Hobbes Senate Campaign Thread

[George W. Hobbes]

My fellow Atlasians,

The United States of Atlasia is crying out for simple, homespun government that exists to serve nothing more and nothing less than the Atlasian people.  

I have looked around at this forum for quite some time, and I feel that we need to see a revolution.  Not a revolution of guns and violence, but of the ballot box.  Of an end to the uncaring right and the hyperidealism of the left.  

As a registered member of the United Atlas Centrists, I feel that is the duty of my party, and my party's slate in the upcoming elections to bring this revolutionary change to government.

A government that is active enough to pass strong and strident legislation.   A government that responds according to foreign conflicts and is not afraid to use force to bring liberty and democracy, twin lights of hope, to the oppressed peoples of the world.

I am running on a simple platform.  

Pro-life, in that the death penalty must be abolished and the genocide of the unborn must end, with government-funded pre-natal care for our poorest mothers.  

Pro-liberty, in that I will present legislation that will give the President use of force in the Sudan, where more than two million people have been killed and a brutal government-sponsored genocide against the black Christians persists to this very day.

Pro-citizen, that I will fight for the usage of Instant Run-off Voting to assure that no citizen is forced to vote against the candidate of their choice to avoid being a spoiler.

Pro-safety, in that gun control must be regulated and enforced.  Cop-killer bullets must be deemed illegal and the assault weapons ban must be preserved.  

Pro-law and order, in that we pass tough community service sentences on first and second time arrested users and send them to coerced rehab so that we can make druguse less "fun".  

I'd say that half of Atlasian drug use is recreational, and if we eliminated that half, Colombia's druglords would not be able to finance their elaborate protection and the legimate government could finally emerge victorious.  That, in and of itself, is a stain on Atlasia.

Pro-green, having tax credits for businesses and "green" purchases, so that the United States can lead the way in keeping the skies blue.

Pro-freedom, in support of every Atlasian's right to faith, and an Atlasia free from a judicial war on belief systems and the usage of the word "God".

Pro-Atlasia, in seeking Common Sense solutions above partisanship.

And under this platform, my friends, I hereby announce that I am seeking the United Atlas Centrist party nomination for the 5B Senate seat.

God bless you all!

[JohnFKennedy]

Well, this shall be interesting.

We have two people seeking the UAC nomination in the District.

I guess that means we will hold a primary.

The two candidates for the UAC Primary will be TheKing2004 and Mr. Hobbes. Well, this shall be good.

[George W. Hobbes]

Good afternoon,

With my inclusion into the race for the UAC nomination, the United Atlas Centrists now have two possible candidates for the candidate for District 5's midterm Senate seat.

I believe that it is only fair that the voters get to see the differences between myself and Mr. King, and according I challenge him to a debate, either on the forums or via some sort of chat.

The people of the Fifth District deserve nothing less than to know and understand the candidates seeking this nomination.

[George W. Hobbes]

Hobbes campaign unveils new SigSign.



http://img27.exs.cx/img27/6530/senatorhobbes1.jpg

[ilikeverin]

I will withhold endorsing anyone yet, in case any other people enter the race, but I'd say Mr. Hobbes is my #1 candidate for endorsement right now

[George W. Hobbes]

Hobbes for Senate Ad
Playing throughout the Fifth District.

We see an aerial view of the United States Capitol Rotunda, while Mr. Hobbes speaks in Voice-Over.

Mr. Hobbes: Atlasia.  It means something different to every citizen.  To some it means hope.

Image of the Statue of Liberty.

Mr. Hobbes: To others...it means liberty.

Image of the Iwo Jima statue.

Mr. Hobbes: And to others, will and determination.

Cut to an image of Mr. Hobbes speaking to a crowd of supporters.

Mr. Hobbes: (speaking to the crowd) We need to elect a Senate that is receptive to the people, to the people's needs, and not to partisanship or a flawed agenda.

He looks out at the crowd for a beat.

Mr. Hobbes: My agenda is the people's agenda.

The image freezes on Mr. Hobbes and slowly fades away, to a Hobbes for Senate logo.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I think I'll be supporting Susie Derkins for Senate here.

[George W. Hobbes]

Atlasian News Network Live Feed

And now we're going down to Los Angeles, California, where United Atlas Centrist hopeful, Mr. Hobbes, is prepared to give a speech on Social Security reform.

Good afternoon my fellow Atlasians,

There's been a lot of talk in the Second District about Social Security reform, and I haven't really addressed the subject in my political career, so I suppose that it is best to propose my idea now.

I believe that, as it currently exists, Social Security is a ticking time bomb.  And the way that the government has chosen to deal with the program is to sit and wait, and do nothing.

I am gratified that the issue is getting quite a bit of press, as we need to overhaul the system, and overhaul it correctly.  The system will do us nothing if we simply continue the governmental policy of avoidance of the issue.

I would propose that we set up a Social Security account in the markets, money, stock, and futures; set up by the Treasury Department.  Young workers and elderly workers alike could have portions, or indeed, all-of their Social Security payments placed into this account for a long-term savings.

If Treasury establishes the account on a meticulous percentage basis most likely to bring us the most buck, there will be growth, at least every ten years.  Even during the throes of the Great Depression, the U.S. market has always managed to turn out a net surplus every decade.

And during boom times, we'll see these accounts expand.

The sad fact is, is that the United States of Atlasia is providing more money for Social Security, an entitlement, rather than military spending, a requirement.  Over one hundred billion dollars more, to be exact.

And this is for a flawd, underfunded, soon-to-be bankrupt entitlement!

I believe that the only solution is the transition I have suggested.  As confidence in the markets grow, we will find ourselves more willing to pay into the system, which will also be providing a net boost to our economy as well, helping to provide employment for the next generation of workers.

Thank you and God Bless.

[George W. Hobbes]

New York Times
Hobbes Doctrine?[/u]

Although the Fifth District of the United States of Atlasia isn't considered much by the people of New York, the recent decision of Mr. Hobbes to jump into the race for the United Atlast Centrist Party's nomination may have far-reaching effects across the republic.

Hobbes, barnstorming in California today discussing Social Security policy, is a known supporter of an activist foreign policy.  He plans to unveil a "Hobbes Doctrine" while in the Senate, which would drastically effect the way Atlasia treats its neighbors.

"The 'Hobbes Doctrine'," the candidate himself said candidly when the Times called him this afternoon, "Is plain and simple.  We dictate our foreign policy on human rights and the expansion of liberty across the planet."

Hobbes is already on record saying that he plans to issue a use of force resolution to the Atlasian President in order to stop the genocide in the Sudan, an issue that may put him at odds with the leftward wing of the UAC.

"I'm not interested in partisan politics," Hobbes declared, "I want to do what is morally just.  It's a travesty that we have the largest military in the world, and don't use it to aid humanity across the planet.  Not only that, we have a powerhouse economy, especially when it comes to African states, and we can use that power through trade shutdowns, and free trade for democracies, to help foster freedom."

The jury is still out on the popularity of the Hobbes Doctrine, but to the latest UAC candidate in the field, that doesn't matter much.

"If the people support it, I'll hopefully be elected.  If not, I still plan to crusade for Atlasia to do something constructive about human rights."

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

I would like to add my strong endorsement for Mr. Hobbes to recieve the UAC endorsement, though both him and Mr. King are fine centrist leaders.

[George W. Hobbes]

Thanks to both Don and Ilikevernin for their support, and as for Mr. Ernest...well, Susie's cool too.

[George W. Hobbes]

Hobbes Talks Lower-Class Healthcare
Newsweek

"Do I support universal healthcare?" United Atlas Centrist hopeful Mr. Hobbes bellows into a microphone at the campus of the University of California, San Diego.  "Heck no!  Let me ask you this?  Does Donald Trump deserve to have the government give him a five thousand dollar healthcare allotment when he has millions?  Or, even worse, should we emulate the European healthcare system, where there's three month waiting list for surgery?"

These pointed questions gather only silence, as the latest candidate for the midterm Senate seat from the Fifth District prepares to tackle the problem of forty-three million uninsured Atlasians.

Quickly, he changes his tack, attacking the wasteful spending of the sitting U.S. government.

"We're spending twenty-three billion dollars in the 2004 federal budget on pork projects, which do nobody any good but a few local politician's (some of whom are now long gone and dead) constituents or his own ego.  The 1999 federal budget had a lovely pork project, they spent a few thousand dollars on a study of why prisoners want to escape from prison."

Mr. Hobbes goes on to lace the two problems together.  There's 43 million Atlasians who cannot afford health insurance, and there's billions of dollars going to waste in pork, buearcracy, and red-tape.  

His solution?  Merge a few Cabinet departments to reform a Health, Education and Welfare Department, cut out unneeded military projects like the B-1 bomber, pass a constitutional amendment to give the President a line-item veto, and give a government medical care stipend to the poorest Atlasians.

Perhaps most confusing is Hobbes' call for a line-item veto, but as the candidate notes, it would allow for the President to veto ridiculous items that are added to bills.  Such as abortion rights statements or Congressional pay hikes to otherwise bipartisan bills.

He also wants a similar program targeted at providing pre-natal care to the poorest mothers of unborn children to prevent the 2,800 abortions a day that occur because "of interference with work, school or other responsibilities" accoring to http://www.thebirthsite.com

"I'm not saying this going to be cheap.  But unless we get our act together and stop wasting the people's money; we're going to discover we can't afford the billions this program would require.

"I find it hard to believe that we can spend twenty-three billion dollars on pork and not on the uninsured and poverty-stricken people of Atlasia."

[Hermit]

Mr. Hobbes! I've noticed your campaign seems to be very faith-based. I was wondering how this affects your stance on same-sex unions. Also, do you have any comment on how divergent your platform is from the official stated UAC platform, on matters such as the War on Drugs, Capital Punishment, and Abortion? Finally, sorry to nitpick, but I don't think you can use 'genocide' in the context of Abortion, as fetuses (fetusii?) or not a national, racial, political, or ethnic group. Thank you for your time!

[The Duke]

Pro-liberty, in that I will present legislation that will give the President use of force in the Sudan, where more than two million people have been killed and a brutal government-sponsored genocide against the black Christians persists to this very day.

Yeah!

(See "Cabinet Meeting" thread)

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Thanks to both Don and Ilikevernin for their support, and as for Mr. Ernest...well, Susie's cool too.

Keep in mind, that as GM I'm not supposed to endorse real candidates.  I could have also considered supporting Calvin, but I feel that he lacks the maturity needed by a Senator.

[George W. Hobbes]

Mr. Hobbes! I've noticed your campaign seems to be very faith-based. I was wondering how this affects your stance on same-sex unions. Also, do you have any comment on how divergent your platform is from the official stated UAC platform, on matters such as the War on Drugs, Capital Punishment, and Abortion? Finally, sorry to nitpick, but I don't think you can use 'genocide' in the context of Abortion, as fetuses (fetusii?) or not a national, racial, political, or ethnic group. Thank you for your time!

I'll freely admit that I could probably be categorized as a Christian Democrat (in the European sense) for many of my stances, and this includes same-sex unions.

I favor the federal marriage amendment, as I believe that the base value of marriage is that it should remain between a man and a woman.  I am utterly appalled at the decision of the mayor of San Francisco and other local officials who have circumvented the rule of law to pass out marriage licenses to same-sex couples; especially when same-sex marriage is prohibited under California law.

If I was mayor of Atlanta, say, I couldn't simply shut down abortion clinics simply because I oppose the practice of killing an unborn child...the Roe v. Wade case has legalized abortion in all fifty states.

Next, on the differences between my policies and those enshrined in the UAC Party platform, I don't believe that my opinions on the issues should be determined by the platform of a party, but what my conscience and rational thought dictate to myself.  As it is, I seem to be a very strong centrist, and thus signed up for the United Atlas Centrist Party.  If the voters disagree with me, it is thier right to deny me office.

As for the genocide comment, I still believe it can stand.  Abortion is a state-sponsered murder sanctioned by the government that only targets one group: unborn children.

[George W. Hobbes]

Thanks to both Don and Ilikevernin for their support, and as for Mr. Ernest...well, Susie's cool too.

Keep in mind, that as GM I'm not supposed to endorse real candidates.  I could have also considered supporting Calvin, but I feel that he lacks the maturity needed by a Senator.

Of course, Calvin's Transmogrifer could make us plenty of natural resources and precious metals: Good-by Mr. Deficit.

[George W. Hobbes]

Atlasian News Network Live Feed
Salt Lake City, Utah

Good evening,

I'd just like to say a few words about the slanderous numbers being brought upon by the King for Senate campaign against my candidacy.

Mr. King states that I will increase governmental spending by forty-six point nine billion dollars.  As we all know, this is simply not the case.  In fact, for every spending proposal I intend to implement, I plan to cut back spending at nonessential governmental levels.

First to go: our twenty-three billion dollars in pork barrell projects.  Next, I plan to attack unneeded governmental infrastructure by merging several Cabinet departments to re-create Health, Education, and Welfare; this will cut down on the red-tape in Atlasia, and provide for a department that will be cheaper to maintain.

After that, we can finally cancel the bloated B-1 bomber.

Not to mention, it would be my hope that my proposed Social Security plan would take the burden of providing for Social Security away from the government and on to the stock market.  This would give our citizens greater return for their Social Security buck, and make the entitlement less expensive for the government to maintain.  Definately a win-win situation.

As for King's other attacks: that I support the federal marriage amendment and am pro-life; I do not regret the necessity of saying they are true.

Thank you and God Bless.

[King]

First to go: our twenty-three billion dollars in pork barrell projects.

What projects

[King]

If there is actual government waste, does President Gustaf or the Senate know of this?

[KEmperor]

This is a good race, I think both candidates are good ones!

[George W. Hobbes]

www.cagw.org

Pork-barrell projects can be anything from $2.25 million for Shakespearean projects or $2.2 million to finance pork in North Pole, Alaska (1,570 citizens).  Or even $100,000 to finance a Coca-Cola building's repair.

There's over nine thousand projects, and I can't exactly name them all off hand, as I simply know the total number of dollars wasted by the Atlasian government, and not the exact projects that are stealing the United States of Atlas' fiscal responsibility.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Thanks! :-D

[George W. Hobbes]

Hobbes Talks "Green" Issues
Boise, Idaho

After the announcement of Mr. King concerning his position on the environment, Mr. Hobbes (UAC-California), detailed his own opinion on the issue.

"It's obvious that we need to wrest this country from its unhealthy dependency on foreign oil.  Our need for petroleum forces us to be at the nature of foreign dictators and rogue states, and this obviously is not a good situation for the United States to be in.

Hobbes went on to declare his opposition to "solving the problem by trashing national wildlife sanctuaries, particularly ANWR.  And in any event, oil fields are only a temporary solution that will eventually be pumped dry.  Meanwhile, the oil we recieve from the field will only be used to further pollute the enviroment, and we find ourselves in a vicious cycle."

In his proposal, Hobbes embraced the use tax credits on "green-friendly" corporations and products, with credits going to both businesses and consumers.

"The government can form a friendly partnership with both the customer and the provider, while keeping this world around a little bit longer."

[George W. Hobbes]

Hobbes Stresses Respect for Life
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Striding towards the podium in Santa Fe today, United Atlas Centrist Senatorial hopeful, Mr. Hobbes, waved at the crowd and then asked a rather startling question.

"How many of you would like it if I pulled out a rifle and, say, shot you there," the candidate pointed at a middle-aged man in the crowd, "And killed you.  And then, to your likely horror, calmly pocketed my weapon and claimed that I had a Fifth Amendment right to kill you?"

From this startling opener, Hobbes stressed the need for a new defination of pro-life.  "The Fifth Amendment says that we cannot take life, liberty, or property without due process of the law.  That does not mean that the government must take a man's life simply because he broke the law.  I believe that there are simpler ways to punish a man other than injecting him with a needle and taking his life."

Next, Hobbes calmly attacked the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade continued that "the U.S. Supreme Court has seen it fit to declare abortion a constitutionally protected right under the guise of privacy.  What gall!  Could I kill you, sir," again the political neophyte directed his comments at the same man in the crowd, "In the privacy of my own home and claim a Ninth Amendment right to do so?  For, in essence, this is what the Supreme Court has stated.  The child, from the moment of conception, has a different DNA from the mother.  DNA is what makes each individual exactly that...an individual.  The woman is simply allowing the child to live within her for nine months under God's glorious biological design."

The candidate poses at the podium, looking out at the assembled crowd.  Then comes a line that further stresses the point: "I don't know about you, but when I don't have a houseguest that I don't particularly want to have around, I don't go and kill him or her, simply to be rid of them and the money they might be costing me."

Applause rings out at this comment, and although the pro-choicers in the crowd are uncomfortable and a few even rail against the candidate, Mr. Hobbes has made the point that he came to Santa Fe to make.

He finishes his speech with a "God bless you all and your families and God bless Atlasia" beforce plunging into the assembled mass to press the flesh.  He makes small chitchat easily, and even answers a few questions from citizens concering the campaign and the issues.  

Mr. Hobbes seems to have a made a good impression on the people of Santa Fe, but whether or not that impression will carry him to the nomination is yet to be determined.  

[George W. Hobbes]

Ad
Playing throughout the district.[/b]

Image of Mr. Hobbes walking through a tattered Senate floor.  Papers are all over the ground, the desks are toppled over, graffiti is all over the walls.  The place is a mess.

Mr. Hobbes: ::looking around at the trashed floor:: The United States of Atlasia deserves better than this don't they?  Don't they deserve better than a Senate that has failed to solve the Social Security crisis, eliminate pork barrel spending, refused to set our foreign policy off the expansion of liberty and humanitarianism.

Mr. Hobbes sighs and puts his hands in his pockets as he looked up at the Atlasian flag, which is the only thing in the Senate not completely manhandled.

Mr. Hobbes: This negative and destructive attitude that plagues Atlasian politics needs to stop.  We need to elect citizens and not wily pols, positive campaigners and not mudslingers.  We need Senators of vision and common sense.

Mr. Hobbes picks up a desk and places it upright, and then picks up some wads of paper and looks at the camera with a look of determination on his face.

Mr. Hobbes: It's going to take a lot of work to clean this place up and revitalize Atlasia.  ::grim beat:: But I'm willing to try.

The image freezes on Hobbes and then fades to a Hobbes for Senate logo.