Join the new world

For the many friends I’ve made all over the world in eRepublik since the beginning of this year and the many citizens who’ve asked for my help, I am as happy now to help as I’ve ever been and it never gets old for me to help our newer citizens. For those who do not know me, let me introduce myself.

As the war wound down and I took one last look at the James S. Brady Press Room, faithfully providing White House Press Releases as eUSA’s Secretary of Media throughout the entire war and throughout the last 5 consecutive administrations going all the way back to President scrabman’s second term, I handed the reins of the Media Department over to Rheinlander von Phalz. I still serve in the Presidential Cabinet in President Josh Frost’s administration, making it 6 consecutive months that I’ve been in the Presidential Cabinet, as eUSA’s Secretary of Interior, responsible for overseeing many of the most important programs for eUS citizens. The Department of Interior is divided into the Department of Citizens’ Affairs, directed by St Krems, to provide new eUS citizens food for their first days for all who ask for it through the Meals on Wheels program, the Welcoming Committee to help new citizens become oriented to life in eUSA, providing moving tickets for citizens who want to move to a Q5 hospital region to improve their wellness and increase their ability to fight for the defense of eUSA and our allies, and the REACH program to advertize eUSA to the real world to attract more new citizens to eUSA and eRepublik. There is also the Department of Education, directed by James Strife, to issue publications for citizens to learn how to do everything from finding a good job to getting the most battle damage for your money and keeping high wellness, the North American University providing in-depth courses for citizens who want to learn more, keeping the world informed about the history of eUSA through the wiki project, and the Mentor Program which pairs newer players together with experienced “mentors” to help them become productive, knowledgeable citizens more quickly.

My political career in eRepublik has come full circle and I now come back to where I started. I served my first term in Congress as senator of the Narragansett State and I am happy to announce that I’ve come back for the quahogs and the walks on the Cliff Walk along the edge of Newport that I’ve always loved. It’s a little too cold to swim at Easton Beach at this time of year but, as I land at Green Airport, I look forward to the drive to my favorite summer getaway, taking in the sounds of the foaming waves that crash against the shore by The Breakers. I’ve been senator in the big states of New York and Florida, but now I’ve come back home to bring my experience back to Rhode Island as I ask for your vote for congress this November 25th.

My Platform
If you go back over the many months that I have been around, you’ll see that my message has always remained the same. My platform, therefore, has remained thorough, yet simple at the same time:

1. Taxes. No one likes the word “taxes” but, in eRepublik, taxes are the only way the government can operate. Without taxes, no new citizens can come into the country. The President and congresspersons do not make any money whatsoever from the taxes that are levied on our citizens. Taxes pay for new citizen fees, currently at 5 USD for every new citizen - this does not come from eRepublik; this comes directly from the treasury of eUSA, which comes from taxes. The wealthier citizens who work in eUSA and the companies that sell products in eUSA (both foreign and domestic) provide taxes which go to funding programs such as Meals on Wheels and the Flying Unicorn Squad for new citizens as well as providing our military with weapons and moving tickets to be able to have an effective military. With this in mind, my stance on taxes is that we need to have a tax system that adequately funds our military and an emergency reserve for eUSA (in the event that we are attacked) without stunting the growth of new citizens by overtaxing them. I have always worked for an environment in which citizens can grow in whatever way they want to - military, politically, in business or as an employee.

2. Trade. As both an employee and an employer, I have seen the impact of trade policies on our economy. I have always believed that we should keep the prices of raw materials low because the finished goods companies need the raw materials to create their products. Expensive raw materials leads to expensive finished goods and lower wages because the companies are less able to profit due to high supply costs. Keeping raw material prices low by keeping trade barriers down will in turn give us inexpensive food, weapons and moving tickets while still being able to keep decent wages for employees (which in turn means more revenue through taxes, better ability for citizens to buy weapons and higher quality food, gifts and housing). As far as other nations go, we need to encourage other nations to lower trade barriers so that our companies can compete fairly in their markets just as we open our markets to them. We and our allies alike can benefit from good trade policies and, if a country participates in the erection of prohibitive trade barriers, we should not allow them to sell in our markets and drive our companies out of business. We’ll play fair, but our trading partners need to play fair as well and we must remain vigilant. We can have a strong economy along with our trading partners, but I will not stand for weakening our economy for the benefit of nations who persist in the proliferation of unfair trade practices.

3. Controversial Issues. There are many votes which are clear-cut and require little debate, such as keeping the money moving so that our society can function. Other topics are not as clear-cut and for those, just as I have done in the past, I will present the data and ask for the opinions of my constituents so that my vote in congress represents the wishes of those who put me in office. If you want someone who says thank you the day after they are elected and you never hear from them again until the next election, then vote for someone else. If you want a representative who will keep you involved in the process and taking the time to poll their constituents as well as working all the way through their term, then I will do this just as I have done during each of my previous terms in Congress.

4. Fun. Why else would someone be elected to Congress in eRepublik? We don’t vote for real-life tax and trade policies which affect your well-being. In eRepublik, what we vote for directly affects your ability to have FUN! For every vote that goes through Congress, just as I have always done, I will read through and/or participate in every debate that gets put up for vote, I will ask my constituents for opinions on controversial topics and will ask the question before every vote I cast: “Will this make most people’s experience in eUSA more fun?” If the answer is yes, so will be my vote. If the answer is no, then I will be voting against it. After all, I am here for your benefit, to do all that I can to make eUSA the most fun place in eRepublik!

Feel free to PM me for any questions you have either in-game or in eUS forums. I am also on IRC late at night in #uslibs2 as well as #uswpchat and #mjdivchat. Rhode Island, if you agree with my point of view and want someone who will respond to you and represent your potential ability to have fun, then I ask you to send me back to Congress by pushing the Libertarian button and voting for mjdiv on November 25th (day 736). And as I’ve always said (and remind myself to do each time I log in), have fun and enjoy another day in eRepublik!