John Warner/Rosa Harris (Progressive Party of Kylistan (PPK)): 35%
Scott Pyne/Sandra Bryant (Conservative Party of Kylistan (CPK)): 22%
George Lee/Ron Jackson (Kylistani National Front (KNF)):15%
John Paul/Susan Jones (Libertarian Party of Kylistan (LPK)): 10%
Joe Matthews/Michael McGovern (Kylistani Socialist Party (KSP)): 2%
Undecided: 16%
Scott Pyne/Sandra Bryant (Conservative Party of Kylistan (CPK)): 22%
George Lee/Ron Jackson (Kylistani National Front (KNF)):15%
John Paul/Susan Jones (Libertarian Party of Kylistan (LPK)): 10%
Joe Matthews/Michael McGovern (Kylistani Socialist Party (KSP)): 2%
Undecided: 16%
The 16% of undecided voters is where you guys get to help determine who the next President of Kylistan will be. Your votes will count as those of the undecided voters. Internal polling may fluctuate as well over the course of Election Day depending on stock market trends, voter turnout, and other factors within Kylistan, so those numbers are by no means set in stone. Voting will remain open from 2/6/16 (12:45am EST) until 2/8/16 (12:45am EST) with four real hours being equivalent to one Kylistan hour.
To view candidate interviews, campaign analysis, and other articles published prior to the start of the election please reference the The Union Daily.
If a candidate fails to win at least 40% of the vote with a 10% victory margin in the first round, a second round will be held which will include the two candidates receiving the most votes in the first round.
Feel free to post who you will be supporting but be sure to vote in the poll at the top of the thread as well. Thank you for your participation!
For the candidates' policies see below. The list of policies is deliberately long, so please don't feel compelled to read everything. Read only about the issues that are important to you:
John Warner/Rosa Harris (Progressive Party):
Bio: John Warner (53) is the current President of Kylistan, the 2014 Progressive Vice Presidential Nominee, and the former Governor of Harrisburg (a key swing state). After winning last election by less than a percentage point, Warner has successfully implemented his vision for a new Kylistan reducing income inequality from 10:1 to a nonissue and drastically improving Kylistan’s environmental beauty. Still, despite implementing progressive economic reforms, Warner has maintained a reputation as a moderate showing a more conservative streak on affirmative action, gun rights, and minority issues among many others. Rosa Harris (49) is has served as Vice President under Warner and is a former Senator from El Entrada. She is widely popular within liberal circles and helps Warner expand his appeal to minority and female voters.
Military: We have acted on our campaign promises from last year to reduce military spending and use savings to expand the social safety net. Current military spending levels (26%-28%) are more than enough to keep us safe from foreign aggression.
Environment: We have made great progress at increasing Kylistan’s environmental beauty over the past year. However, the job is not done! The government should continue to expand environmental regulation to fight global climate change. Spending on the environment should be slightly increased (5%-6%).
Education: We have built off of President Kerry’s educational policies to further boost our public education system. Our children are some of the most intelligent in the region. We should maintain current spending and continue to explore initiatives that will ensure low income families can afford college (17%-20%).
Foreign Relations: Kylistan has been blessed with an extended period of peace, and the government must do all it can to ensure that peace is maintained. While military intervention may be necessary in extenuating circumstances, diplomacy should always be the first option.
Terrorism/Crime: The Warner Administration has been tough on terror over the past year, and we will continue to protect our nation from the threat of foreign and domestic terrorism. Spending on law enforcement should be maintained (24%-26%) in order to ensure that our law enforcement officials have the resources necessary to fight terrorism.
Gay Marriage: Marriage is a right that all Kylistani citizens, regardless of sexual orientation, should be able to enjoy. There is no reason to turn back on a decision that expanded equality and ended discrimination.
Abortion: Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare. A woman’s right to choose should be protected in the first and second trimesters.
Healthcare: A National Healthcare System is a critical aspect of an socially advanced nation. We have made great strides to improve health in Kylistan and the government should increase healthcare spending again (12%-14%) to better fund such a system.
Police-Minority Relations: Our nation must never turn its back on our policemen. They keep us safe, and a Warner Administration will continue to stand with them as we have done in the past.
Capital Punishment: Criminal justice should focus on rehabilitation as opposed to punishment, but capital punishment should remain on the table for judges in murder cases.
Taxes: Taxes should be kept at current levels (38-43%) in order to continue to fund social programs, the NHS (National Healthcare Service), and public transportation initiatives.
Immigration: We should secure our borders in order to protect economic opportunity for working class Kylistani citizens. Unions are strongly opposed to illegal immigration because new workers selling their labor for prices under the minimum wage undermines the strength of unions in our economic system, and a Warner Administration would continue to stand with our unions. With that being said, illegal immigrants already in the country should have a path to citizenship.
Gun Control: The Warner Administration has demonstrated and will continue to demonstrate a commitment to protecting the right to bear arms. Background checks and restrictions on certain types of arms are necessary, but the right to bear arms should remain subject to limited regulation.
Key Message: Income inequality has been all but eliminated in Kylistan, economic indicators remain strong, and economic opportunity is at an all-time high. We must stay on the path to a future in which every single citizen of Kylistan has an equal opportunity to succeed in life.
Scott Pyne/Sandra Bryant (Conservative Party):
Bio: Scott Pyne (32) is the Governor of Jackson. He is widely popular in his home state, and he is considered a pragmatic conservative by most Kylistani political commentators, much closer to the center of the political spectrum than last year’s CPK nominee. Sandra Bryant (50) is a successful business woman in Kylistan’s information technology sector. Bryant is a true centrist holding conservative positions on defense and the economy, but holding much more liberal views on social issues and the environment. Despite her disagreements on some issues with Pyne, she has agreed to be his runningmate.
Military: It is essential that Kylistan maintains a strong military and an even stronger national defense in order to protect its interests at home and abroad. The only way Kylistan can ensure peace is through strength. Military spending should be slightly raised (30%-33%).
Environment: If there is one area where President Warner has done a decent job, it is on the environment. He has greatly improved Kylistan’s environmental beauty through regulation and incentivizing eco-friendliness, but his proposals this election cycle would go too far. It is important that Kylistan regulates the environment only to the extent that it does not begin to become detrimental to the nation’s standard of living. We should maintain President Warner’s current policies and protect our national parks, but be careful about going too far. Spending should be maintained (3%-4%).
Education:Despite throwing money at a problem, President Warner has only had minimal success at improving our education system. We spend the most per student on education in the region, yet we still don’t produce great results. Public education is the foundation of a successful nation and we must remain committed to our public education system, but Kylistan must adopt policies that control teachers unions and explore expanding school choice. Spending should be maintained at current levels (16%-17%).
Foreign Relations: Kylistan must maintain an active approach to foreign affairs in order to ensure that its allies and interests are protected. Kylistan was blessed with the necessary resources to become a key regional power, and it has a duty to use its great capacity to help those in poverty and oppression around the region.
Terrorism: While terrorism hasn’t struck Kylistan in nearly a year, it is still important that proper safety measures are taken in order to ensure the safety of the Kylistani people. The Kylistani Intelligence Agency must be given the powers necessary to effectively prevent terrorism, and law and order spending should be maintained at current levels (25%-28%).
Gay Marriage: The freedom of any citizen of Kylistan to marry the person they love should be protected. President Kerry’s decision to legalize same sex marriage is one completely coherent with CPK’s values.
Abortion: Abortion should be illegal except in the cases of rape, incest, and life of the mother. It’s important respect be shown for both sides of this contentious debate, but Kylistan’s current policies should continue to be enforced moving forward.
Healthcare: Similar to the issue of education, President Warner seems to think he can solve this nation’s problems simply by throwing money at them. Kylistan should continue to offer universal healthcare to its citizens, but only basic care. Private insurance companies should then be allowed to sell insurance that goes beyond basic care. Warner has increased the role of government too much in dealing with healthcare and spending should be reduced (5%-7%).
Police-Minority Relations: Our police put their lives on the line every day to serve our country. They deserve proper respect, and a Pyne Administration would always stand by our police officers.
Capital Punishment: Capital punishment should be an option for judges when certain heinous crimes are committed.
Taxes: Taxes have more than doubled since President Warner took office! An average income tax rate of 42% is ridiculous. We need to cut taxes across the board, reduce our national debt, and privatize government run industry to promote wage growth. The fact that 20% of Kylistani industry is now run by the government is ridiculous. Warner took office with that number at 0%! Taxes should be as low as possible while maintaining a balanced budget. The average income tax should be slashed (20%-25%).
Immigration: We need to secure our borders to prevent illegal immigration, but also open up opportunities for more legal immigration. Current illegal immigrants residing in the country should be presented with some sort of path to citizenship, but only after the border has been secured.
Gun Control: Outside of common sense mental health background checks and maintaining our current ban on automatic weapons, further gun control is not needed. Our current policies are more than sufficient to protect public safety, and further regulations would border on restricting the fundamental right to own a weapon.
Key Message: Wage growth is stagnant, tax rates are oppressive, and spending is out of control. President Warner promised you centrism last election, but his tax hikes and government takeover of industry sure seem more characteristic of a tax and spend liberal. Free market policies have led to great economic growth in Kylistan, and by once again unleashing the power of the free market, we will achieve economic growth and put our nation back on the path to prosperity.
George Lee/Ron Jackson (National Front):
Bio: George Lee (64) and Ron Jackson (68) are two prominent leaders of the fast rising political party known as the Kylistani National Front. Neither has held elected office before, and both are former officers in the Kylistani Army. Both have experience running national campaigns as they were the KNF nominees for president and vice president last year. Despite a disappointing 2015 performance, Lee and Jackson are back running on the same platform experiencing much more success in a different political climate.
Military: Providing a strong military is by far the most important measure that can be taken by the government. Kylistan must be an unmatched military power and spending should be increased further (43%-45%).
Environment: Economic growth, military might, and maintaining the traditional Kylistani identity are much more important than adapting our way of life to questionable science. Spending on the environment should be eliminated (0%).
Education: General public education should be targeted at producing good soldiers rather than scholars. Public schools should be used to implant the idea of Kylistani exceptionalism and military greatness into the minds of children. Spending should be maintained (17%).
Foreign Relations: Kylistan’s foreign policy should be one of expansion. It is Kylistan’s destiny to create an unrivaled empire with its exceptional military might.
Terrorism: An enormous police presence and limited civil liberties will assure the lack of terrorism and crime in Kylistan. Law and order spending should be increased to (35%-37%).
Gay Marriage: Homosexuality is a psychological disorder, and it should be treated as such. Gays have no place in Kylistan and should be expelled from the country when discovered.
Abortion: Abortion can be a useful tool in demographic control. It should be legal in all circumstances for any nonwhite Kylistani woman. For whites, abortion should be illegal in any circumstance and those caught providing an illegal abortion should be executed.
Healthcare: Government should run the healthcare system providing superior care to those of the higher political and social status. Overall funding should be slightly increased (5%).
Police-Minority Relations: We must stand with our law enforcement officials at all times. These minority protesters have no reason to fill our streets and are a disturbance to our national activities. They should either get out of the way or be treated properly with tear gas, beatings, and jailings.
Capital Punishment: We need to bring back the guillotine! Capital punishment should be widely applied to crimes both violent and nonviolent. There should be no toleration for criminal behavior, no matter how insignificant the crime may be.
Taxes: In order to fund the state’s heavy involvement in the economy and great military spending, taxes should be kept around 60% for most citizens with some variations based on race, religion, and social class.
Immigration: This issue is of utmost importance as nonwhite immigrants pose a threat to our customs, traditions, values, and most importantly, our identity. Not only must we secure our borders, but we must put an end to all nonwhite immigration, legal or illegal. Preserve our traditional identity!
Gun Control: Guns are tied to the traditional Kylistani identity. Gun rights should be protected at so this identity can flourish.
Key Message: The Kylistani identity is under threat by an influx of nonwhite immigrants, and President Warner has weakened ability to control our borders. It is Kylistan’s duty to protect its traditional identity and build an empire across the region. Kylistan’s military strength must be unmatched and greatness achieved. Law and order must be maintained at all costs.
John Paul/Susan Jones (Libertarian Party):
Bio: John Paul (80) is a former Senator from Washington and the 2014 and 2015 Libertarian Party Presidential nominee. He is well known throughout Kylistan for his commitment to small government and staunch opposition to the neo-conservatism that he claims is present in both the Conservative and Progressive Parties. Susan Jones (38) is the Mayor of Nelsonville and was the 2014 Libertarian Party Vice Presidential nominee. This is the third time her and Paul have teamed up looking to build off of their success in “Election 2015”.
Military: Kylistan must maintain a strong national defense, but military spending is currently out of control. Money is blindly thrown into the civilian bureaucracy working in the Hexagon. Money should be spent more productively, and spending should be significantly cut (18%-20%).
Environment: It is not the role of national government to actively engage in regulation of industry. Instead those who pollute the environment should be held responsible by property owners for any damages they create. Funding for the environment should be eliminated (0%).
Education: Public education is an essential component of our education system however it should be funded mostly at the state level and “school choice” initiatives should be actively explored (5%).
Foreign Relations: Kylistan has often times found itself too quick to enter conflicts that it has no business in being involved in. The Kylistani government must use tariffs only in extenuating circumstances and return to a mostly free trade policy. It is also essential that Kylistan recognizes that its military is not the “world police” and should be used sparingly. Kylistan must fix its problems at home before looking to fix problems abroad.
Terrorism: The civil liberties of Kylistani citizens have been violated by the past two administrations. Kylistan needs a massive funding cut in law and order spending (15%-18%), and the powers of the Kylistan Intelligence Agency (KIA) must be scaled back significantly especially domestically.
Gay Marriage: The government needs to stay out marriage entirely. It makes no sense for the government to regulate the definition of what should be a private institution.
Abortion: The right to have an abortion should be protected through the first trimester of pregnancy in all cases, and for rape, incest, or life of the mother after that.
Healthcare: It isn’t the role of the government to break Kylistan’s healthcare system. All healthcare funding should be abolished at the national level with states reserving the right to set up their own healthcare policies should they choose.
Police-Minority Relations: This issue is best handled at a state and local level.
Capital Punishment: Capital punishment is an issue best handled by state governments.
Taxes: The national income tax should be abolished. By greatly reducing spending, a balanced budget could still be achieved with funding from corporation taxes and a national sales tax on non-essential items.
Immigration: Part of having a truly free market is having open borders. If immigrants are willing to come to Kylistan and sell their labor at a cost below market value, then the government should do its best to stay out of the way and let the free market take its course.
Gun Control: The right to bear arms must not be infringed upon by our government. Policies that restrict this fundamental civil liberty are policies characteristic of a police state.
Key Message: The Conservatives and the Progressives are one and the same. They both support big government, defecit spending, and a hawkish foreign policy. It’s time to bring some real change to Lake Success by showing commitment to true fiscal responsibility and limited government.
Joe Matthews/Michael McGovern (Socialist Party):
Bio: Joe Matthews (54) is the Attorney General of Burlington (one of Kylistan’s most liberal states) where he has been a strong supporter of criminal justice reform and gay rights. He was the KSP’s VP nominee last year. Michael McGovern (49) is the Mayor of New Larchmont (a major city in the state of Burlington), who has shown a commitment to strict gun control policies.
Military: This nation has turned its back on its own impoverished people by spending vast amounts of money on the military for much too long. It’s time to cut spending big time to (6%-8%). The military does not need to be our priority in government expenditure.
Environment: While the Progressives take a step in the right direction, Kylistan must go further. The government must act now in order to ensure that the devastating effects of global climate change are prevented. Kylistan needs to establish further environmental regulations on industry and switch to clean energy sources immediately. Spending should be increased drastically (15%-17%).
Education:The children are essential to the future of Kylistan. It’s time the government starts acting like it by establishing a complete system of government funded universities and colleges as well as Pre-Kindergarten programs. National standards must be set for schools, and funding should be doubled for the public education system (31%-33%).
Foreign Relations: Kylistan must stop its exceptionalist approach to foreign affairs. It is simply one nation among the many and the government should not attempt to use the military to actively intervene into the affairs of other nations.
Terrorism: The government can best combat terrorism by trying to understand the motives of terrorists. Law and order spending is out of control and must be drastically scaled back (7%-9%).
Gay Marriage:The government must not stand in the way of equality. Kylistan must move forward by legalizing all types of marriages including polygamous ones.
Abortion: Abortion should always be an option for Kylistani women. The government should not be intervening in a woman’s reproductive freedoms.
Police-Minority Relations: These protesters should be given more respect than our supposedly ‘progressive’ president has given them. There is a systemic racist bias present against minority groups held by our police and white citizens in general, and we must be willing to acknowledge that rather than blindly supporting our police. Body cameras, racial quotas for police departments to meet, and racial sensitivity training should do the trick.
Healthcare: Kylistan’s healthcare system is a disgrace. A well-funded single payer NHS must be established with a massive boost to healthcare spending (34%-36%) in order to bring Kylistan’s healthcare system up to the standards of other nations across the region.
Capital Punishment: Capital punishment is a barbaric practice, and it should be abolished at a national level.
Taxes: The government has a duty to redistribute the wealth from the wealthy to the worker through a series of social programs and public services. In order to do this it is essential that a progressive tax system is established in which there are many tax brackets ranging from an 82% tax rate for the highest earners to a 25% tax rate for the lowest.
Immigration: Kylistan is a nation of immigrants. We must welcome in refugees from around the world and remain open to accommodating the cultures of new immigrants.
Gun Control: Mass shootings and gun violence are a result of government inaction. We need to ban all guns now in order to stop these tragedies from occurring.
Key Message: Kylistan has a duty to use the government as a tool to establish a greater standard of living for the many, and to unleash economic and social equality throughout Kylistan. While President Warner has made great strides towards economic equality, his social conservatism on racial issues has prohibited full social equality from being achieved.
