material; it cannot be floating around, free for anyone to take. Furthermore, it should be a major foreign policy initiative, and in my administration it would, do everything we can, on our part, to ensure the security of such dangerous materials. Nuclear materials are not something to be taken lightly. We have seen the devastation they can cause. We must do everything in our power to keep them secure and out of the hands of those in whom they cannot be trusted.

Speech #3

I stand here before you as a supporter of labor and the worker, staunchly opposed to right-to-work laws. Right-to-work laws only hurt the workers they are intended to “free”. They have a terribly damaging effect on unions, cutting down on their power and then hurting everyone in the workplace because there is no strong counterbalance to tight-fisted business owners. Furthermore, studies have shown that workplace safety is less in right-to-work states and that wages are an average of 6.5% less than those in states without the right-to-work law. I am opposed to the right-to-work law, but I am pro worker’s rights. Pro a worker’s right to an effective union. Pro better wages. Pro a safer workplace environment. Right-to-work laws don’t help workers, they help owners. As President, I will stand firmly behind you, the working man, and do all I can to help you economically. People can talk all they want about the decline of organized labor, but the issues that we need to fight for as everyday Americans are as pertinent as ever.

Speech #4

Wisconsin is a state rich in political history, but two late Senators from this state really stand out, one representing the good side of our great nation, and one representing our not-so-good side. The two men I speak of are Robert La Follette and Joseph McCarthy. La Follette was a leader in the Progressive Era of the early 20th century, fighting for the direct election of Senators, the minimum wage, progressive taxation, women’s suffrage, child labor laws, and many other crucial progressive reforms to this country. La Follette was not afraid to stand up for what he believed to be right, even in the face of extreme criticism. He defended those who opposed World War I and exercised their right to free speech in an extremely oppressive time. We need more men like Robert La Follette, men who will think ahead of their time and not back down, no matter what the pressure on them may be. On the other hand, we have Senator McCarthy. McCarthy did not allow people to express unpopular opinions; instead, he persecuted people for a mere hint of expressing them. McCarthy lied, defamed, and was a vicious mudslinger who operated in fiction, not fact. Both of these men can teach us a lesson for today. Just as La Follette lead a crucial reform movement at the beginning of the 20th century, we need a reform movement at the beginning of the 21st. Corruption, health care, education, you name it. And just as Joseph McCarthy displayed no respect for basic tenants of our country, such as innocent until proven guilty, we need to maintain rights for all, and not jump to fanatical conclusions due to blind nationalism.

Speech #5

Individual freedom is something that is very important to me, and as a basic tenant of our country, something that should not be ignored. I support parts of the Patriot Act, but other parts are completely unacceptable to me as an American. Should the government know what books we take out from the library? No, most certainly not. Defenders of such programs claim they are necessary to protect the freedom and liberty of Americans. Pardon my saying so, but what exactly is the point of protecting freedom if all you are going to do is limit it? There will always be some sort of threat, some excuse for infringing on the civil liberties of Americans. If we back down now, a dangerous precedent will be set. As the old saying goes, “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." As President, I pledge to protect this country from terrorist threats. But I also pledge to protect your civil liberties. These two missions are not mutually exclusive. I will use every legal means possible to conduct counter-terrorism operations. But in the process of protecting America, I will not forget what I am protecting, the values that make America great- freedom, liberty, and justice prominently among them.

[Akno21]

Level 1 Ad:

As Secretary of State, I observed the carnage of war
Picture of decimated city

I am familiar with the price of doing battle
Bloody bodies scattered on the ground

I know that as President, there will be no more gut-wrenching decision than that of whether to send young men and women in harm's way, to put their lives at risk
Shot of caskets being brought back home

As President, I will attempt to use every other means, diplomatic, economic, whatever it takes, before I enter troops into battle...

But that is not to say I won't. I recognize that there are instances where if we don't take an action that will cost us lives in the short-term, the long-term cost will be even bigger
Shot of terrorist training center

War...but only as a last resort.

I'm Alexander Bernstein and I approve this message.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Level 1 ad:

---

Shots of the White House, Congress in session etc. Washington basically

Voiceover: Something is rotten at the heart of our Government...

Shots of lobbyists, Congressmen and other politicians talking to lobbyists

Voiceover: Sometimes it seems that politicians these days care more about lining their own pockets and boosting their own ego's, than running the country in a responsible way...

Graphic: chart shows the ever-rising deficit

...or helping out those in need...

Shots of family farmers having to sell up due to financial pressures, victims of Hurricane Katrina and some homeless people

Voiceover: All of this could be about to change...

Shots of rural Wisconsin in sunlight

Voiceover: The Reverend Al Widdershins is the man that can put all of this right.

Shots of Rev. Widdershins preaching to crowds, shaking hands with children etc

Voiceover: The Reverend Widdershins is not a politician, he is a man of God with a reputation for compassion, clear thinking and honesty...

Shots of Rev. Widdershins helping in a soup kitchen

...and he understands what ordinary folk think because he is one of us, not one of Them.

He has ideas. He has solutions. He is one of Us.

---
I'm Al Widdershins and I approve of this message