District 1 - Verily for Senate

[Verily]

Fellow residents of District One, I would like to proclaim my candidacy for Senate. I acknowledge that I am new the political scene here in Atlasia, but I feel that I can provide District One with a strong voice of pragmatism and economic sensibility in the Senate, something often sorely lacking in a land of ideologues.

Each day in the upcoming week, I will describe my positions in more detail. I will always remain open to any suggestions from the constituents of District One in order to improve my ability to represent our great people in the Senate.

[Sam Spade]

Although I would probably support anyone over the present incumbent , you clearly have my support in this one.

[DownWithTheLeft]

You have my full support, I feel confident in saying it will stick as their does not seem to be any candidate out there would make me change my mind

[Verily]

Verily on the Issues: International Trade

International trade is to the advantage of all citizens of Atlasia. It provides us with goods we cannot produce in our own country, and it allows for the optimization of international production. We live in a world that is ever advancing in speeds of transportation and communication, and with that advancement comes also the internationalization, the globalization, of the economy.

Already, Atlasia is a hub, dare I say, the hub of international trade. We benefit immensely from foreign products entering and passing through our economy through lower prices and increased corporate competition. Those who would seek to isolate Atlasia from the international economy mean well, but they see still a world of the 20th century, a world in which communications were not universal, a world in which blueberries grown in Chile and microchips produced in China could be brought to Atlasia overnight. They are blinded to the fact that Atlasia could not hope to produce everything it uses; they are blinded to the fact that tariffs would serve only to raise prices domestically, taxing our own citizens and not foreign companies. They are wrong.

1) I support the international market and Atlasia's wholehearted participation in it.
2) I oppose tariffs that tax higher than the cost of inspecting imported goods.
3) I support punitive tariffs, which are a regrettable economic necessity.
4) I support the use of embargoes on certain goods or countries only in extreme circumstances. Modern examples would include oil from Sudan.

[Verily]

I would like to thank Sens. Sam Spade and DWTL for their support.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Glad to see there's a race going on here!  Uncontested elections are so passé.

[bullmoose88]

Who is the current incumbent?

[Sam Spade]

Who is the current incumbent?

EarlAW

[Hatman 🍁]

I would like to thank Sens. Sam Spade and DWTL for their support.

You can have it too!

[Sam Spade]

I would like to thank Sens. Sam Spade and DWTL for their support.

You can have it too!

My support would actually likely help with a couple of swing voters in the Region, just FYI.    It'll be a NY vs. NJ, for the most part.

[Hatman 🍁]

I would like to thank Sens. Sam Spade and DWTL for their support.

You can have it too!

My support would actually likely help with a couple of swing voters in the Region, just FYI.    It'll be a NY vs. NJ, for the most part.

Someone's full of himself.

[Sam Spade]

I would like to thank Sens. Sam Spade and DWTL for their support.

You can have it too!

My support would actually likely help with a couple of swing voters in the Region, just FYI.    It'll be a NY vs. NJ, for the most part.

Someone's full of himself.

Look up the history of this forum for your answers.

[Verily]

Please, there's no need for this bickering here. I'd appreciate it if you took it somewhere else. Thanks.

[Sam Spade]

Please, there's no need for this bickering here. I'd appreciate it if you took it somewhere else. Thanks.

No problem.

[Verily]

Verily on the Issues: Poverty and Education Intertwined

We have often in the past been suckered into believing that there is some sort of "quick fix" to poverty, that one new program will solve the problem forever. It is time now to acknowledge that poverty is a problem inherent in human society, one that cannot be eliminated wholly but can be ameliorated and its cross-generational effects reduced.

The concept of welfare is a noble one, but it has not by any means brought an end or even a reduction in poverty here in Atlasia. Even now, the only way for an individual to be pulled out of the pit of poverty is by their own hands, through work. Welfare gives the opportunity for individuals without employment or with very low-paying employment to seek better work; they need not worry quite so much about their financial situation while seeking to better it. However, we must make certain that welfare does not become a permanent crutch, as was never its intent. Only those who can prove to be actively seeking improvement in their financial status, either through greater education or new employment opportunities, should be considered candidates for welfare; it is not a long-term solution.

The long-term solutions are those which reduce the disadvantages of those born into poverty. First among these is education, without which no one can hope to improve their economic standing. Current property tax-funded public education creates immense bias in education quality towards wealthier communities. We may look at this situation and say that the wealthy have worked hard for that money, but, whatever your beliefs regarding the causes of poverty, the children of the poor are not responsible, yet it is they who suffer under property tax-funded public education, they who receive substandard educations.

The problem of education is clear, but the solution is less so; the Senate does not have the authority to deny the rights of municipalities to collect property taxes except as a constitutional amendment. Rather, the Senate should work to create a national education tax, a tax on income that enters sealed education funds at the national level to be redistributed to municipalities based solely on school-age population. This money would be the primary funding for education facilities.

As a civilized society, we do not hold children responsible for what their parents have or have not done; we should not continue to do so in education.

1) I oppose the use of a welfare as a long-term subsidization program for the poor
2) I support the use of welfare to bolster the opportunities of those among the poor who are actively seeking betterment in their financial status.
3) I oppose the use of the property tax to fund education.
4) I support a national income tax to replace the property tax as the funding source for education, and the creation of a National Education Fund into which all money raised by this tax would be placed and sealed from other spending purposes, then redistributed to municipalities based on school-age population.

[Jaggerjack]

Verily for Senate ftw!

[Hatman 🍁]

Verily for Senate ftw!

Am I doing that bad of a job?

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Verily for Senate ftw!

Am I doing that bad of a job?

It sounds like it's not a referendum on your performance.  More a referendum on your politics.

[Verily]

I myself do not believe in reelecting incumbents simply for the sake of reelecting them - myself, if I win this election, included. I do not view incumbents as being substantially different from "challengers" in an election. I am running for Senate, not against Sen. EarlAW; we are simply competing for the same seat.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Should be quite the interesting race.

[Hatman 🍁]

Verily for Senate ftw!

Am I doing that bad of a job?

It sounds like it's not a referendum on your performance.  More a referendum on your politics.

As far as I can see, there's not much difference, except on a number of economic issues.

I myself do not believe in reelecting incumbents simply for the sake of reelecting them - myself, if I win this election, included. I do not view incumbents as being substantially different from "challengers" in an election. I am running for Senate, not against Sen. EarlAW; we are simply competing for the same seat.

I feel the same way

[DownWithTheLeft]

Verily for Senate ftw!

Am I doing that bad of a job?

No, its more your politics.  The only absurd thing you did was suggest that someone else become absent because you were absent when we don't have parties or blocs.

[Hatman 🍁]

Verily for Senate ftw!

Am I doing that bad of a job?

No, its more your politics.  The only absurd thing you did was suggest that someone else become absent because you were absent when we don't have parties or blocs.

Why would Fabian disagree with my politics?  And it wasn't an absurd idea, it's what we do in Canada, because at least our Parliament knows the spirit of bipartisanship which is more than I can say about a certain spoiled ass-hole from New Jersey.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Verily for Senate ftw!

Am I doing that bad of a job?

No, its more your politics.  The only absurd thing you did was suggest that someone else become absent because you were absent when we don't have parties or blocs.

Why would Fabian disagree with my politics?  And it wasn't an absurd idea, it's what we do in Canada, because at least our Parliament knows the spirit of bipartisanship which is more than I can say about a certain spoiled ass-hole from New Jersey.

I've never seen someone withdraw from a race because the opponent's supporter criticized their ideas.  Kind of upset I moved out of this district now, however, Verily will make a fine senator.

[Hatman 🍁]

Verily for Senate ftw!

Am I doing that bad of a job?

No, its more your politics.  The only absurd thing you did was suggest that someone else become absent because you were absent when we don't have parties or blocs.

Why would Fabian disagree with my politics?  And it wasn't an absurd idea, it's what we do in Canada, because at least our Parliament knows the spirit of bipartisanship which is more than I can say about a certain spoiled ass-hole from New Jersey.

I've never seen someone withdraw from a race because the opponent's supporter criticized their ideas.  Kind of upset I moved out of this district now, however, Verily will make a fine senator.

You'll be happy to know I've decided to run again. I guess my flip flopping is worse than John Kerry.