The October 2004 Presidential Debate

[PBrunsel]

Is popularity more important then politics? And if so, how do you plan to overcome this huge hurdle you are facing?

I would never deny being a Conservative to be popular and I would never deny being the off spring of the Reagan Revolution so I could be popular. If those to the left and the center chose to support me in this presidenctial electoion I welcome it.  I think highly of several considered leftists, like Texasgurl and Fritz.  The most importnat thing in this election is integrity, not popularity.

[badnarikin04]

Mister Badnarikino04... you say that you are a "common man" and claim to have some form of link with "the common man"...
I ask you this question: do normal people... no... do people in Peoria want Government services like... lets say EDUCATION to be BRUTALLY SLASHED so that FAT CATS can get one huge tax cut?
Do they want their jobs to be outsourced to sweatshops thousands of miles away?
Do they really all want jobs in telemarketing?
Do they really want a reverse Robin Hood? Robbing from the poor to give to the Rich?

First of all, when I say common man I mean I can relate to the opression of the common man. Commen men are ignored on a daily basis by the current bigwigs.

And when I slash education, be well aware that this will create a great private school system. Public schools will still exist, except you'd have to pay to attend them. And not just the rich will get tax cuts off of this, EVERYONE will. Every Atlasian.

Enough jobs will be created in a free market that outsourcing will no longer be an issue.

Telemarketing? Where did that come from?

I will not rob anyone. I'll be giving money back to EVERYONE.

[Platypus]

Senator Hughento, you opposed my plan to redraw the regions to fit constitutional standards, and said they should be redrawn. If elected, will you redraw the regions again, and if so, how will they be redrawn?

[note--I realize that it was not my idea to redraw and that my contribution was the the actual map.]

Senator,

As I said at the time, once we finalised a plan we'd have to leave it for a long time. I think that the plan isn't perfect, to be honest; It doesn't make the most historical, political, population or geographic sense. I will leave it as is in my first term for stability, but there is the distinct possibility of a change at some stage in the future that I will support. There was no question in my mind at the time for the need to redraw-I was one of the leading campaigners, but I believe that we chose a problemed map. The fact it was your map means nothing, and I hope you no longer continue to take it personally.

Senator Hughento.

[Platypus]

Do you feel that your socialist agenda will best benefit the citizens of Atlasia?

I believe my agenda will benefit the people of Atlasia, but I disagree it is socialist.

I interprit "Socialist" to mean the government running the economy, all governmental programs, and to a degree, peoples lives. My agenda for the nation involves a strong support base for people to advance themselves through social justice-but unlike other government programs, I do not force people to be involved. My economic beliefs are in a free market economy, without tariffs but with corporate responsibility. I plan to help out the small businesses by lowering taxes-hardly socialist-and by implementing a tax on non-necessities and luxuries; not forcing people to pay any tax at all on the items they need.

[Niles Caulder]

[gives sombre nod to the large men in black suits and sunshades off stage]

[one such man approaches Senator Harry's podium]

May I remind all the candidates that they may not edit their posts.

[the man promptly whips out a ruler and blindingly fast cracks it down on the Senator's knuckles.]

"Owwwww!!!!"

[man returns to the shadows offstage]

At this time, we'd like to thank Dark Knights Limousine Service and Security for sponsering this portion of our Debate.  If you need elite transportation or just a stationary enterage with an aire of 'discipline,' these highly trained service providers are adept in a variety of non-lethal combat methods and manners of persuasion protecting you and your clients.  In addition to enforcing the rules for this Presidential Debate, all of our candidates tonight are recieving a $350 gift certificate from Dark Knights just for participating.

[7,052,770]

[gives sombre nod to the large men in black suits and sunshades off stage]

[one such man approaches Senator Harry's podium]

May I remind all the candidates that they may not edit their posts.

[the man promptly whips out a ruler and blindingly fast cracks it down on the Senator's knuckles.]

"Owwwww!!!!"

[man returns to the shadows offstage]

At this time, we'd like to thank Dark Knights Limousine Service and Security for sponsering this portion of our Debate.  If you need elite transportation or just a stationary enterage with an aire of 'discipline,' these highly trained service providers are adept in a variety of non-lethal combat methods and manners of persuasion protecting you and your clients.  In addition to enforcing the rules for this Presidential Debate, all of our candidates tonight are recieving a $350 gift certificate from Dark Knights just for participating.

I apologize for speaking out of turn, but I'd just like to say that the only thing I edited was to add a thank you, since I forgot to thank a couple of candidates.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Secretary,

Many would describe your views as out of touch, living in the past, or even backward. It is widely believed that a free market economy is best for the nation, although with some basic protections, and that economic leftism and social conservatism is an archaic stance. Do you believe that the values you present in your campaign suit a modern Atlasia?

First off Senator, I am not a social conservative. I am a moderate on social issues and have said on many occasions that I will NOT campaign on social issues and I do not intend to break that pledge.

And how is standing up for the poor, the disadvataged, the ignored and the derided "backward" or "out of touch"? Maybe it *is* out of touch... Inside the Beltway.
Maybe you and you're Beltway Buddies like laughing at the poor.
I don't and neither do the People of Ataslia.

Senator... I am not the backward one... you are.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Do you spend all of your time reading about conspiracy theories and accusing individuals of being "fat cats," or part of "the establishment?"

Ha ha ha ha. Very witty Senator, very droll.
Shame that you haven't bothered to ask a real question, and have instead opted for character assasination.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Mr. Secretary, you seem to totally pro-labor.  In a dispute between labor and big business, would you support labor in every comprehendible case, or are there situations in which you might support business?

Thank you for asking me that Senator.

Generally speaking I will always support Labor over Big Business. However I make an importent exception: Wildcat Strikes that threaten National Security.
In such, unfortunate, circumstances I would be forced to oppose the Wildcat action.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Al,

You've made it perfectly clear that you support the economic idea of socialism. Don't you think that after eliminating poverty and big business, that an economic equality that profound would eliminate any sense of a free market in our economy? Wouldn't that infringe on the people's right to choose? Do you think it's ok for the economy to become that big of a social issue?

Watch it mister badnarikin04... I have not actually said that I will abolish Big Business. Don't go a putting words in mouth and trying to paint me as some evil, evil Commie.

I do not see the problem with abolishing poverty... you seem to imply that doing so would infringe on peoples right to choose... tell me mister, how many people actually choose to live in poverty? Other than "undercover" journo's of course.
Doing nothing about poverty is immoral, wrong and is tantamount to a death sentence to millions of Atlasians.
And that, mister badnarikin04, is something I could never, ever agree to.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

By tying yourself to Labor Unions would you say that you have tied yourself to a special interest? Shouldn't a politicians first special interest by the people of Atlasia?

But Governer, Unions are a part of The People of Atlasia. All we have done is to join together to protect ourselves in the face of Corperate Power and Corperate Abuse.
And this makes us a special interest how?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

How would your Pro Union policies benefit the working man when organizations such as OSHA already exist to provide worker safety in the coal mines of Atlasia?

I'm glad you asked me that.

The job of Unions isn't just to increase safety or even to get higher wages (although we do both), it is also to act as a counterweight to certain overbearing corperations, to fight attempts to shut down factories, mines etc. and to unite, and in some cases rebuild, communities.
As General Secretary of both the AFUMW and the AFL-CIO I have done all of these things and if I am elected President I will press for a Social Contract between the White House and Labor. This will mean both more and better rights for Workers and less industrial action.

[Niles Caulder]

If I counted correctly, 3 of our candidates have finished Round Three.  Mr. Badnarakin04 and Senator Hughento have four questions remaining unanswered each.  Governor PBrunsel is almost complete once he responds to Senator Nation (Page 5).

[PBrunsel]

Governor, you certainly have emphasized loyalty in your campaign so far. If faced with an extremely difficult decision as President, will you allow loyalty to a particular cause or individual get in your way making the best decision possible?

Not at all. Loyalty is a virtue, but a greater one is standing up for your nation as a whole.

[badnarikin04]

You said you would hunt down those who carried out the acts on the SPR, even though you would support an isolationist foreign policy.  I would argue that an isolationist foreign policy would only result in MORE of these attacks. How do you respond?

Imagine living in a country where your leader is tyrannical. However, you are taken care of so as long as you show support for the leader. You've shown support for your leader, and you're all set. In this country halfway around the world, things are turning out ok for you.

Suddenly, one day, some random country comes in and drops a bomb on your neighborhood, killing your family.

Don't you think that, in this particular case, that you would be less likely to have ill will towards the country that bombed your neighborhood if they hadn't bombed your neighborhood?

Saddam was a terrible leader, for sure, but it was not worth Vietnam II to dethrone him. Overall, I personally would not want some other countrys troops in my country whether they're doing good or not. We have a meddling, pestering, annoying foreign policy that makes us the main enemy of a lot of people around the world. This is not safe. Diplomacy is ok, but never troops. I would like to work towards focusing on ATLASIA ONLY, however.

[badnarikin04]

Mr. Badnarikin04, do you deny that the government has in many instances, such as social security and civil rights legislation, solved many problems and improved the lives of Atlasians?

I am willing to recognize the fact that the Atlasian Senate has passed many bills that contribute to the goal of complete freedom. However, there are also bills that are extremely fiscally "liberal" and administer more spending in in parts of Atlasia that do not need government aid to create great products and services.

The Atlasian Senate has not done bad. But I do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, want personal freedom to be compromised. We compromise too much here. I will work to create complete individual freedom in Atlasia. No compromises.

[badnarikin04]

Mr. Badnarikin04,

How does your anti-big government message differ from mine?

That yellow avatar means i'm not just anti-big government. I'm pro-small, maybe even micro-government. My message is more "extreme" when looked at from the current, more moderate stance in Atlasia. But my message, for real, is not extreme at all. It just does not compromise. No strings attatched. I have confidence in this message, or else I would not be running.

[badnarikin04]

If you plan on being very soft on foreign policy how can we, as Atlasians, feel secure going to bed at night knowing that terrorists are still roaming free across the globe?

You misunderstood me, Senator. I said I would hunt the people who attack our country. If we concentrate our full energy on catching these terrorists and ultimately succeed, how can you not feel secure going to bed at night?

However, if you get nervous over those scary Eritreans and pray to god they don't attack us before you go to bed, I reccomend you relax a little. I know for sure the attacking of nations who have never attacked us doesnt make me feel any safer, so why would that be the case for anybody else?

Terrorism is a state of mind that can die out really easy.  All by itself. All we need to do is withraw all our troops, apologize for the rude disturbance, and build a true freedom here without trying to force it on other nations. If you don't believe it would work, that's probably because we've never given it a chance before.

[Nation]

Senator Nation,

You said in Round One that you support a free market. But when talking about homeland security, you say we need to secure our ports. Will the security on our ports hinder free trade? Free trade allows global competition and choice within our borders. Do you think that free trade is a vital part of a free market?

Absolutely not, better security at our ports would most certainly not hinder free trade, but greatly better our chances at preventing individuals and materials from entering our country that should not be here. Materials that can threaten Atlasia's national security.

And yes, free trade is a vital part of a free market. The market, for the most part, must be left without too much regulation in order to secure economic freedom. The Nation/King campaign is not one of a protectionist platform.

[Nation]

Senator Nation, do you truly believe, as many members of your party, that I am unfairly biased against the UAC, and others aren’t?

The UAC has endured quite a bit of hostility, but so far in this campaign, I have seen nothing but positives from the Harry/Akno team in regards to political parties, and your feelings of them. And I appreciate that.

[Nation]

Mr. Senator,

Would you base many of your decisions off of the fine examples of the past two UAC Presidents Gustaf and John F. kennedy?

I would certainly look to President Kennedy for guidance if I am elected, but my policies, and my decisions, would be based solely off of what I believe is best for the nation, also considering my cabinet, and their opinions. Rest assured, a President Nation would have a diverse cabinet, and they would be listened to if they had something to say.

[Nation]

Running on a ticket from a very divided party, how could you as President unite both your party and the nation and juggle it with foreign policy?

I would do my best to unite the nation -- as President, that is one of my roles. Unfortunatley, I cannot please everyone.

But I would also point out that as President, it is not my role to try and unite my own political party -- that is a separate issue. As President, I will work for ALL citizens of Atlasia -- not just those in my party.

[Platypus]

Senator, you made a big point in one of your speeches, emphasizing honesty. Are you also implying that a number of your opponents in this race AREN'T honest? If so, who? If not, then why make a big deal out of your honesty? Does your honesty supercede others?

Thanks for pointing out my speech to the audience, Senator.

Honesty truly is the best policy. We can claim grand objectives-that no child will live in poverty, that the business market will be entirely free, that we will never suffer a terrorist attack again-but no matter what we say, the fact is people will vote on who they believe is honest and trustworthy enough to lead the nation.

Look into the records in Atlasia of every candidate, and three especially will stand out as dishonest. We've all played the political game to be on this stage, but not all have been honest. I'm not going to name names, but read my speech-nothing was held back bar the names, and you can determine for yourself who I believe has been dishonest during their time in Atlasian politics. Three have lied or evaded the truth many times, and others have gone down this road. In all honesty, that isn't right.

[Platypus]

Mr. Senator,

With your choice of Governor htmldon as a running mate do you condone the Governor's past negative attacks on opponents?

Governor PBrunsel,

Governor Don is a good friend of mine, a good bloke, and a good vice-presidential candidate. He has done things in the past I don't agree with, and thank god for that-I want someone who is prepared to argue a point with me in the White House, and someone witrh strong beliefs. He will probably help me make decisions, and I have already helped him make one-to campaign on a purely positive note for this campaign. I can tell you right now that all negative campaigning against yourself has come from other campaigns.

[Platypus]

Senator... has it occured to you politicians with similer "free" market economic policies combined with airy fairy libertarian views on drugs and crime combine to create a lethal cocktail that can, will and has destroyed thousands of communities all across this Nation?

Secretary,

I believe in the third way, of social justice, freedom and economic responsibility. I am not a communist, a populist, or a libertarian, I am a social market capitalist. My core beliefs don't involve widespread crime, they involve the improvement of life.

I have devoted my political time in Atlasia to further advancing the cause of life-I sucessfully campaigned against the death penalty, I supported allowing abortion only in the first trimester, excluding circumstances such as Rape, I believe that drugs should remain illegal because (as you correctly suggest) they destroy lives and communities. I also believe that basic systems should be implemented by the government to allow for Atlasians to live in the best possible circumstances.

Al, yes, communities with high crime and drug usage do exist under Libertarian systems. They also exist under Dictatorships, Conservative governments, Liberal governments, and Socialist governments. I have no doubt that whoever is elected as President will have these communities to deal with. But I also believe that I am the candidate best suited to creating a basis for our nation, and a basic safety net that protects but doesn't smother our citizens. There is nothing mmore basic then my ohilosophy-Allow individuals to shine, but don't let individuals fall through the cracks, either.