Grosseschnauzer
TNPer
My fellow citizens of The North Pacific:
My Candidacy for the Security Council:
During the last election campaign, I emphasized the importance that the Security Council plays in assuring the security of our region as a democracy under the rule of law. As I said at that time:
If there was any uncertainty as to the proper role of the Security Council in our region, and that this role serves an important purpose, the events of this week demonstrate that necessity without any question. I am seeking re-election to the Security Council to continue my service in working with the other Council members on behalf of the Regional Assembly to watch out for their interests in meeting any future challenges to the safety and security of The North Pacific, whether from inside or outside. But that announcement is not the only reason I come before my fellow citizens of The North Pacific.
My candidacy for Prime Minister:
During the last campaign, I was asked whether I had given any thought to another run through the Cabinet or the Court. At that time, I noted that being able to serve in the elected offices or the Court for a full term requires being able to safely make a commitment that I would be able to fulfill those duties for an entire term because I wasn’t about to accept a responsibility through an election or confirmation and then "disappear" or resign, never to be heard from for the remainder of the term. but I stated that when I thought the circumstances are right, I'd consider another campaign for one of the elected offices.
I believe that moment has arrived. I am a candidate for Prime Minister of The North Pacific. Recent developments have persuaded me that this is the better course for me, and in turn, will be a better course for The North Pacific. I believe in the rule of law and the protections they give each of us in this region.
I am, without the slightest doubt, a Constitutionalist. I believe that preventing the abrogation of our hard-earned and hard-sought democracy, whether from within or without, will serve the best interests of every one of us who believe in democratic government. I do not believe that to fix minor problems, we need to engage in major surgery that could, through inadvertence, threaten our system of government which protects the fundamental rights of our citizens through their participation in the government, whether in the North Pacific Army, the diplomatic corps, the Regional Assembly, the Courts, or by holding office in the elected Cabinet administration.
I am also concerned about the threats to our region from without as evidenced by the events of this week. Having served on the Security Council from the time it was first elected, I am well aware of the threats that seem to arise every election season from rouge nations seeking to make an end-run towards the Delegacy of The North Pacific. I am cognizant as anyone of the peculiar behavior of the Lexiconians and their allies, and the threat to our region they have presented and still present.
This is not a time for rash action or rash re-action, given recent events. This is the time to proceed with care, respectful of the rights and liberties we cherish, and within the Constitutional system we have in place. This is the time not to engage in rash adventurism that is contrary to our tradition of non-interference in the affairs of other regions, especially the feeders. I have never believed that warmongering is a part of the TNP tradition, and I do not support the call one of my opponents has made that we start wars for the fun of it. That is not the TNP way.
Interregional affairs
This is the time to continue the process of welcoming formal relations with all of the feeders as well as founded regions throughout Nationstates. It is with regret that the recent summit held here in The North Pacific was a squandered opportunity to lay a solid foundation of communication between all of the feeders. But in all honesty, the treaty that was presented to the Regional Assembly earlier this week did not justify the effort of putting a summit together. Assuring access to our forums for citizens of other feeder regions has never been an issue here, and I do not see what barriers exist that would have prevented the reciprocal exchange of embassies with each of the participants at the summit and that required a summit to produce a treaty. Even if one were assume that a treaty was necessary, the lack of communication and preparation that preceded the submission of the treaty to the Regional Assembly was an error.
Had there been discussions with the Regional Assembly before a treaty was finalized, some of the concerns that the members of the RA have expressed this week could have been addressed, and the final treaty could have been a much improved product. As it is, there is so much ambiguity in the submitted document that I am unable to support this specific document.
Defense and Intelligence
Do not mistake my position on that treaty to mean that I do not support relations with all of the feeders. I do support such efforts. As to the Lexicon, however, that is a different matter. The events of this week clearly demonstrate the need for strengthen our defense and our intelligence capacities. I will support the efforts of the next Minister of Defense and The North Pacific Army to strengthen their forces. I will support the North Pacific Intelligence Agency in any efforts it may have to increase its capacity. I will endeavor to keep the Security Council better and fully informed of any matters that concern the security of the region. If it turns out that member nations of The North Pacific colluded with the Lexicon in their recent adventure against our region, I will support the next Attorney General to seek swift prosecution and trial in accordance with our Constitution and Legal Code.
Constitutional change
In recent months, there are those who have complained that our Constitution and government are too complicated. They have sought to limit the role of the Regional Assembly and its members in our government, have chosen to ignore standing law of the region for the sake of political advantage and expediency, and have sought to change our system into something other than what it is.
Democracy, by its nature, is messy. That is the price we pay to protect the right to govern ourselves rather than to have others govern for us. Democracy by its very nature, is not simple. It takes dedication and hard work on the part of all of us to make it work the way it should. Democracy, by its nature, requires commitment – to fulfill our roles as citizens and and the elected and appointed officials of our citizenry.
While I do not oppose the current effort within the Regional Assembly that seeks to editorially reconcile the text of the Constitution, I will not support any substantive change in any part of the Constitution as a part of that effort. Any change in the substance of the Constitution needs to be done separately and considered independently. Deferring substantive change for separate consideration will speed up the proposals for editioral reformatting.
Judicial change
There have been complaints concerning the speed of trials, focusing on the current procedures used by the Court to empanel juries. I agree with the majority that voted against the wholesale abolition of the jury system. Jury participation is an essential part of the check and balance system that prevents the biased application of the legal system. I am receptive to concrete, incremental proposals to adapt the criminal system based on the experience the Court has sustained. I welcome the imput of the Court, and the next Attorney General, in these discussions, and I will ask the Court for its imput on this issue if I am elected as Prime Minister.
The Ministry of Immigration and Internal Affairs
I am also concerned about the problems that have existed with the Ministry of Immigration and Internal Affairs in its ongoing inability to verify the continued eligibility of the members of the Regional Assembly on an ongoing basis. It is clear to me that something has to be done. I will ask the Regional Assembly to review existing law on this matter with a view towards legislation to remove any perceived barriers to a continuous monitoring system concerning RA eligibility, and to permit the Speaker, or other Ministries, to supplement the MIIA in this role. If other changes are required in that Ministry as a result of recent events, I will promptly request enactment of such changes.
The Ministries of Culture and Education and Arts and Entertainment
Finally, there has been extended discussion about changes in the Ministries that comprise our Cabinet. While I have not endorsed any particular proposal, I do not favor a widespread change. I believe the Ministry of Communication, and the Ministry of Immigration and Internal Affairs, do not require consolidation with any other Ministry. As to the Ministry of Culture and Education, and the Ministry of Arts and Entertainment, I am open to suggestions as to what can be done.
I will note the following. First, there should be discussion as to what functions in these two Ministries should be part of the Government, and what part of those function would be better served as part of the forum administration.
Second, I fully support the realization of a University. In his earlier term as Prime Minister, Flemingovia had proposed the establishment of such an institution. I fully supported the idea then, and I still do. If elected, I will promptly appoint a commission of leading citizens to formulate a concrete plan to organize and operate such an institution in The North Pacific. I believe it is an excellent mechanism by which we can attract others to become fully engaged as citizens in The North Pacific, and to foster improved relations with other regions throughout Nationstates. It would be my firm goal to have the University formally established and operating by the end of my term of office.
Leadership
I believe strongly in collaborative leadership, that is, to provide a sense of direction and to work with my elected colleagues who you chose to comprise the next Cabinet. I will work with them to fulfill their separate responsibilities in their Ministries, and the responsibility the next Cabinet will share to uphold and enforce the Constitution and the laws of The North Pacific.
What I seek to do is to continue to build upon what has been accomplished by those who have served in the Cabinet and to meet the challenges we, as The North Pacific, face today and tomorrow; to assure the continuity of our society, and to assure a strong and vibrant region into the future.
I ask you all to join me in this effort in the name of the people of The North Pacific. I ask for your support for my election to another term as a member of the Security Council and for your support for my election as your Prime Minister.
Thank you for your interest, and I welcome any questions.
My Candidacy for the Security Council:
During the last election campaign, I emphasized the importance that the Security Council plays in assuring the security of our region as a democracy under the rule of law. As I said at that time:
If there was any uncertainty as to the proper role of the Security Council in our region, and that this role serves an important purpose, the events of this week demonstrate that necessity without any question. I am seeking re-election to the Security Council to continue my service in working with the other Council members on behalf of the Regional Assembly to watch out for their interests in meeting any future challenges to the safety and security of The North Pacific, whether from inside or outside. But that announcement is not the only reason I come before my fellow citizens of The North Pacific.
My candidacy for Prime Minister:
During the last campaign, I was asked whether I had given any thought to another run through the Cabinet or the Court. At that time, I noted that being able to serve in the elected offices or the Court for a full term requires being able to safely make a commitment that I would be able to fulfill those duties for an entire term because I wasn’t about to accept a responsibility through an election or confirmation and then "disappear" or resign, never to be heard from for the remainder of the term. but I stated that when I thought the circumstances are right, I'd consider another campaign for one of the elected offices.
I believe that moment has arrived. I am a candidate for Prime Minister of The North Pacific. Recent developments have persuaded me that this is the better course for me, and in turn, will be a better course for The North Pacific. I believe in the rule of law and the protections they give each of us in this region.
I am, without the slightest doubt, a Constitutionalist. I believe that preventing the abrogation of our hard-earned and hard-sought democracy, whether from within or without, will serve the best interests of every one of us who believe in democratic government. I do not believe that to fix minor problems, we need to engage in major surgery that could, through inadvertence, threaten our system of government which protects the fundamental rights of our citizens through their participation in the government, whether in the North Pacific Army, the diplomatic corps, the Regional Assembly, the Courts, or by holding office in the elected Cabinet administration.
I am also concerned about the threats to our region from without as evidenced by the events of this week. Having served on the Security Council from the time it was first elected, I am well aware of the threats that seem to arise every election season from rouge nations seeking to make an end-run towards the Delegacy of The North Pacific. I am cognizant as anyone of the peculiar behavior of the Lexiconians and their allies, and the threat to our region they have presented and still present.
This is not a time for rash action or rash re-action, given recent events. This is the time to proceed with care, respectful of the rights and liberties we cherish, and within the Constitutional system we have in place. This is the time not to engage in rash adventurism that is contrary to our tradition of non-interference in the affairs of other regions, especially the feeders. I have never believed that warmongering is a part of the TNP tradition, and I do not support the call one of my opponents has made that we start wars for the fun of it. That is not the TNP way.
Interregional affairs
This is the time to continue the process of welcoming formal relations with all of the feeders as well as founded regions throughout Nationstates. It is with regret that the recent summit held here in The North Pacific was a squandered opportunity to lay a solid foundation of communication between all of the feeders. But in all honesty, the treaty that was presented to the Regional Assembly earlier this week did not justify the effort of putting a summit together. Assuring access to our forums for citizens of other feeder regions has never been an issue here, and I do not see what barriers exist that would have prevented the reciprocal exchange of embassies with each of the participants at the summit and that required a summit to produce a treaty. Even if one were assume that a treaty was necessary, the lack of communication and preparation that preceded the submission of the treaty to the Regional Assembly was an error.
Had there been discussions with the Regional Assembly before a treaty was finalized, some of the concerns that the members of the RA have expressed this week could have been addressed, and the final treaty could have been a much improved product. As it is, there is so much ambiguity in the submitted document that I am unable to support this specific document.
Defense and Intelligence
Do not mistake my position on that treaty to mean that I do not support relations with all of the feeders. I do support such efforts. As to the Lexicon, however, that is a different matter. The events of this week clearly demonstrate the need for strengthen our defense and our intelligence capacities. I will support the efforts of the next Minister of Defense and The North Pacific Army to strengthen their forces. I will support the North Pacific Intelligence Agency in any efforts it may have to increase its capacity. I will endeavor to keep the Security Council better and fully informed of any matters that concern the security of the region. If it turns out that member nations of The North Pacific colluded with the Lexicon in their recent adventure against our region, I will support the next Attorney General to seek swift prosecution and trial in accordance with our Constitution and Legal Code.
Constitutional change
In recent months, there are those who have complained that our Constitution and government are too complicated. They have sought to limit the role of the Regional Assembly and its members in our government, have chosen to ignore standing law of the region for the sake of political advantage and expediency, and have sought to change our system into something other than what it is.
Democracy, by its nature, is messy. That is the price we pay to protect the right to govern ourselves rather than to have others govern for us. Democracy by its very nature, is not simple. It takes dedication and hard work on the part of all of us to make it work the way it should. Democracy, by its nature, requires commitment – to fulfill our roles as citizens and and the elected and appointed officials of our citizenry.
While I do not oppose the current effort within the Regional Assembly that seeks to editorially reconcile the text of the Constitution, I will not support any substantive change in any part of the Constitution as a part of that effort. Any change in the substance of the Constitution needs to be done separately and considered independently. Deferring substantive change for separate consideration will speed up the proposals for editioral reformatting.
Judicial change
There have been complaints concerning the speed of trials, focusing on the current procedures used by the Court to empanel juries. I agree with the majority that voted against the wholesale abolition of the jury system. Jury participation is an essential part of the check and balance system that prevents the biased application of the legal system. I am receptive to concrete, incremental proposals to adapt the criminal system based on the experience the Court has sustained. I welcome the imput of the Court, and the next Attorney General, in these discussions, and I will ask the Court for its imput on this issue if I am elected as Prime Minister.
The Ministry of Immigration and Internal Affairs
I am also concerned about the problems that have existed with the Ministry of Immigration and Internal Affairs in its ongoing inability to verify the continued eligibility of the members of the Regional Assembly on an ongoing basis. It is clear to me that something has to be done. I will ask the Regional Assembly to review existing law on this matter with a view towards legislation to remove any perceived barriers to a continuous monitoring system concerning RA eligibility, and to permit the Speaker, or other Ministries, to supplement the MIIA in this role. If other changes are required in that Ministry as a result of recent events, I will promptly request enactment of such changes.
The Ministries of Culture and Education and Arts and Entertainment
Finally, there has been extended discussion about changes in the Ministries that comprise our Cabinet. While I have not endorsed any particular proposal, I do not favor a widespread change. I believe the Ministry of Communication, and the Ministry of Immigration and Internal Affairs, do not require consolidation with any other Ministry. As to the Ministry of Culture and Education, and the Ministry of Arts and Entertainment, I am open to suggestions as to what can be done.
I will note the following. First, there should be discussion as to what functions in these two Ministries should be part of the Government, and what part of those function would be better served as part of the forum administration.
Second, I fully support the realization of a University. In his earlier term as Prime Minister, Flemingovia had proposed the establishment of such an institution. I fully supported the idea then, and I still do. If elected, I will promptly appoint a commission of leading citizens to formulate a concrete plan to organize and operate such an institution in The North Pacific. I believe it is an excellent mechanism by which we can attract others to become fully engaged as citizens in The North Pacific, and to foster improved relations with other regions throughout Nationstates. It would be my firm goal to have the University formally established and operating by the end of my term of office.
Leadership
I believe strongly in collaborative leadership, that is, to provide a sense of direction and to work with my elected colleagues who you chose to comprise the next Cabinet. I will work with them to fulfill their separate responsibilities in their Ministries, and the responsibility the next Cabinet will share to uphold and enforce the Constitution and the laws of The North Pacific.
What I seek to do is to continue to build upon what has been accomplished by those who have served in the Cabinet and to meet the challenges we, as The North Pacific, face today and tomorrow; to assure the continuity of our society, and to assure a strong and vibrant region into the future.
I ask you all to join me in this effort in the name of the people of The North Pacific. I ask for your support for my election to another term as a member of the Security Council and for your support for my election as your Prime Minister.
Thank you for your interest, and I welcome any questions.
You fail. 
(Since its after midnight, its her birthday!)
