Official Vice Presidential Debate: June 2007

[Ebowed]

Welcome, candidates and the audience, to the June 2007 Vice Presidential debate.

In this debate, I will ask candidates various questions with the following timing method:  After 24 hours, a new set of questions will be asked.  Candidates who missed that deadline may answer missed questions in the post where they answer subsequent questions.  If all candidates answer a set of questions before the 24 hour period, then a new set may be presented.

Candidates wishing to address the words of fellow candidates in their responses may do so for up to two responses; after which, they are no longer allowed to continue discussing the same subject with the candidate(s).

A candidate may state his intention to decline to answer any question.

Our participates are:

• Jas, who is running with Colin Wixted.
  
• Speed of Sound, who is running with The General.
  
• Tik, who is running with Everett.
  
• Wildcard, who is running with Brandon H.

If any new Vice Presidential candidates enter the race, they are entitled to join the debate upon giving notice.


Candidates, you may begin by providing an opening statement, and then answering the following questions.

Why are you running for Vice President?

What do you most hope to achieve, if elected, in the role of Vice President?

[TheWildCard]

Let me begin by saying that debates are a corner stone of Atlasia’s great and cherished history. I’d like to thank Senator Ebowed for setting up this debate as well as all the Atlasians attending and my fellow candidates for Vice-President of Atlasia. Together we have brought back this great tradition that somehow was neglected during the last general election cycle.

Why am I running for Vice-President? Well when Brandon H came to me and asked me to be his running I knew right there and then that I had to say yes. Brandon H is one of our greatest and most hard working elected leaders and a stern supporter of our Presidential system. I knew that he and I could move Atlasia forward into a new era of are history that is greater than the old. There are also many things that I’d like to accomplish as Vice President which brings me to the second question.

If I am so honored by the Atlasian people to serve I will be a very active Vice-President working with every part of the Senate, from folks like BRTD to my old friend Lewis to DWTL, in order to move forward the legislation that is best for the Republic. I think that my track record as Pacific Governor shows that I can work with everyone in the Senate. I ran and served with people with such diverse ideologies as Lewis Tronheim,  Immy, King and John Ford as my Lt. Governors. I also look forward to working on new ideas for Atlasia. As Governor of the Pacific I wrote the first ever regional constitution and hopefully together we can come up with more innovative ideas for the Republic.

[Јas]

First off, I'd like to thank Ebowed for initiating and moderating this debate. It's a wonderful opportunity to really move along the electoral campaign and help get our ideas across.

The reason why I am running for Vice President is quite simple. I was approached by the candidate, whom I felt was best suited for the Presidency. I have served in the last 4 Senates with Colin Wixted and he is someone whose opinions I have come to hold in high regard. Our politics are not radically different. We have, together with the honourable Senator Ernest, been characterised as the moderates of the Senate in recent times. Though we may lean in seperately to the right and left, this 'sensible centre' has, I believe, played a valuable role in the Senate in recent times in many debates.

Recently I had been considering running to retain the Midwest Senate seat. Six terms in the Senate is a significant stint and the prospect of change or simply a break were appealing. Out of the blue, I was approached by Colin to consider running with him on his ticket.

Colin had outlined his ambitions for office and I can honestly say that I believe they are good ambitions which are both reasonable and achieveable. In particular, I agree that the Presidency of Atlasia should be more than a figurehead position. The President should be more involved in government and a definitive strengthening of the Presidency could be benficial to Atlasia.

Given my agreement with the principles and policies of the Wixted campaign; my wish to help in whatever way I can to aid the bringing about of these objectives; and the desire to seek a new role in 'the game', the VP position on the Wixted ticket seemed to fit the bill down to the ground.

What do I hope to achieve as VP? Very simply, I will try to help the President's agenda. I realise that the Vice Presidency is an office of limited capacity, but it can be a necessary and important one. There is also the possibility of helping the PPT with operations as President of the Senate, something which I believe I am willing and capable of doing with the co-operation of the PPT.

[tik 🪀✨]

My most heartfelt gratitude and condolences go out to all Atlasians. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tik, and I represent the Jewish Liberation of Freedom Party for Liberty Party Party. Five hundred million years ago, last Sunday, I was approached by Everett to run as the bottom name on her ticket. I graciously accepted.

My job is to promote freedom, because freedom is the iron of society's hemoglobin that allows oxygen to be transported from the lungs of justice to the muscles of liberty. Too much iron, however, will give you diarrhea, which is why libertarianism is nothing more than the laxative of society. It will dehydrate you and lead to kidney failure and death. Without an adequate sewer system we will spread dysentary.

This is why you should vote for me.

The Vice President's roll in government is an insignificant trifle, but a significant truffle as far as legislative pastries are concerned. Consider me your messenger of freedom. My opponents have "stances" which should raise red flags in all the voter's minds. If you have the same stance for too long, you will get cramps and probably faint. Unless you elect a dancing queen, you will get nothing more than pseudo-intellectual monochrome French films where sad clowns sit at empty dinner tables and smoke cigarettes.

A vote for me is a vote for freedom. I promise to immediately abandon my office and instead romp in the glorious fields of curds and whey, singing ABBA. Unhinge yourselves!

[Speed of Sound]

Greetings fellow Atlasians. Very soon, you will have a golden opportunity, in which there is no losing. This election is indeed a momentous occasion for Atlasia. The elections are booming, the ideas are flowing in and the country is thriving again. The number of candidates is astounding for every office, that choosing is at times very difficult. With this debate I hope to make your choice a little easier. The Preston/Speedy ticket is one that knows that in order for our prosperity to continue, we must increase the action, be that through the activity of the GM, increasing activity of offices, or focusing on thought provoking legislation that will move the whole country to debate. As for our legislation, I am looking to usher in a new era of Fiscal Liberalism. The 'ol tax and spend style of Utopian Liberalism is gone. We must learn to balance smart economics with care of the people. Preston and I have great respect for eachother, and I am sure our own discussions on all Atlasian legislation and current events will lead to much brilliant legislating and economic proposals coming from the White House. So let us watch over your Pax Atlasiana, and I assure you, it wil be here to stay, and be even better.




EDIT: I realize now that my original promise to answer the questions is impossible to fullfil, as I have

[Ebowed]

I might be away for part of the next day or so, so I'll go ahead and post the next batch of questions.

What do you believe is the most important role of the Vice President?  Do you believe that the Vice President should have an active role as President of the Senate, or a minimized one?

One of the most prominent parts of the office is breaking ties in the Senate.  This has become an increasingly notable issue with the divide between Senate liberals and conservatives.  What viewpoints would you take into consideration when breaking ties?  How do you feel about some of the issues facing the Senate today?

Where do you stand on the current role of the President?  Do you believe that the Presidency should be more or less of a figurehead than it is now, and if so, do you think your running mate can do this?  How would you assist the President to achieve these goals?

[Speed of Sound]

What do you believe is the most important role of the Vice President?  Do you believe that the Vice President should have an active role as President of the Senate, or a minimized one?

I believe that the Vice President is a very important person. The VP, to me, is someone who should advise the President, as well as take a vary active role in the senate. I do warn, however, against giving the Vice President too much power. The Consuls worked for Rome.....it wouldnt work for Atlasia. It would either be gridlock or useless mimicking. Balance is the key to the Vice Presidency.

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Well, I think that when your dealing with Atlasia, you have to take a whole new perspective on every reason. I think that the partisan style of regular politics is something I need to stay away from. I promise to take every vote, deeply investigate the consequences of an aye or nay, and make a clear, logic decision. As for current issues, I believe that the expulsion of senator DWTL is something that the senate has the right to do by the constitution, though I must admit, a censure might be better suited, as I really dont see it necessary. I smell the stench of partisanship in the air, but maybe thats just me. For Guam statehood, I say that if Guam has shown to want this change, and that the country has stayed consistent with American ideals, we allow them to join our fine country. I will last go over the Enforcement of Half Plus Seven Rule Bill. The EHPSRB is a complete abomination. This is a useless constriction of human rights, not to mention useless according to Atlasia's state elimination of marriage.

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It is important for both leaders to be a figurehead at one point or another, but this position is one that is meant to lead, and in order to do that, he has to be given a little more power. The key is, again, balance. The President has to be willing not only to make the power moves, but also to reach out to the people of Atlasia and explain these moves, push for reform, and make endorsements. The same goes for the vice president. The vice/presidency will be an active role when the vice/president is active. Of course, we need to give the president some moe room to be me active as well. The senate reached a level of control that was extremely dangerous during the Inactive Age, and we need to push reform that will never allow it to happen again.

[TheWildCard]

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I believe that in the Senate the Vice President is the representative of the nation as a whole as well as the President. If elected I plan to have an active role in the Senate to make sure that the voice of the people as well as the President is made clear in congress.

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In such a situation there are many variables to consider, how the Atlasian people feel about the issue, how the President feels about it and what the Vice President's own personal experience and logic tells him. I do feel that most social issues should be left up to the regions. So on social issues my vote would break toward regional rights.

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I think that the President's power should be increased. The Renaissance Caucus and The Heritage Caucus have provided many good ideas on how to do this and I favor many of their proposals. Personally, I also would be for discussing the possibility of some sort of line item veto. I do feel though that even if the President’s power is not increased there is still a lot of room for a President to be a strong executive and take the bull by the horns and fully execute his powers by commenting on legislation and pushing for his own legislation as well as regularly addressing the nation and fully utilizing the media exposure that the office provides. In short I feel that the office like anything else in Atlasia can be improved to make it so anyone elected to the office can have good executive authority but if no reforms are made the right individual can be a strong executive and I feel that Brandon H would be one of our greatest Presidents under either of the aforementioned cases.

[Јas]

What do you believe is the most important role of the Vice President?  Do you believe that the Vice President should have an active role as President of the Senate, or a minimized one?

The most important role of the VP is simply to be ready, willing and able to assume the duties and responsibilities of the Presidency should the need ever arise for whatever reason. Of course, for many the need to carry out this function will never be realised, however, as most Atlasians will be aware, it is not unusual for Atlasian Vice Presidents to find themselves in the Oval Office due to unexpected circumstances. This may be why the whole of the ticket, is a more important consideration in Atlasian elections than elsewhere.

With regard to the Senate, I favour an active Vice Presidency assisting the PPT in the implementation of the rules of Senate procedure to ensure that debate moves along efficiently. However, I would wish to consult with whoever the PPT is on this as maintaining a good and professional relationship with the Senate is also important.

One of the most prominent parts of the office is breaking ties in the Senate.  This has become an increasingly notable issue with the divide between Senate liberals and conservatives.  What viewpoints would you take into consideration when breaking ties?  How do you feel about some of the issues facing the Senate today?

It would be my intention to vote on tiebreaks in the Senate in exactly the same way as I approach all my Senate votes, I listen to the arguments put forward from all sides and go with what I feel is the best option. I am open to debate and argument, and those who have followed my Senate career will know that such arguments can and do affect my votes.

As for my position on Senate issues, well after a year in there I have a voting record which must be a mile long, so my positions are no secret. But just to broadly state my position on some of the matters currently on the floor, I consider BRTD's Bill to be a waste of time; on the Cancer Research Bill, I will be supporting increased funding for research both on cancer generally and relating to stem cells; I will be supporting the amendment on the Guam Statehood Bill, but am still undecided on whether or not I'll back it at a final vote; on the DWTL stuff, I won't be backing the expulsion motion as though I disapprove of DWTL's often ungentlemanly and unprofessional manner and his legislative proposals, I don't agree with expelling him on grounds of the avatar issue.

Where do you stand on the current role of the President?  Do you believe that the Presidency should be more or less of a figurehead than it is now, and if so, do you think your running mate can do this?  How would you assist the President to achieve these goals?

This is a key element of the Wixted platform. The Presidency must re-assert itself as central to the Atlasian political process, he must get involved. Otherwise, Atlasian separation of powers is little more than a smokescreen.

I have no doubt that Colin Wixted has the tenacity, drive and ability to do this. This is the possibly the key reason he is running and a key reason why I joined the ticket. To help achieve these goals, as VP my role is obviously a limited one. A Vice President, visible in the Senate would probably help both in aiding Senate procedure and in simply providing vocal and moral support, would help raise the standing of an active executive generally. But be in no doubt, that on this matter the burden falls on the top of the ticket. I know Colin Wixted will act to try and achieve his goals. His record is strong and his activity cannot be questioned. Unfortunately, I have to wonder whether this same drive is evidenced by all the Presidential hopefuls.

[tik 🪀✨]

What do you believe is the most important role of the Vice President?  Do you believe that the Vice President should have an active role as President of the Senate, or a minimized one?

The most important role of the VP is to make sure that the President isn't killed. On purpose, anyway. I think both sides of the aisle can agree that a good President isn't a dead President, because it's hard to be effective from beyond the grave. As far as the Senate is concerned, the Vice President is kind of a TA, proof-reading legislation that is too boring for important people to be concerned with. If elected I would probably not participate in the Senate and would instead send in some kind of third-world representative with 10-sided dice and maybe a whip.

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It is my firm belief that the Senate is basically an elaborate dress rehearsal for getting a real job. I would circumvent the issue of Senate ties by requiring all members to appear naked and cleanly shaven. They would then be required to get a permanent tattoo of the area they represent on their left or right buttocks, depending on their political stances. This would also change the manner in which Senate members addressed one another. Instead of "The gentleman from the West Coast" we would say "The freckled fellow with the West Coast on his ass." Hopefully with these changes ties would become irrelevant and silly distractions such as "the issues" would become moot.

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Everett and I strongly agree on the roll of the President. As leader of our beautiful cyberland, we would disengage the government from all walks of life in order to promote liberty and freedom. It's our ultimate goal that when someone mentions the President of Atlasia, most everyone will respond with, "What the hell are you talking about? I have no idea, but you're perfectly allowed to continue babbling because there is no rule of law. By the way, do you want another toke?"

[Ebowed]

Thank you, candidates.  We will now continue.

If the President resigned or were removed from office, or handed you the duties of the executive as Acting President, would you be ready to handle that situation?

If possible, could you name one issue of any type where you and your running mate may not agree?  What would you do if this issue arose while in your capacity as Vice President?

With all of the focus on forum affairs in this campaign, the fiscal issue of balancing the budget has been scarcely brought up.  Do you believe that Atlasia should get back to balanacing the budget, and if so, would you support raising taxes to achieve that goal?

[TheWildCard]

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I would not have even considered taking the position if I was not able to do so. I was Governor of the Pacific for over a year, during that time I wrote a lot of legislation and worked actively with the diverse ideologies of the Pacific so I am more than capable of fulfilling my duties in such a situation.

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Off the top of my head I can’t think of any issues that we completely disagree with. I can say that if such a situation were to arise I would do the same thing that I said I’d do with tie breaking votes. I’d look at how the Atlasian people feel about the issue, I’d consider how the President feels and then after critically looking at the information presented on the topic I would come to a final decision.

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I personally believe that balancing the budget should be a priority. I, myself, wouldn’t take anything completely off the table but I would not consider raising taxes on middle class Atlasians unless there was a severe crisis. A lot of this would also depend on what our budget actually looks like. I believe that it has been pointed out in the Senate that we have not had a budget presented, at least based the research I’ve done.

[Јas]

If the President resigned or were removed from office, or handed you the duties of the executive as Acting President, would you be ready to handle that situation?

In short, yes. In fact, Colin has already stated that he will be away for a brief period of his term and that in such circumstances the VP would be called upon to be Acting President. I am aware of this and am prepared for this situation. I do not foresee it being a problem.

I believe that I can run an executive. I was, before I became a Senator, fortunate enough to serve as the Governor of the Midwest region () for 6 months and worked with a great variety of wonderful people. Two of whom are involved in this campaign - I appointed both Everett and Speed of Sound as Midwest Lt. Governors, both fine individuals who is was a pleasure to work with. I worked hard in the position, particularly in the area of forum affairs - I put forward a number of amendments to the Midwest Constitution and wrote a great deal of the Midwest's voting regulations. Indeed, I started my term in that office during a succession crisis and I believe I helped to resolve that issue and restore a sense of calm to the region. If called upon, I do believe that I could meet the challenges of the Oval Office.

If possible, could you name one issue of any type where you and your running mate may not agree? 

I'm sure anybody with the time or the inclination can dig their way through the Senate records for the past few months and I'm sure they would find that there are a number of instances where our votes were divergent.

On social affairs issues, I would say that we could both be broadly classified as socially liberal. Of the top of my head nothing of significant dicvergence comes to mind.

I would consider us both to be economic centrists, though I may lean to the left and he to the right. I would note though that in an Atlaisa without budgets and which has not for a long time concerned itself with economic matters, I wouldn't consider this to be greatly significant.

Few foreign affairs matters have come up in recent times, but again I believe our voting record would be quite similar. We shared positions on the recent legislation on Cuba and voted similarly on the UN bill, though IIRC I am more avowedly in favour of the organisation than Colin. Foreign affairs though rarely comes to the fore in Atlasia though, probably not since the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict last year has it dominated the Senate's attention.

On forum affairs issues, I think we both are broad-mindedly open about reforms. To my mind it was in this area that we recently had our most significant divergence - on the matter of the proposed Third Constitution. That however has passed on and I would underline that the reason I have joined this campaign has been largely related to forum affairs, specifically the health of our Presidency, it's activity and power.

Broadly speaking, I actually believe that our principles are not dissimilar but that what differences there are are usually on a policy basis.

What would you do if this issue arose while in your capacity as Vice President?

I presume this means on the VP's tie-breaking function. The power of the VP to break Senate ties is specifically invested in him by the Constitution. As far as I'm concerned, it is entirely within the VP's discretion to use as he sees fit.

If I disagreed with President Wixted on a matter, I would be more than open to hearing his position and discussing it, just as I have been in the Senate. It is entirely possible that his words, just as much as anyone elses could sway my mind. Nonetheless, as with every vote I have faced, it would be my choice and I would simply do what I think is right.

With all of the focus on forum affairs in this campaign, the fiscal issue of balancing the budget has been scarcely brought up.  Do you believe that Atlasia should get back to balanacing the budget, and if so, would you support raising taxes to achieve that goal?

I believe that while the idea of Atlasia creating and maintaining a budget was a nobel one, it has simply never proven a practical and reasonable matter. The budgetary process was a waste of time and effort, constantly delayed and with good reason. It is simply too complex a matter for us to properly deal with.

Part of the Wixted platform has been about the need to re-focus Atlasia. The focus should be on elections, campaigning, domestic affairs, forum affairs and (following press reforms) foreign affairs also.

In order to properly run an economy, a consistent flow of economic data and indicators are required. We have no means, other than guesswork, of producing this data or of analysing the effects of any budgetary or economic measures implemented. Any such guesswork would depend upon the prejudices of the perosn producing that data be they socialist, libertarian or otherwise. Further, changes in tax rates can't be realistically costed to tell us how much revenue we would gain or lose. It simply isn't practical to return to the days of the budgets tieing up Senate business.  We are not a group of economists, we are, if anything, politicians.

In fact, I would ask any of the opposing candidates, if they believe that a practical solution does exist to come out with their budgetary plan. Tell the people, what taxes they propose to raise or cut?; by how much?; what change will that make to our revenue?; what programmes should be cut?; what programmes should be added?; how were the costings arrived at?;  etc., etc...

The other candidates will not do this because it can't be done, not really. Not at any practical level, and it certainly won't get through the Senate in one piece. We need to realise what we can do and focus our efforts there.

[tik 🪀✨]

If the President resigned or were removed from office, or handed you the duties of the executive as Acting President, would you be ready to handle that situation?

Heavens, no! That would be disastrous. Even I'm not completely sure of what I'm capable of doing, accidentally or not. But if it did happen, I would put on my happy face and kiss a lot of babies. Feigning self-confidence is how I tie my shoes every morning.

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We're not contentious folk, Everett and I. But gee, Ebowed, you really put me on the spot here. I suppose we disagree on the manner and pattern in which we brush our teeth. From a scientific perspective, you need to have a precise angle or range of angles to hold the toothbrush against your teeth and gums. You also need to apply enough pressure that you are thoroughly working away the gunk but not too much lest you damage the delicate tissues. The brand of toothpaste is another matter entirely, as are the frequency that one brushes his or her teeth, the period brushing lasts, and what should follow before and after the actual act. I am also vaguely aware that Everett does not believe aborted fetuses should be hot dog filler but that's a smidge compared to oral hygiene.

If something like this ever came up in the public discourse, I'm sure we would respectfully disagree. If policy decisions were in place from the executives that the legislature disagreed with, I doubt our differences would be relevant. It's not like it would all fall apart. It's hard to break a vase that isn't there to begin with. Nay, I dare say it is impossible. Yes, I went there. Damn it feels good to a gangster.

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The Atlasian budget should be fixed at or around $0 USD for every fiscal quarter. This ensures that taxes are not too high and that spending is controlled. Some minor programs may need to be cut but who's really paying attention anymore?

[Speed of Sound]

If the President resigned or were removed from office, or handed you the duties of the executive as Acting President, would you be ready to handle that situation?

Absolutely. I have a great amount of experience holding offices in Atlasia, and I have a very good knowledge of current Atlasian law. Therefore, I believe I have the understanding of Atlasian politics to successfully have influence when I need to. Yes, it may be true that I am very far on the left, but I assure you, being radical doesnt mean youe closed minded. I am more than eager to reach across the aisle and come up with some great legislation to push Atlasia forward. This does not mean, however, that I will simply bend to everyone either. I plan on having many discussions with all the senators as acting president or vice president. The time for the branches to work together is now. The time for leadership in all branches is now. The time for something new to match our new times is now. Im ready to bring the new to table, if I ever need to.

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One issue? Oh heavens. Preston and I, while having similar economic answers, have very different reasons as to why we come to those conclusions, and can therefore bring multiple perspectives to every issue in the economic field. Socially, on the other hand, we barely ever even come to the same conclusion. Preston and I are essentialy social opposites, allowing the senate two different views on every social issue. We are, in both cases, every sub-commitees' dream: Alike enough and respectful enough to come to conclusions, but different and strong enough to seriously consider every answer.

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Fiscal issues have been put on the back burner, and it is something which I vow to change as VP. These issues are the foundation of Atlasian power, stability, and lifestyle, and therefore should be of the most importance. The Atlasian budget is a disgrace. there are many ways to help alleviate this problem, and we should look at everyone of them, including raising taxes. Do not fear: I am not looking to create some socialist state. I want what the people want, and all the people want is a good, solid, balanced budget, and thats what we need to do. I want to look into empowering our exports as well. We should investigate spending cuts, but make each one warily, and after great debate. No matter how it is done, it is time to bring respect back to the Atlasian budget.

[Ebowed]

In this section we will explore some forum affairs and social policy issues.

Do you think it should be legal for voters to edit their ballots in federal voting booths?

Do you support giving the President the power to call a referendum on any passed legislation?

Would you have supported the nomination of Mike Naso to Vice President?  If so, do you consider yourself a similar prospective Vice President to Mr. Naso?

If the laws concerning abortion were up to you in your Region, what would they be?

Do you think that the federal government should hand over people to other countries where they will be executed?

Do you believe that people should be protected from workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation?

[TheWildCard]

Do you think it should be legal for voters to edit their ballots in federal voting booths?

I think it would be fair for them to edit their ballots inside the first 5 minutes after they post their ballot. This way if there is a mistake or typo they will notice it quickly and be able to change it. I think this is a good middle ground since you can't have people editing their ballot throughout the election. since people will edit their votes for strategic reasons and to not have the option to change it at all seems a little unfair to me.

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Yes I think this is a very good and fair way to expand the President's power and make sure that the people of Atlasia are heard clearly.

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If it was my call I personally can't say that I would have nominated Mr. Naso. I think Naso is a decent human being but there were other choices out there.

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I'm very glad that you asked this question since it is one that I'd like to clearify my position on. I'd of course first gage the people in the region to see what they felt, if it was a 50/50 split between pro-choice and pro-life voters I would go a pro-choice route. I believe in a woman's right to choose. I'd only ban late term abortions when the mother's life is NOT at risk. I also think we get far too involved in the debate of the extremes on this issue. What we should try to do is have the proper education and programs in place to lower the number of abortions. To sum it up I agree with President Clinton on this issue when he says "abortion should not only be safe and legal, it should be rare."

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It depends on the circumstances surrounding the case. I can say that if the individual was a refugee from a fascist undemocratic country I would say that we should not hand the individual over. On the other hand if a person committed terrorist acts against a democratic regime I'd generally say that we should hand over the individual.

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I'll keep this short and sweet, I think that regardless of an individual's sexual orientation, gender, race, ethnicity or religion no one should be discriminated against in the work place. Whether you are straight or gay, black or white, Mexican or Canadian, male or female the rules should be the same for everyone.

[Speed of Sound]

Do you think it should be legal for voters to edit their ballots in federal voting booths?

While I at first did have some reservations about this, it is unfair for someone to make a small mistake in how they fill out thier ballot, and thus be removed from the final count, when they are clearly hard working Atlasians who want nothing mer than to vote for thier candidate. Theres really no way this can come out negative, so I support this measure's passage, and am happy to see that it seems that it will do just that in all regions.

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Definetly. Without this option, the senate can run wild, if it sticks together, to do just about anything, without regard to the public opinion. This gives more meaning to the "democratic" part of "democratic republic". The people's will is to be expressed in government action, and this is a great way to let that happen.

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I would have voted to confirm Mr. Naso. Mr. Naso has a controversial background, yes, but he has shown himself to be a very interesting Atlasian which has done much for the development of many a storyline, and has always, I believe, kept the success of Atlasia as something he deeply believes in. I do not, however, consider myself to be a similar prospective VP as him. Aside from the obvious political differences, we have a much different way of conducting business. Mr. Naso is much more about keeping Atlasia interesting, and focusing on forum affairs, while I much prefer the economic.

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If it were up to me, abortions, in the first and second trimester only, would be legal. I would not require anyone's consent for such an operation, although I would request that women be forced to have a three day cooling off period after asking thier doctor before officially scheduling, allowing them time to really think over the decision. I want them to be legal, but I really want it to be known that this is a very serious operation, and that its not something that can just be reversed. I also want people to really consider thier personal morals before diving into this procedure.

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I whole heartedly opose the death penalty, and therefore could not in good concience hand any man or woman over with their fate sealed in that country. Humanity is something we should respect take pride in, and ending it is a ridiculous notion. Our morals are strong, and we need other nations should not be able to bend them.

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Certainly. Everyone should be guaranteed a chance to have a job and suport a family, regardless of who that family consists of. What kind of a nation are we where your personal life is the bar to which we decide if you can survive or not? These are human beings, and rejecting them from a chance to make a living is terribly immoral, and we should watch very strictly that everyone has a chance. Do not mistake this for quota establishing. People should be evaluated based on thier skills. the quota does more to damage that ideal than no protection at all does. I believe that people should file believed discrimination, and every proposed case should be looked at very thoroughly, nad decided on a case to case basis. We need to ensure a chance for happiness here at home, while maximizing success for our business.

[Јas]

Do you think it should be legal for voters to edit their ballots in federal voting booths?

Yes, I do. I essentially wrote the text currently being voted upon, so I do support it. Indeed, I also wrote the Midwest Voting Regulation which also allows for a citizen the opportunity to overcome any errors in their original vote.

Do you support giving the President the power to call a referendum on any passed legislation?

This could be a useful new power, but I wouldn't necessarily support giving the President the right to use it in all circumstances. I do think that this is a good idea and that there should be such a power in defined circumstances. For example, I wouldn't want a President to be able to use such a power simply as a stalling tactic where the Senate passed some measure say 9-1 or 10-0.

Would you have supported the nomination of Mike Naso to Vice President?  If so, do you consider yourself a similar prospective Vice President to Mr. Naso?

I voted not to confirm Mr Naso as VP. During the confirmation process it became quite clear that he did not have any substantive understanding of Senate procedure, something I consider quite important.

Whilest I'm sure Mr Naso approached the process with the best of intentions, I simply wasn't satisfied that he was yet a suitable Vice President.

If the laws concerning abortion were up to you in your Region, what would they be?

Here's a dangerous answer, I don't know. During the debate on the now Reproductive Rights Act, I made my feelings on abortion known. In the simplest terms I can put it, once a fetus reaches the stage where it can survive outside the womb, I feel that an abortion would be in violation of its right to life. To my understanding this stage is now at around 22 weeks.

Also, I have no qualms with things like morning after pills.

It is the period in between over which I have not yet come to a conclusion over yet myself. Though essentially, the further along the pregnancy the less likely I am to support an abortion. This however is a moral dilemma and is difficult to square with the need for legal certainty. I recognose that a blanket ban on abortions creates its own problems, primarily unsafe 'back-street' terminations. This is also tragic and should be avoided.

It should be clear though that the regions have control over this issue and so it is far beyond the powers of the Vice Presidency to do anything on this issue, except in the unlikely circumstance of a tied Senate vote on the matter, which would probably, like the Reproductive Rights Act apply only in federal territories.

Do you think that the federal government should hand over people to other countries where they will be executed?

No. I don't support the death penalty in any circumstances and I don't support extradition where execution is going to occur, or indeed if it is the probable outcome. Preferably, a guarantee should be sought that the death penalty would not be applied.

Do you believe that people should be protected from workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation?

I don't want to see anybody discriminated against because of their sexuality. I don't want to see anyone discriminated against because of their religious beliefs either. Or their political beliefs; or their gender; or age; or their height; etc. etc. etc...

There are two issues of concern however. One: Is it a practical and workable option? I would suggest that in the vast majority cases it's not possible to prove that such discrimination is taking place (on a legal basis). If assured to my satisfcation that it is workable, then I would obviously drop this concern. Second: Is it right to impose anti-discimination legislation on private employers? If they are public service positions or publically funded (directly or indirectly) then I would have no qualms imposing such terms. However, I would be hesitant to apply it to private enterprise (howsoever much I disagree with their discriminatory practice).

[tik 🪀✨]

Do you think it should be legal for voters to edit their ballots in federal voting booths?

Only in my favour.

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Yes and no. Yes, the president should be allowed to call for a referendum, but no referendum should actually be issued.

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Mr. Naso is an absolutely fabulous individual with a myriad of personal quirks that only accentuate his adorable qualifications. I can only hope that my own little world can be half as beautiful as his must be to him. I do not think our Atlasian political situations will ever parallel, but you've got to give him credit for having such enormous equipment.

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Abortion is a terrible, terrible thing. I think that is okay.

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Only if the person we're discussing desires execution.

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See above.

[Ebowed]

I will now ask a few candidate-specific questions, some of these based on items they have stated in this thread or in their campaigns.

Fmr. Governor Wildcard,
1.) You stated that you believe the President's power should be increased.  You mentioned the line-item veto as one possibility that may be explored.  Would you like to elaborate on some other ideas to increase the President's power, and why these might be beneficial?
2.) Your running mate has stated that one of his main goals is to increase voter population.  What strategies will your ticket be implementing to see this happen?
3.) You stated in your candidacy acceptance speech that you believe Atlasia may be on the verge of a "Platinum Period."  What will be the hoped qualities of this period, in your opinion?

Senator Jas,
1.) As your ticket is comprised of two incumbent Senators, how can you and Colin guarantee that you can handle Atlasia's highest executive offices the best out of anyone running?
2.) You stated that efforts to write and pass budgets were largely a waste of time- do you believe that the Senate should refocus its efforts away from economic issues entirely?  Would your ticket's administration intend to offer much of a focus at all on issues such as increased or decreased spending in any areas, or tax cuts and raises?
3.) You raised a possible issue on the proposal of the President calling referendums on passed legislation when the legislation passes the Senate by an overwhelming margin.  To use a real-life example, suppose that the Senate unanimously passed the PATRIOT Act and Russ Feingold were the President.  Though one might disagree with Feingold's objections, I don't believe they are without merit.  Is it possible a similar scenario could ever arise in Atlasia, and if so, would this limit on the referendum power be necessary?

Fmr. Secretary Speed of Sound,
1.) Could you back up your assertion that the public wants a balanced budget?  What specific parts of the budget do you consider a "disgrace"?  Are there any specific taxes you would raise, or spending programs you would cut?
2.) Reading your statements on the abortion issue, I was surprised to note that you offered some of the most conservative rhetoric on the issue out of any candidate.  Why do you believe that a three day "cooling off" period should be mandated before a woman can get an abortion?  Specifically, if a woman in a rural area has to take time off from work to go to the city to get the procedure performed, and she has clearly made up her mind about whether she wants the abortion, wouldn't this restriction be an unnecessary burden and also offer a risk that she passes from the first trimester to the second while waiting?
3.) Why do you believe that the confirmation of Mike Naso would have been beneficial to Atlasia?

Tik,
1.) Your running mate noted that she supports several controversial things in her campaign announcement- such as legalized drugs, a reference to "school choice", and liberation of the Internet.  If elected, how would you appeal to politicians on the opposite end of the political spectrum, who you would have to work with?
2.) Do you believe Atlasia should have a stronger focus on forum affairs, and if so, what are some issues close to your heart in this area?
3.) You mentioned that you and your running mate have disagreements over dental hygene- could you expand on what these differences are, exactly, and how they might come into play in the White House?

[Јas]

Senator Jas,
1.) As your ticket is comprised of two incumbent Senators, how can you and Colin guarantee that you can handle Atlasia's highest executive offices the best out of anyone running?

I don't believe that the demands on the Atlasian executive will be in any way overbearing for Colin Wixted. I judge this based on his character and temperament; his long standing Senate experience; his sound principles and his proven ability to work well with others of all political backgrounds. Colin is fully aware of the nature of the role of President having closely observed the workings of a great many Presidents in action and having to his credit a brief spell in Cabinet.

I have no doubt that Colin has the requisite experience and indeed is the best candidate, otherwise I would not have agreed to join the ticket.

As for myself, I have worked as the Midwest's Lt. Governor and Governor for almost a year between the two; and spent a almost a year in the Senate also. I have executive experience at regional level and have been working in the federal government for quite some time too.

2.) You stated that efforts to write and pass budgets were largely a waste of time - do you believe that the Senate should refocus its efforts away from economic issues entirely?  Would your ticket's administration intend to offer much of a focus at all on issues such as increased or decreased spending in any areas, or tax cuts and raises?

I do believe that the focus should be on social matters; forum affairs and issues of domestic and foreign concern, rather than economic issues. That is not to say such things such be banned though (Senators should be free to introduce any legislation they wish within the confines of the Constitution).

I don't anticipate the Wixted administration to give any great concernn to economic matters for reasons much like I outlined already. The economics of a national economy are too complex to be adquately deal with within the confines of the 'game'. Senates can pass tax increases or decreases - but we really have no way of knowing what the effects are, what income is generated, what problems arise. This has always been dependent on a GM throwing out psudo-random figures for budgets; inflation rates; unemployment rates, etc.

While economics is important to any government, IMO this simultation really isn't capable of properly dealing with it properly and shouldn't try.

3.) You raised a possible issue on the proposal of the President calling referendums on passed legislation when the legislation passes the Senate by an overwhelming margin.  To use a real-life example, suppose that the Senate unanimously passed the PATRIOT Act and Russ Feingold were the President.  Though one might disagree with Feingold's objections, I don't believe they are without merit.  Is it possible a similar scenario could ever arise in Atlasia, and if so, would this limit on the referendum power be necessary?

This is an interesting hypothetical and raises a valid concern.

My view though would remain that the power of the President to call a referendum on legislation should not be unfettered. Atlasia is not nor was it designed to be a direct democracy. (For one thing, I doubt we'd be able to maintain a SoFA for long if constant national votes were called). Continuous voting in this manner would also devalue the Senate itself, why is it thre if not to act as the people's representatives?

I am not in any way beholden to the idea that the power to call a referendum must be linked to a vote count in the Senate, I am willing to consider any suggestions that meet the same objective - namely that the power to call a referendum should not be exercisable at every instance.

[Speed of Sound]

Fmr. Secretary Speed of Sound,
1.) Could you back up your assertion that the public wants a balanced budget?  What specific parts of the budget do you consider a "disgrace"?  Are there any specific taxes you would raise, or spending programs you would cut?

The public may not want the balanced budget, but the effects of one are clearly popular. Balanced budgets mean foreign confidence in us, as well as economic confidence in ourselves. A balanced budget is simply a logic move. I, as a citizen, cannot go out and spend $500,000 and say "I'll pay it back some other year", so I dont understand why the government should be able to do it either. As far the disgraces, it is June of 2007. A budget has not been passed in well over a year! Thats the disgrace. I will show you how that is done, and I will using a Sam Spade March 06 budget proposal, once a GM can give me a fair revenue #, since this March 06 is gonna be off.

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The idea of a cooling off period is merely something that I believe should be looked into. It does have benefits. Many people do not fully understand the risk that can be involved in an abortion, and after a doctor explains it, they should have time to re think it. I just want to see thought really put into this before its done, because its a very major procedure no matter your view on it. If time is running close to the trimester switch, or some other blockade stands in the way for a certain woman, then it could be lifted in circumastances. Perhaps the doctor could be in control of whether of not the three day happens? Again, Im just throwing this around as an idea. Other than that tidbit, my position on abortion is very liberal. I want to fully legalize them for the first two trimesters, with a good possibility that the three day idea may never become a solid legislation.

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As I have said, Naso has shown himself to be able, if nothing else, to really keep things going in Atlasia. He is a man willing to throw himself out there to have some fun, and let everyone else have fun with him. Especially at the time in which he was first nominated, we needed fun more than ever.

[TheWildCard]

Fmr. Governor Wildcard,
1.) You stated that you believe the President's power should be increased.  You mentioned the line-item veto as one possibility that may be explored.  Would you like to elaborate on some other ideas to increase the President's power, and why these might be beneficial?

For one, as mentioned earlier, the ability for the President to call for a referendum on legislation would be an excellent way to increase the position’s power. This not only would increase the authority of the Presidency but it would also help to strengthen the voice of the people. In the end I believe it creates a more balanced power structure between the Executive, the Legislature, and that often neglected invisible wing of our government the people.

I also support most of the ideas put forward by the Heritage Caucus and the Renissiance Caucus.

[qoute]2.) Your running mate has stated that one of his main goals is to increase voter population.  What strategies will your ticket be implementing to see this happen?[/qoute]

Well one of the best ways to recruit members is to advertise both here and abroad. Atlasia is a great place and I'm sure that members of other political forums on the internet would gladly chase and join the Atlasian Dream of the ultimate Political Sim. The internet is not simply "a build it and they will come" place it is a mountainous domain of information. Thus, advertising is one key example of how we can increase our population.

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I view the future of Atlasia as a place better than it has ever been. I can easily see how through a marketing plan a Brandon H Presidency can bring us the largest population we've ever had. And we all know what a larger population means. It equals more competitive elections, more diverse view points, perhaps more parties and thus, a better more enjoyable game for everyone. We can’t just sit here and hope that somehow, someway we will be able to make a U-turn and go back to the old days, the “Golden Age” of Atlasia. For any administration to be effective they must not be so close minded as to adopt this reactionary way of thinking.  The administration must realize that Atlasia’s best days are not behind it, rather its best, most splendid, most glorious days are ahead of it, I know both Brandon H and I believe the latter to be true. Together with the people of Atlasia behind us we can enter a Platinum Period in Atlasia and make our Republic better than it has ever been before.

[tik 🪀✨]

Tik,

Dearest Ebowed,

Your latest letter has left me perplexed, vexed, and something else. I have answered your queries as best as I can until now, but I suppose the stream of questions will never end. It reminds me of our youth; especially of that night on the playground when you caressed my thigh and whispered sweet nothings in my ear. You said to me,

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I took a deep breath and looked into your eyes, and I saw my own reflexion. Time itself seemed to pause. But then, I realized I needed to answer. You needed my answers. I spoke softly:

"1.) I don't oppose the opposition who do not support our positions. They are allowed to disagree, and I agree that we differ. I would hope that although we disagree that they would be comforted to know that I would allow them to not agree, and that they would respect that I allow them to do that. Because we allow their opposition, it is only natural that they would support our opposition to their disagreement and thus acquiesce.

2.) Censorship of specific words ought to be outlawed. Instead of focusing on the content, we are dilly dallying in the coffee plantation of superficiality. We give these words their power by denying their existence, like a cookie that you can't reach on the top shelf that as soon as you manage to grab turns into a series of asterisks. Also, we should be able to ban people by popular vote.

3.) This is why our relationship will never work out, Ebowed. You always bring up the conflicts as if fighting about them again will serve to provide some common ground and we'll finally resolve them. When Everett and I talk about dental hygiene, we're talking about much more than just cavities and fresh breath. Everett feels that everyone should be able to brush their teeth as little or as much as they please. I find this to be offensive to common decency. However, I must admit that the freedom to turn your mouth into a gummy garden of failure is an essential human right. I might demand that my staff brush their teeth after everything.. shaking hands, stapling a stack of papers, brushing your teeth, etc. If Everett's cabinet consisted of hobo-mouths and the like, I just might like totally freak out or something. But I think we will manage to find a good resolution to this conflict and work everything out."

Do you remember that night, Ebowed? Do you remember how things used to be? I look forward to your inevitable request for more information like a puppy anxious to be let outside in order to sh**t all over the yard of political discourse.

Love,
Tik