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So as you all probably know, I did not detail my platform in my first article and I'm sure this seemed very odd, but I wanted to be able to give you all a good feeling as to who I am. This article on the President's responsibilities, his communications and cooperation with Congress and with the American people, I feel is one of me the most important parts of my platform and is why I am presenting it first.

In the past few months we have seen a president completely out of touch with Congress, or at least that is how Congress painted the picture (accurately). I will not fault Sam for this break in communications and I'm sure this sounds cliche, but you have no idea how much work he had to do. I say this not to absolve him, but instead because it is the bare honest truth. I expect to be just as busy, if not busier, if elected. Given this expectation, and not knowing fully how overloaded I will be, I have already selected who I wish to be in my cabinet, (as well as back up options in case my first choice). (Although, some new positions have yet to be filled.) This being said, I have a few additions to my cabinet that, I hope, will keep all communications between Congress and my office, as well as, the American people and myself, open and free

Congressional Communications
If elected to the office of President of the United States, I vow to maintain better communications between Congress and my office and cabinet.

To do this, I am going to request that the Speaker of the House make a sub-forum for this committee. Five congressmen with at least two terms of experience, will be selected to sit on this committee. Four members of my cabinet and my Vice President (Ian John Locke IV) will make up another five members and its sole purpose will to keep congress completely in the fold of everything we are thinking, planning and doing.

During President Justinious' term, there was a form that he filled out every time he transferred any amount of money from the treasury to an organization. I plan to use this same idea and allow all congressmen the ability to view it. Some may argue that the American people should be able to view this as well, and frankly I agree with that, but Ian John Locke IV as well as others have pointed out that this could become a national security issue. If PEACE can track all our funds and keep statistics they can know when we are at our most vulnerable, fiscally, as a country, and that is frankly a chance we cannot afford to take.

Likewise, I will keep a complete spreadsheet of all military expenditures which will detail the amount of money spent, by whom and on what.

Many in the military are aware that the US Quarter Master General (QMG) will traverse the world looking for cheap weapons for American fighters. Believe it or not, beyond the money it costs to purchase these weapons there is money being spent on moving tickets. Not only does this allow one less slot in the inventory of those organizations, but it costs us extra money we do not need to spend. Why not work with Atlantis countries by sending them the money to purchase the weapons for us and have them donate the weapons to us? This would, ostensibly, save us money and keep more tax payers' money in Fort Knox, where it belongs.

American Public Communications
As all of you know, every citizen is limited to 30 messages in their inbox at any one time unless they purchase the package from the admins for real life money. Given these restrictions, I am going to create a form that will be linked in the beginning and end of every one of my articles and my cabinet's articles so that any American can contact me with the option of being anonymous. Providing your name will allow me to contact you directly, if you do choose to contact me anonymously, the only way for me to answer your qualm would be through my next newspaper article. I say this not to try to scare you into providing your name, just making sure you know how you will be answered, if I am elected. I also plan to keep up to date with the American public's opinion by reading as many articles per day as I can spare the time for.

There is a position in my cabinet formerly held by Uncle Sam under President Justinious known as Minister of Public Relations. Given Ian John Locke IV's experience in this position, I would normally have nominated him, but he is going to be too busy keeping my cabinet in shape for me, so we have created a new position for this. The person who we have chosen to lead this department as well as the rest of my cabinet will be detailed in a later article. (Once I figured out who that is. 😛)

Presidential Responsibilities
Even after my long service in both the US National Guard and USMC, I am no military genius. Neither is my Vice Presidential pick. Given this clear short coming on our part, we have planned to create a War Tactics Council. This committee will work with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to convey to both myself and the American people, in layman's terms, how a military operation may take place. For this council we will be taking applications from the American public, which includes Congress and anyone serving currently in the US Armed Forces.

The JCS will be given almost complete autonomy over the military with only two requests from my office:
1) Keep me updated on our Armed Forces status'
2) Keep them active and alive

In Closing
Most of these committees and councils mentioned above will publish their own articles. I may write short discourses in my articles but the dissemination of information to the public will be their job.

Likewise, I would like to end this article with one thing:
Government loses its meaning when the institutions, that it has created, lose sight of what they were created for.

This goes for every single member of my cabinet, each of the committees and councils and most especially Congress. Yes we were elected by you, the People, to lead but once elected we need to keep our ear to the ground to hear what you want.

Goals outlined in this article
1) Congressional Communications Committee : 5 Congress + 4 Cabinet members + VP = WIN.
2) Keep track of tax payers' money.
3) Cut spending on moving tickets. Increase Atlantis cooperation outside of war.
4) Open Communications with the American Public.
5) Acknowledge what I can and cannot do and gather counselors to aid me in my short-comings.
6) Take responsibility for what I do and decide to do.

VOX POPULI
Nathan Woods
Ian John Locke IV
April 5 2009



Articles to Read and Vote up
Entering the Race
Ian's Intro