Debate!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Anyway, first question. The Pacific Region recently passed an initiative that called for the annexation of Turkey in reaction to an attack by Turkish hackers. How do you, the candidates, feel about annexing Turkey?

We couldn't annex it even if we wanted to. In any case, it's not as though the Turkish government was responsible for the hacking.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Okay, time for the second question. To the candidates who have not answered yet, feel free to respond to the first question, if you want.

     Second question. To shamelessly self-promote, what would you think of a proposal to re-introduce Senate districts alongside regional elections & nationwide PR, provided that these districts were drawn to maximize electoral competition? Please bare in mind that electoral competition is impossible to guarantee, as a popular candidate can easily win any race.

[HappyWarrior]

I personally do not approve of the idea of bringing back district senators.  To do so would be to create just more of a headache for everyone to manage, especially because that would mean eliminating either regional or PR seats. 

[The Mikado]

Anyway, first question. The Pacific Region recently passed an initiative that called for the annexation of Turkey in reaction to an attack by Turkish hackers. How do you, the candidates, feel about annexing Turkey?

Obviously the solution to this is not annexation, but to ensure that we get those responsible...
To sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock,
In a pestilential prison with a life-long lock
Awaiting the sensation of a short, sharp shock
From a cheap and chippy chopper on a big, black block

How's that for pandering!

...

Okay, Jas, you can have my second preference.  Pandering to a one-man voting bloc, there's a first.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I like the idea of bringing back the Districts, in addition to regional and PR seats.  We have plenty of good Atlasians who would do well in the Senate, but aren't elected due to a variety of factors; adding more seats would increase the likelihood that these people would be able to serve Atlasia.

[Хahar 🤔]

Turkey very much annoys me. However, the government was not responsible. Thus, an invasion of Turkey would be similar to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

I appreciate your effort, but mandating competition is always a thorny problem, and even when it is pulled off, the only thing it does is provide huge swings, which makes it even worse than other forms of gerrymandering. I don't feel that Atlasia is big enough for 15 Senators. We've had 10 since the beginning of time, and Atlasia's population has held steady for years. It is far better, I think, to increase participation in regional politics.

[CultureKing]

     Okay, time for the second question. To the candidates who have not answered yet, feel free to respond to the first question, if you want.

     Second question. To shamelessly self-promote, what would you think of a proposal to re-introduce Senate districts alongside regional elections & nationwide PR, provided that these districts were drawn to maximize electoral competition? Please bare in mind that electoral competition is impossible to guarantee, as a popular candidate can easily win any race.

I like the system we are currently on, it promotes a good level of competition while making sure the the regions have some say on the federal level.

[minionofmidas]

Everybody has failed the Turkey question. The only acceptable answer is of course, "I'm fine with the Pacific annexing Turkey, as long as they give back New Mexico to the Midwest at the same time."

[Јas]

Second question. To shamelessly self-promote, what would you think of a proposal to re-introduce Senate districts alongside regional elections & nationwide PR, provided that these districts were drawn to maximize electoral competition? Please bare in mind that electoral competition is impossible to guarantee, as a popular candidate can easily win any race.

The system we have in place at the moment is pretty much exactly as I pushed for during my time as VP. I'm not against modifying or changing the electoral system we have in place, but any change will have to be merited and offer some sort of noticable benefit.

As of yet, it hasn't been made clear what benefit (if any) reintroducing District elections would bring, and therefore, at present, I would oppose the move.

[DownWithTheLeft]

     Second question. To shamelessly self-promote, what would you think of a proposal to re-introduce Senate districts alongside regional elections & nationwide PR, provided that these districts were drawn to maximize electoral competition? Please bare in mind that electoral competition is impossible to guarantee, as a popular candidate can easily win any race.

I'm still sitting on the fence on this issue until the election.  If the people who designed the system prove right and the conservatives can muster a candidate using this system, I would be completely in favor of keeping it.  If it proves too daunting of a task, I may support a return to districts.  I would also consider the possibility of two regional seats, one elected with the president and one elected during midterms.

Either way, I will never support any measure that wishes to destroy the sanctity of regional senate seats.

[Јas]

I'm still sitting on the fence on this issue until the election. If the people who designed the system prove right and the conservatives can muster a candidate using this system, I would be completely in favor of keeping it.  If it proves too daunting of a task, I may support a return to districts.

If 'conservatives' can't get a candidate elected under this system, it's not the system's fault...

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Candidates can feel free to answer the second question if they haven't already, but enough people have answered to be able to move on.

     Third question. Several people, most notably the Secretary of External Affairs, MasterJedi, have called for the return of the Game Moderator. What is your position on that proposal?

[HappyWarrior]

I believe that the inclusion of a game moderator would be very useful to Atlasia, the geo-political situation here is far different than in the other reality of the United States.  Also in politics many times unexpected things become focal points of the political landscape such as Hurricane Katrina or the recent invasion by the Russians into Georgia.

[Sensei]

I'm 100% in concurrence with the reinstitution of the position of Game Moderator. Ideally, I'd like there to be a GM "team" with expertise in the different areas of world affairs.

[Хahar 🤔]

I do most certainly support a return to the GM. Whaat we could have is a GM for different policies, as well as a "GM-in-chief".

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I absolutely support bringing back the GM, although I'd rather have a group of GM's, for different issues.

[AndrewTX]

Hey everyone,

 Sorry I havent been able to participate in the debate, I've been crazy busy with work and than other things at City Hall when I get out. I'll hope to answer these all at some point, but for now I don't know when I'll get to them.

 Again, I'm sorry friends!

[The Mikado]

A question from the audience:

For those advocating a game manager, who would you feel best suited for that role, how will the office be selected, and what will the terms be?

[Хahar 🤔]

The GM-in-chief would be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Seante, and he would appoint the other GMs (forming a quasi-cabinet). Any GM could be dismissed by the President.

My picks to come later.

[Sensei]

A question from the audience:

For those advocating a game manager, who would you feel best suited for that role, how will the office be selected, and what will the terms be?

Good question, Mikado.

The ideal candidate for the GM position is an experienced Atlasian who has a good understanding of what is going on in both the game and the outside world. The best way to select one would be to have the President appoint one and have a confirmation hearing in the Senate, followed by a vote. As for terms, think of the system currently in place for Supreme Court justices, with impeachment and stuff.

[CultureKing]

I am all for a game manager, who hopefully would be nominated and confirmed by the senate. Details would have to be debated in the senate.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I was the last GM and am utterly opposed to bringing back the old post. A new version might, just, work, but I'm sceptical; the game seems to have moved beyond the stage when someone with the letters "GM" could decide what is true or not... perhaps, in part, because some past GM's stretched things a little further than was wise, but it was probably always going to head off in that direction regardless. No one now has the authority to enforce the decisions of the GM and the office itself has no credibility left.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     The debate is moving on nicely. Now we should move away from abstract topics & move towards bills that you might vote on in the Senate.

     There is currently a bill before the Senate that would cut in half the amount of time a newly registered voter has to wait to vote (Link to it here). If elected Senator, would you vote aye or nay on the bill? Please explain your answer.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Well, as the sponsor I think my answer is obvious

The intention is that people who see the absentee ballot and want to get involved can instead of having to wait another election, and we lose a possible Atlasian forever.  The bill still does not allow people to sign up during the general election period

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'd vote yes on the currently pending piece of legislation.  Currently, we run too great a risk of losing potential Atlasians; I think this bill would minimize that risk.