[1682 Election] Parliamentary Campaign Thread

[Alfonso Velez]

 

VELEZ RALLY IN PIRIYA, BAATHARZI A.R.

Good Afternoon everyone, and thank you for turning out today. This Republic has grown much over the past decade. Our economy's grown, our military's grown, the size of our territory's grown, and the prosperity of our citizens has increased too. I wanted one of my first campaign stops to be here in Piriya to unveil the signature policy of the L&D party's re-election campaign: greater devolution of power to regional governments and the Baatharzi Autonomous Region.

This Government has been committed to de-centralizing power wherever possible to regional and local governments. As we have expanded much and incorporated regions with distinctive histories, traditions, priorities, and cultures, I believe it is important now more than ever that we give the people of the Baatharzi autonomous region--and every region and locality--a greater say in how their affairs are run.  

Our hard working bureaucrats in Punta Santiago labor night and day to create the best policies for Alduria--but regardless of their effort, the L&D party understands that the people who know best about how to govern this region and this city are you, the people, and your local and regional elected leaders. 

That’s why the cornerstone policy of our campaign will be to devolve greater powers to the Baatharzi Autonomous Region--and every region and locality throughout this great Republic.

We are all Aldurians and take pride in our Republic. We are a Republic made up of people of all different origins, ethnicities, religions, cultures, hopes, aspirations, and priorities. This diversity makes us stronger. As we have expanded in size in such a short amount of time, it is important for us to recognize, however, that we should give regions and local communities a greater say of how their affairs are operated. This is a key principle of the L&D political philosophy.

In contrast to our policies, the ANA and DSP want to increase the say of the Federal government over your daily lives. The ANA wants to create a compulsory national education system with a one-size fits all curriculum and raise your taxes by 10% to pay for it! I say that the Government of the Baatharzi autonomous region should have the greatest say in education here--not unelected bureaucrats in Punta Santiago! They also want to create a national police board that will set mandates on how your local and regional law enforcement operate. Again I say--you all know best! We won’t make ANA’s mistake of thinking what works well in one part of the Republic works well in all parts of the Republic and will leave the important decisions to you and your local and regional officials.

Let’s turn to DSP and see what they’re offering. They claim they won’t create a one-size fits all policy--but then go on to announce that the national Government will create the framework for education and that the education system will be controlled by the national Government. Again I say--let local and regional governments drive education--not the national Government! 

My friends, when you go to vote on election day, remember that only one party is committed to letting the people of the Baatharzi autonomous region have the greatest say over their daily affairs: the Liberty & Democracy party. I hope you’ll give us our support. Thank you!

[Alduria]

DAY 3 DICE ROLLS - posted from the Discord server

LDP: 77 - POSITIVE



Given that the campaign has failed to address the first dice roll in any way, this dice roll basically neutralizes the scandal and secures no poll drops... but that will be it. But since the scandal from the last roll has gone unaddressed, it can be brought up by the other campaigns in ads or speeches.

DSP: 90 - POSITIVE



On the heels of the policy endorsement from the Aldurian Union of Educators and Teachers, the organization has activated its extensive national activist and fundraising network to help the Democratic Socialist Party across the country. This has resulted in more excitement and momentum behind the DSP and its leader Marco Zimmer.

The Aldurian Union of Teamsters, the nation's largest teamster union, has endorsed the Democratic Socialist Party and praised Zimmer and the DSP's position on workers' rights. "Zimmer and the Democratic Socialists will make Alduria a fairer country where our workers will have a fair shot at achieving their dreams," said Maria Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Aldurian Union of Teamsters. "We're proud to endorse a leader and a party that will fight for the many, and not just the few."

You have received a 2% poll bump.

ANA: 13 - NEGATIVE



The Aldurian Investigator, a national tabloid, has published allegations of an adulterous affair between Robert Beaumont and a former administrative assistant working in his office, Felicia Gomez. The allegations also include that he fathered a child with Gomez and had visited her and the baby boy at the All-Seasons' Hotel in Punta Santiago. The report includes a statement from a former Beaumont staffer, stating that Beaumont asked him to falsify the results of a DNA test to prove it was not his child.

The ANA campaign is facing a massive scandal with this. It has not been reported yet by mainstream media outlets and the tabloid newspaper publishing the allegations says there's more and that they will do it in a series... the ANA and Beaumont are expected to respond to this and deal with it right away!

[Alfonso Velez]

The following billboard/internet ad is placed to target rural areas, with a particular focus on The State of Altus; The State of Rothborne; The State of Nouradin; The State of Alcalá; The State of Carrillo; The Ladino Autonomous Region; The Baatharzi Autonomous Region:



At the bottom of the above poster in the blank space on the bottom left it says "VOTE L&D"

[Alfonso Velez]

Velez on a campaign stop in Punta Santiago, asked by a reporter about the Aldurian Investigation report about Mr. Beaumont

"Well, look--I strongly believe in the right to privacy--and that includes my campaign opponents. Just because Mr. Beaumont believes he should be able to legislate what happens in my bedroom doesn't mean I'm going to say that I should have a care for what happens in his provided it only involves consenting adults. This whole incident highlights the trouble with the 'values campaign' that Mr. Beaumont and the rest of the ANA is running. The Government has no business getting involved in this sort of thing, and we certainly aren't in a position where we should be judging Mr. Beaumont by our standard of sexual ethics. Whatever actually happened, I hope Mr. Beaumont comes away from this incident with a fresh perspective and gives a greater care to the right to privacy for others--and the right to love, even if that love might not be morally acceptable to some people."

Velez at a photo op with a farmer in the Baatharzi Autonomous Region:

"The hard work that Mr. Harak and his family do on this farm strengthens our Republic and the economy of this great region. The next L&D Government will continue to support farmers like the Harak family, and do everything possible to make sure that they have the tools they need to be successful. The success of farmers is the success of our Republic. Through--quite literally--the fruits of their labour, our nation is fed, the Harak family earns a good income, and the economy of the region is strengthened. Too often during these campaigns it's easy to lose sight of the real issues that are important--like feeding our nation. I can assure Mr. Harak and all farmers in our great Republic that the L&D party stands with them and will continue to support them during the coming years."

Velez in Alcala discussing infrastructure:  

"The development of infrastructure has been a key goal of the Government for the past 9 years and will remain a priority as we move forward. Alduria has been blessed to have the State of Alcala become a part of our Republic--and the Republic has a duty to assist this state in constructing more roads, bridges, rail links, and other critical projects that will help the economy of this state and our Republic. I can't say it enough: your success is our success. We are all part of one great Republic--and while each of our regions is unique and has different sets of strengths, together we are strongest. The next L&D Government will continue to make infrastructure a priority to enrich the welfare of Alcala and Alduria."

[Alfonso Velez]

National Poster/Billboard/Internet Campaign

Note: The below image is modified for the campaign with the text that appears below the image in italics
 

NEW TEXT: BREAK GROUND FOR LIBERTY , VOTE L&D FOR A PROSPEROUS FUTURE"

[Soraya Hoseini]

PUNTA SANTIAGO

Rally – Basic Income Guarantee

I’m a numbers guy. I like to see the facts, figures, and all arguments on the table. They tell the truth and take no prisoners. Our country’s economy is growing, getting more advanced. If we have a government at the helm that knows this, we can put in place policies to help with the changes technology will bring while tackling income inequality.

The ANA is going to establish a basic income guarantee. You will file your taxes, a flat rate, with a deduction that will make the flat tax progressive. Anyone making under 30,000 ecus a year will get money back. Anyone making more than that pays taxes on the income beyond 30,000 ecus a year. I am committed, and so is every politician in the ANA, to end the trickle-up economy of the LDP. We’re going to hold our people, our families, and our communities high. This is the way we can do it. 

The other parties are either completely uninterested in helping you or prefer to create a complicated government bureaucracy instead. What we need is a government interested in serving the people, not ignoring them. The LDP believes that leaving you alone is their selling point, but they really leave you alone. Alone, penniless, and on your own. The DSP believes that socialism and government will fix everything for you.

We offer a new alternative: empowering you to make your own decisions and lifting folks out of poverty. This election, please vote for a basic income guarantee. Vote for the Aldurian National Alliance.

ASUARA
Speech on Education

Education is the biggest civil rights issue we have in this country. Let’s not kid ourselves – we are in a National Education Emergency. The only reason we don’t hear more about it is because we have other concerns too – health care, wages, national security, unresponsive government. It’s easy to see that the distance and incapability of this government has resulted in this crisis. To this day, they refuse to offer a meaningful plan to address education, hiding behind the chants of local control.

I don’t like the direction of Aldurian education has taken under this government, and as Prime Minister, I will do everything in my power to reverse this decline.

I will give the parents and students the chance to choose where to go to school. There will be a sea of options for them – public, private, and not-for-profit.  Education funds will be linked to each student, so that parents can send their child to any public, not-for-profit, or private school, where permitted.  And I will make that choice meaningful by ensuring there are enough options to exercise it. 

Parents need a clear and standardized evaluation system to figure out how their kids’ schools are performing.  States must provide a simple-to-read and widely available public report card that evaluates each school.  These report cards will provide accurate and easy-to-understand information about student and school performance.  We will take bold steps to ensure our new system welcomes and rewards the best teachers.  I will make it my goal to ensure that every classroom has a quality teacher.

Finally, since we live in a twenty-first century economy that increasingly demands a college education, efforts at improvement can’t stop at high school’s end. Students must have access to a wide variety of options that will give them the skills they need for successful careers.  We must stop fueling skyrocketing tuition prices that put higher education out of reach for some and leave others with crushing debt.

These are bold initiatives that will produce better outcomes for our parents and teachers and students.  But accomplishing real change won’t be easy.  Efforts to truly reform our schools always meet strong resistance from entrenched interests. 

Education is one issue where it should be easy to find common purpose and common solutions.  And I believe the Prime Minister must be troubled by the lack of progress since he took office. But I’ll tell you the difference between us – I’d do something about it and have a plan for it. The Prime Minister and his party are simply too unwilling to stand up for our kids and their future.

Prime Minister Velez has made his choice, and I have made mine: As Prime Minister, I will be a champion of real education reform in Alduria, and I won’t let any special interest get in the way. A choice for every parent means a chance for every child.  That can be more than our hope – it can be our future.  It can begin this year, in the choice you make, so I ask for your help, your support, and your vote in this election. Vote for the Aldurian National Alliance.

MONDEGO
Rally – Role of Government

What do we want from our government?

It’s a question that is worth asking. Especially in this election.

Ultimately, we cannot win any major fight on the economy, health care, or civil rights—and secure that victory—unless we have an effective, well-resourced, and responsive government. I am a member of the Aldurian National Alliance. I believe that government should do for people only what they cannot do better on their own, and nothing more. The government has a role to play in education, in health care, in defense, in infrastructure – because that is what we have determined democratically when we ratified our Constitution. That document outlines the roles of government and they are clear.

On the other hand, when one looks at the LDP, they complain about government spending and government’s expanding role, but they support national financed defense, infrastructure, water supply projects, and more.

What Alduria needs is a smarter, more effective government. Not a government that does nothing. It is the duty of the government to serve the people. The key question isn’t big government versus small government - it’s who government works for.

An effective government must be adequately resourced through appropriate fiscal policies. And such a government must facilitate and support the well-being of its members. Promoting well-being entails more than ensuring the requirements for survival and extends to that which is necessary to participate effectively both in civic society and in the economy. An effective government is not only a well-resourced government, but it is also one that has the power to enact the will of the people.

This is only possible when society is governed by the principles of morality and justice, law and order. The government should be responsive, effective, and inclusive, helping shape the market and politics for all. This is not the government we have now. 

The Aldurian National Alliance understands that there’s a role for government to play. Our platform describes it well. We want a government that works for you. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of Aldurians barely get by, or we can build an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.

The Prime Minister likes to talk about freedom, but real freedom isn’t living under the thumb of an uncaring government. Real freedom isn’t living deep in debt, one health scare or broken car transmission away from disaster. Real freedom isn’t watching while more and more opportunities get snatched up by the rich and powerful. Real freedom comes when government enforces fair rules and when smart investments give every Aldurian the opportunity to prosper.

We must not give up on the ideal of a government for the people, of the people, and by the people. This election offers us a chance to make that a reality, this ideal deserves to be fought for. Vote for the Aldurian National Alliance, and we’ll get the right government in place.

[Soraya Hoseini]

BEAUMONT STATEMENT
Allegations of infidelity

Good afternoon, Aldurians,

The Aldurian Investigator has revealed today allegations about an affair I had several years ago that are not giving you the full truth.

Aldurians deserve a government that is honest and open. I know that I expect that from everyone who serves in office, and I must bear this as an opportunity to act in accordance to my conscience after consulting my wife and family.

Five years ago, I carried on an affair that lasted eight months with a work colleague. I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness. We both worked with our pastor and with a marriage counselor to navigate this horrible betrayal from my part.

I must stress, however, that my brief affair did not result in a child. While it is true that I was unfaithful to my wife, there was no child borne from the relationship. This is a gross and horrible lie, surely, that is fueled by the interests in this election that want to see me and the values I stand for fail.

I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices, and I had hoped that it would never become public. With my family, I took responsibility for my actions then and today I take full responsibility publicly. The affair took place for a short period. It ended then. I am and have been willing to take any test necessary to establish the fact that I am not the father of any baby.

It will always be inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry. I still am sorry and know that I will always live with the consequences of my betrayal. If you want to beat me up for this, feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself.

I've been in love with the same woman for several decades and as anybody who's been around us knows, she's an extraordinary human being, warm, loving, beautiful, and as good a person as I have ever known.

If anything this just reveals that I have made mistakes. I have taken the love of my wife and family for granted. With every apology I give, I try more and more to be a better husband and a better father.

Thank you.

[Marco Zimmer]

Speech in Carrillo

Walks onto platform in field, thousands who are watching begin to cheer as he walks up and waves

Hello, thank you for letting me be here today and thank you for coming to listen to me speak. Our message during this campaign is one of hope. A message of change. A message of a better, fairer Alduria and a better future! One without poverty, one without inequality. A future where there isn’t a vast inequality between our capital and the rest of the country! But the only way we can achieve this future is by working together.

“But how will we achieve this future?” you might ask. Well firstly, there are our promises. We have put forward an ambitious, progressive, socialist, manifesto. A manifesto with a plan to create a better education system which has not just been endorsed, but campaigned for by the Aldurian Union of Educators and Teachers.

A manifesto which will protect workers rights, our plans to help the workers has been endorsed by the Aldurian Union of Teamsters. Maria Lopez, a spokeswoman for the union, said “Zimmer and the Democratic Socialist Party will make Alduria a fairer country where our workers will have a fair shot at achieving their dreams. We are proud to endorse a leader and a party that will fight for the many, not just the few.” We all want a fairer society, don’t we? And the way to achieve the society that works for everyone is to vote DSP!

But there is also a second part to achieving the better future we all want, and that is you. You need to join our campaign activists all across the country, you need to spread our message of hope so that your family and friends know what we are offering, your neighbours and your community know what we are offering and make sure that they are backing us. Because we can achieve amazing things together. We can deliver that better, fairer country. But we can’t do it without you. And we can achieve amazing things. We can, together!

[Soraya Hoseini]

Velez on a campaign stop in Punta Santiago, asked by a reporter about the Aldurian Investigation report about Mr. Beaumont

"Well, look--I strongly believe in the right to privacy--and that includes my campaign opponents. Just because Mr. Beaumont believes he should be able to legislate what happens in my bedroom doesn't mean I'm going to say that I should have a care for what happens in his provided it only involves consenting adults. This whole incident highlights the trouble with the 'values campaign' that Mr. Beaumont and the rest of the ANA is running. The Government has no business getting involved in this sort of thing, and we certainly aren't in a position where we should be judging Mr. Beaumont by our standard of sexual ethics. Whatever actually happened, I hope Mr. Beaumont comes away from this incident with a fresh perspective and gives a greater care to the right to privacy for others--and the right to love, even if that love might not be morally acceptable to some people."

Responding to the recent comments by the Prime Minister, Robert Beaumont said:

Calling for a values-driven government in Punta Santiago does not mean that one must be perfect and blameless to aspire for better things. Indeed, my God and my faith calls for compassion, for forgiveness, and above all, for redemption.

I'm not campaigning or seeking leadership because I think I am on a morally higher plane than anyone else. I don't call for our country to stand up for the sanctity of life or for the conservation of marriage as one man and one woman because I am perfect. It is because these are things that our government must support. It is because a government where values does not matter is a government that cannot have any full legitimacy.

It's not my business to comment on anyone's private matters, but it is everyone's business to expect a government that is better and serves them well.

[Soraya Hoseini]

Leaflets and mailers from the ANA.