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My fellow eAmericans, want to formally announce that I am running for Congress again, to represent the great Commonwealth of Virginia.

UPDATE: I have been endorsed by the AAP, USWP, Libs, Feds, Bull Moose Party, and CvP!

I'm running again because I believe I have the experience to do the job well, dedication to do the job day in and day out, knowledge of the role's limits to set and achieve good goals for another month.

Experience

I've been playing this game for over nine months now. I’m a Home Guard Officer, I’ve served as chair of the Foreign Relations Advisory Committee, a member of the AAP's Round Table and Congressional Elections Committee, I have served as Undersecretary of State for PEACE relations, as a department of developing regions staffer, as Ambassador to eRussia, and I am a sitting, four term Senator. I am well regarded by my peers and have always done well congressional evaluations, earning high ratings.

I’ve seen multiple world wars, and I've seen this country transform through combat into the global behemoth we are now. I'm a pragmatist. I know our strengths and I know our weaknesses and I know that keeping an eye on our money and who has control over it is the best way to keep people honest.

Dedication

I am absolutely committed to making this country stronger.

I have seven hard worker medals, because I care about our economy and about the businesses that make this country great. I've only missed two days of work in my entire eLife, and I once went so far as to track down a stranger with an iPhone at the Kentucky Derby to make sure I got my work and training in for the day. Interestingly, while many people had iPhones, far fewer were willing to hand them to some stranger so he could "two click".

I’m a business owner and a philanthropist. I have donated hundreds of guns to our soldiers and citizens and will continue to do so.

I respond to every message or citizenship request I receive, and do so thoroughly. Ask any of the numerous new citizens I've approved about their background checks. No one is sneaking into the eUS on my watch, but true patriots should always be welcomed back as quickly as possible.

I post often and substantively on the national forums, military forums, and the forums of own party, the AAP. I try to contribute to our national debate and help steer this country in the right direction.

The Role of a Senator

While we run from office from various reasons, once the election is over we assume the duties of a national legislature. This is critical. I'm not going to promise to bring Q5's or any other pork to Virginia, not because I don't love my state, but because I don't think it would be good for the nation.

I’ve been working hard for several terms to try to improve the way congress operates, and I’ve managed, with help, to get a code of laws passed, and in the coming term I’d like to improve and refine the constitution that was passed into law during the summer.

The Congress is a body with limited authority that is primarily economic in nature. While we can vote on foreign policy proposals from the president such as declarations of war, treaties, embargoes, etc., a congressman can propose that we:

1. Change the New Citizen Fee

Despite its name, this is not a fee charged to new citizens. It is actually a sum of the local currency that new players are automatically given from the national treasury when they start the game. We currently err on the side of keeping this low and giving people access to resources like the mentorship program, our re-vamped meals on wheels program which I continue to support, and other new player support systems in an effort to keep from giving too much of our nation's funds to players who will eventually quit. Attrition is probably our number one obstacle to attaining superpower status and until we have truly overcome it, I support keeping this fee low.

2. Donate from the National Treasury

This is arguably the most important power of Congress, particularly during war time. By keeping our tax revenues in national organizations we are able to use them more flexibly and can shield them from loss should our enemies conquer one of our regions. Under the brilliant leadership and organizational skills of our Congressional Whip, Astra Kat G we have done this in an orderly fashion. This sort of nuts and bolts bureaucracy isn't sexy, but it's what keeps the tanks running and the dollar stable.

3. Issue Local Currency for Gold

Most countries attempt to regulate their monetary market by always maintaining a standard offer of local currency for gold. This can be costly in terms of opportunity costs, but keeping the dollar strong and stable is critical to our nation's economy and I support the work being done by the excellent folks at the economic counsel and CBO.

4. Change the Various Tax Rates

I firmly believe that this country has different tax needs during different situations. I supported raising taxes during the invasion to quickly build up resources for our military, and as things have become more manageable, I have supported gradually stepping down the tax rates. One exception to this is my support for the slight increase of the VAT on food. We have some of the lowest global food prices in the eWorld, and when the economic counsel says that a tax will raise revenue without hurting production, I'm pretty likely to support it.

5. Change the Minimum Wage

The minimum wage is the lowest wage general managers can set for their employees. There is often discussion of raising the minimum wage, but given the rapid rate of wage increases once skill level is above 1-2 and the relatively quick movement of active players beyond those skill levels, I dont support raising the minimum wage only to have a large number of those dollars sit, unused, in the accounts of people who quit the game before really becoming a part of things.

6. Impeach the Current President

Impeaching the current president in favor of the candidate who received the second highest number of votes is a terrible decision to have to make, but one that I have had to make before to bring President Gaius Julius to power and one that I am capable of making again if the situation warrants it.

Beyond these proposals the Congress authorizes various expenditures and the creation of new programs. This is a power that the Congress is still growing into, and our ability to create powerful organizations and initiatives is something that will need to be explored carefully in the coming months.

And so . . .

I sincerely hope to be able to continue to represent my people and serve my country in the Congress. Please post any comments or questions and I'll respond as quickly as possible.

I’d sincerely appreciate your votes in the coming election as I have appreciated your support in the past months. Hopefully you’ll let me continue to serve you for another month.