Washington (US Political RP; 2016 ; OOC ; OPEN!)

[The Portland Territory]

Bolovia, what the hell does "meaningful" reforms mean? If you're gonna attack me, at least give legitimate reasons to

It's a cheap shot, don't take it too seriously.

I know, just kinda funny and cringey for me

[Bolovia]

It's a cheap shot, don't take it too seriously.

I know, just kinda funny and cringey for me

Good, then the cheap shots are working. Eg-a-zarian do do dodo

[The Portland Territory]

I know, just kinda funny and cringey for me

Good, then the cheap shots are working. Eg-a-zarian do do dodo

GoGonzoGo

[Bolovia]

Good, then the cheap shots are working. Eg-a-zarian do do dodo

GoGonzoGo

Damn right, so.... Kirk Report debate time?

[The Portland Territory]

GoGonzoGo

Damn right, so.... Kirk Report debate time?

hm..... Tomorrow night? Or is that unacceptable with what happened to Drumpf the day before?

[Bolovia]

Damn right, so.... Kirk Report debate time?

hm..... Tomorrow night? Or is that unacceptable with what happened to Drumpf the day before?

We should hold off until sometime this week, Tuesday work for you?

EDIT: Tomorrow Night will work for me actually.

[The Portland Territory]

hm..... Tomorrow night? Or is that unacceptable with what happened to Drumpf the day before?

We should hold off until sometime this week, Tuesday work for you?

EDIT: Tomorrow Night will work for me actually.

I can do it Tuesday if it doesn't intertwine with my rallies, but Sunday is best

[The Portland Territory]

Hey Waldreich, can you post the poll?

[Bolovia]

We should hold off until sometime this week, Tuesday work for you?

EDIT: Tomorrow Night will work for me actually.

I can do it Tuesday if it doesn't intertwine with my rallies, but Sunday is best

Up to you, I'm fine with either tomorrow night or Tuesday.

[The Portland Territory]

I can do it Tuesday if it doesn't intertwine with my rallies, but Sunday is best

Up to you, I'm fine with either tomorrow night or Tuesday.

Actually, Tuesday is best. Sound good?

[Bolovia]

Up to you, I'm fine with either tomorrow night or Tuesday.

Actually, Tuesday is best. Sound good?

Yea, I look forward to it. #3wayDebate!

[Imperial Esplanade]

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Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Imperial Esplanade

Character Name: Gianna Rodriguez Carrollton

Character Gender: Female

Character Age: 43

Character Role: United States Senator (Junior Senator from Ohio) and Candidate for President of the United States

Appearance:

Character State of Origin: Home-state is Ohio, Birth-state is Texas

Character Affiliation: Democrat (Former Republican)

Main Strengths: Gianna is an articulate, young, and energetic young woman who is popular at both the local level and among DNC officials. Aside from her popularity within the state of Ohio, and her newly-found popularity among the Democratic Party's establishment class, Gianna was a no-namer who was elevated by a select few DNC officials and was persuaded by them to join the Presidential election as a few more recognizable candidates refused to jump into the race once Dick Kirk, the comedian, easily won in Iowa. Gianna is known for being a very personable individual, willing to spend time with reporters and voters, after events.

Main Weaknesses: Gianna has been labeled as "too inexperienced" and "too ambitious" by her rivals within both political parties. Gianna has been called a "flip-flopper," primarily utilized by Republicans back in Ohio, even though she never really truly changed when it came to the particular issues. Gianna is a bit of an idealist who makes it a point to stand up against Washington corruption, but this is difficult to swing over super-delegates or endorsers who "need a little more convincing." Gianna also needs a lot of help when it comes to fundraising, by sheer virtue of the aforementioned issue. Gianna also takes criticism and politics a bit too personal sometimes, and is rumored to be a bit of an alcoholic.

Bio: On the non-political front, Gianna Rodriguez was born on April 10th, 1973 to Eduardo Rodriguez and Maria Cortéz Rodriguez, just outside of Fort Hood, Texas. Eduardo was a drill instructor at Fort Hood, who had previously served three tours in the Vietnam War. Together, Eduardo and Maria had three children: Miguel Rodriguez, who would follow his father's footsteps and join the United States Army, Gianna Rodriguez, and Alanna Rodriguez. The Rodriguez family lived in Texas for all of Gianna's life. Gianna had gone to a local Catholic private school, for both elementary and high school, before going on to Texas A&M. Gianna was a highly intelligent young woman, having been accepted into Yale, but turned down the opportunity to attend an Ivy League school so that she can stay closer to home (for free, thanks to an academic scholarship that paid for both tuition and for books) and be able to work (with the intention of sending some of that money back home). Gianna was, by all means, a hard-worker with a bright future ahead of her. She would meet her future husband, John Carrollton, while at Texas A&M. Gianna graduated from Texas A&M on the Dean's List, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Economics, and attempted a long-distance relationship with John, who returned back to his home state of Ohio. He took up a job as an insurance agency at a small town in Ohio, and he persuaded Gianna to move from Texas to Ohio to work with his agency. Gianna agreed, and after two years of dating, the two had gotten married. Gianna would work at the insurance agency for almost ten years, saving up her money while they lived off of John's, but she never felt like that was the career for her and decided to get into local politics.

Gianna worked hard to earn the vote of her small town. She went door-to-door, spending time and talking to the residents. At first, she was nervous and turned away more voters than she had gained, but she quickly had gotten better at it with practice and persistence. She eventually had gotten so good at door salesmanship, that she persuaded just enough people to vote for her, and she edged out the entire field of competition by running a positive campaign focused on breaking the gridlock in Columbus. Gianna was elected as a moderate conservative Republican, although her parents (who still were in Texas at the time) were both far more conservative. Gianna was a financial conservative, but a social progressive to the chagrin of her family who were staunch Republicans ever since President Ronald Reagan and his "amnesty" bill that granted Maria's parents, but also Eduardo, amnesty to stay in the country. Gianna's social agenda, with abortion being a notable exception as a devout Roman Catholic, led her into frequent run-ins with fellow Republicans in the Ohio state legislature's lower house. Her first year was disastrous, being that she frequently found herself torn between the personal preference of voting alongside the Democrats of the legislature, or the political preference of voting alongside the Republicans. Her family kept persuading her to be a true Reaganite Republican, but Gianna's idealism and stubbornness (as the latter is what she calls it today) often led to exasperation of the issue. Gianna considered not running for re-election, but was persuaded by John to do so, and had just barely edged out a win. Days after winning re-election, she had learned that her brother had been killed in Iraq by an IED. This devastated her, personally, but it helped her realized that she had to stick to who she was and not sell-herself out... no matter what. Life was too short, and she felt that God had put her into this position to make a genuine change in the world. There was no time to mess around. From that moment on, despite being a Republican, she voted more with the Democrats than the Republicans on nearly every issue. By the time her second bid for re-election came up, she had switched parties entirely. From that moment on, Gianna felt like she was at home with the Democrats, far more than she ever had with the Republicans, and with their help in fundraising... she managed to crush the opposition in her district each and every time for the next eight years in the Ohio legislature as her popularity skyrocketed back in her home-town. Gianna spent four years in the lower house as a state representative, and then six years as a state senate in the upper house. Gianna made it a point to spend more time with her constituents than other Ohio legislators, Democrat or Republican, and it helped substantially to earn their trust as the small, conservative town consistently re-elected a moderate progressive to represent them in the state legislature. She would carry the lesson of 'spending time with the voters' with her for the rest of her political career.

Gianna is quite renown for her articulate speaking ability which, when coupled with her youthful zealotry and energy, sometimes makes her quite a formidable foe and makes for powerful rallies. In fact, her Republican opponent during the United States Senate race in Ohio was a tenured politician for over twenty years at that particular position alone, before abruptly and unexpectedly ending at the hands of a candidate who was labeled "too inexperienced" and "a flip-flopper" by him. Gianna seized a particular moment during the first televised debate, her first one ever, when she was being called out for both, and turned the tables on him saying: "I suppose you are right that I am too naive. I'm just too naive to know what is possible or impossible in Washington, while we'll know who to turn to if we want the same old excuses and the same old empty promises for the last twenty years. I've followed your lead for years as a fellow Republican, senator, and I am indeed disappointed with the leadership provided from the top-on-down. So with all due respect, senator, I am intentionally running to end your tenure, and if your best defense is to deflect your poor record with my 'naive personality,' then you never deserved the title of United States Senator to begin with." That moment had turned a weak debate performance into one that strongly resounded with the voters. Ever since that moment, Gianna has skyrocketed in both popularity within the state of Ohio, the Democratic Party Establishment, and moderate progressives nation-wide. Gianna had practically become a Democratic Party darling from that night onward, and she edged out an extremely improbable election victory to become a United States Senator. Gianna's father was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer in 2013, and he died at the start of 2014. Maria Rodriguez, Gianna's mother, still lives back in Fort Hood, Texas. Gianna's younger sister, Alanna, works as a nurse at a hospital in Dallas. Due to her family's military background, Carrollton had been invited to be a part, and is currently a member, of the United States Senate Armed Services Committee. Gianna has three children with John: Monica Carrollton (20), Michael Carrollton (18), and Megan Carrollton (17). John, 45, is still an insurance agent, but works at a Washington-based agency since Gianna's election to the United States Senate, and the family still lives off of his income while they keep all of Gianna's income into a savings account.

Other Info: Carrollton is a Pro-Life Democrat, one of the few, who believes that the only exception for abortion is in the case of when the mother's life is endangered. She's a vocal opponent of Planned Parenthood, and has openly advocated for diverting its' funding toward non-abortive women's health organizations. Her faith is a major reason why she still retains her Pro-Life position, as a devout Roman Catholic. Carrollton frequently votes alongside her Republican colleagues in the United States Senate, and has a 70% score from the National Right to Life organization. Carrollton is somewhat of a fiscal moderate, neither conservative or progressive in an absolute sense, being that she favors raising taxes to 40% and closing loopholes on the wealthiest of Americans as well as 'smart spending cuts' that do not adversely affect the economy or overall well-being of the nation. Gianna believes that the domestic budget needs to be even more transparent, one of the most transparent of any government in the world, with the exception being the defense budget for research and development as well as classification purposes. Carrollton also believes that a tax cut for everyone else, who are not considered among the wealthy. Carrollton believes in raising taxes on capital gains and on hedge funds. Thus, Carrollton's tax plan is often considered to be one of the toughest on the wealthiest of the wealthy, primarily the 1%, but also one that is highly popular among progressives nationwide. Yet, Carrollton also favors substantially reducing the corporate tax and eliminating the estate tax (or death tax) altogether to help small businesses and the middle and lower classes. Meanwhile, Carrollton also advocates for sustainable (preferably organic) agriculture as well as renewable energy, and has suggested via legislation subsidies for them to help build a more powerful, yet also environmentally-friendly, economy that focuses more on the greater, albeit moderate, empowerment of the middle-and-lower classes. Carrollton has always had a special affinity for the environment, and has made it a campaign focus on protecting it for future generations. Carrollton has suggested that the National Park System continues to expand in order to ensure the protection of even more land, as well as rigidly enforcing the rules to ensure no corporate tampering or special privileges on National Park land. Gianna has frequently voted for gun control measures, although she is not as fanatical as other, more progressive legislators on this subject, but has still drawn the ire of the National Rifle Association on a frequent basis. Gianna is an advocate of the Affordable Care Act, citing her insurance background in her defense, by saying that it helps provide coverage to Americans who would have otherwise been unable to afford it. There are many things that Carrollton approves of, regarding the ACA, including the plaque-system to give potential insureds an overall idea of the strength of the policy. Carrollton has frequently stated she wishes to expand the ACA, openly advocating the formation of a competitive 'public option' to help drive down the rates established by private insurers, while also opposing other elements of the landmark legislation (such as the individual mandate and subsequent 'fee'). Carrollton does not approve of amnesty for illegal immigrants, nor does she favor deporting them, rather she supports (and has supported) legislation that seeks for their 'legalization,' thus granting them 'guest-worker' status. Carrollton believes that President Winston has had a well-meaning, but disastrous foreign policy, and has frequently stated that the Presidency requires somebody with greater foreign policy credentials and/or someone with a greater understanding and respect for the nation's military, frequently touting her experience as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee while on the campaign trail to justify her credentials as Commander-in-Chief. One of the primary focuses on her campaign, particularly on foreign policy, has been the re-commitment, and potential expansion, of NATO, as well as the formation of a similar type of alliance among Middle Eastern allies of the United States to help fight against ISIS and other terrorist organizations but to also help fight against the subversive activities of Iran in the region. Carrollton believes that such unity is needed to finally establish peace in the region. Carrollton believes that the military should conduct an audit of its' contractors, to help cut any and all wasteful spending in the defense budget, but also seeks to re-direct any funds freed up to research and development of military technology. Gianna Carrollton was originally a supporter of amending the Trans-Pacific Partnership to ensure the protection of workers in the United States but has since come out in opposition to it, citing the lack of environmental protections to combat climate change within the pact as well. Carrollton believes that LGBTQs have a constitutional right to marriage, but supports an individual church's right to determine for itself whether to recognize or perform LGBTSs marriages or not while opposing the idea that any business can discriminate on customers based on their sexual orientation. Carrollton frequently has called the struggle for gay rights to be one of the defining struggles of our era. Carrollton has argued for the reformation of social security based on income, so that the wealthiest of recipients are paid less while the poorest of recipients are paid more, while remaining open and non-commitmental on the idea of raising the retirement age or eligibility age for medicare. Carrollton frequently raises the need for term-limits, advocating for the idea, in order to ensure that Congress actually gets things done, she's even advocated for the rise of a third party to help break the strangle hold that the Republican (primarily) and the Democratic establishments have on politics as a whole, however she has notably not raised the need for a third party that often since winning her seat as a United States Senator, preferring the idea of term limits instead.

Carrollton has also gotten into some controversies throughout her political career. Although she's never been the center of them, her involvement with the individuals who have just by sheer virtue of her tenure as a politician (ten years in the Ohio legislature) frequently raises speculations, almost always unfounded, by her challengers. Carrollton is a notably transparent legislator, but her involvement in a scandal had caused her favorability ratings during her time in the Ohio state legislature's upper house to temporarily plummet. Carrollton had endorsed then-Governor Paul Thompson's proposal for a subsidy in her second year in the state senate that was intended for the development and advancement of wind energy in Ohio. Thompson, a Democrat, had approached a group of fellow-Democrats in the state senate that included Carrollton, and had persuaded enough Republican votes to pass the measure. Unbeknownst to Carrollton, this subsidy was primarily benefiting a fellow co-author of the bill, a Republican senator, who used most of the subsidy money on pay raises for the executives of the company. Carrollton was innocent of any wrongdoing, proving it by releasing transcripts and emails of all discussion involving the deal, but by sheer virtue of being a co-author had understandably been looked upon negatively for the entire incident. Carrollton found herself in another controversy when, during a trip to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, she was with a female friend who had been caught on camera drunkingly flashing a local police officer. Carrollton was not with her at the time, nor did she (obviously) participate in the flashing, but has defended her friend saying "while I obviously do not approve of her actions, she is my friend and I stand by her side as such." Word then leaked as to the reason why her friend was in New Orleans in the first place, it was to sleep with a male politician from Louisiana, and mutual friend of Gianna Carrollton, generating a nationwide scandal between the male politician and the female friend, while the media described Gianna's involvement as relatively incidental and just a mere footnote... others, the more conspiratorial crowd, have suggested it was a political favor exchanged between Carrollton and the local Louisiana politician.

[Krugeristan]

(Image)

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Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Imperial Esplanade
Character Name: Gianna Carrollton
Character Gender: Female
Character Age: 43
Character Role: Senator
Appearance:

(Image)

Character State of Origin: Ohio
Character Affiliation: After spending time in the state legislature as a very moderate Republican, Gianna had switched parties toward the end of her last term to the Democratic Party to run for an open senate seat. She has been a fervent Democrat ever since, although there were whispers for some time that she was going to serve the state senate as a moderate independent.
Main Strengths: Gianna is articulate, young, energetic, popular at both the local level and among DNC officials. Gianna is known for being a very personable individual, a very religious person (perk in blue-collar states such as Ohio), and a moderate.
Main Weaknesses: Gianna has been labeled as "too inexperienced" and "too ambitious" by her rivals, and the "flip-flopper" label has been utilized often by Republicans. Gianna is a bit of an idealist, which can be an issue when practicality is needed in a place such as Washington, but it isn't that much of a weakness should one seek to expand in appeal to the more progressive wings of the Democratic Party.
Short Bio: Gianna is known for her articulate speaking ability which, when coupled with her youthful zealotry and energy, sometimes makes her quite a formidable foe. In fact, her Republican opponent was a tenured Senator for over 20 years, before abruptly and unexpectedly ending at the hands of a candidate who was labeled "too inexperienced" and "a flip-flopper." Gianna seized a particular moment during the first televised senator debate, when she was being called out for both, and turned the tables on him saying: "I suppose you are right that I am too naive. I'm just too naive to know what is possible or impossible in Washington, while we'll know who to turn to if we want the same old excuses and the same old empty promises for the last twenty years. I've followed your lead for years as a fellow Republican, senator, and I am indeed disappointed with the leadership provided from the top-on-down. So with all due respect, senator, I am intentionally running to end your tenure, and if your best defense is to deflect your record with my "naive personality." Ever since that, Gianna has skyrocketed in both popularity within the state of Ohio, the Democratic Party Establishment, and moderate progressives nation-wide.
Other Info: Her beliefs are as follows: Pro-Life (exception when mother's health is at risk - something she's carried over from her GOP days), fiscal moderate (believes in smart spending cuts as well as a rise in taxes for the wealthy, with tax cuts for everyone else), favors a strong (yet also eco-friendly) economy with subsidies particularly aimed toward renewable energy and sustainable agriculture as well as stronger environmental protections, more strict gun control measures (although she doesn't go quite as far as the more extreme of left-wingers), a public healthcare option as well as her stamp of approval for the Affordable Healthcare Act (although she has often suggested that it needs some reforms), immigration needs an overhaul - but current illegal immigrants may be offered to stay as guest-workers, foreign policy under the Obama administration has been a blunder - America needs a mix of Obama's optimism with a dose of GOP skepticism and practicality (such as rebuilding the military, but cutting back on military contract spending), TPP means well but is dangerous to American workers (desires to amend it before its' ratification), LGBTs deserve the right to marry whoever they desire and the state has no business in banning marriages based on sexual orientation, social security needs reformations to ensure it is being paid more to those of the lower-income applicants, and both political parties are equally messed up (there is a need for a third party and reform within both parties, although she has a particular affinity for the progressive movement more so than the conservative movement).

Accepted.

[The Portland Territory]

I'm still nervous about the polls

[Bolovia]

I'm still nervous about the polls

Why?

[The Portland Territory]

I'm still nervous about the polls

Why?

I dont wanna lose, that's why. And the waiting is killing me

[Bolovia]

Why?

I dont wanna lose, that's why. And the waiting is killing me

Breathe in, breathe out, relax, and accept defeat.

[The Portland Territory]

I dont wanna lose, that's why. And the waiting is killing me

Breathe in, breathe out, relax, and accept defeat.

*breathes in, breathes out, relaxes, rages hard*

[Krugeristan]

Breathe in, breathe out, relax, and accept defeat.

*breathes in, breathes out, relaxes, rages hard*

Here. Hug kitty-Persian.

[Imperial Esplanade]

So after reading how much in disarray the Democratic race is currently, I'll have my character get into the presidential race late in the game post-New Hampshire debate.

I'll post a leak from "DNC Sources" about some within the top ranks of the Democratic Party attempting to convince Carrollton into jumping into the race in an effort as a youthful, energetic candidate in an attempt to outshine Kirk's comedic appeal. Should make for an interesting dynamic, I imagine.

[The Portland Territory]

*breathes in, breathes out, relaxes, rages hard*

Here. Hug kitty-Persian.

*angrily meows at Ahmajen-whatever in Farsi*

[Krugeristan]

Here. Hug kitty-Persian.

*angrily meows at Ahmajen-whatever in Farsi*

That's how I was saying it the first time!

EMBRACE THE WAYS OF HALF-FELINE IRANIANS!

[Jovuistan]

Who wants to live-tweet the Egazarian-Gonzalez debate with me?

[The Portland Territory]

[The Portland Territory]

*angrily meows at Ahmajen-whatever in Farsi*

That's how I was saying it the first time!

EMBRACE THE WAYS OF HALF-FELINE IRANIANS!

ALLAHU CATMAN!