Mr. Moderate Transition Team HQ

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

After much consideration, and after having discussions with my former running mate, the President, and the chairman of the NLC, I have decided to seek the Presidency of Atlasia in the June 2008 elections.

In the coming days, I hope to present my vision for a "President Moderate" first term, including a series of legislative proposals, structural reforms, and constitutional amendments.  I will be introducing the first couple of these in the next 24 to 48 hours—the first being a major environmental policy that I anticipate will be the subject of much debate in the Senate; the second being a constitutional amendment to once again address and eliminate the budget requirement.  And, at the same time, I pledge to take the initiative (as Governor AndrewCT has done in the Northeast Region) to craft Atlasia's first national budget in years once it is constitutionally possible to do so.

Those who have followed my time in the Senate know me as an active, hardworking legislator, and I plan of following that same model going forward during my time as President, should the good people of Atlasia see fit to bestow upon me the honor.  I also greatly look forward to having an energetic debate with my opponents, whomever they may be.

In the near term, I will continue to hold the office of "Secretary of Forum Affairs," but I will be deputizing someone to handle all official business regarding the June 2008 election itself, so as to eliminate any possible conflict of interest.

If there are any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to ask.

(And be sure to watch this space for upcoming policy initiatives.)

[AndrewTX]

This is terrific news! Best of luck to you friend!

[DownWithTheLeft]

Well, that makes 4 candidates I am dead even torn between supporting

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I'm actually spending this weekend "on vacation" with family in Denver, so I'll keep this brief. 

My first major policy initiative concerns the federal budget.  During my time in the Senate, I was an advocate for pushing through a budget, but these efforts would constantly come to a brick wall because the pro-budgetary forces never had the 7 votes needed to get the language out of the constitution that makes a budget "unconstitutional."

I have been more than ready to do the work on the budget (which, really, is less work than it all sounds, having already done much of the research myself), but I will only do so as long as the budget is constitutional.  That is why, as part of my initial volley of post-innaugural bills, I will be attempting for one final time to strike the sections of Article 1, Section 8 that disallow a budget.  If that cannot be done, I will use the powers of the presidency to appoint a GM for the first time in a long while who will work with this administration to craft a budget.

Failing those, I will support the removal of the entirity of Section 8 simply to end the ridiculous proceedure of voting to postpone a budget every year when we know full well we couldn't make a budget under the current requirements if we tried.  Should this happen, and the nation approve the removal of Section 8, I will still be submitting a budget before the end of the year, regardless of the fact that neither the Senate nor I will be obligated to do so.

It's a major undertaking and a major change to Atlasia, but there's little point in carrying on with the status quo.  We almost universally want change, and I want to help bridge the gap between warring factions to actually make that change a reality.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

My second policy initiative that I am prepared to announce concerns the environment.

One of the widely touted cures for Atlasian addiction to foreign oil has been ethanol.  This is highly disconcerting to me, as ethanol is increasingly being seen as a fuel with a negative EROEI (energy returned on energy investment).

Ethanol benefits Atlasian farmers, that much is clear.  But the cost of this assistance to farmers is high: increased prices at the pump, increased prices at the supermarket as farmers divert more and more land from the growing of consumable food to the growing of corn for ethanol, and increased fossil fuel use resulting from the production of said ethanol.  Further, the diversion of corn from human consumption to fuel use is a mounting threat to the third world, adding to fears that some will go hungry at the expense of us first worlders filling our SUVs.

It is too early to rule out ethanol as a fuel of the future, but evidence continues to mount that ethanol is not a fuel for today.  That is why, as president, I will push for a law that phases out all federal requirements for ethanol in gasoline.

Hopefully, research will continue into finding a more efficient way to produce ethanol so that the biofuel can truly live up to its initial promise.  In the meantime, we do ourselves no favor as a nation to pretend that ethanol is something that it is not.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I anticipate releasing the name of a Vice Presidential pick by the end of the week.

[AndrewTX]

Yay for the anticipation!

[Хahar 🤔]

Yay for the anticipation!

Bold prediction: It won't be me.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Mr. Moderate to seek the Presidency on a ticket with VP Ebowed
May 8, 2008

NEWTON UPPER FALLS, MA—SoFA and former District 2 Senator Moderate today announced his pick for Vice President of Atlasia: former President, PPT, and current Vice President Ebowed (JCP-OR).

"I am here today to announce that I have concluded my search for a Vice President, and that search has led me to the person I feel is most qualified and most ready to serve the nation as Vice President—our current VP, Ebowed (Porce)," explained Secretary of Forum Affairs Mr. Moderate (NLC-MA), who is seeking the NLC nomination for President of Atlasia.

The news has rocked the political community, sending shares of XAHAR.VP tumbling from 0.2 to 0.1 on Intrade overnight.  XAHAR.SEN.PAC remains unchanged at 0.0, despite his being the lone declared candidate for the office.

"As Senator, Vice President Ebowed has been an incredibly active an energetic player in Atlasian politics—moreso than almost any other.  While we have stark ideological differences, and have butted heads over a variety of issues, there is no question in my mind that he is well accustomed to the office in which he currently serves, and that he has the ability and the drive (along with PPT Meeker) to help keep the Senate running smoothly during a President Moderate administration.

"A small handful of people have expressed surprise at my choice, but those who know me best will understand that I value hard work and the ability to get the job done over partisan affiliations.  A President Moderate administration will include the best players from across the ideological spectrum—regardless of how blue or how red their avatar may be.

"Thank you, and Dave bless."

###

[bgwah]

yay mr. moderate 4 prez

[AndrewTX]

Excellent choice!

[Хahar 🤔]

The news has rocked the political community, sending shares of XAHAR.VP tumbling from 0.2 to 0.1 on Intrade overnight.  XAHAR.SEN.PAC remains unchanged at 0.0, despite his being the lone declared candidate for the office.

XAHAR.SEN.PAC has now climbed to 0.1. Intrade users seem to be bullish with the assurance that Ebowed will not run for Senate.
You will now get a last preference on my vote. Unless I vote tactically, that is.

But that's an excellent choice right there. You now have the machine behind you.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

An interesting selection for Vice President, Moderate. I wonder who will win the Pacific Primary in the Progressive Primary and in the General Election now .

[Sensei]

Smartest choice Moderate could have made. That's 6 or 7 free first prefs.

[Ebowed]

I'd like to thank Mr. Moderate for the oppurtunity to run on his ticket.

It's no secret that Moderate was one of the most active Senators, and his service as Secretary of Forum Affairs - presiding over the first election using the new system - has been excellent.  I am confident that he will also make a competent, intelligent President.  Currently many Atlasians have doubts in their federal government, particularly the executive branch.  Moderate will be able to heal those divisions like few others can, and as an experienced legislator, he will also be able to work with the Senate in an efficient manner.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Very savvy.

[CultureKing]

Hurrah!

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

For Immediate Release:

SoFA Moderate Rejects Justice Ernest's Call for Scrapping the Separation between the Legislative and Executive Branches

Mr. Moderate (NLC-MA), Secretary of Forum Affairs and candidate for president of Atlasia, today released the following statement.

"While in the Atlasian Senate, the institution had seen considerable backlog of bills to the point where the average wait time for legislation to hit the floor was in excess of four months, or a full Senator's term.  Myself, along with the NLC majority (plurality?) worked to pass a reform which created the PPT Option slot in the legislative queue, which allows the Senate's President Pro Tempore the ability to control one of the legislative slots allowing select legislation to "jump the queue" at the PPT's discretion.

"My opponent has suggested that one of the general legislative queue slots be repurposed at the President's discretion.  I oppose this for a number of reasons.

"I believe that the executive branch is meant to be fully separate from the legislative branch.  Giving the president the ability to control the legislative agenda in such a way is a lazy workaround of what should be done—the president should be fully involved with the leadership of the Senate, working from within the current rules to drive the agenda and spur activity.

"I do not disagree in the slightest that legislative action has fallen considerably since I have left the Senate.  The problem does not necessarily seem to be with who controls the legislative slots, but with how well those slots are controlled by the PPT.  To be most frank, this has been a concern of mine for some time (since Verily left), and will be an issue that I will address immediately upon taking office.

"While I am not here advocating the replacement of Meeker at this time, I want to make sure that whomever serves as PPT during my presidency has the drive and desire to work with me in posting bills, keeping the workflow healthy, and keeping the Senate in line.

"The Senate "mocks" the president only because the president allows himself to be mocked.  This president will fight back, and if that takes extensive campaigning for new blood in the senate, or requires the installation of a new PPT, I'm not afraid to roll up my sleeves and do just that."

###

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Now that we're getting closer to the election, I'd like to reveal another piece of my three-part environmental platform.

(The first, if you will recall, was my phase out of ethanol requirements.)

As those who follow Atlasian politics closely knows, we are currently levying a "Carbon Tax" on gasoline, home heating oil, and the like based on how polluting they are and their impact on the environment.  In doing so, Atlasia has made a great stride towards cleaning our planet and making the world a better place.

Still, some foreign countries—I won't name names here, but one of the worse offenders rhymes with Shina—are willing to pollute to excess if it gives them an advantage over Atlasian businesses...after all, curbing pollution is an expensive game.

In an effort to assist Atlasian businesses and help alleviate the pressures on the environment, I would like to leverage our position as the world's premiere importer and consumer of goods and institute some change.  To this end, all goods manufactured for import overseas will be subject to the Carbon Tax as if said unit were manufactured in Atlasia.  This will, hopefully, help level the "international trade" playing field, give Atlasian businesses a boost, and help clean up the environment—all at the same time.


The third and final part of my environmental package is no doubt a controversial one—perhaps the largest spending bill offered in recent history.

If elected president of Atlasia, I will ask to have a bill introduced in the Senate to earmark the proceeds of the Carbon Tax for 2009 for environmental relief efforts: Half of said proceeds will be returned to the regions from which the revenue was derived for new capital investment in mass transit infrastructure—expanding and creating subways, light rail, commuter rail, and busing networks.

The second half of the Carbon Tax revenue will be invested in alternative energy research and development to help us move away from fossil fuels and towards new, renewable sources of energy.  This money will not only be directed towards finding newer, more efficient hybrid technologies, but also go towards building new power generating stations which draw energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy.

[Frodo]

The third and final part of my environmental package is no doubt a controversial one—perhaps the largest spending bill offered in recent history.

If elected president of Atlasia, I will ask to have a bill introduced in the Senate to earmark the proceeds of the Carbon Tax for 2009 for environmental relief efforts: Half of said proceeds will be returned to the regions from which the revenue was derived for new capital investment in mass transit infrastructure—expanding and creating subways, light rail, commuter rail, and busing networks.

The second half of the Carbon Tax revenue will be invested in alternative energy research and development to help us move away from fossil fuels and towards new, renewable sources of energy.  This money will not only be directed towards finding newer, more efficient hybrid technologies, but also go towards building new power generating stations which draw energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy.

What is your position on nuclear energy?   

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

What bothers me about ethanol is that it takes 6 litres of water to make 1 litre of ethanol. It's a highly inefficient resource.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

The third and final part of my environmental package is no doubt a controversial one—perhaps the largest spending bill offered in recent history.

If elected president of Atlasia, I will ask to have a bill introduced in the Senate to earmark the proceeds of the Carbon Tax for 2009 for environmental relief efforts: Half of said proceeds will be returned to the regions from which the revenue was derived for new capital investment in mass transit infrastructure—expanding and creating subways, light rail, commuter rail, and busing networks.

The second half of the Carbon Tax revenue will be invested in alternative energy research and development to help us move away from fossil fuels and towards new, renewable sources of energy.  This money will not only be directed towards finding newer, more efficient hybrid technologies, but also go towards building new power generating stations which draw energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy.

What is your position on nuclear energy?   

I am not flatly opposed to nuclear energy—in fact, I think nuclear energy is a key short-term part of moving Atlasia towards energy independence.  While I do not think it is prudent to begin constructing new nuclear plants (I'll cite concerns about nuclear waste and the likelihood that nuclear energy will be obsolete before a new nuclear plant earns back its massive capital expenditure), I do think it is worth it to refurbish existing plants and make sure existing ones are online and operating safely and efficiently.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I received a PM from Gporter asking me to post an endorsement, which made me realize that I had never officially done this:

The distinguished former senator from District 2, DownWithTheLeft, endorses a wonderful and hard-working Atlasian, Mr. Moderate and his distinguished running mate, Fmr. President Porce, for president

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I received a PM from Gporter asking me to post an endorsement, which made me realize that I had never officially done this:

The distinguished former senator from District 2, DownWithTheLeft, endorses a wonderful and hard-working Atlasian, Mr. Moderate and his distinguished running mate, Fmr. President Porce, for president

Hahaha...thank you!  Gporter is indeed a good man for working so diligently behind the scenes to support my presidency! 

[AndrewTX]

y halo their friends! I have something to say in this grand little space!

 Atlasia has hit some troubled times. Some of our Senators have been MIA, as well as some of my fellow regional executives. Now is not the time for questionable leadership, now is the time to have a leader standing to bring Atlasia back together. Since my first run for Senate, Mr. Moderate has been an honest, and genuine member of this country. He served the people of his district with honesty and integrity while in the Senate, and continued this reputation when moving to the SoFA office. We have some great choices in this upcoming Presidential election, but it gives me great pride to endorse a great SoFA, a great former Senator, and most of all, a great friend.

 I'm sure we all saw this coming, but it's at this time that I endorse, and give my full support to Mr. Moderate to be the next President of Atlasia!  BEST OF LUCK FRIEND!