Washington 2017: The U.S. Political RP: IC [CLOSED]

[Prolieum]

Bubs and Pops, Washington D.C.

"Wh-what?" Rossi questioned, head spinning from the mix of hormones and the rapidly-changed topic. "Um, well, he, well, I, um, he's the President."

[Tallahassee News Station]

Love and Hate

Majority Whip hospitalized in critical condition after being assaulted at rally protesting Reed LGBT EO

The "National March for Equality" was held in downtown Washington earlier today with thousands turning out for the protest against President Reed's executive order repealing a Winston executive order that prevented discrimination on gender identity in federal hiring and prevented federal contractors from discriminating on gender identity or sexual orientation. Organized in less than three days since the order was issued the march had a large selection of sitting Congressmen in attendance from the Democratic Party joined by two Progressives and Senator Breckenridge as the one Republican speaking. The rally was controversial from the start with aggressive language quickly being deployed with first speaker Sarah West a Progressive state Senator from Massachusetts who had drawn controversy by declaring that a number of Republicans including Reed, Majority Whip Villanueva de Pena and Senators Kramer and Amaras were "incapable of love" calling the President's administration a "tyranny" and Breckenridge saying the President "only holds hate in his heart" and demanding his immediate resignation. The next two speakers Democratic Rep. Samara and Caldwell of Massachusetts avoided referring to Reed directly instead highlighted struggles in the LGBT community while Democratic Rep. Nicole Smith previously controversial for accusing the First Lady of supporting school shootings called Reed a "schoolyard bully" and a "bigot" but also encouraged attendees to "Hug a Nazi". The biggest controversy on stage came from Huffington Post writer and Progressive Samantha Soberman who called Reed a "coward" and also called for his impeachment resulting in swift criticism including from liberal Republican Senator Sam McGareth and fellow rally speaker Jason Samara. The most important response would be criticism from Villanueva de Pena on Twitter including engagement with Rep. Caldwell and Rep. Prazek of Maine where VIllanueva de Pena challenged Caldwell to publicly reject the impeachment call on stage with the exchanges occurring while Rep. O'Leary of Illinois delivered his speech accusing Reed and Republicans of being "regressives". Rep. Smith then invited Villanueva de Pena to the rally and challenged her to address the marchers directly which she accepted leading to the headline story today

The march had caused the shutting down of roads and transit in the area and the Senator arrived on foot at the edge of the crowd and began making her way to the stage receiving several shouts and jeers from marchers who recognized her until one attacked her and knocked her to the ground. The violence soon spread with the Senator being kicked on the ground by attendees before a group of men in black masks pressed in and continued the assault. Capitol police arrived and attempted to rescue the Senator and soon were involved in conflict with the black masked men causing them to flee and other attendees to begin attacking the Senator while others formed a human chain blocking the way to the stage. Fighting between officers and attendees and the assault on the Senator continued as more police began to arrive before medical personnel showed up to treat the Senator.

The Senator was rushed off to George Washington University Hospital with severe injuries including a compound fracture in the leg, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, internal bleeding, a broken cheekbone, a fractured skull and concussion, hairline fractures on the arm, blood loss, and extensive bruising. She is currently unconscious in critical condition. Remarkably casualties outside of the Senator were almost nonexistent with two officers sustaining minor injuries and several arrests being made. We will provide updates as they are available.

Congressional Clapback

Senator Kramer formally censured by nearly unanimous Senate vote

After minimal debate mostly focused around the exact wording of the resolution Senator Alois Kramer was formally censured by the Senate today in a vote with no Senators voting opposed. Senator Kramer had been a subject of controversy for controversial statements including referring to the Civil War as the "War of Northern Aggression" before officially announcing a primary campaign against President Reed after First Lady Aubrey Reed wore a hijab on a diplomatic trip to Saudi Arabia. As part of his campaign against the President Kramer held a rally in the President's hometown of Dillon Montana and was harshly critical of the President who he accused of being a traitor, and bringing the country back to the days of King George. Kramer was confronted on the stage by Howland Reed, the father of the President, and in a series of events that are still under dispute and are to be tried in federal court Kramer fell from the platform and Dianna Noble a similarly controversial candidate for Senate in Wyoming who had previously said that President Reed was "not her President" and accused the First Lady of spreading Islamic culture while calling for her self-deportation and that of Senator Villanueva de Pena, shot both Reed and nine members of the crowd seven who were killed including a pregnant woman.

The final version of the resolution condemned Kramer for acting with "reckless disregard" for the lives of the people of DIllon, "facilitating" the mass shooting, and not showing remorse, and counted the unborn child of Crystal Wallace among the dead. Kramer is only the 11th Senator ever censured, a formal expression of disapproval that does not have any legal weight but can have severe effects on a political career. While Montana Governor Douglas Stephens did call for an investigation into Kramer's role in the shooting as pressure mounted no charges have been filed against him so far even as his rally mate prepares to face trial in the coming weeks.

[Imperial Esplanade]

Gianna Carrollton
@GiannaCarrollton

---

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, joy."

[Velahor]

Helena, MT
Governor's Office

Seeing all the violence in the news, Governor Stephens gets worried. With all the political turmoil, someone is bound to come after him someday. He picks up his phone and calls Montana Private Security Services.

"Hello, this is the governor speaking. We already have everything set up. Yes, 6 men. Fully armed. The best you got."

He hangs up the phone and prepares to have a full security team with him at all times. In addition, he writes into his schedule to go to the shooting range every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Better safe than sorry.

[Velahor]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

Aubrey shrugged. "Speculation is half of investigation. I don't grudge them for it."

"Yeah, but speculating too much on the internal affairs of the White House can only lead to weakened national security and weakened domestic trust of the President," said Chase, "both of which you really don't want if you don't want to end up like Winston."

[Velahor]

Nicole T. Smith
@ChiTownRep

It really is a shame that people had to turn such a beautiful rally full of loving people violent. I stand by my comments earlier today that we must reach out to our enemy with love, not hate. I can't begin to speculate what happened down there, but it obviously wasn't love.

[Velahor]

Somewhere on I-70, Utah

The song "I Am The Highway" by Audioslave crackled through on the speakers of the late-70's Porsche 911 that Jimmy Miles had rented to get from Denver to Los Angeles. Past the snow of Colorado and eastern Utah, the desert area was approaching temperatures of near 70 degrees as Jimmy got closer to Las Vegas.

He planned to reach the coast by evening.

His heart raced a little bit, as he put the pedal down, in a hurry to get to his destination. The fact that the destination was the sunny beaches of southern California barely crossed his mind, even though normally he would be excited for that. Instead, he was anxious to see Penelope.

Penelope was the woman of his dreams as a young man. He saw her as talented, creative, and fun-loving, but also a stable force that was his rock, that kept him from getting too far lost in himself and any form of selfishness he had. But when he screwed everything up as a 21-year-old kid, that was all gone.

It was there, in California, but farther north, that their paths had separated years ago. He was expulsed from Stanford, she graduated. While he was at some god-forsaken school in the freezing mountains of Montana, she was living it up in the sunny world they used to enjoy together.

As they grew older, she got married, he stayed single. She had children and a family, he had his work and shallow, fleeting friendships. He wasted away as a small-town lawyer, she became the First Lady.

Their lives went in two completely different paths, but ultimately it was a change in both their fortunes that brought them together. He finally had a glimpse at a political career, she lost her husband tragically.

She had changed and grown as a person, he was just that same cocky college kid who acted like he ruled the world, just with a few more wrinkles. He never changed.

It was wrong, but in a way, it felt even. Now at least, they both had felt lost and hurt in a way that he thought he only knew.

He switched the radio, and found a news station talking about the tragedy at the Equality Rally in DC. While he felt anger at all the hate and evil in the world, he felt no ability to judge any of those people. In a way, they were like him. Doing what they felt was right at the moment. Ignoring the consequences.

Maybe that was something he would finally change.

[Prolieum]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

Aubrey swallowed her latest bite. "But aren't those worthy prices to pay if it means that that speculation discovers the next Winston?"

[Velahor]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

Aubrey swallowed her latest bite. "But aren't those worthy prices to pay if it means that that speculation discovers the next Winston?"

Kristina smiled, and vaguely said, "sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. It depends on if you're in it for the money, or if you're in it for the satisfaction of toppling that guy. Or both. And even then, sometimes it just comes down to luck. What would you give to be lucky? And what rumors will you be willing to ignore to get yourself to the point where you can take down a bigger target? These are questions that journalists have to ask every day."

[Velahor]

Awaiting Aubrey's response for a second, Kristina decided to pick up where she left off.

"I understand, this is a lot to take in and is decision that you and Cal may want to discuss privately and think about. Just remember, in this day and age, one thing rules our country, and rules the world. It's not our President, it's not Congress. It's not the UN, its not foreign leaders. It's not money, power, greed, sex, or anything like that." She pulls her phone from her lap and sets it on the table. "It's this. The almighty screen. We hold screens in our hands, look at screens on our walls, sit in front of screens at work. We even put little screens on watches and in our cars. And the people on the other side of that screen, myself included, choose the winners and losers. Do you want the screen to favor you, or do you want to be left to its wrath? It's worth thinking about. I won't push any further, I will just leave you with that thought."

She pauses and reaches for some sashimi.

"Man...this place is so good!"

[Prolieum]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

Aubrey smiled genuinely. She was beginning to like Chase. The woman most certainly had her own distinct touch of élan. What she had just heard was almost a threat, and a threat in bargaining, for that matter. It took guts, and she respected that.

"Call me old-fashioned, but when all the chips are down, when you're in the real moment when it will truly be decided, when everything has been said and there's nothing left but the choice to act or be acted on, then there is nothing for a screen to do but break. And what really rules the world? Waiting under my waistband, and probably shouldn't be on the table in polite company."

She returned to the smile, and took another bite.

"Who knew the secret to good cooking was just not cooking?"

[Velahor]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

Aubrey smiled genuinely. She was beginning to like Chase. The woman most certainly had her own distinct touch of élan. What she had just heard was almost a threat, and a threat in bargaining, for that matter. It took guts, and she respected that.

"Call me old-fashioned, but when all the chips are down, when you're in the real moment when it will truly be decided, when everything has been said and there's nothing left but the choice to act or be acted on, then there is nothing for a screen to do but break. And what really rules the world? Waiting under my waistband, and probably shouldn't be on the table in polite company."

She returned to the smile, and took another bite.

"Who knew the secret to good cooking was just not cooking?"

"That's exactly it, there's sometimes more art in not doing something than in doing something," said Kristina. "It's something that's left out of our culture, but it's such a part of Japan and the east as a whole, that it even infiltrates their cooking. There's simplicity and strength in restraint, and I admire that in people." Realizing she was getting off track and probably sounding weird and philosophical, she tries to bring it back to earth by talking in the direction of the interns, but to the whole group. "I had a drink one time that had squid ink in it. It was completely black. You couldn't even see through it. I wonder if they have something like that here..."

[Chewion]

Bubs and Pops, Washington D.C.

"Wh-what?" Rossi questioned, head spinning from the mix of hormones and the rapidly-changed topic. "Um, well, he, well, I, um, he's the President."

Kiser gave a smile and said "Yes but I meant his current mental state. Sorry for changing topics so quickly there."

[The Free Territory of Makhnovia]

Atticus Marlowe @jeffersoniandemocracy Men in Black attacked our good ol' Latina whip. It's probably because NWO wanted to assasinate oe of the main defenders of 2nd amendment. I pray she gets well soon and will be sending a bottle of Tequila to the hospital. RETWEETSFAVORITE 229333 2:31 pm - 2/28/17

Atticus Marlowe @jeffersoniandemocracy Senator Egzrian said it! This darned five bullet magazine bill is just an excuse for FBI and CIA to bust into our homes and take dissenters into the dark, like they did in Waco. RETWEETSFAVORITE 229333 2:31 pm - 2/28/17

Atticus Marlowe @jeffersoniandemocracy I rely on my RI colleague to save us from tyranny. RETWEETSFAVORITE 229333 2:31 pm - 2/28/17

[Bruke]

Environmental Progress, Berkeley, California (March 8th, 2017)



Michael Shellenberger raised an eyebrow as Sydney Cao walked into his office. "What exactly do you want with me?"

Sydney chuckled. "The email wasn't clear enough?"

"No. It mentions some kind of partnership, but you never really spelled out what that would look like."

"Allow me to spell it out now: I'm planning a run for office here in California, and I would like you and your organization to serve as source of policy advice on clean energy."

"Right..... So your idea of partnership is that we work for you without any tangible benefit in return?"

"I've taken the liberty of visiting your website, and reading your books and articles. You're speaking up for nuclear power, and these pie-in-the-sky treehuggers want to shut you up. You know the saying: "As California goes, so goes the nation." What better place for this eco-modernist movement of yours to show Greenpeace and all the rest what real environmentalism looks like then right here in the Golden State? With my political experience, and your messaging, we could make real progress." It was at this point that she handed him a copy of her platform, still being finalized.

He studied the document carefully before replying. "There's a lot I disagree with in here....."

Sydney frowned.

"But there's also a few points on which we can agree, like reforming environmental standards so that they're clear and consistent. Alright. How much time do I have to find a replacement to take over at Environmental Progress?"

"You misunderstand me, Mr. Shellenberger. I don't want you to give up your activism to join my campaign. I want you to help me frame what you've read here -the policy solutions we agree on- in a way that speaks to a more liberal audience."

Many of those same audiences mistrusted him because of his ideas, but that didn't deter him. He smiled and shook her hand. "That, I can do. And since you came all the way out here, I'd like you to meet some of the other staff."

Sydney spent the rest of the day speaking with scientists, economists, and other policy experts about the subject of clean energy. The detailed discussions reminded her of her college years, when she would attend special lectures on everything from global warming to architecture.

Besides some fascinating insights, she gained a new perspective on how she could approach those treehuggers- and most importantly, the voters that they held under their sway.

[Prolieum]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

"Now that, that just sounds like something that humans aren't even meant to drink." Aubrey said, half-laughing at the oddity of it. "But I'd still want to try it. We drink what comes out of udders, may as well try what comes out of..." She trailed off, then laughed. "I don't have any idea what those things are even called."

[Prolieum]

Bubs and Pops, Washington D.C.

"Oh!" Rossi tried to get her brain to switch gears. "I-I don't know. I mean, if something like that happened to my father....I'd just be devastated."

[Bruke]

Bay Bridge (en route to San Francisco)



Sydney raced to catch Carter and Gonzalez before they headed home for the evening, but traffic was getting in the way.

Ironically, she had just stopped by the office of the PATH program, also in Berkeley, to get a hands-on look at what researchers and policymakers were coming up with to reduce traffic.

In a few words, she had found their work intriguing but expensive. Re-designing the state's highways and streets would cost a pretty penny. But as she stared out at the lines of cars ahead of her, she began to think it was worth the expense.

[Velahor]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

"Now that, that just sounds like something that humans aren't even meant to drink." Aubrey said, half-laughing at the oddity of it. "But I'd still want to try it. We drink what comes out of udders, may as well try what comes out of..." She trailed off, then laughed. "I don't have any idea what those things are even called."

"I have no clue either...it's really odd. I still wonder how people discovered cow's milk in the first place? Did they try a bunch of other animals' milk before settling on cow as the good one?," asked Kristina, not really looking for an answer but making a joke about the absurdity of the situation.

[Prolieum]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

"Well, it's not a foreign substance to us from where we start." Aubrey brought up, wondering, but not vocalizing, whether Kristina was herself a mother. Probably not, she decided. Still young and ambitious-but she didn't intend to pry. "Trial and error sounds about right." She finished.

[Velahor]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

"Well, it's not a foreign substance to us from where we start." Aubrey brought up, wondering, but not vocalizing, whether Kristina was herself a mother. Probably not, she decided. Still young and ambitious-but she didn't intend to pry. "Trial and error sounds about right." She finished.

“That’s true,” remarked Josh. Everyone else was mostly silent.

[Ordennya]

Scott looked down at his phone and scowled. The New York branch of United Steelworkers had dropped out of a planned labor meet and greet. "Well, so much for that..." He sighed.
Harper came over, sitting opposite with their coffees. "Bad news?"
"Yeah. United Steelworkers dropped out." Scott replied.
"Ah. Are you sure it's a good idea to go after the Working Families line as well, Scott?"
"Yeah, I do. The Progressives have worked with them before, and it doesn't make sense if the left wing vote is split more than it needs to be." Scott replied, typing out a twitter post.
"Mhm. And after you've finished here in New York, what are your plans?"
"What do you mean?" Scott asked, looking up at Harper.
"I mean it's not like you're gonna stay a communications director forever. Why don't you go for a seat in 2018?"
"Because the PNC needs me to coordinate out of DC for the midterms? Besides, there's nowhere I could run where I have name recognition. I've gotta run. I'll see you at the labor meeting."
And with that, Scott took his coffee and walked out of the coffee shop.

[Prolieum]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

Aubrey decided to cycle back to pick up the conversation flow. "Have you been to Japan, Kristina?"

[Velahor]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

Aubrey decided to cycle back to pick up the conversation flow. "Have you been to Japan, Kristina?"

“A couple times, yes,” she says, smiling. “I’ve been through Tokyo airport a bunch of times, but I’ve really only spent more than a few hours in Japan twice. I have quite good memories of the place.”

Kristina returns the question, “how about yourself Aubrey?”

[Prolieum]

Izakaya Den, Denver, Colorado

"I have actually, also a couple of times." Aubrey replied. "The first one was a few years ago, and it was for baseball, actually. They had some kind of tournament between the MLB All-Stars and the Japanese national team, and Cal was pitching in it, and he brought me along. They moved us around a lot between the games-I got to see a little of the outside, but I mostly stayed around the team. I didn't know almost any Japanese at the time, and it was Cal's event, so I wasn't too adventurous, but it was still an experience with the games and everything they had set up for them." Aubrey left out mentioning the side experience that had there occurred.

"The other was during the campaign, when Cal flew over to meet with the Prime Minister, and then we had that Danders slander that dragged us back earlier than we had planned. That one was more interesting, we had the time to prepare for it, had a few weeks to pick up some of the basics, got to see things a little bit more-I enjoyed it."