June 2021 Presidential Debate - Commentary Thread

[OBD]

NOTE: This is now the commentary thread!

With one side announcing their candidate, I think it's time to talk debates again.

While debates kind of got left by the wayside in February, we tried something new in October with the Discord debate. It was definitely a new experience - with the live-ness of it being a novel, nice touch - but it was definitely controversial. There was also a traditional forum debate IIRC, which in turn has its pros and cons.

I'm proposing a happy medium of the two, one that creates the 'live' effect and forces candidates to answer difficult questions on the spot, while making it available to all Atlasians (including those not on Discord), and increasing forum activity to both. We hold a forum debate with the candidates and moderators all online during a roughly 2-3 hour period, having live questions and a forum commentary thread for folks to potentially crowdsource questions. I think this is a neat hybrid of the two October events, taking the benefits of both while mitigating the drawbacks, and I'd be happy to help organize this and get the old moderator team together to make this a reality.

Thoughts?

[SevenEleven]

I'm very open to this. I do have a busy schedule, but I think any other candidates would be able to find an agreeable time to inform the voters. I'm in favor.

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

I’d be willing to co-host with you again

[OBD]

Just realized that unless this occurs in the next few days I can’t host. Hope someone can take this and run with it.

[Senator Spark]

Very much in support of this idea to provide the people with well needed transparency.

[OBD]

With both sides now having apparent nominees I can host this debate on Monday the 7th or Tuesday the 8th, probably around 6-7 PM PST. If this works for all interested parties I'd be happy to host - otherwise someone else could at a later date.

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

With both sides now having apparent nominees I can host this debate on Monday the 7th or Tuesday the 8th, probably around 6-7 PM PST. If this works for all interested parties I'd be happy to host - otherwise someone else could at a later date.

I'll be available.

[SevenEleven]

Tomorrow could work, if not, Tuesday certainly will.

[OBD]

Alright. If this works for everyone, I anticipate holding this tonight at 7PM PST.

[Senator Spark]

Alright. If this works for everyone, I anticipate holding this tonight at 7PM PST.

I look forward to participating.

[OBD]

Alright. If this works for everyone, I anticipate holding this tonight at 7PM PST.

I look forward to participating.

To clarify, this is a debate for the presidential candidates. You can represent the Ted/Spark ticket but you should probably work it out with Ted to see who's participating here.

Anyway, I'll put the thread up shortly.

[Mike Thick]

I will be participating in the debate.

[OBD]

I will be participating in the debate.

Alright.

Anyway, this is now the commentary thread! Please submit questions (for tonight's candidates) or concerns here.

The debate thread will be locked until the debate starts, FYI.

[S019]

To LT: You’ve made widely publicized offensive comments about your opponents and others. What is your response to accusations that you are too extreme and rude to unite Atlasia?

[Continential]

How will your administration improve Atlascare?
How will your administration increase the activity of the Atlas Fantasy Elections boards?

[Senator Spark]

For LouisvilleThunder:

What can you do to combat partisanship in Atlasia? If elected, how will you work with Congress?

For SevenEleven:

What are your key policy proposals? How will you differ from your predecessor?

For TedBessell:

How will you advance the national interests of Atlasia?

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

Lightning LT

[OBD]

Don't really want to skip over one of the participants but out of respect for Sev, Ted, and WB's time I'll bypass LT's opening statement if he doesn't indicate his presence by 8PM Pacific.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

To SevenEleven: You’ve made widely publicized offensive comments about your opponents and others. What is your response to accusations that you are too extreme and rude to unite Atlasia?

To SevenEleven: You’ve made past comments that suggest you don't care about the Atlasia regions and find them lame or irrelevant. With the passage of the new constitution and the creation of subregions, why should we trust you to support regional rights and the existence of regions?

[Sestak]

To all candidates: What are your thoughts on the state of the game, its relationship with discord, and the activity status of this board? What future do you envision for the game in this regard and what will you do to try to achieve this?

[Left Wing]

Question from the audience: What’s taking so long?

[_.]

LouisvilleThunder is doing great. Straight solid answers, lack of mincing words.

Didn't like his "rebuttal" very much personally though.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

To SevenEleven: You’ve made widely publicized offensive comments about your opponents and others. What is your response to accusations that you are too extreme and rude to unite Atlasia?

lol. Didn't LT say Sev should be sent to the gas chambers?

[Left Wing]

Question from the audience: What’s taking so long?

Expanding on this as a more serious question, if you can’t come prepared to answer question in a prompt fashion, how can you be expected to respond to a crisis as president?

[Lumine]

I'm just going to say it, I don't get why debates can't be held on Discord and then posted here.

Although I strongly dislike the impact of instant messaging on many aspects of the game, this is probably the one single instance in which outsourcing might be beneficial, if only because it allows for a more efficient simulation of a live, orderly debate that's also easier to control for any moderators, while also ensuring any performances are more spontaneous and accurate.

Not taking advantage of the one thing Discord can offer without it being harmful is sort of baffling.