Campaigning

Gramstandard wrote:I'm not interested in a president who runs on a platform of his mistakes.

I am not "running on a platform of my mistakes". I am simply saying that the peeople who are disapproving of my Administration are only looking at my mistakes. I am saying, I have done many great things and you are overlooking them.

Thanks batiska, I graciously accept your vote and thank you for the backing.

LowerLand, we're aware of the good you've done but the negative just outweighs the positive. Recently we've been going one step forward two steps back.

Meadowdale, to pit my policies against yours would be a great debate but lately you haven't been arguing the policies, you've been attacking one individual candidate. I'm all for that but batiska is right, the debating we're doing isn't for or against policies. It's about power. If you read my policies you'll see that I don't much care for the power since even I will have only 1 vote in the assembly. If you give one person too much power it turns into a dictatorship rather than a democracy or what we're trying to pass off as a democracy. That is what I'm trying to prevent with this assembly proposal.

Fonzirelli wrote:Meadowdale, to pit my policies against yours would be a great debate but lately you haven't been arguing the policies, you've been attacking one individual candidate.

Foz is right, I havent seen much, let me repeat much, on what your policies will be, just attacks on the Incumbent and just countering everything I say.

Fonzirelli wrote:LowerLand, we're aware of the good you've done but the negative just outweighs the positive. Recently we've been going one step forward two steps back.

I dont see how my mistakes are that bad. None of the mistakes I made did really effected the region too badly. Where as the good things I have done has effected the region greatly. Please. Name one mistake that effected the region so badly, that we as a region cant learn from and move on.

I presented my platform. We all have our own. Fonz haz the Assembly, Lower Land has "let's make the government fucking huge", and Gramstandard seems to be presenting his opinion on each topic as it comes along, which is perfectly alright. What I'm doing now is defending my opinions or showing how and why I feel they are better than past options. We're all doing the same things, just at different rates. Myself and Lower Land happened to be the first two in the thread so we were able to present our stances early and duke out the differences since then. Then Gramstandard joined in, and now Fonz is here too.

I've shown my opinions and I react to new ones as they come up. What more would you like me to do?

All I was saying is that a lot of your campaign is simply attacking me. I know you have proposed policies, as have I and the other two candidates. I was just saying that most of your campaign is attacking me. Now I know that that is often part of any electoin campaign, but too much of it can sometimes be distasteful or repelling.

I'm not attacking you, just your policies.

Too much attacking in gerneral is repeling. I have done my share of attacking as well. But I balance it out.

LowerLand said: "Now I know that that is often part of any electoin campaign, but too much of it can sometimes be distasteful or repelling." and you're correct, but not only distasteful or repelling, but but looking to the pastis important, but looking forward is more important.

Nou, for my own understanding and to facilitate the reading of members I put there your first speech in campaing. You can trust me, they are copy and paste. I post them in the order we found them on the forum. Each speech are followed b my own opinion. I'm not a debate moderator, so I can do that.

LowerLand:
"Well, if I am reelected President, I will, for the most part, continue my current policies. But, I will take want the people want into consideration more than I did in my current term. I will also continue my policy of having raids. Raids contribute to the power of Free Society. The more power we have the quicker we can be at the top."

Batiska coments:
Clear, it is a continuty proposal.

You say: "But, I will take want the people want into consideration more than I did in my current term." Mmm as good king who will listen the population? as before: if people complains engouh on the forum. You don't propose formal way of expression for members of the society. Fonzirelli: yes. AC is working on the Assembly. With an Asssembly, you will not have the choice and it wil not be a gift at all to listen the region.

You say: "The more power we have the quicker we can be at the top.". It,s amazing! I asked the question on the census related to the registration of the forum, I asked again the question into this debate on m previous e-mail and NEVER got answer. What is the benefit of being a big region?? I just see a kind of power trip.

Meadowdale says:

"If you, the people of Free Society, choose to honor me by electing me President, I will do my best to expand the roleplaying aspects of the game. Any and all ideas that could add depth to the NationStates, and more importantly, Free Society, experience will be welcomed with open arms. I will also try to slim down the government slightly, leaving most issues to Congress (which I will expand btw). Ministerial positions will be, by and large, removed and replaced with a place where citizens can talk about that particular aspect of FS and decide what they would like to do with it.

Most of my work will be spent internally. I feel raids should not be our priority right now. Unless we commit all of our forces to them, they will most likely fail. I will support and lend aid to any raid the people feel we should undertake, but I will not initiate my own unless it seems to be imperative.

If you have any questions, I will gladly answer them."

Batiska coments:
A speech near of AC but you didn't make the step.

You say: "leaving most issues to Congress (which I will expand btw)" Congress doesn't work (I am the HOC) and adding Congressmen is not the solution. we need a vote for everyone.

You say: "Ministerial positions will be, by and large, removed and replaced with a place where citizens can talk about that particular aspect of FS and decide what they would like to do with it." Is not the assembly suggested by AC?

Why don't you take a look again on what Fonzirelli suggests?...

Granstandard said:

"I feel that it should not be the responsibility of the president of Free Society to regulate such things, it should be that of the ministry to deal with any and all issues, until they are unable to. I feel that the role of the president should be that of a sort of a "hands off" monitoring approach, in which he oversees the region's progress until which point something causes infringement upon regional development, or the well being of a member nation.

As far as raids go, I strictly do not believe that no nation, under any circumstance should be turned away. It sends a bad message, as the "government of Free Society, which extradites nations by the dozen for failure to comply." Its just not a good policy, and I feel that it is up to the nation to determine which region it will or will not belong to, not of the regional government. Six nations do not sixty four make.

I believe that Free Society should not be a center of politics and policy, but a place which encourages the development of all tings equally, for and by the population, which actually contribute something. Those who don't are irrelevant, let them be on their own."

Batiska coments:
No reaaly coments. I think it was an answer to previous messages. Sorry Grandstandards, maybe can you make a speech with a recap of your position and proposals.

Fonzirelli said:

"As far as my actual campaigning goes, everything described by batiska in the AC page is what I will install, or at least propose. All of these will be adopted except voting on a "Chairman" and his/her vice-"chairman". If elected I will be the Chairman. As explained next I will also do a little more than manage debates.

I'm all about making things the peoples choice and this means elections will be held quite a bit to determine the issues brought to my attention by the people. Not all of them will be voted on. I plan to view the problem and the solution proposed by said person. I will then have a discussion with my Vice President to decide whether or not this will be displayed and voted on. I will involve my VP with many of the things I will do. When it comes to the actual voting I will not have an edge in the vote, as agreed on in the AC article, everyone including the vice and I will have 1 vote.

I will also abolish all of the executive orders and make one of my own. The order will be all in Free Society MUST register in the forums. I don't care if we're in the top 100. I want people who want to discuss this rather than just control a nation. The other day, I don't know if you noticed, a member of ours left after being in the forums. It was Tadao. I asked him why he'd left. He told me he wasn't in to the role playing we're attempting. That will be all I ask for when I apply this order. Try and if you don't like the way we do this then you are free to leave. Yes, we'll lose more members than gained, but the ones gained will hopefully be the active ones like Meadowdale, apanii, gramstandard, and myself to na,e a few. Sorry if I left you out.

It would be a great pleasure to be elected as Free Society's leader and I will do my best to serve you. If you have any questions just post."

Batiska coments:
There you have formal actions proposed. Policies are showed, a political established. Where we are going is clear. we are going on a way to get a voice, an Assmbly for everybody. Who can vote against that? Who can say " No, I don't want to be involved on a formal Assembly for my region"??

In this speech you can rad "I'm all about making things the peoples choice". Did you see that with other candidates? No! Oh, they will listen, they will take note, but all the time they are THE President. No formal way for you to provide your opinion. Use the forum and prey to be heard.

I preffer a President who recognize is role as a representative elected by the Assembly, who will work with them.

And you?

batiska wrote:Meadowdale says:

"If you, the people of Free Society, choose to honor me by electing me President..."

Batiska coments:
A speech near of AC but you didn't make the step.

You say: "leaving most issues to Congress (which I will expand btw)" Congress doesn't work (I am the HOC) and adding Congressmen is not the solution. we need a vote for everyone.

You say: "Ministerial positions will be, by and large, removed and replaced with a place where citizens can talk about that particular aspect of FS and decide what they would like to do with it." Is not the assembly suggested by AC?

Why don't you take a look again on what Fonzirelli suggests?...

I would have to disagree with you on Congress. Congress does work, just not in its current state. There was no need for because we basically had an autocracy and everything not done by the President or VP was handed off to the Ministers. That left very little room for Congress to accomplish things. That will change if and when I am elected President.

As far the Assembly part, it is not the same. What I am proposing is allowing citizens to discuss whatever, wherever. The Assembly requires a formal vote from every member, whereas this would be more of just a debate that would either end with the participating members voting or the issue going to Congress.

As far as Fonz' government, which could turn out very well, it also eliminates the need for a President, doesn't it? The way you propose it, having a President would be useless since everyone has the same amount of power, is in the assembly and votes on issues. You are proposing a direct democracy, not a representative one. While at the present time, it could work, it will only lead to a more top-heavy government that we already have.

As of late, adjustment to the college life and a heavy workload have taken a toll on my ability to be involved here. I will definitely pop in from time to time, but I don't have nearly the time or energy required to govern this fine region, though I think that the dialogue engaged in here, amongst our active members is a great step forward to building a truly cooperative community.

I hereby formally announce my resignation from the race for President. I give my fill support to Candidate Fonzirelli, and would like to take this opportunity to praise the idea of the Assembly Coalition. At this satage, it seems like the ideal governmental system. Since we only have a few active members, why not allow those that will be affected by the decisions MAKE said decisions.

Well Meadowdale, while the Assembly does indeed lack the need for a real leader, it does need more of a moderator for the debates we will use to sway voters on particular issues. Although there will of course be changes to the AC but as of yet I have not worked that out and if elected will propose these changes and have a vote. As far as having an equal vote with the people and having a direct democracy goes, this can and most likely will be changed as I phase out of office. I can see this as a permanent government but I know that it won't stay. After saying this I can also see it as the government that will bring Free Society back on it's own two legs and help it along.

If any of you are wondering, cause I have been telegraphed this question, I am undecided to whether I will hold regular elections for the President and VP. I am almost positive I will, but again I don't know how long I will make the terms. I have also thought of choosing by appointment. Yes this sounds like I have all of the power but there is a reason behind this. As I explained previously I want this AC to last for awhile. The only reason to appoint would be so if someone who didn't like the AC got in by election they wouldn't abolish the AC.

You are proposing to change the length of terms? The current length is two months. And that is how it should stay, no matter who is in office. I see that as a power trip. Trying to lengthen the terms to try to get the Assembly to last longer, I didnt lengthen the terms to try to get my policies to last longer, why should you?

Hey man chill. I didn't know how long they were. I just assumed you were going to try to stay forever since I'd never heard t mentioned before.

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were in the region when we set the term lentgh. I apoligize for that.

It's fine just stay cool. As far as lengthening terms go it was just a proposition. Even if I wanted to change, which now I probably won't, in the AC it would have to be voted on.

To anyone who doesnt know, TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR CAMPAIGNING AND VOTING STARTS TOMMOROW

Voters,

I have made a tough campaign. As have my opponets. But I feel that I have made the best one. If only that were enough. It's not. In fact, it is completely irrelevant. What matters is who you think made the best campaign. Hopefully it is mine.

Now, there are a lot of thing my campaign stand for. Almost all of which my opponents stand against. So, to all of my supporters, if I loose, I will continue to fight for what I think is best for my region, for your region, for our region, in every way I know how. I will also fight along your side for what we want. "For those of you whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die" -the late Sen. Ted Kennedy

But, if I win, I will be glad to continue as your leader. Continue leading our region to the top. Continue leading our region the greatness. Continue being active in Government.

Voters, I will thank you in advance, for following the campaign, for voting no matter who you may vote for, for being in Free Society, for being a part of this historic event.

Opponets, I would also like to thank you. For putting up an AMAZING campaign. For also being a part of this historic event. For showing me that I am not the best President, not the best leader, and that other people may have better ideas than me. Thank you ever so much for that.

Everyone, remember to vote!

Sorry aidsboat you have to resign. You're a major partner of the region and this forum.

FS assembly is for me the key, the base of what democracy will be in our fabulous region.
Voting for Fonzirelli is for me, and I hope for you, a chance to get diret access to democracy and building all together this.

All together means no matters of polictical parties, old functions, old debates.

Voting Fonzirelli is your first vote, a vote for your futur votes.

Gramstandard is dropping out of the campaign.

On a final note, I'd like to point out the recent catastrophic failure of the raid against 404 Region Not Found, and its utter lack of any organization.

Well, it was only our first one.