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eLadies and eGentlemen,

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

I believe I'm the best man for the job for a variety of reasons but ultimately it comes down to experience, dedication, and a good grasp of what, exactly, a Senator's role should is.

Experience

I've been playing this game for over nine months now. I'm the chair of the Foreign Relations Advisory Committee, a member of the AAP's Round Table and Congressional Elections Committee, I've been a proud member of the home guard for nearly six months, 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, three term Senator. In a recent poll of my colleagues in the Senate on the most effective and active Senators I received the second highest rating, and in AstraKat's congressional Scorecard I was one of only four Senators to receive an A grade.

I was a citizen before the last great war, and I've sen this country transform through combat into the lean, mean, mighty force we are today. 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 six 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 own two businesses, and while I had to close my raw materials company in Tennessee due to occupation, I kept my weapons company running behind enemy lines, providing good jobs and wages for american citizens even when I couldn't sell any of my products since I refused to arm the enemy. I continue to operate eWeapons, and have donated hundreds of guns to the war effort.

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, particularly in the military and congressional forums, contributing to our national debate and trying to 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.

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. Currently the largest non-proposal related debate is the amount and location of infrastructure to purchase once we've expelled our invaders. This article is already long and that debate is lengthy, so that will have to wait for another article; in a nutshell my position is that California is our natural fortress state, followed by Florida, and perhaps one or two other states if our population grows sufficiently and that infrastructure can be defended.

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. One other housekeeping note, my Chief of Staff, Willisen, has left the nest and is running for Congress in Mississippi! If you're a Mississippian, please give him your support.

Vote Evan for Virginia. Vote Evan for America!