New president Renee Buchanan has put her cabinet team together all in her first day in the new job. The president has nominated her predecessor TJ Norton (LRP) for the new portfolio of innovation, a merger of her old job of infrastructure with an emphasis on better technology and what she refers to as 'the ideas economy'.
Other cabinet nominations include former round 1 opponent Dennis McVicker (Libertarian) for commerce, Alex Pijanowski (SDP) returning to arts and Reg Ambrose (LRP) taking on attorney general. All have been presented for confirmation.
Stay here at the Express as President Buchanan's government takes shape and gets on with the job.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
BUCHANAN-HOCK ELECTED WITH 60% OF THE VOTE
For the past term they have served the republic in the Titulia Government building and they will continue to serve for another term: only now they will serve from next door in Liberty House.Former president Norton has moved out and new president Renee Buchanan and vice president Gregory Hock have moved into the executive office and residential building.
The final count had Buchanan at 21 votes (60%) to Wilberforce at 14 (40%) and secured a second term for the Liberal Republican Party in the driver's seat of the executive branch. The new president hasn't wasted any time getting to work and thanked the people of Titulia for their support.
"I am thankful for the trust placed in me and I look forward to the term", said the president.
Former president TJ Norton has praised his successor and viewed the work of the term ahead as 'positive'.
"Renee has certain gifts that can't be ignored .. probably more than I. I wish her all the best as she takes on the new role and I am available to provide every possible support .. as she did for me".
LRP political analyst Todd Richards called the result surprising in the wake of strong anti-government votes in the first round and said the climb in support was welcomed, but remains a mystery.
"Winding up she [Buchanan] increased the LRP's margin by a further 7% on top of last election. That concurs with the pattern of every election since Carmody with the one exception of the Merry/Ambrose campaign ran by the RNC", he said.
"I'm not going to dwell on it because it's a secret ballot and no one is ever going to know except ADMIN. Watching the strategy of the SDP campaign and factoring in other anti LRP sentiment there is some conjecture about how 'rank and file' the turnout truly was. There's no other explanation other than some split voting from the other parties who pledged to back Wilberforce. To reach this result that had to be the situation".
Taking in Richards' analysis, LRP secretary Malinda Noble remarked a growing interest in the LRP government's alternative was the recipe for victory.
"The strong outside support for the LRP had to come from people who remembered what life was like before we came along. This tells us that our message is working and we can't afford to take Titulia backwards", she said.
LRP members used today as a double celebration to also mark former president Norton's birthday in southern Brisbane.
The Express congratulates President Buchanan and Vice President Hock, along with thanking President Norton for his service.
Friday, September 24, 2010
SDP stalwart joins Liberal Republicans
Historical 'badboy' of Titulia Matthew Ingebritson has left the Social Democratic Party and joined the Liberal Republican Party.
LRP secretary Malinda Noble welcomed the former SDP leadership candidate and says she looks forward to pulling up a chair for him at the next State Conference after the election.
"It's warming to have Titulian experience in the party", she said. "Matthew has a place at the leadership table".
Newly installed LRP deputy leader and departing president of the republic TJ Norton joined in saying Ingebritson has provided the colour needed in the ailing state.
"Some of his ways are definitely out there but you can't say it's a dull moment with Matt around. Great to have him", the president said.
The LRP's new star recruit said he respected the SDP and all they achieved under former president Eric Meissner.
"The guys [SDP members] are awesome and theyre my brothas no matter what. The Liberal Repubs add the fun and have the toolbox to fix Titulia and I want to be part of it", Mr Ingebritson said.
It comes at a bad time for the Wilberforce campaign when it has yet to engage with the public at all and the LRP catching up for a showdown finish.
Stay tuned at the Express for continued coverage of the September 2010 election.
LRP secretary Malinda Noble welcomed the former SDP leadership candidate and says she looks forward to pulling up a chair for him at the next State Conference after the election.
"It's warming to have Titulian experience in the party", she said. "Matthew has a place at the leadership table".
Newly installed LRP deputy leader and departing president of the republic TJ Norton joined in saying Ingebritson has provided the colour needed in the ailing state.
"Some of his ways are definitely out there but you can't say it's a dull moment with Matt around. Great to have him", the president said.
The LRP's new star recruit said he respected the SDP and all they achieved under former president Eric Meissner.
"The guys [SDP members] are awesome and theyre my brothas no matter what. The Liberal Repubs add the fun and have the toolbox to fix Titulia and I want to be part of it", Mr Ingebritson said.
It comes at a bad time for the Wilberforce campaign when it has yet to engage with the public at all and the LRP catching up for a showdown finish.
Stay tuned at the Express for continued coverage of the September 2010 election.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Buchanan gives nod to McVicker for Commerce as her team takes shape
LRP presidential candidate Renee Buchanan has named round 1 opponent Dennis McVicker (RNC) as her choice for secretary of commerce should the contender achieve election on Sept 26. Calling the appointment 'consensus building', Buchanan is the only candidate to have made any headway on establishing a workable government.
"We can work together and there's a lot of space to merge both agendas into one platform", she said.
Responding to questions on campaign disagreements between Republicans and Linardists, Buchanan dispelled the internal wrangling as 'regular'.
"I'm running the campaign for Titulia and following the president's example of leadership to get people together who have ideas and experience to bring", she said. "What's discussed with other parties stays between us and them and I'm not going to comment unless that changes. I'm not interested in partisan game playing and taking Titulia back to the start this is about tomorrow and the future".
When asked why McVicker got the nod for the chief finance officer's role, Buchanan said she 'appreciated the debate'.
Rumour has it that she will be tapping Luxis Avaram (RNC) on the shoulder next for chief of staff.
"Dennis campaigned for a lot of suggestions close to what I want to achieve as president. We both agree there's a lot of work to do to make Titulia attractive to the outside world".
Buchanan said the main attraction issue was the slow uptake of infrastructure by previous administrations.
"Titulia should be more competitive in the online nation market and it's not even close. I have tried to recruit more friends from my rl [real life] political party and the one's that didn't sign up thought it looked like a school yard joke".
She took her hat off to Double D Constructions for its building program.
"This was one example of how government and business worked together and gave some life to the poor state of the city's development".
As secretary for infrastructure Buchanan was the president's point person in developing the first non expiring service packages to keep private enterprise developing the web sites and not letting them go out of date.
"Our sites need to be regularly updated and the service packages come with the expectation that it will now be done. A great result", she said.
A Buchanan-Hock government is taking shape with people in place to fill infrastructure, arts and now commerce. The coveted role of attorney general remains a mystery and unlikely to be taken up before the end of the election.
Reports say outgoing commerce secretary Gerry Brady and chief of staff Reformer (both SDP) declined Buchanan's invitation to serve citing life commitments (Brady) and no reason given (Reformer). Secretary Buchanan wished them well.
There are persistent rumours of a possible legal challenge if Wilberforce is elected, citing that the candidate is in breach of legislation and Admin rulings over failure to declare a vice presidential candidate before the end of nominations. This almost cost President Norton and SDP candidate Reformer in the last election until an allowance was accepted due to the new web site's difficulties with signing in.
The Titulia Admin has since confirmed via their weblog that no other sign in issues have presented and the only remaining issue exists with crossover to the old site. They have supplied an easy fix to that and Titulians have widely known about this for weeks now. As the old site services continue to migrate over, any problems with using the old site are now minimal with not much usage at all since the transition of propositions and polls.
Stay here at the Express for your complete coverage of the September 2010 election!
Ed: thanks to John Baxter and Todd Richards for contributing to this report.
"We can work together and there's a lot of space to merge both agendas into one platform", she said.
Responding to questions on campaign disagreements between Republicans and Linardists, Buchanan dispelled the internal wrangling as 'regular'.
"I'm running the campaign for Titulia and following the president's example of leadership to get people together who have ideas and experience to bring", she said. "What's discussed with other parties stays between us and them and I'm not going to comment unless that changes. I'm not interested in partisan game playing and taking Titulia back to the start this is about tomorrow and the future".
When asked why McVicker got the nod for the chief finance officer's role, Buchanan said she 'appreciated the debate'.
Rumour has it that she will be tapping Luxis Avaram (RNC) on the shoulder next for chief of staff.
"Dennis campaigned for a lot of suggestions close to what I want to achieve as president. We both agree there's a lot of work to do to make Titulia attractive to the outside world".
Buchanan said the main attraction issue was the slow uptake of infrastructure by previous administrations.
"Titulia should be more competitive in the online nation market and it's not even close. I have tried to recruit more friends from my rl [real life] political party and the one's that didn't sign up thought it looked like a school yard joke".
She took her hat off to Double D Constructions for its building program.
"This was one example of how government and business worked together and gave some life to the poor state of the city's development".
As secretary for infrastructure Buchanan was the president's point person in developing the first non expiring service packages to keep private enterprise developing the web sites and not letting them go out of date.
"Our sites need to be regularly updated and the service packages come with the expectation that it will now be done. A great result", she said.
A Buchanan-Hock government is taking shape with people in place to fill infrastructure, arts and now commerce. The coveted role of attorney general remains a mystery and unlikely to be taken up before the end of the election.
Reports say outgoing commerce secretary Gerry Brady and chief of staff Reformer (both SDP) declined Buchanan's invitation to serve citing life commitments (Brady) and no reason given (Reformer). Secretary Buchanan wished them well.
There are persistent rumours of a possible legal challenge if Wilberforce is elected, citing that the candidate is in breach of legislation and Admin rulings over failure to declare a vice presidential candidate before the end of nominations. This almost cost President Norton and SDP candidate Reformer in the last election until an allowance was accepted due to the new web site's difficulties with signing in.
The Titulia Admin has since confirmed via their weblog that no other sign in issues have presented and the only remaining issue exists with crossover to the old site. They have supplied an easy fix to that and Titulians have widely known about this for weeks now. As the old site services continue to migrate over, any problems with using the old site are now minimal with not much usage at all since the transition of propositions and polls.
Stay here at the Express for your complete coverage of the September 2010 election!
Ed: thanks to John Baxter and Todd Richards for contributing to this report.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Politics and psychology examined in online experiments
The recent revelations and changes in the political environment now put the race into a new perspective, with Buchanan well on her way to filling her potential new government and Wilberforce off in the scrub.
Titulia's legal and medico-legal circles met last last night to discuss the growth in political and psychological development as the experiment goes to a whole new level.
LRP analyst Todd Richards calls the race 'enthralling' while many are trying to avoid falling asleep.
"It isn't what you might expect an election to look like", he said. ".. but you need to look on the bright side of this".
"We often speak about how Titulia is a place of learning and an experiment. This is another part to that. In the real world we'd see how policy shapes the outcome, where in this election we're learning about the fascinating political mechanisations that determine reaction rather than a candidate's or party's manifesto".
LRP president Reg Ambrose compared the race to The Manchurian Candidate.
"It does appear that Todd and Luxis [Avaram] have found a key element that no one seems to have previously explored in any great detail. The sporadic swing vote to an absentee nominee that not many people know about is magnificent".
"The other most recent example of politically strategic warfare was seen in the James Matthews confirmation, where the debate focused on personal events and other interests instead of focusing on the credibility of the nominee".
"This is a valuable academic starting point to study the electoral psychology of the entire on line political conclave. It's thought-provoking".
On the verge of completing her second doctorate LRP development committee chairwoman Cara Dellahunty agreed, although urged caution so as not to wrongly interpret the paradigm.
Dr Dellahunty has over 31 years of legal practice, 12 of them as a specialist attorney working with victims of sexual abuse particularly with children and adolescents. She holds a PhD in Laws and is completing a doctorate of criminal psychology.
"It could be worth investigating further however it could also be a case of malingering".
"Malingering is a behavioural exhibit often found in defendants who might be wary of answering questions, providing false testimony to fill in the gaps or as a tactic to evade challenging examinations of events. There have been many cases where malingering also presents as a form of trickery, a fabrication of an episode or a misleading display of emotion called 'bad faking' ".
"I would be careful not to over-interpret it. It could qualify for further study, or on the other hand it may be as simple as young adults in their mid 20s self-creating illusions or fictitious scenarios as a way to have fun. That is perfectly normal for young people to experiment providing it stays within a reasonable cordon of virtual reality".
Titulia's current president and long time citizen TJ Norton also opted to take face evaluations with a grain of salt.
"If you ask 5 people any one question you'll probably get 10 different answers. That rattles many a cage but at the end of the day it's all part of our very diverse culture", he said.
"I have always disagreed that the Republic is built with a single mind or focus. It's what you get out of it and along the way you either become a sycophant or remain an individual. The ones that wind up in between are usually the most successful .. with each of the extreme fighting from the outside in. That annoys the hell out of the power players but slowly they're getting to understand that the experiment is not one size fits all".
"The doppelgangers .. alternate personalities and their primary identities are common knowledge to anyone that's been in Titulia for a while. At first even I found it annoying but with the low activity you'll learn it's actually a good sign of dedication and spice for the rest of us to feel like we're actually part of something bigger .. even though the actual population in truth is more like 25 rather than 40 or 50".
Round 2 started just under two hours ago and will end on the 26th.
Titulia's legal and medico-legal circles met last last night to discuss the growth in political and psychological development as the experiment goes to a whole new level.
LRP analyst Todd Richards calls the race 'enthralling' while many are trying to avoid falling asleep.
"It isn't what you might expect an election to look like", he said. ".. but you need to look on the bright side of this".
"We often speak about how Titulia is a place of learning and an experiment. This is another part to that. In the real world we'd see how policy shapes the outcome, where in this election we're learning about the fascinating political mechanisations that determine reaction rather than a candidate's or party's manifesto".
LRP president Reg Ambrose compared the race to The Manchurian Candidate.
"It does appear that Todd and Luxis [Avaram] have found a key element that no one seems to have previously explored in any great detail. The sporadic swing vote to an absentee nominee that not many people know about is magnificent".
"The other most recent example of politically strategic warfare was seen in the James Matthews confirmation, where the debate focused on personal events and other interests instead of focusing on the credibility of the nominee".
"This is a valuable academic starting point to study the electoral psychology of the entire on line political conclave. It's thought-provoking".
On the verge of completing her second doctorate LRP development committee chairwoman Cara Dellahunty agreed, although urged caution so as not to wrongly interpret the paradigm.
Dr Dellahunty has over 31 years of legal practice, 12 of them as a specialist attorney working with victims of sexual abuse particularly with children and adolescents. She holds a PhD in Laws and is completing a doctorate of criminal psychology.
"It could be worth investigating further however it could also be a case of malingering".
"Malingering is a behavioural exhibit often found in defendants who might be wary of answering questions, providing false testimony to fill in the gaps or as a tactic to evade challenging examinations of events. There have been many cases where malingering also presents as a form of trickery, a fabrication of an episode or a misleading display of emotion called 'bad faking' ".
"I would be careful not to over-interpret it. It could qualify for further study, or on the other hand it may be as simple as young adults in their mid 20s self-creating illusions or fictitious scenarios as a way to have fun. That is perfectly normal for young people to experiment providing it stays within a reasonable cordon of virtual reality".
Titulia's current president and long time citizen TJ Norton also opted to take face evaluations with a grain of salt.
"If you ask 5 people any one question you'll probably get 10 different answers. That rattles many a cage but at the end of the day it's all part of our very diverse culture", he said.
"I have always disagreed that the Republic is built with a single mind or focus. It's what you get out of it and along the way you either become a sycophant or remain an individual. The ones that wind up in between are usually the most successful .. with each of the extreme fighting from the outside in. That annoys the hell out of the power players but slowly they're getting to understand that the experiment is not one size fits all".
"The doppelgangers .. alternate personalities and their primary identities are common knowledge to anyone that's been in Titulia for a while. At first even I found it annoying but with the low activity you'll learn it's actually a good sign of dedication and spice for the rest of us to feel like we're actually part of something bigger .. even though the actual population in truth is more like 25 rather than 40 or 50".
Round 2 started just under two hours ago and will end on the 26th.
Election: Round 1 over with Buchanan-Hock on top with 47%
His bags were packed and he was ready to go. It's official: a stone's throw away from an early exit, it was expected that President Norton couldn't get out of Liberty House that easy. The departing chief now has to postpone the moving vans for another three days while Titulia goes to second round voting to decide who will succeed him.
Candidates Dennis McVicker (RNC) and James Inglis (CP) exited the contest polling second-last and last out of the dubbed 'field of four'. That crowd has narrowed to two with LRP's Renee Buchanan and Linardist Gregory Hock taking out the lead with a massive 47% of the vote compared with camper Will Wilberforce a good 19 percentage points behind on 28%.
Round 1 was put to bed with a startling admission from the Social Democrats. According to SDP leader Reformer, candidate Will Wilberforce has been on holidays since nomination. This sent LRP secretary Malinda Noble to the closest microphone to stick it to her liberal counterpart.
"On holidays? I suppose Gucci make chai lattes as well", Noble said dispelling the quote.
Meanwhile, the outgoing president called for cooler heads in comment.
"Look I've been where these two are now [Buchanan and Wilberforce] and I understand that it's going to take a while longer to sort through it", he said.
When asked what he thought of the Wilberforce vacationing during the contest, Norton was empathetic to the concerns.
"I admit that the holiday excuse does come across as somewhat disingenuous and I can appreciate how the citizens are feeling in taking the inactivity as disrespect. Busy or not - Mr Wilberforce is asking for the people to elect him to the highest civilian office in the e-nation", he said.
"His supporters might think that's appropriate but I would fall short of saying such opinion is reflective of the regular, active citizenry. A little humility on his part would go a long way and a simple apology for coming late to the game ought to fix it and quell the temperatures a little. He's a good guy deep down I'm sure and he would understand that".
The election continues. Stay tuned at the Express.
Candidates Dennis McVicker (RNC) and James Inglis (CP) exited the contest polling second-last and last out of the dubbed 'field of four'. That crowd has narrowed to two with LRP's Renee Buchanan and Linardist Gregory Hock taking out the lead with a massive 47% of the vote compared with camper Will Wilberforce a good 19 percentage points behind on 28%.
Round 1 was put to bed with a startling admission from the Social Democrats. According to SDP leader Reformer, candidate Will Wilberforce has been on holidays since nomination. This sent LRP secretary Malinda Noble to the closest microphone to stick it to her liberal counterpart.
"On holidays? I suppose Gucci make chai lattes as well", Noble said dispelling the quote.
Meanwhile, the outgoing president called for cooler heads in comment.
"Look I've been where these two are now [Buchanan and Wilberforce] and I understand that it's going to take a while longer to sort through it", he said.
When asked what he thought of the Wilberforce vacationing during the contest, Norton was empathetic to the concerns.
"I admit that the holiday excuse does come across as somewhat disingenuous and I can appreciate how the citizens are feeling in taking the inactivity as disrespect. Busy or not - Mr Wilberforce is asking for the people to elect him to the highest civilian office in the e-nation", he said.
"His supporters might think that's appropriate but I would fall short of saying such opinion is reflective of the regular, active citizenry. A little humility on his part would go a long way and a simple apology for coming late to the game ought to fix it and quell the temperatures a little. He's a good guy deep down I'm sure and he would understand that".
The election continues. Stay tuned at the Express.
McVicker/RNC gaffe: Richards calls for accountability
The Republican National Committee was caught off guard last night Australia time. Departing president and expectant new deputy leader of the LRP TJ Norton claimed the RNC's rebuff of presidential candidate Dennis McVicker's membership in the party as a 'farce'.
The Liberal Republican Party's chairman of the justice and public law reform committee Todd Richards has called on RNC leader jp9893 to fess up.
"It's not possible that the RNC leader did not know Mr. McVicker was a member. He has been a member for a period of time", Mr Richards said.
Mr Norton said McVicker's membership wasn't news but was shocked by party officials working in the conservative press would publish that they didn't have an member in the presidential race.
"The RNC has maintained right up until they were forced into damage control yesterday that they didn't have a candidate in the race. Whether they were endorsed or not is not the issue - this isn't legal camp or a play of words it was a flat out distortion bordering on a lie".
Mr Norton has joined the LRP committee's call for accountability in the election process by displaying the political affiliation of all candidates on the electronic ballot paper.
"This used to happen on the old site. I welcome the Administrator's update that voters will also be marked off in a way that de-identifies the candidate they voted for on the new site's facility .. but it's only a half measure of transparency without displaying political party identification", said Norton.
"The people of Titulia vote in a variety of ways - including for a candidate's political affiliation. Not every candidate, campaign and media outlet - with all due respect - has done this".
Mr Norton has informed the Express that the Administrator provided this on the old site since the first election of the Republic.
".. it is a large part of Republic culture. It's not fullproof to the detection of electoral standings behind the scenes but at least will continue to give some indication of how candidates group".
Committee chair Richards has pursued the need for the return of this facility.
"I was a citizen when this was provided. If Admin put this in place themselves, there is no legal reason to prevent them from doing so again without further legislation", he said.
The Express asked Mr Norton whether he believed mandatory party identification in a contest could be compared to Nazi era nationalism of political declaration.
"What you're talking about is the persecution of political parties by forbidding them access to the same political rights and contests as other parties. I agree that's something that Titulia does not support and we're safe from those kinds of practices", he said.
Mr Norton said the Constitution of the Republic guarantees that all citizens have the right to join a political party and the rules that govern membership specifically are purposely not spoken to in the Constitution.
"I think the Administrator showed a lot of wisdom there", he said. "No political party would be satisfied with every citizen being a member for whatever reason and the Republic has no business mandating that - that's up to the individual parties to decide. This is not what we're advocating", he said.
"What is understood in the electoral process, and I think this is carried with cross-partisan consensus, is that every detail in a candidate's Titulian life is subject to scrutiny - whether the candidates appreciate that or not is out of the scope of law".
"I personally don't agree that such access should be in the form of disclosing personal details but since the Administrator has recently ordered that as forbidden practice in future instances - I don't see it becoming a widespread problem. That is to say .. if violators value their continued citizenship. Everyone is entitled to keep their personal and virtual lives separate. If they wish to disclose outside information in the Republic - that's on them".
Summarising the initiative, Norton called for 'transparency' in the elections process.
"The start, middle and finish of the push is situated with a traditional lodgement of a nomination. Please name me one country, state or local race in an industrialised nation where a candidate does not have to disclose their political candidature - party, endorsement or independence?", he said.
"Through their own words or election material, none of the candidates in this month's race bar Secretary Buchanan have formally declared party membership"
"Despite the force of law - Secretary Buchanan has been the only candidate who has declared their Vice President during the nomination period. Reformer and I made that error last election but luckily the special prosecutor investigating those range of issues was merciful because it was the first election on the new site and we had an inactive predecessor. It's hard to argue that allowance should be made now after the lesson to the parties from last month's experience".
"Whatever I .. they .. them or other people individually think about this is an important, yet incomplete part of the larger look at the issue - Titulians on a whole want more accountability and transparency in the political process".
First round voting will conclude within the next 8 hours.
The Liberal Republican Party's chairman of the justice and public law reform committee Todd Richards has called on RNC leader jp9893 to fess up.
"It's not possible that the RNC leader did not know Mr. McVicker was a member. He has been a member for a period of time", Mr Richards said.
Mr Norton said McVicker's membership wasn't news but was shocked by party officials working in the conservative press would publish that they didn't have an member in the presidential race.
"The RNC has maintained right up until they were forced into damage control yesterday that they didn't have a candidate in the race. Whether they were endorsed or not is not the issue - this isn't legal camp or a play of words it was a flat out distortion bordering on a lie".
Mr Norton has joined the LRP committee's call for accountability in the election process by displaying the political affiliation of all candidates on the electronic ballot paper.
"This used to happen on the old site. I welcome the Administrator's update that voters will also be marked off in a way that de-identifies the candidate they voted for on the new site's facility .. but it's only a half measure of transparency without displaying political party identification", said Norton.
"The people of Titulia vote in a variety of ways - including for a candidate's political affiliation. Not every candidate, campaign and media outlet - with all due respect - has done this".
Mr Norton has informed the Express that the Administrator provided this on the old site since the first election of the Republic.
".. it is a large part of Republic culture. It's not fullproof to the detection of electoral standings behind the scenes but at least will continue to give some indication of how candidates group".
Committee chair Richards has pursued the need for the return of this facility.
"I was a citizen when this was provided. If Admin put this in place themselves, there is no legal reason to prevent them from doing so again without further legislation", he said.
The Express asked Mr Norton whether he believed mandatory party identification in a contest could be compared to Nazi era nationalism of political declaration.
"What you're talking about is the persecution of political parties by forbidding them access to the same political rights and contests as other parties. I agree that's something that Titulia does not support and we're safe from those kinds of practices", he said.
Mr Norton said the Constitution of the Republic guarantees that all citizens have the right to join a political party and the rules that govern membership specifically are purposely not spoken to in the Constitution.
"I think the Administrator showed a lot of wisdom there", he said. "No political party would be satisfied with every citizen being a member for whatever reason and the Republic has no business mandating that - that's up to the individual parties to decide. This is not what we're advocating", he said.
"What is understood in the electoral process, and I think this is carried with cross-partisan consensus, is that every detail in a candidate's Titulian life is subject to scrutiny - whether the candidates appreciate that or not is out of the scope of law".
"I personally don't agree that such access should be in the form of disclosing personal details but since the Administrator has recently ordered that as forbidden practice in future instances - I don't see it becoming a widespread problem. That is to say .. if violators value their continued citizenship. Everyone is entitled to keep their personal and virtual lives separate. If they wish to disclose outside information in the Republic - that's on them".
Summarising the initiative, Norton called for 'transparency' in the elections process.
"The start, middle and finish of the push is situated with a traditional lodgement of a nomination. Please name me one country, state or local race in an industrialised nation where a candidate does not have to disclose their political candidature - party, endorsement or independence?", he said.
"Through their own words or election material, none of the candidates in this month's race bar Secretary Buchanan have formally declared party membership"
"Despite the force of law - Secretary Buchanan has been the only candidate who has declared their Vice President during the nomination period. Reformer and I made that error last election but luckily the special prosecutor investigating those range of issues was merciful because it was the first election on the new site and we had an inactive predecessor. It's hard to argue that allowance should be made now after the lesson to the parties from last month's experience".
"Whatever I .. they .. them or other people individually think about this is an important, yet incomplete part of the larger look at the issue - Titulians on a whole want more accountability and transparency in the political process".
First round voting will conclude within the next 8 hours.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Departing president weighs into election: smacks down McVicker and RNC
He led the experimental internet country as a president for all and left politics on the way into Titulia's top job. In the final days of his Liberty House tenancy, President TJ Norton (LRP) has spoken out about the contenders and the parties in the running to succeed him.In response to requests for comment from the Express the president has lashed out against conservative former president Dennis McVicker (RNC) and the lack of detail in his economic plan and the candidate's reliance on Admin to deliver his agenda.
"Dennis has been down this road before as have other presidents" said Norton.
"The Government under my leadership did not seek one thing from the Administrator to deliver the future for the real estate industry, job creation or to provide homes for people that wanted them. This was the result of the Titulian people and the hard work of cabinet - especially from the Secretary for Commerce, Gerry Brady".
Norton was critical of the what he referred to as 'recycling tried and failed policies' and said that new ideas have generated the most results for Titulia.
"Dennis is doing what Dennis does .. he ignores the public's hunger for details, sticks to a failed past that achieved nothing by way of results for the future and no stability for the Republic - most certainly any hope of the legislature will be gone".
The president said that although he agrees with McVicker on the 'crux of progress', the tone of respect for all citizens is absent from the debate.
"You have to understand the status quo .. every citizen that has ever stood for election as President is in favour of progress - Dennis [McVicker] included. But as a citizen I'm insulted by Dennis' insinuation that after him spending the last couple of months ignoring Titulia and participating in the alternate e-nation simulation eRepublik - he now returns self-adorned like a preacher trying to convert cave men into civilised beings", said Norton.
Mr Norton said the RNC 'doesn't get it' and this caused them to distance themselves from the RNC member.
"I can sit and debate fine with the SDP .. I can even debate and find room to agree with the Linardists - two parties that have been my strongest critics. It's then logical to question the reason why .. after many time consuming and failed attempts to reach out to the RNC .. why they persist the way they do. If anyone has a reason to pick up a sword and go to battle it's me. But that's not the way to take Titulia ahead", said the president.
Former president and now deputy leader Luxis Avaram (RNC) is desperately attempting to repair the image of the once strong movement only to be thwarted by its sole remaining active members Julian, leader JP9893 and his leadership contending brother JI. Mr Avaram, a moderate much like Mr Norton launched an attempt at resolving old conflicts.
"Politics has swings and shifts", he said. "If we as a party are going to let personal slights set platform, we're going to find ourselves in the desert for a long time".
LRP secretary Malinda Noble claimed the RNC are 'playing divisive politics' and that similar personal and partisan attitudes are holding Titulia back.
"The Republicans never supported the LRP. They never supported Tom at the ballot box, they continue to hound and lie about the government accusing them of "backdoor deals" even as they are about to walk out the door", she said.
Ms Noble claimed they were a party with no discipline and no direction.
"For all their rhetoric it's a puzzle why they don't join another party because they don't support their coalition partners and they don't support themselves. They proved it to William Money when Julian wanted Linardist help and now they've knifed Tom even after he took on a vice president that was lethal to the administration from the start".
President of the LRP Reg Ambrose has called for order between the feuding groups and proposed unity under a Buchanan-Hock government.
"President Norton is a great Titulian and responsible for the prosperity of many and much of its progress. He is departing that most high office with one objective: to unify the republic under two, historically competing political parties and graciously campaigns for both of these candidates as he does for the issues they represent".
"I arrived towards its concluding months and there were no winners arising out of it and no battles declared won. Most of all it achieved no good for the experiment. Our right to vote as citizens is a serious business. I beseech all do not vote to take Titulia backwards".
Voting continues in the second day of the first round. Stay tuned at the Express for your election coverage!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
BUCHANAN AND HOCK SEAL TICKET
The first full ticket to be declared:
Renee Buchanan & Gregory Hock
McVicker, Wilberforce and Inglis continue to battle it out for support and finalising VP.
The Express has learned from the LRP that Attorney-General Gregory Hock of the Linardist party has joined with Secretary Renee Buchanan as the nominee for vice president of the republic. Secretary Buchanan released a short statement following the announcement.
"I announce that the LRP ticket has a nominee for Vice President. Mr Gregory Hock has served the state as Attorney General in the Norton government and in previous service as President. He has the experience and I'm proud to have him on bored to help me to continue President Norton's record of delivering for Titulia", she said.
Attorney General Hock has yet to release a statement although it's expected he will soon as both he and Secretary Buchanan now take to the campaign as a united team to talk to the Titulian people.
This ticket creates a lot of problems for the other candidates. Former president Dennis McVicker has been the only other of the four declared candidates taking the time to speak to the Titulian people since the opening of nominations. The SDP representative Will Wilberforce joins Commonwealth party candidate James Inglis, who have both been missing in action since the nomination period opened.
Hail to the .... Veep?
Despite all four candidates now having secured the nomination requirement, Secretary Buchanan has been the only nominee to disclose her 'number two' before the end of nominations. The last campaign almost proved fatal to then candidates TJ Norton and Reformer because they failed to announce their vice presidents before the nomination period had ended.
This was a smart move for the LRP contender to avoid her boss's problem last time around. While Buchanan's campaign has gone into overdrive the other candidates haven't even formally hit the stage yet.
Politics on the road to power
Former LRP partner the RNC have reportedly decided not to endorse a candidate this campaign while they work on internal factional cracks between the moderate and right wing branches. Incumbent RNC leader jp9893 is facing a leadership challenge from conservative torch bearer JI. The Committee have not given up on a campaign of misinformation about their former coalition ally and may support SDP's Wilberforce in retaliation.
State of the parties
The Buchanan campaign needs 50.1% at either the first or second round of voting to return the government to Liberty House under its new leadership. Forging this outcome for a leading party requires a 4% edge on its opponents if no other political support comes its way. The SDP could have guaranteed themselves the vice president's spot but it was declined according to reports. Wilberforce's nomination ended the debate on whether the Social Democrats had confidence in the government's return.
A Buchanan win is the more likely at this stage. The RNC's implosion have rendered them disabled in the short to medium term and an SDP split from their government colleagues leaves the question of whether or not they would be happy to work in a Buchanan-Hock government.
One thing's for sure: the remaining three candidates will need to summon their base soon or the temptation to win will shift from gaining first place to three candidates fighting for second. Stay tuned at the Express for your election coverage.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The race is on for Liberty House
For lease: Prime property in the heart of Titulia CityCurrent tenant moving out between Sept 23-26
Minimum 28 day lease
Price: 50.1% of the vote and possibly your soul!
The most coveted job in the republic has gone on the market once again following President TJ Norton's announcement not to seek reelection. Four candidates have nominated so far and it's shaping up fast as a three way race minimum. Infrastructure secretary and LRP presidential candidate Renee Buchanan has so far been the only candidate to meet the minimum to go through to the first ballot.
In an unexpected turn, the SDP have nominated recently re-immigrated and hastily crowned new leader Will Wilberforce who's expected to meet Buchanan in two day's time for the official vote. Other candidates include former president Dennis McVicker and Commonwealth Party leader James Inglis.
With an 88% approval rating soon to be evicted Norton has the highest approval rating of any departing president in the past viewable history of the republic, a 35% jump from when he was handed the keys on the 20th of last month.
Look at the candidates
Will Wilberforce assumed the role of acting leader from outgoing Chief of Staff Reformer soon after his re-immigration. Rumours are circulating in political houses that the move made prior to Norton's announcement was put in place to challenge him if he decided to run again. "Tom [Norton] leaving office makes it easier without having a bloody challenge" said the source on the condition of anonymity fearing retribution.
There are no known position papers from Wilberforce and a long history of resentment to the major opponent's party membership. If political blood is anything to go by a Wilberforce presidency would likely reverse a major of advances in technological exploration and capital funding passed under Norton. As yet neither Mr Wilberforce or Reformer have made a statement on the SDP's candidacy and their agenda.
The last time Titulia heard from Dennis McVicker he was going to eRepublik, another virtual experiment. This is presumed to be his second failed bid to regain the presidency since he left office in November last year. Dennis McVicker has been part of the non territorial nation's political furniture as far back as March 2009 and was the king maker for many of the past leaders Titulia has today.
His once bright future was left in tatters after President Norton (then McVicker's veep) testified against him for ordering he declare the Linardist party membership as terrorists. Come time to choose a new judge on the court, Norton outed McVicker's politicisation of the Matthews nomination in the legislature as retribution for not nominating him, when a detailed history was uncovered between McVicker and Matthews that almost landed the former president in hot water after invading the new Justice's former party.
James Inglis leads the Commonwealth of Titulia party and is another repeat candidate from previous elections. The CoT is the most devolved of political support of top rank parties and hardly any numbers comes the way of the nationalist emphatic. Mr Inglis currently serves as an Editor of the Titulia Post and has held the position on at least two other occasions. It's a high possibility that will remain his job at the end of the election.
What McVicker, Wilberforce and Inglis have in common: no love of the LRP. Their filing for nomination is a loud vote of no confidence in the outgoing government's work.
The street map to power
Late turnout in nomination standingsmake it difficult to tell how the support will fall for now. What we do know is the top three candidates Buchanan, Wilberforce and McVicker have access to strong power bases both in their own right and from political organisations.
The void left by Norton's departure from Titulia's top job was anticipated to create a vacuum in the rooms of power. The minority party support from the RNC is expected to go to McVicker this time around after a fallout with the LRP over the veep impeachment. He is also more likely to secure greater Linardist and Social Democrat support than Buchanan.
That leaves protest ballots flowing to Inglis and a sure expectation of centre left votes for Wilberforce causing all candidates to go on a more dire hunt for support. Like most elections the independent and ex party independent swing vote will be essential although unlikely to become a deciding factor until the second round of voting if no one candidate achieves an absolute majority. That's expected to happen this election.
If you believe in Murphy's Law and the lessons of recent history an emergency third ballot could be needed if the republic is left with a 50/50 deadlock. Laws passed in previous terms have denounced 'seniority' (Article IV, section 4 of the constitution) and called for another ballot after renewed debate in the event of a tie in the final round contingency.
Have prime ministers David Cameron (UK) and Julia Gillard (Australia) taught Titulia something about power brokerage? Stick around to find out over the next few days. Remember to do your duty and cast your vote when the ballot box opens. It's hard to justify complaining if you didn't take part in the original decision in the first place.
Stay tuned here at the Express. Thanks to Todd Richards and Malinda Noble for contributing to this report.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
'Luxis On the Air' features tribute to the Norton government
In his second show on the Titulian air waves, deputy RNC leader and talk show host Luxis Avaram dedicated his Luxis On the Air episode to outgoing President TJ Norton and the work of the government this past term.To watch it the episode click here or right click and save the link to download it (faster).
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Buchanan hits ground running on agenda
Liberal Republican presidential candidate Renee Buchanan has used the last 24 hours to talk with independents, minor parties and party members about the agenda for next term. The outgoing infrastructure secretary and Liberty House hopeful has touted the new web site possibilities and new Government legislation as the 'snapped padlock' Titulia has long called for.
The secretary talked up technology changes that occurred under the LRP led government's watch.
"Let's talk truth about Titulian advancement. The new site technology snaps the padlock to the gate that was locking the republic back in. Admin has relieved that to a point thanks to the new web site", Buchanan said.
She singled out departing President TJ Norton, Arts secretary Alex Pijanowski and Deputy RNC Leader Luxis Avaram for keeping up the efforts and the conversation going on innovation and technology and Double D Construction for its efforts on national web building. Buchanan warned the first stage is complete although it may not see the light of day unless the republic stepped up to the plate to embrace it.
"The missing link is innovation. We have to innovate as an e state to go through the door. This government has broken down the barriers but the citizens need to go on through for it to succeed".
Outgoing President Norton, expected to head the department of infrastructure in the anticipated Buchanan Government has denied past assertions that the talk has died over past months.
"There's no doubt the new Titulia website architecture alone has renewed a certain vigour in the innovation debate. We pushed that during this administration and the succeeding government has no choice but to take the reins with the same emphasis if it wants to prevent a stall. There's an old saying 'easier to keep an existing fire going than start a new one' ", the president warned.
Norton renewed Avaram's call that public-private engagement is essential and it needs to be led both ways top-down and within the grassroots of the republic.
"If it has dropped that's a lack of past government direction and sending confusing or mixed signals. I can't comment how our predecessors thought or approached the subject because I wasn't in their strategy meetings to say - but the slow take up of leadership on innovation is a concern".
The Liberal Republican Party, Republican National Committee, Department of the Arts and Double D Construction have been the most active infrastructure builders, however the Norton LRP led government has been the first to take advantage of the existing Titulia architecture to deliver.
Secretary Buchanan called potential opponents to come out and talk about their plans to move the republic forward and take it ahead.
"This government has a plan, it's been well received", she said.
"We have guaranteed the people their senate and can deliver it soon after Admin brings in the required additions so the government can program what it needs to and give it life. I stand today and commit to the President's guarantee to deliver and the same will apply to a government under my leadership".
"I invite anyone who stands to challenge the government's record of success to speak up and commit to the same. This is a team effort and it will need a team who can do it".
The secretary talked up technology changes that occurred under the LRP led government's watch.
"Let's talk truth about Titulian advancement. The new site technology snaps the padlock to the gate that was locking the republic back in. Admin has relieved that to a point thanks to the new web site", Buchanan said.
She singled out departing President TJ Norton, Arts secretary Alex Pijanowski and Deputy RNC Leader Luxis Avaram for keeping up the efforts and the conversation going on innovation and technology and Double D Construction for its efforts on national web building. Buchanan warned the first stage is complete although it may not see the light of day unless the republic stepped up to the plate to embrace it.
"The missing link is innovation. We have to innovate as an e state to go through the door. This government has broken down the barriers but the citizens need to go on through for it to succeed".
Outgoing President Norton, expected to head the department of infrastructure in the anticipated Buchanan Government has denied past assertions that the talk has died over past months.
"There's no doubt the new Titulia website architecture alone has renewed a certain vigour in the innovation debate. We pushed that during this administration and the succeeding government has no choice but to take the reins with the same emphasis if it wants to prevent a stall. There's an old saying 'easier to keep an existing fire going than start a new one' ", the president warned.
Norton renewed Avaram's call that public-private engagement is essential and it needs to be led both ways top-down and within the grassroots of the republic.
"If it has dropped that's a lack of past government direction and sending confusing or mixed signals. I can't comment how our predecessors thought or approached the subject because I wasn't in their strategy meetings to say - but the slow take up of leadership on innovation is a concern".
The Liberal Republican Party, Republican National Committee, Department of the Arts and Double D Construction have been the most active infrastructure builders, however the Norton LRP led government has been the first to take advantage of the existing Titulia architecture to deliver.
Secretary Buchanan called potential opponents to come out and talk about their plans to move the republic forward and take it ahead.
"This government has a plan, it's been well received", she said.
"We have guaranteed the people their senate and can deliver it soon after Admin brings in the required additions so the government can program what it needs to and give it life. I stand today and commit to the President's guarantee to deliver and the same will apply to a government under my leadership".
"I invite anyone who stands to challenge the government's record of success to speak up and commit to the same. This is a team effort and it will need a team who can do it".
Monday, September 13, 2010
Buchanan nominated to succeed Norton: SDP gets VP
The Liberal Republican Party (LRP) have nominated incumbent Government secretary Renee Buchanan to represent them at the September 17 presidential elections.Party president Reg Ambrose has supported Buchanan's preselection as the 'right choice' to follow on from a successful LRP led term in office under departing president TJ Norton.
"Renee answered the call to take on an important role in this government and this carries on from that initial call", Ambrose said.
"I don't plan on making any changes to cabinet other than the jobs they do. One of these people have been nominated for Vice President and it would be great if they accept", said the LRP nominee in her public address to the web nation on Sunday afternoon.
All three of the outgoing chief executive's confidants are members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). That makes an SDP vice president a done deal in a future Buchanan government.... providing the nominee accepts.
Outgoing president Norton has accepted a future role in an elected Buchanan government, filling the presidential hopeful's current role as secretary for infrastructure. Secretary Buchanan has added the role of development to the job description. This is a tentative and ground breaking move that would require legislative permission and ADMIN acceptance to transfer the president's web maintenance powers over to a cabinet secretary.
The leadership of former coalition party, the Republican National Committee, has praised the outgoing government leader in a statement on its RNC Daily website.
"We respect President Norton's personal decision not to seek re-election. He has served our nation well and thank him for doing so. He has worked hard for Titulia and for unity, and we commend him for that. Despite partisan differences, we wish Mr Norton a bright future and thank him for his service".
LRP party secretary Malinda Noble commended Norton for achieving its first term in government.
"You get used to being in opposition after a while and it's great that we were able to showcase what the LRP is all about. Tom did that for us and we're thankful to have had him", she said.
President of the LRP Reg Ambrose singled out SDP members in the executive administration as 'praiseworthy' for helping the president deliver on the agenda.
"It's said that the organisation is only as good as the team players. This was a team without fault from start to finish and I look forward to its reelection in full".
Political movement has been quiet on the public front. President Norton is expected to leave office with an 85% approval rating, a 32% bump from the 53% he won at the August election in taking office. Private polling among citizens has the government with a minimum 70% shot at re-election, based on LRP, SDP and other support accumulated from the potential ticket.
Stay here at the Express for prime election coverage on the September presidential elections.
"Renee answered the call to take on an important role in this government and this carries on from that initial call", Ambrose said.
"I don't plan on making any changes to cabinet other than the jobs they do. One of these people have been nominated for Vice President and it would be great if they accept", said the LRP nominee in her public address to the web nation on Sunday afternoon.
All three of the outgoing chief executive's confidants are members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). That makes an SDP vice president a done deal in a future Buchanan government.... providing the nominee accepts.
Outgoing president Norton has accepted a future role in an elected Buchanan government, filling the presidential hopeful's current role as secretary for infrastructure. Secretary Buchanan has added the role of development to the job description. This is a tentative and ground breaking move that would require legislative permission and ADMIN acceptance to transfer the president's web maintenance powers over to a cabinet secretary.
The leadership of former coalition party, the Republican National Committee, has praised the outgoing government leader in a statement on its RNC Daily website.
"We respect President Norton's personal decision not to seek re-election. He has served our nation well and thank him for doing so. He has worked hard for Titulia and for unity, and we commend him for that. Despite partisan differences, we wish Mr Norton a bright future and thank him for his service".
LRP party secretary Malinda Noble commended Norton for achieving its first term in government.
"You get used to being in opposition after a while and it's great that we were able to showcase what the LRP is all about. Tom did that for us and we're thankful to have had him", she said.
President of the LRP Reg Ambrose singled out SDP members in the executive administration as 'praiseworthy' for helping the president deliver on the agenda.
"It's said that the organisation is only as good as the team players. This was a team without fault from start to finish and I look forward to its reelection in full".
Political movement has been quiet on the public front. President Norton is expected to leave office with an 85% approval rating, a 32% bump from the 53% he won at the August election in taking office. Private polling among citizens has the government with a minimum 70% shot at re-election, based on LRP, SDP and other support accumulated from the potential ticket.
Stay here at the Express for prime election coverage on the September presidential elections.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
LRP meets to decide Norton's successor
Late last night Titulian President TJ Norton (LRP) notified the republic of his intention not to seek a second term in office. This decision has sent shock waves throughout the political movement but so far nothing but support for the president's decision.
Liberal Republican Party secretary Malinda Noble has consulted leader Reg Ambrose and a meeting has been called to decide who the party will support in its bid to retain Liberty House. Party sources say they are positive about retaining government at the next election, slotted to be called as early as September 17 Australian time.
The party remained tight-lipped about possible contenders, but there's no secret that Infrastructure Secretary Renee Buchanan (LRP) is a favourite to continue President Norton's work.
Walking into the meeting LRP members commented about the qualities Ms Buchanan could bring to Titulia.
"She (Buchanan) has been able to work with the 'unity' government and was the key player in keeping the republic's national web sites up and running" said LRP secretary Noble.
On the crucial issue of achieving political support, members boasted Buchanan carried a few bonuses in contrast to Norton.
"Renee has a presence that can work for the state's advantage. She's not an extreme activist and is in a better position to work with people that the president has a history with" said party conference delegate Todd Richards.
Acting conference secretary Christopher Hoyt said Buchanan's biggest plus was being a part of the LRP led government minus the 'baggage'.
"I respect Tom (Norton) but there was always the issue of Titulian baggage that almost cost us the election first time around. Renee carries a light sack compared to Tom", Hoyt said.
Whoever the party decided upon, leader Reg Ambrose said the next election was less about Norton and more about the LRP's record of success.
"The LRP now has a strong record in government by leading a national housing initiative to give citizens a helping hand to take residence in the city of Titulia, protecting the long term future of our national infrastructure and unlocked the door to a trade economy with a bright future" says Ambrose.
Delegate Richards agreed adding Titulia needs the same direction Norton set to go forward.
"We can't afford to take Titulia back to the old days. It's essential the Liberal Republican Party is returned to Liberty House at the polls".
Stay here at the Express as the race for the presidency goes into overdrive.
Liberal Republican Party secretary Malinda Noble has consulted leader Reg Ambrose and a meeting has been called to decide who the party will support in its bid to retain Liberty House. Party sources say they are positive about retaining government at the next election, slotted to be called as early as September 17 Australian time.
The party remained tight-lipped about possible contenders, but there's no secret that Infrastructure Secretary Renee Buchanan (LRP) is a favourite to continue President Norton's work.
Walking into the meeting LRP members commented about the qualities Ms Buchanan could bring to Titulia.
"She (Buchanan) has been able to work with the 'unity' government and was the key player in keeping the republic's national web sites up and running" said LRP secretary Noble.
On the crucial issue of achieving political support, members boasted Buchanan carried a few bonuses in contrast to Norton.
"Renee has a presence that can work for the state's advantage. She's not an extreme activist and is in a better position to work with people that the president has a history with" said party conference delegate Todd Richards.
Acting conference secretary Christopher Hoyt said Buchanan's biggest plus was being a part of the LRP led government minus the 'baggage'.
"I respect Tom (Norton) but there was always the issue of Titulian baggage that almost cost us the election first time around. Renee carries a light sack compared to Tom", Hoyt said.
Whoever the party decided upon, leader Reg Ambrose said the next election was less about Norton and more about the LRP's record of success.
"The LRP now has a strong record in government by leading a national housing initiative to give citizens a helping hand to take residence in the city of Titulia, protecting the long term future of our national infrastructure and unlocked the door to a trade economy with a bright future" says Ambrose.
Delegate Richards agreed adding Titulia needs the same direction Norton set to go forward.
"We can't afford to take Titulia back to the old days. It's essential the Liberal Republican Party is returned to Liberty House at the polls".
Stay here at the Express as the race for the presidency goes into overdrive.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Liberty House 'good will' efforts reach fork in the road
The Norton Government faces it's first major hurdle since taking office: the Matthews confirmation. Currently at 8-7 against it was expected to be a close call. The RNC's previous endorsement has been lost to what many senior LRP figures refer to as 'sour grapes' over the Merry VP impeachment and every Linardist is expected to vote down the Liberal Republican lawyer.
President Norton softened up the ground by re-nominating Chief Justice Colonel who was named a proven shareholder and key member in the controversial East Titulia Company. Colonel presided over the Carmody case prosecuted by fellow company board member William D. Money, a biased and retaliatory act earning the ire and scorn from the LRP and swinging independents. This was the former LRP president's final call in deciding to quit Titulia.
Rumours are circulating like wildfire of a possible alliance rekindling between the RNC and Linardist parties out of spite against the Norton Government. Days after Norton's unexpected victory, impeached president and former RNC leader Julian published a chat between him and Linardist president William D. Money that detailed how the conservative achieved the support he needed to form a government.
Last night's chat with senior LRP members revealed no shock to the contents of the transcript. What did come out was the revelation of how Julian went out of his way to destroy his former moderate colleague [TJ Norton] and use his Linardist counterpart to back it.
LRP secretary Malinda Noble likened the political orchestration to nuclear warfare and state declaration to possess weapons of mass destruction.
"There's a reason why it was called M.A.D. and not just what it stood for. The Republicans are led by teenagers, barely out of high school trying to take on an real, accomplished politician. Each day that passes confirms our decision to do away with them as just" she said.
The Titulia Express asked the president to comment on the question of reelection and the political ramifications since the coalition split and the RNC held veep impeachment.
"I am committed to staying the course to keep politics out of it as much as I can. These are issues for the voters at the ballot box" he said.
Asking if he would officially declare his intention to seek a second term, Liberty House's current tenant answered with artful care compared to more open hints the past few days.
"My ability to maintain the confidence of the Titulian people is carried by a continuation of good will between the parties, the independent citizens - really - the entire nation. If the good will is not returned then I'll look at that come time of the election period".
"Right now I'm fully focused on tending to the business of the nation and staying true to my constitutional obligations. I have done that since my first day on the job .. in this house of the people where liberty and freedom must reign. I will continue to do that until I have lost the confidence of my fellow citizens to provide a good government that represents them - all citizens".
Stay here at the Express for updates on Liberty House as President Norton enters his last full week in office before the next election period.
President Norton softened up the ground by re-nominating Chief Justice Colonel who was named a proven shareholder and key member in the controversial East Titulia Company. Colonel presided over the Carmody case prosecuted by fellow company board member William D. Money, a biased and retaliatory act earning the ire and scorn from the LRP and swinging independents. This was the former LRP president's final call in deciding to quit Titulia.
Rumours are circulating like wildfire of a possible alliance rekindling between the RNC and Linardist parties out of spite against the Norton Government. Days after Norton's unexpected victory, impeached president and former RNC leader Julian published a chat between him and Linardist president William D. Money that detailed how the conservative achieved the support he needed to form a government.
Last night's chat with senior LRP members revealed no shock to the contents of the transcript. What did come out was the revelation of how Julian went out of his way to destroy his former moderate colleague [TJ Norton] and use his Linardist counterpart to back it.
LRP secretary Malinda Noble likened the political orchestration to nuclear warfare and state declaration to possess weapons of mass destruction.
"There's a reason why it was called M.A.D. and not just what it stood for. The Republicans are led by teenagers, barely out of high school trying to take on an real, accomplished politician. Each day that passes confirms our decision to do away with them as just" she said.
The Titulia Express asked the president to comment on the question of reelection and the political ramifications since the coalition split and the RNC held veep impeachment.
"I am committed to staying the course to keep politics out of it as much as I can. These are issues for the voters at the ballot box" he said.
Asking if he would officially declare his intention to seek a second term, Liberty House's current tenant answered with artful care compared to more open hints the past few days.
"My ability to maintain the confidence of the Titulian people is carried by a continuation of good will between the parties, the independent citizens - really - the entire nation. If the good will is not returned then I'll look at that come time of the election period".
"Right now I'm fully focused on tending to the business of the nation and staying true to my constitutional obligations. I have done that since my first day on the job .. in this house of the people where liberty and freedom must reign. I will continue to do that until I have lost the confidence of my fellow citizens to provide a good government that represents them - all citizens".
Stay here at the Express for updates on Liberty House as President Norton enters his last full week in office before the next election period.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Exclusive with the LRP: politics, the RNC and more
(Transcript)
Tonight we're joined by LRP president Reg Ambrose, secretary Malinda Noble and delegates Todd Richards and Cara Dellahunty discussing President TJ Norton's first term in office, the cut coalition with the RNC, re-election, politics and more. I'm John Baxter and I'll be the moderator this evening.
'evening patriots.
Mod: Reg let's start with you. How do you rate the president's first term overall?
RegA: a very sturdy President in a tough job and achieved great things with the housing act and cabinet.
Mod: Do you agree with the president's choices for cabinet and the court?
RegA: the President I think chose the best he could from the people available. Most have worked well together but I wouldn't say all.
Mod: Care to name names?
RegA: it's obvious at this point isn't it?
Mod: Sure.
Mod: I want to get into the RNC situation. The LRP voted last week to toss the coalition with the RNC. How has the reaction been and what if any impact for the government's future do you think it might have?
RegA: Quiet. The RNC have been trashing the government and the party for weeks and they let it all hang out in their newspapers. What the more irrational factions thought of the coalition that is. I don't see much negative impact for the government's reelection chances.
Mod: Switching over to Malinda Noble. Let's go back to the last presidential election. How many RNC members ended up backing the joint ticket?
Malinda: There's no math in the vote tally that says we got a net gain thanks to them. Julian put up a front story that RNC members had trouble with their citizen accounts and couldn't sign in but as people can see no problem with them working to keep the veep in office. Not much honesty from the RNC and one of many reasons they proved they were only interested in power and using the LRP to get it.
Mod: So are you saying the RNC's 'support' didn't translate into election action?
Malinda: They wrote some articles supporting the coalition candidates but it was like pulling teeth from beginning to end. The only time they got up off the bench was when the cracks started to form and we told them so. As for voting it looks like the RNC supported Reformer or they purposely abstained there's no way looking at the final numbers the usual RNC voters backed our tally.
Mod: Isn't that democracy in action?
Malinda: Of course but when you give your support to someone and then work behind closed doors to defeat the ticket that's isn't democracy it's lying. Lie after lie from the RNC corridors and LRP members like Chris Hoyt found out it was only a tactic.
Mod: What do you mean by "a tactic"?
MalNoble: The coalition between the LRP and RNC worked on rotations.
Mod: Right.
Malinda: The next in line for the presidential candidacy was the RNC.
Mod: Are you saying that they were playing out for their next chance?
Malinda: It couldn't be ruled out. When Owen was running for president the RNC was bulk mailing the LRP membership roll every day like paranoid schizophrenics begging us 'make sure you vote for Owen we need LRP support'. Where was that kind of support for Tom at the last election? I never saw a single message.
Mod: Todd Richards you've done most of the LRP's electoral strategy for the past couple of terms since the candidacy of former party president Leah Carmody. What's your opinion of the RNC split on numbers?
Todd: As Malinda pointed out there's a cloud hanging over how much support the President had from the RNC to start with. Let's say the amount of RNC vote for him was +/- 3 votes that even so seems unlikely.
The work put in and the cross party appeal built from TJ's moderate leadership can only make it a gross gain overall. The other issue is if the RNC would back another candidate who could launch a serious challenge to the President. Most of the major names are in the current government.
I can't tell what's occurred within but it looks like the big players are content, if not happy, sticking with TJ for another term.
Mod: How likely is that for real?
Todd: It's always hard to say. The government has built tremendous good will this term and there's a lot of Titulians that are hungry for the new senate legislature. Other suggestions might have good intentions but this government has solid policy, the good will to negotiate and has what it takes to make the senate happen.
Mod: Hypothetically, what's your view on policy shift if a change in administration?
Todd: If for some reason the sitting team is defeated it reverses all of that work and make for a lame duck government from day one. The rise in activity will certainly drop further and the good will developed under this president will evaporate.
Mod: Cara thanks for holding. You're probably the most right leaning in the LRP. What do you take from the RNC's actions over the last month?
Cara: They asked the vice president to dance to an election he wasn't suited for. He made no effort to campaign and the very few public comments he made when he was in office must have made the reform agenda very difficult. My hat off to Tom and our own Renee Buchanan for putting up with it. I would have resigned.
Mod: Reg. Shortly into this term former RNC president Julian released a chat with Linardist president William Money that revealed how the electoral strategy came together for Julian to seize power. What did you think of it?
RegA: I didn't read a whole lot of it, most of what I did read only confirmed things thought already. My opinion doesn't matter a whole lot.
Mod: I'm asking.
RegA: Linardist support and RNC support is the same. It comes at a price. Tom called it right that Julian knew the price of doing political business and as it happened the RNC didn't want to pay. It's either hypocritical or ill conceived to think you can come back weeks later and renegotiate a done deal when you signed on to an original agreement that no longer exists.
Mod: I didn't come into it until later on. Did the Linardist-RNC deal revelation contribute to axing the RNC coalition?
RegA: I can't say if it did or not. The party room made it clear on numerous occasions it didn't think as one mind when it came to the RNC. In the end it did more damage to Julian's credibility than it did for Bill's. The man was looking out for his party and that's all a party president's job is to be its representative and negotiate its case.
Following on from what Todd said earlier, there is a question mark over what amount of good faith existed in the RNC toward the LRP and if the chat clarified anything it was Julian's opinion of the president. One of many reasons we couldn't go on with them.
Mod: Does it change relations with the Linardist Party?
RegA: We exist together in the same state politic as the two largest political parties. In the end the LRP and the Linardist caucuses are large blocs that contribute to the fate of the government and legislative propositions. It's naive to ignore the status quo.
The LRP, I think, came to an unspoken consensus some time before my leadership to keep its distance. Unlike the RNC the LRP polity respects a position even when it doesn't fall our way. We don't have to like it but we accept it.
Likewise even if the Linardist don't like the LRP they also keep their distance in the status quo and accept that we're not prepared to pay like Julian did.
Mod: How does that add up from an electoral standpoint compared to the RNC?
RegA: If Todd's analysis holds up it proves that we can form government without the RNC. The RNC has to coalition or at least achieve large, secondary bloc party support to form a government or gain a large independent following equivalent. The latter is not likely.
Mod: One last thing. James Matthews for Associate Justice. Need I say more?
Malinda: The president said it himself but I'll give it my touch. You can't have someone doing a professional job who has no experience in the job. James is an outstanding Solicitor and is the only credible choice that could have been made.
Reg: Agreed with everyone else supporting Jim. He's a talented lawyer with a bright future ahead of him. Titulia needs that experience on the Court and I'm ecstatic in my support of the nomination.
Cara: Some people need to keep past political dramas out of their decision. The court will never be balanced if the usual mates rates names make it on there every vacancy. It needs diversity to be credible. This is about who has a proven service to Titulia on law and James has proven himself more than once.
Todd: if James isn't confirmed many will ask about Titulia's future and how serious people actually are about it. TJ was spot on about it. You wouldn't send people like librarians to perform brain surgery or doctors to sew clothes. Experienced lawyers belong in the legal profession and when there's a court vacancy put the best on it.
Mod: Thanks to all.
Tonight we're joined by LRP president Reg Ambrose, secretary Malinda Noble and delegates Todd Richards and Cara Dellahunty discussing President TJ Norton's first term in office, the cut coalition with the RNC, re-election, politics and more. I'm John Baxter and I'll be the moderator this evening.
'evening patriots.
Mod: Reg let's start with you. How do you rate the president's first term overall?
RegA: a very sturdy President in a tough job and achieved great things with the housing act and cabinet.
Mod: Do you agree with the president's choices for cabinet and the court?
RegA: the President I think chose the best he could from the people available. Most have worked well together but I wouldn't say all.
Mod: Care to name names?
RegA: it's obvious at this point isn't it?
Mod: Sure.
Mod: I want to get into the RNC situation. The LRP voted last week to toss the coalition with the RNC. How has the reaction been and what if any impact for the government's future do you think it might have?
RegA: Quiet. The RNC have been trashing the government and the party for weeks and they let it all hang out in their newspapers. What the more irrational factions thought of the coalition that is. I don't see much negative impact for the government's reelection chances.
Mod: Switching over to Malinda Noble. Let's go back to the last presidential election. How many RNC members ended up backing the joint ticket?
Malinda: There's no math in the vote tally that says we got a net gain thanks to them. Julian put up a front story that RNC members had trouble with their citizen accounts and couldn't sign in but as people can see no problem with them working to keep the veep in office. Not much honesty from the RNC and one of many reasons they proved they were only interested in power and using the LRP to get it.
Mod: So are you saying the RNC's 'support' didn't translate into election action?
Malinda: They wrote some articles supporting the coalition candidates but it was like pulling teeth from beginning to end. The only time they got up off the bench was when the cracks started to form and we told them so. As for voting it looks like the RNC supported Reformer or they purposely abstained there's no way looking at the final numbers the usual RNC voters backed our tally.
Mod: Isn't that democracy in action?
Malinda: Of course but when you give your support to someone and then work behind closed doors to defeat the ticket that's isn't democracy it's lying. Lie after lie from the RNC corridors and LRP members like Chris Hoyt found out it was only a tactic.
Mod: What do you mean by "a tactic"?
MalNoble: The coalition between the LRP and RNC worked on rotations.
Mod: Right.
Malinda: The next in line for the presidential candidacy was the RNC.
Mod: Are you saying that they were playing out for their next chance?
Malinda: It couldn't be ruled out. When Owen was running for president the RNC was bulk mailing the LRP membership roll every day like paranoid schizophrenics begging us 'make sure you vote for Owen we need LRP support'. Where was that kind of support for Tom at the last election? I never saw a single message.
Mod: Todd Richards you've done most of the LRP's electoral strategy for the past couple of terms since the candidacy of former party president Leah Carmody. What's your opinion of the RNC split on numbers?
Todd: As Malinda pointed out there's a cloud hanging over how much support the President had from the RNC to start with. Let's say the amount of RNC vote for him was +/- 3 votes that even so seems unlikely.
The work put in and the cross party appeal built from TJ's moderate leadership can only make it a gross gain overall. The other issue is if the RNC would back another candidate who could launch a serious challenge to the President. Most of the major names are in the current government.
I can't tell what's occurred within but it looks like the big players are content, if not happy, sticking with TJ for another term.
Mod: How likely is that for real?
Todd: It's always hard to say. The government has built tremendous good will this term and there's a lot of Titulians that are hungry for the new senate legislature. Other suggestions might have good intentions but this government has solid policy, the good will to negotiate and has what it takes to make the senate happen.
Mod: Hypothetically, what's your view on policy shift if a change in administration?
Todd: If for some reason the sitting team is defeated it reverses all of that work and make for a lame duck government from day one. The rise in activity will certainly drop further and the good will developed under this president will evaporate.
Mod: Cara thanks for holding. You're probably the most right leaning in the LRP. What do you take from the RNC's actions over the last month?
Cara: They asked the vice president to dance to an election he wasn't suited for. He made no effort to campaign and the very few public comments he made when he was in office must have made the reform agenda very difficult. My hat off to Tom and our own Renee Buchanan for putting up with it. I would have resigned.
Mod: Reg. Shortly into this term former RNC president Julian released a chat with Linardist president William Money that revealed how the electoral strategy came together for Julian to seize power. What did you think of it?
RegA: I didn't read a whole lot of it, most of what I did read only confirmed things thought already. My opinion doesn't matter a whole lot.
Mod: I'm asking.
RegA: Linardist support and RNC support is the same. It comes at a price. Tom called it right that Julian knew the price of doing political business and as it happened the RNC didn't want to pay. It's either hypocritical or ill conceived to think you can come back weeks later and renegotiate a done deal when you signed on to an original agreement that no longer exists.
Mod: I didn't come into it until later on. Did the Linardist-RNC deal revelation contribute to axing the RNC coalition?
RegA: I can't say if it did or not. The party room made it clear on numerous occasions it didn't think as one mind when it came to the RNC. In the end it did more damage to Julian's credibility than it did for Bill's. The man was looking out for his party and that's all a party president's job is to be its representative and negotiate its case.
Following on from what Todd said earlier, there is a question mark over what amount of good faith existed in the RNC toward the LRP and if the chat clarified anything it was Julian's opinion of the president. One of many reasons we couldn't go on with them.
Mod: Does it change relations with the Linardist Party?
RegA: We exist together in the same state politic as the two largest political parties. In the end the LRP and the Linardist caucuses are large blocs that contribute to the fate of the government and legislative propositions. It's naive to ignore the status quo.
The LRP, I think, came to an unspoken consensus some time before my leadership to keep its distance. Unlike the RNC the LRP polity respects a position even when it doesn't fall our way. We don't have to like it but we accept it.
Likewise even if the Linardist don't like the LRP they also keep their distance in the status quo and accept that we're not prepared to pay like Julian did.
Mod: How does that add up from an electoral standpoint compared to the RNC?
RegA: If Todd's analysis holds up it proves that we can form government without the RNC. The RNC has to coalition or at least achieve large, secondary bloc party support to form a government or gain a large independent following equivalent. The latter is not likely.
Mod: One last thing. James Matthews for Associate Justice. Need I say more?
Malinda: The president said it himself but I'll give it my touch. You can't have someone doing a professional job who has no experience in the job. James is an outstanding Solicitor and is the only credible choice that could have been made.
Reg: Agreed with everyone else supporting Jim. He's a talented lawyer with a bright future ahead of him. Titulia needs that experience on the Court and I'm ecstatic in my support of the nomination.
Cara: Some people need to keep past political dramas out of their decision. The court will never be balanced if the usual mates rates names make it on there every vacancy. It needs diversity to be credible. This is about who has a proven service to Titulia on law and James has proven himself more than once.
Todd: if James isn't confirmed many will ask about Titulia's future and how serious people actually are about it. TJ was spot on about it. You wouldn't send people like librarians to perform brain surgery or doctors to sew clothes. Experienced lawyers belong in the legal profession and when there's a court vacancy put the best on it.
Mod: Thanks to all.
EXPRESS GETS IT'S SWING BACK
The Titulia Express will resume publishing as of today. Apologies to it's previous readership.
-Ed.
-Ed.
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