Atlasian Presidential Debate - SPARK VS ISHAN

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Welcome to the debate between Federalist Spark and Liberal/Radical Ishan in anticipation of the October Presidential Election, hosted by DDNN! I hope to explore a variety of issues and give a key early preview of the race.

The debate will be as Live as possible. Generally, I will ask a question or several, wait for the candidates to respond, follow up as needed, and then move on to the next question or two. If one candidate directly attacks the other, I will provide a rebuttal opportunity before asking any further question or follow-up. Periodically, there will be general joint rebuttal periods where the candidates may go back and forth freely or simply relax. The Debate will go as long as it needs to to adequately address the issues.

Please leave this thread for the candidates and myself to use. Use the commentary thread to make comments or submit a question. I will fill in questions of my own as well as using the questions asked by the public.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Candidates, welcome. We'll begin with a general opening set.

Why are you running - what makes you interested in this job and what are the key things you would do in office?

What makes you qualified to hold this job?

From Weatherboy: After the long, painful campaign of February, why have you decided to create another months-long campaign?

You can also make any General opening comments you have.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Thank you. Let's talk about the status of the game. As you may be aware there is currently a candidate shortage as it relates to the August midterms.

1. Are you satisfied with the 5th Constitution? Why or why not? What changes if any would you make?
2. How specifically would you try to increase activity in Atlasia - specifically interest in running for office?
3. Would you seek to lessen or end NPC elections? Why or why not?

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Going to put forth a further, "fun" question. I will only continue with the more legitimate questions when/if Ishan returns:

From AGA: Boxers or briefs?

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Due to highly immoral, sinful, and condemnable lack of interest and honesty on the part of Ishan (particularly in breaking direct discord public commitments to participate), this will be the final round of the debate.

For whoever will answer:

From Weatherboy:

what will you do to ensure furry supremacy?

will you fund research into potentially ending aging altogether through gene therapy?

will you fund space exploration and technology further?

Ishan is urged to at least answer this question: From Cao:
how do you believe that Spark is, in your words, putting himself over the rest of Atlasia?

Candidates may also issue any further rebuttals or statements they wish to make.

We thank our viewers and Federalist Candidate Spark for their dedication. Again, we strongly condemn Ishan and urge all to soundly reject his candidacy.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Due to highly immoral, sinful, and condemnable lack of interest and honesty on the part of Ishan (particularly in breaking direct discord public commitments to participate), this will be the final round of the debate.

I have real things to do that are more important than Atlasia.

Doesn't change the fact that you committed to participate, started to do so, and then backed out without warning. I will happily show the screenshots if you would like.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Due to highly immoral, sinful, and condemnable lack of interest and honesty on the part of Ishan (particularly in breaking direct discord public commitments to participate), this will be the final round of the debate.

I have real things to do that are more important than Atlasia.

Doesn't change the fact that you committed to participate, started to do so, and then backed out without warning. I will happily show the screenshots if you would like.

I have guests in my house and I had to go shopping.

You could have responded to my multiple pms seeking your participation
You could have declined to participate in the first place
You could have requested a more convenient time
You could have made a brief post stating when you would return

You could have done many things, but alas you did not. You simply went against your prior commitments and suddenly walked out on the nation after making all appearances that you would participate, including by leaving after making a full opening statement. Don't try to blame someone else. The fault lies with you.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Due to highly immoral, sinful, and condemnable lack of interest and honesty on the part of Ishan (particularly in breaking direct discord public commitments to participate), this will be the final round of the debate.

I have real things to do that are more important than Atlasia.

Doesn't change the fact that you committed to participate, started to do so, and then backed out without warning. I will happily show the screenshots if you would like.

I have guests in my house and I had to go shopping.

You could have responded to my multiple pms seeking your participation
You could have declined to participate in the first place
You could have requested a more convenient time
You could have made a brief post stating when you would return

You could have done many things, but alas you did not. You simply went against your prior commitments and suddenly walked out on the nation after making all appearances that you would participate, including by leaving after making a full opening statement. Don't try to blame someone else. The fault lies with you.

I barely was on Atlas and I didn't check my PMs.
Imagine caring so much about a fantasyland debate that is happening before the midterms.

I care because this game is dying. Seventeen years of hard work by so many peppe dying. And I think part of it is people are too forgiving of past inactivity. People need to hold each other to the commitments they have made, and it has to start somewhere. I know it's hard. It's human nature to be forgiving. It's easy to say "well, I'm going to play it safe and trust my party" or "x isn't easy so I won't do it" . But it's a culture of inactivity acceptance that is killing the game.

If you knew you were going to have conflicts, you could have simply declined to participate from the start. There was no need to make a commitment on lokcord that you could not keep. There was no need to answer the first questions if you knew you weren't going to answer others. Alternatively, you could have stated in your first answers that you would be interrupted and an estimate as to when you would return.

Further, you made six posts on Atlas while the nation was waiting for your responses.



This time could have been spent visiting this thread to at least give a time frame on when you would respond.

I'm done with the excuses of you and others in Atlasia that are slowly but surely killing the game.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

snip

Who are the others that are killing the game? Please elaborate.

This is not an exhaustive list but to give a couple examples:

The last 2 (3? 4?) CGs or the equivalent, who all abruptly ceased working without warning.
Several inactive administrations (most recently Sestak)
The General Fremont government itself, which I'm not sure would have remembered there was a Parliament election this weekend  if I didn't bring the subject up on a couple discords last night.
Federalists lack of ability to compete in any race that isn't an easy win for them (even  a candidacy that loses by 20 inserts more energy than one that doesn't exist. And no, a DA or conservative Liberal does not count as a Federalist candidacy when the Federalists are supposed to be the major party and all.)
Lincoln Councillor/GCer Joeinator who has repeatedly ran for terms he couldn't be active during. Thankfully he opted out this time.

I could go on but I think my point is clear. If people want to be in this game, they should determine what they can actually do, commit to only that, and do not pursue anything beyond that.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

It was obvious that Ishan's campaign wasn't serious, lol.

Then I hope this brings it to a firm end. We need serious efforts not memes.