NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Yep, there actually is a government here, still. Mind you, some or all of the "candidates" may be puppets of "other powers," like... the Conglomerate, or ??

PCC Newsline
Santa Barbararian Elections to be Held Monday

"...the entire country is breathless in anticipation over the upcoming federal government elections, which are the first to be held publically in three decades..."

"...bipartisanism has rarely been a key factor in Santa Barbarian politics, and never more was that clear when the running parties are listed. The average voter will have the option of choosing from among just over two thousand candidates spread out over a hundred pages for the Supreme Judiciary alone..."

"...the Presidency is currently coveted by more than fifteen hundred candidates, of which there are five real contenders..."

"...it is worth noting that neither Bob nor Toby Pratt will be running, leaving the fate of the country in the hands of democratic process for the first time in 46 years, and giving a genuine and real chance for freedom from the political monopolization of the Conglomerate..."

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The Candidates

http://www.angelfire.com/ex/a51/images/sonyachang.jpg
Sonya Chang, the 26 year old vice-Chairwoman of the PrattCo Conglomerate Board of Directors, native Santa Barbarian and sterling graduate of Trigo University, Isla Vista after majoring in socionics. A strong supporter of smaller government, space expansionism and the semi-privatized Conglomerate-guided economy. She is smart, with the times, charming and already with solid experience at upper level management.

http://www.angelfire.com/ex/a51/images/HeinridAbadas.jpg
Heinrid Abadas, 37, Chairman on the Board of Directors, and another supporter of less government. Born in New State City and educated at NSCPU, majoring in economics. A devout Catholic, he openly advocates Church involvement in government and a Neo-Feudal restructuring of local governments. Perceived as particularly unzealous despite his faith, taking on a thoughtful, methodical approach to solving problems.

http://www.angelfire.com/ex/a51/images/yorn.gif
Sylvenna Yorn, 49 half-elven, founder of the Radical Pro-Elven Party (RPEP), which seeks to increase civil rights for minority ethnic groups, support orbital and underwater colonies in gaining independence, and eliminate corruption in government. Her background is as a sometime Conglomerate technology researcher, having recently returned from her position at OMF City and getting over a stray gunshot wound.

http://www.angelfire.com/ex/a51/images/SvenAlexander.jpeg
Sven Alexander, Director of the Market Planning Department of the PCC Central Sector, and the somewhat popular head of the Neo-Socialist Party (NSP). A native of Winchester Canyon Island off Montecito, the 43 year old candidate can be found to support increased, proactive federal government, more equalized distribution of wealth and Conglomerate sponsored public works projects.

Horgen Vaulkner [picture unavailable], is the head and most vocal proponent of the Internationalist Party (INP), and a 20 year veteran of the National Police Agency. Aged 55, he has advocated more open foreign policy and the creation of international government, less interference with business and harsher treatment of criminals (if that's possible.)

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The Parties

Independent- Sonya Chang is the leading "independent" party candidate, not holding strictly to any political agenda and, with Conglomerate sponsorship, has made a big deal of not needing to work out deals with shady, less wholesome groups to gain popularity. Of course, it's questionable just how independent anyone in Santa Barbara is. Her faction appeals to a broad-ranging sample of society.

Neo-Feudalists- A growing group of the elites or "suits," management and executive white-collars who advocate a return to a simpler way of life; corporate lords would hold political as well as economic dominion over their companies and local governments. This group is big with the Church, the wealthy and the slightly confused.

Radical Pro-Elven Party- As described above, an outspoken minority group of dubious origins, advocating opening the borders to the Noldorin, as well as a more Elf-friendly policy overall. Hotly opposed by almost every other group, but supported by the orbital colonies and underwater cities.

Neo-Socialist Party- A carryover from the heyday of the United Socialist States, Bob Pratt was once the nominal leader of this party and used it during his rise to power. The party carefully opposes small government while advocating an "equal" distribution of power in society, and appeals to many of the "maskers" and lower class urban residents. Has seen more popularity since DRI began offering emergency services to less fortunate nations, though the party frowns on exploiting the weak (too much).

Internationalist Party- A small but influential group whose aims are increased globalisation, increased and open activity with other governments, and the establishment (and control of) international government consisting of neighbors, allies-- and enemies. Has seen increased popularity since the much-ballyhooed Damocles Regional Defense program.

OOC: I'm sure a party or two might accept foreign support [hint hint]. You can do this implicitly just by taking the poll, or explicitly by RPing some form of support. The latter is more complicated and risky and of course, preferrable. :) But the former is okay too.

I should probably warn you, this poll is just an indicator of external support, so its vaguely possible for a candidate to "win" here but not actually win the election. Still, support is support, we all need support....

Bump. Get involved!

A man stands up. Reading his notepad, he asks a question to each candidate.

"If you are elected, what tax rate will you aim for in Santa Barbara?"

A man in a tye-dyed shirt and a joint sticking out of the left side of his mouth stands up and asks.... "What are all'a yer views of recreational drugs, man. Like, will the be legal?... or...... legal?" He gives a head bob and awaits a reponse.

Sonya Chang: "First, it is good to note that not all taxes are equal. Some are necessary to stimulate the proper response from industry and commerce, such as foreign customs taxes or tarrifs. These I am in favor of when we expand the interplanetary trade sector, to decrease dependency on foreign markets. However, I would abolish income tax and keep real estate taxes as low as economically feasible, as we certainly don't need a bloated, vampiric government. The average might come out to about 5% in the end."

Heinrid Abadas: "The system is always more stable the less it tries to bite and chew. I will lower all income and customs taxes, but we need real estate taxes now more than ever, to support the growth of community governments. It is, of course, impossible to give a set figure so prematurely; all depends on the health of the nation."

Sylvenna Yorn: "It's not the amount of tax which is too high, but the price for those who pay it. Currently, minority groups and the working class are penalized with taxes at every turn, while the elites run off with all the cash. We need less taxes, yes, but we also need less unfair taxes, and a more balanced allocation of government funding."

Sven Alexander: "To accomplish the truly awesome job of running the Santa Barbara-Isla Vista-Montecito territories, the government must be given increased say-so in matters of state. This cannot happen without increasing the average tax rate to at least 50%, in this economy."

Horgen Vaulkner: "My plan for taxes would definitely not include increasing the average rate beyond 75%. The government has for too long been starved of the funding it needs, except when sponsored by corporate powers who bear all the burden. We must have a stronger, better funded central government if we are to advance in this new era."

On recreational drugs:

Sonya Chang: "I would not legalize any drug that is currently illegal."

Heinrid Abadas: "That all depends on what the people want. Currently, nobody wants to introduce such dangers as cocaine or marijuana into our society, so that is my stance."

Sylvenna Yorn: "Well, legalized drug use can fall under a wide range of categories. Certainly, though, we could legalize pot, and probably make a fortune for the sagging agricultural sector while we're at it..."

Sven Alexander: "Unless popular sentiment changes, recreational drug use will continue to be frowned upon in our great society."

Horgen Vaulkner: "I've seen what that shit- excuse me, those substances-- do to people. We need to increase sentences for drug crimes and crack down on producers, period."

Go Heinrid Abadas! The Oppressive Church donates $1,000,000 USD to Heinrid Abadas' Campagne!

<Encrypted transmission>

Oppressive Church;

Thank you for your campaign contribution. It is good that the international Catholic faith supports the logical return of power to those whom the Blessed Virgin smiles upon. We will be keeping in touch, you and I...

Heinrid Abadas

Sliponia has come out in support of Heinrid Abadas and Sonya Chang donating §500,000 to each of their campaigns.

While King Alern has remained neutral towards all the canidates many among the Great Noble houses and in the 7 Royal houses as well as the Teritoran have openly declared surport for Heinrid Abadas donating 5 million Plati to his campaign.((a Plati is a Platium coin, teritran currency conists of Platinum, Gold, Silver and copper coins.))

A short Montecitan reporter asks, "The government recently rated in the top 99.97 percent for worlds defense spenditures, although this money has come almost entirely from the Conglomerate. What is your stance on the military?"


Smiling, Sonya Chang is the first to answer. "The Conglomerate is more than able to meet the defense needs of the nations, and should continue to play that key role in the future."

Heinrid Abadas, nodding: "Indeed, the ITDO needs to remain untampered with, but also needs restructuring to allow a more broad-based tiered leadership and better defend our shores."

Sylvenna Yorn: "Military spending has gotten way out of control. We spend more on defense than many a nations entire GDP, and we've never had a single war or been threatend from without. That funding can better help the people."

Sven Alexander: "Well, that is quite a vague question; no man can be in favor of or against the military in general- it is entirely situational. However, we need to move away from dependence on the Conglomerate for security, and divert some taxes toward nationalized defense."

Horgen Vaulkner: "The military does what it does; I have no problems with it. But we must wean ourselves off the Conglomerate teat, in this matter, if government is to have any real authority."

200,000 Harpies to the Heinrid Abadas champian.

~Queen Seria.

How do you feel about Free Trade with the international community, how do you feel about Free marketists and Free Market states.

~Emperor Mishimi

Hm, how are all the candidates, especially Mr. Abadas on foreign policy, especially nations in a state of revolution (hint hint :wink: )?

On free trade:

Sonya Chang: "Free market capitalism is what makes Santa Barbara a great nation, from the day it was discovered in 1537 until right now. If we slip into the ugly habit of, say, price controls, we begin to take away that greatness."

Heinrid Abadas: "Free trade is often a misnomer, although I support its principles; it can be taken too far, like anything, but the Conglomerates stability will continue to balance it."

Sylvenna Yorn: "Ah, free trade. I am for it, but the people must help take care that they are not abused by the corporation, and the government must closely work towards that goal."

Sven Alexander: "Indeed, I am for free trade, who isn't?"

Horgen Vaulkner: "As I understand it, without competition and freedom to do business, there is no trade."

Wow, not one against free trade...

How do the Canidates stand on the CACE SATO wars?

That is good to hear, 500,000 credits to Sonya Chang's and 2,000 million credits to Sylvenna Yorn's champiagns.

~Emperor Mishimi

<Encrypted transmission>

Western Navascuez Government:

A little revolution now and then, can be a good thing. Without revolution, Santa Barbara would, after all, still be a part of Spain. If I am elected, I can help influence this great nation into helping your cause. If I am elected, of course.

H. Abadas
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Heinrid leaned back in his tall leather chair, considering. It was so unusual, and to be running head-to-head with Sonya-- that he had not planned for. She had a powerful position, that atheist mongrel.

His Nexus console continued to beep, muted, pleasantly. As pleasant as the messages themselves. He'd even received platinum coinage from Teritoran nobility! Useless as money, its value was considerably more than the other contributions.

Of course, as CEO of the oldest arms manufacturing megacorp in the Conglomerate, he would have no trouble marketting. He laughed as he thought of the actual democratic parties, in actual democracies, struggling and begging for funds. The contributions would, in fact, go toward his palace should he win.

Scratching his chin however, he continued to make plans. Money wasn't the deciding factor here, to be sure. Much was in the hands of Marketting. He had several hundred Didactics Sector think tanks in his pocket, figuring out the latest trends to within 36 hours accuracy and plugging his case to the mindless masses.

But it wasn't enough.

He stared at the atheist's image. So pleasant on the outside, vicious as Pratt himself on the inside. He wondered what steps he would have to take to insure her downfall.

And he smiled.

<All the candidates express in some way or another how CACE and SATO are completely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things :P>

Wow, not one against free trade...

OOC: Not officially, anyway....

it's close between the top two

OOC: Yep pretty close.... only problem I have with Abadas winning is that I don't have a picture of him without his hand covering his face. Oh well maybe thats for the best, maybe he has a giant mole on his lip or something.

<Bumply>

<hibbitty bibbity bumpity>

It's getting close, Sonya Chang is down by only two votes.

"Hello. I am a reporter from the Feline Broadcasting Company. My network instructed me to ask you your position on human, non-human, civil and political rights."

On civil, political, human and nonhuman rights:

Sonya Chang: "Of course, I favor continuing our traditionally superb civil rights and political freedoms, with the equally traditional caveat that nothing given has value, and that the natural process of reward and punishment is often best left untouched by the government."

Heinrid Abadas: "Humanity must come first and foremost. We cannot now afford to bend over for every genetic accident that comes along merely because they can market themselves. That said, political rights cannot be allowed so high they threaten to destabilize the governing powers, but rather they must be based on meritocratic principles."

Sylvenna Yorn: "Civil rights must be increased! For years private business has ignored more and more of the little freedoms that man enjoys, but which minority species haven't even tasted in Santa Barbara. With fair voting rights, democracy and social funding, we can bring back true political freedom to this great land."

Sven Alexander: "Civil rights are already at an all-time high, but could stand to be higher. If we are to be a nation, we must include with equality all races, including cats and elves and all other lawful citizens. Power, too, must be more equally distributed amongst the people, if self-rule is to be a reality."

Horgen Vaulkner: "Nonhuman rights? Let me get back to you on that."

The government of the Democratic Arcologies of Feline wishes to donte $10,000,000 to the campaign of Sylvenna Yorn, and $9,000,000 to the campaign of Sven Alexander.

(Basically a expression of support for Yorn, with Alexander a very strong second choice.)

So the Feline government supported her.

Sylvenna grinned, knowing full well that Bob Pratt particularly didn't like the Felines. He had told her, back before OMF City, before she was anybody important, how the Feline government had once sent agents into the land, trying to stir up rebellion.

Shaking her head at the thought, she knew that direct rebellion was never the way to go. Not against the ITDO.

But the rebel in her couldn't help but ponder the possibilities. Why, even taking the funding might be seen as an act of rebellion against old Bob. And what would he do, anyway? Nothing! He needed her, here, doing exactly as she was.

Thumbing her nose at Bob Pratt. Almost as good as stopping her father.

She accepted the donation.

The people of Navascuez wish to show their support for Abadas by donating $15,000,000 USD to his campaign

A package on information arrives for Alexander. Along with some monetary contributions (an abstract amount representing a useful but not staggering contribution), are details on Yerwaht's efforts in national projects. Tax funding, costs and success analyses, useful information for Alexander to apply to his policy projects.

TO:Yerwhatian Government,
RE: Campaign support

I was surprised but delighted that you have chosen to support the NSP in the upcoming elections. Indeed, in many ways I have already modelled the Market Planning Department after the Yerwahtian example, and your additional contributions are most intriguing, indeed. Should NSP gain the Presidency, you will most certainly be hearing from us again, to the tune of furthered friendly cooperation.

Gratefully,

Sven Alexander
Director, MPD
PCC
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TO: Feline Government,
RE: Campaign support

I was surprised but delighted that you have chosen to support the NSP in the upcoming elections. Indeed, in many ways I have already modelled the Market Planning Department after the Feline example, and your additional contributions are most intriguing, indeed. Should NSP gain the Presidency, you will most certainly be hearing from us again, to the tune of furthered friendly cooperation.

Gratefully,

Sven Alexander
Director, MPD
PCC
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OOC: Ahh, the wonder of form letters.

#votes#

<blimp>

<blump... last chance to affect my nations future history... and quite possibly the worlds...>

Has a winner been declared yet? And we hope that our contribution has been helpful to Mr. Abadas' campaign

Abadas Pronounced President
Citizens Too Bored to Care

"After the largest federal voter-turnout in recorded history (3.6%), electronic voting intelligences declared that Chairman Abadas is to be the new President of the PCCASB. The changeover happened immediately and quietly yesterday morning.

"...despite the stunningly high participation of the public, the news has so far received little interest to the average citizen, reports show. Critics have been quick to point out that for any democratic process, less than 4 out of every hundred bothering to show up and vote is an atrocious record. Moreover, many population units express their lack of faith in the federal government or it's president.

"'President? What President? President Pratt?' a 79 year old plumbing contractor for the Conglomerate told us in an e-mail.

"In fact, a G-net study shows that as many as 64% of Santa Barbarians are not even aware that Santa Barbara has a government, and that fully 89% of potential voters were "too busy" to bother voting...

"Another report cites the exceptionally lengthy voter pamphlet as a cause for fewer votes than possible. Still, one can hardly deny the national mood has changed now that the Neo-Feudalist Party views have been officially brought into the limelight and given reign over the assets of the federal government..."

How will this effect Pratt Co. and the Order of the Seraphim?

"The PrattCo Conglomerate does not expect that these political happenings will have any measurable effect upon it's existing contracts and policies."

-PCC Public Assets Department

<just a bump>

PCC Newsline
President Restructures Land and Government

"President Heinrid Abadas, or Lord President as he is formally known, has begun to fulfill his campaign promises and restructure the Federal Government, by granting land and power to "meritocratic and outstanding individuals who are worthy of the responsibilities inherent in upper management," in the form of Demesne and Corporate Assets...

"He has managed to pull this off so far by relying on the power of business to get things done, and appointing his cabinet members, whom he calls advisors or High Executives, to implement NFP's goals on a tiered, segmented level of control centered around natural power centers...

"Recently, the minister of Spiritual Affairs, Lord High Executive Marcos Fernando, Vice Chairman of the PrattCo Conglomerate Board of Directors, CEO of Gladburger, Inc, announced that he would be working closely with the Holy Church in the pursuit of spiritual solidarity and the administration of Justice, which he has called "a clearly spiritual affair." The move has been backed by Lord High Executive Enrique Alvarez, Vice Executive of the PrattCo Conglomerate Chief Executive Offices, President of Utopia Mining, Minister of Justice, many other members of the Federal Government and most of the population, and welcomed as a "reintroduction of traditional, solid values" and an opportunity to eliminate government corruption...

"Lord High Executive Edward Price Forsythe, Director of the PrattCo Conglomerate Financial Department, CEO of Cathedral Capital, Minister of Trade and Treasury, issued a public release stating that a delegation soon to be sent to Mars to acquire Enicqiri real estate in Noachia will be overseen by the PCC Office of Offworld Operations in cooperation with the Federal Government. He also stated that the land acquired would be distributed between offworld federal protectorate, offworld federal demesne, and offworld corporate assets; managed by the Federal Government, IDG, ITDO, as well as the megacorps Gladburger Incorporated, Cathedral Capital, Utopia Mining, and the Aegis Corporation...