Sirius/Liminal February 2024: Restore the Atlasian Dream

[Sirius_]

Good evening Atlasia, and thank you to everyone who has come to listen to my speech tonight instead of watching the Super Bowl. As I'm sure you know, earlier this month I formally launched my candidacy for president along with Deputy Liminal, and today I'd like to elaborate on my goals and vision. It may sound like a cliche to say this, but I truly believe that we stand at a crossroads this month. Though the Southern crisis may seem far in the past, we are still feeling its impacts to this day. We face a struggling economy, repeated attacks on our rights and republican governance, and a lack of public confidence in Atlasia both at home and abroad. We often find ourselves struggling to find candidates to serve in public office. Right now things may appear bleak, and to change things may seem a daunting task, but I believe that if we unite behind responsible leadership and hope for the future, we can reclaim our future. To this end, I would now like to share my 5-point plan for restoring the Atlasian dream:

1. Stability and Confidence
In trying times such as these, it is important that we maintain responsible leadership of our nation to restore faith in Atlasia. I believe that president Spiral has done well in this regard, and I hope to continue and expand on that legacy. In the past 6 months I have presided over a time of stability in the region of Lincoln. In my term as governor, we have not faced any constitutional crisis or breakdown in society, and we have been able to fully focus on legislating to improve life in our region. This is exactly what I will bring to Atlasia as president. I will ensure that we are able to focus on improving the nation, and I will not stand idly by should any unforeseen circumstance arise. I will restore our image on the world stage by cooperating with our democratic allies, upholding our international commitments, providing a voice of reason to conflicts, and stopping any attempts at erratic foreign policy making in their tracks. These are the fundamental building blocks we need to pursue national recovery.

I also believe that in order to restore public confidence in Atlasia, we need to ensure that there is an active government. Activity is a word that often gets thrown around in relation to the legislative branch, but it should also apply to the executive branch. The idea of a truly active and engaged executive is one that is often not achieved, and some may not believe in it at all, but having a great deal of experience as a cabinet member, I know what this looks like. I will ensure that all of our cabinet positions are filled with qualified individuals, that my administration is actively working to improve Atlasia, and the the wheels of democracy continue turning at all times.

2. Protecting Liberty
Lately, we've seen a great deal of senate time spent on debating various bills that share a common theme: restricting what we can do and how we can express ourselves. Often these bills seem to target LGBTQ individuals, small subcultures, or even individuals persons. Frankly, I find these proposals unacceptable, and I find their sponsors to be rather hypocritical. Many of these proposals are being made by the same individuals who last year sought to reduce the power of the federal government or outright secede from it. Now they try to use the federal government as a weapon to enforce their social preferences on the rest of us. Though there are some actions which naturally should not be permitted, they have gone much too far. As president, I will be a steadfast defender of freedom and I will not allow any reactionary attempts to take it away to get past me. Those politicians who speak of limited government so often have no intent of upholding it, but you can trust me to prevent state overreach into your personal life.

3. Balanced Federalism
A frequent dividing line in our current times, if not for all of Atlasian history, has been the relationship between the federal and regional governments. Throughout my career, I have always been a firm believer in the system of federalism, and I have been wary of lurching too far to either side to upset the balance of the federal system. Fundamentally, there is a need for both the federal and regional governments, we need a federal government that can respond to issues affecting the entire nation such as foreign policy and the general state of the economy, and we need regions to more effectively respond to local issues which they are more in tune with. As someone with a great deal of both regional and federal experience, I understand this balance. Some may try to call me "centralist" for being willing to utilize federal authority, but they are truly radicals in the other direction. The balance of power is a two way street, we can not allow the regions to act unchecked. Even worse, those who claim to be strong regionalists have in the last few months shown themselves to be perfectly willing to exercise excessive federal power, as I discussed in point 2. I will respect the bounds of federal authority while ensuring that the regions are in check, putting an end to such actions as the regional commandeering of a municipal government, something which clearly violates the devolution of powers. A vote for me is a vote for federalism.

4. Economic Recovery
Today we face the harrowing economic situation of stagflation. Typically inflation and economic growth are opposing forces, so when inflation combines with stagnation it can be a tricky situation to deal with. Though it may be difficult, stagflation has been defeated before and I fully intend to defeat it again. The first and most important step to economic recovery will be improving confidence, something which I have already discussed at length. An economy can not grow if nobody believes in it. We need to convince people at home and abroad that Atlasia is worth investing in without fear of everything coming crashing down, at that is exactly what my stable leadership will do. Furthermore, I will take action to address the most pressing economic problems right now. One such issue is outsourcing, which has contributed to recent unemployment. I will bring jobs back to Atlasia by financially incentivizing domestic production and pushing for an international minimum corporate tax, while not raising tariffs as not to further increase the burden of inflation. I will seek legal action against price gouging as further means to control inflation. I will expand educational opportunities, protect union labor, and make Atlasia an easy place to do business, to get the economy moving again and get people in good jobs. Finally, I will make sure to maintain a flexible fiscal policy. In times like these, I believe it would be dangerous to be overly dogmatic in our approach. I will remain pragmatic and attentive so we can whatever it takes to restore economic prosperity.

5. A Better Future
While there is much to be said about the state of things now, I believe it is important not to lose sight of our future either, and I plan to implement policies that will create a brighter future for us all. One cornerstone of this is the development of green infrastructure, something which I have long been a proponent of. It is imperative that we move into a green energy and clean transportation future, and in doing so we can create good paying jobs. A major policy I will pursue is the electrification of our railroads and expansion of Amtrak services, as well as the protection of intercity bus service in underserved communities. I will be a patron of the sciences as a firm believer in the prosperity we are afforded by technology. This includes funding research institutions, encouraging the development of nuclear fusion technology, and preparing NASA for a manned mission to Mars. As a final example, I intend to implement counter-cyclical economic policy by allocating a portion of federal revenue during times of economic prosperity so that we have a rainy day fund for future economic problems.

By implementing these 5 points, I have no doubt that we can create a future where the Atlasian dream is alive and well. Most importantly, we must never give up hope. Vote for Sirius and Liminal and create a better tomorrow!

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Endorsed wholeheartedly!

[Sirius_]

Endorsements:
Senator Weatherboy
LGC Speaker Dwarven Dragon
Senator Razze

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

Endorsed!

[Liminal Trans Girl]

I am glad to be working with you

[Liminal Trans Girl]

We have done what few other left of center runs have done today, by winning the endorsements of the Federalist Party. Our campaign is one of unity and a stark contrast to those who wish to divide us.

[S019]

I rarely comment here anymore, but I will just note that "greedflation" has been greatly exaggerated, and it is not really a good way to approach this issue. Blaming unemployment on outsourcing is likewise an easy way to deflect blame, when the true solution is much more complicated. But also, have we ever considered why companies outsource? They do so to save money, so this plan is frankly just as likely to convince them to relocate entirely. Describing the current situation as "stagflation" is let's say, questionable, but if we accept that premise, I don't think this policy prescription would be helpful in addressing it.

Anyway, good luck on your campaign.

[Sirius_]

I rarely comment here anymore, but I will just note that "greedflation" has been greatly exaggerated, and it is not really a good way to approach this issue. Blaming unemployment on outsourcing is likewise an easy way to deflect blame, when the true solution is much more complicated. But also, have we ever considered why companies outsource? They do so to save money, so this plan is frankly just as likely to convince them to relocate entirely. Describing the current situation as "stagflation" is let's say, questionable, but if we accept that premise, I don't think this policy prescription would be helpful in addressing it.

Anyway, good luck on your campaign.

I based my statements on the economy entirely on what the Game Moderators have provided in their stories. They have determined that the economy is in a state of stagflation, and that outsourcing has been a significant contributor to unemployment. I am aware that economists do not consider standard inflation remedies effective in such a situation.

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Endorsed!

[Sirius_]

I have heard reports from Scott on discord that at least one person has received an unsolicited real life phone call to try to get them to vote. We at the Sirius/Liminal campaign have done no such thing and we condemn any such action as shameful. I pray that such behavior does not escalate and become the norm.

[Liminal Trans Girl]

I have heard reports from Scott on discord that at least one person has received an unsolicited real life phone call to try to get them to vote. We at the Sirius/Liminal campaign have done no such thing and we condemn any such action as shameful. I pray that such behavior does not escalate and become the norm.

Agreed

[Sirius_]

Based on current data, I concede this race.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Based on current data, I concede this race.

I'm honored to have had a strong competitor in you. Thanks for enlivening the game and for your past and current public service. I will be writing a victory speech soon.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Made this for the campaign, btw. Since it's the first major all-trans ticket in Atlasian history, I thought having this would be nice. Trans flag colors morphing to party colors

[RC (a la Frémont)]

I didn't announce it but to make it clear, I am beyond honored to have supported your ticket. Keep fighting, you are the changemakers.

[cherry mandarin]

Well done in this race, Sirius and Liminal! You have both done yourselves and your parties very proud. If it hadn’t been for some last-minute strategic voting on the part of the SNP, you very likely would have won.

Your ticket has made history and inspired an entire generation of young Atlasians to believe that they, too, can be represented at the highest levels of power in the land. To put it slightly differently, this campaign has certainly been a “seminal” moment in our nation’s storied past.

All of Atlasia is much better for your service to this country. It is my sincere hope that you will both remain active, involved, and engaged in the national political scene, and it would be great to see you throw your hats back in the ring again, whether for president or any other position.

Keep up your great work!