Steel and Fire
08-06-2007, 20:39
The newly-proclaimed Republic of Steel and Fire is holding its first elections in known history, overseen by the Triumvirate (three ex-military men who led the coup to overthrow an old corporate regime in favor of the current Republic). It is only a few weeks until the actual voting begins, and already virtually the entire nation is polarized; for the first time the people of Steel and Fire have political awareness, and they are most certainly using it. Voter turnout is estimated at 70% minimum.
Three major parties have emerged, each touting its own candidate; or vice versa. These candidates are:
Juan Serrano (Democratic Party)
Serrano, 43, was a Manager of Production under the corporate regime; he pledges to build a strong infrastructure for Steel and Fire, socialising medicine and healthcare, creating a welfare system, and establishing free education. He also hopes to build a thriving market economy, although he has admitted that in practice, Imperium Corporation (the corporate regime that formerly ruled Steel and Fire) will maintain a monopoly on many business sectors, and that controlling this monopoly cannot be practically enforced.
Lou Silbane (Imperial Party)
Silbane, 56, was a Colonel in the corporate army; his policies are much more strongly military-oriented. He has advocated, for instance, diverting money from the welfare system into defence as the poor and unemployed can always enlist in the military to get money and food. In terms of the economy, he too supports a free-market economy; important appointments or attacks of laryngitis always seem to crop up whenever someone mentions that such an economy would remain as tightly controlled by Imperium Corporation as it was before the coup.
Devon Frye (Socialist Party)
Frye, 39, was a simple workers' foreman under the corporate regime; he is the most radical of the three major candidates for president by far. Frye advocates a total revitalisation of education, healthcare, and welfare; he plans to increase spending on environmental issues, and decrease the size of the military. He has also hinted that monopoly controls will be in effect, and that Imperium Corporation may be broken up into many small businesses. By a curious coincidence, there have been thirty times as many assassination attempts on Frye as there have on any other candidate for public office at the present time; E-Z Assassinations Inc. declined to comment.
Preliminary polls indicate that between 25 and 45 per cent of the vote may go to Serrano, 30 to 40 per cent to Silbane, and 5 to 15 per cent to Frye, with the remainder of the votes either undecided or going to fourth parties; but this may change as the campaign progresses over the final weeks, as the candidates are opening up to outside donations.
Three major parties have emerged, each touting its own candidate; or vice versa. These candidates are:
Juan Serrano (Democratic Party)
Serrano, 43, was a Manager of Production under the corporate regime; he pledges to build a strong infrastructure for Steel and Fire, socialising medicine and healthcare, creating a welfare system, and establishing free education. He also hopes to build a thriving market economy, although he has admitted that in practice, Imperium Corporation (the corporate regime that formerly ruled Steel and Fire) will maintain a monopoly on many business sectors, and that controlling this monopoly cannot be practically enforced.
Lou Silbane (Imperial Party)
Silbane, 56, was a Colonel in the corporate army; his policies are much more strongly military-oriented. He has advocated, for instance, diverting money from the welfare system into defence as the poor and unemployed can always enlist in the military to get money and food. In terms of the economy, he too supports a free-market economy; important appointments or attacks of laryngitis always seem to crop up whenever someone mentions that such an economy would remain as tightly controlled by Imperium Corporation as it was before the coup.
Devon Frye (Socialist Party)
Frye, 39, was a simple workers' foreman under the corporate regime; he is the most radical of the three major candidates for president by far. Frye advocates a total revitalisation of education, healthcare, and welfare; he plans to increase spending on environmental issues, and decrease the size of the military. He has also hinted that monopoly controls will be in effect, and that Imperium Corporation may be broken up into many small businesses. By a curious coincidence, there have been thirty times as many assassination attempts on Frye as there have on any other candidate for public office at the present time; E-Z Assassinations Inc. declined to comment.
Preliminary polls indicate that between 25 and 45 per cent of the vote may go to Serrano, 30 to 40 per cent to Silbane, and 5 to 15 per cent to Frye, with the remainder of the votes either undecided or going to fourth parties; but this may change as the campaign progresses over the final weeks, as the candidates are opening up to outside donations.