The Land Of The Free: An American Political Roleplay (IC)

[Dentali]

Senator Frank Doyle
April 7th, 2019
Capitol Hill

A day after his public launch of PAPA in his joint presser with Westra's policy director, Frank had been summoned for a meeting with Speaker Malcolm Douglas. Frank had served in the House since the 80's, so he had come to know Douglas after the latter's election in the early days of the 21st Century. The man had always given off a slightly intimidating vibe to Frank; needless to say, he didn't like him all that much. But a request for a meeting with the party's de-facto leader could not be denied.

He entered the Speaker's office.

“Senator thanks for coming” Douglas said sitting behind his desk and gesturing to the seat across the table from him “I saw your late night appearance, good stuff.”

[Puertollano]

Speaker Douglas' Office

The Speaker of the House apparently asked for Levi to come around when he was in D.C. to his office to talk all things 2020. The Senator obliged and arrived at his office.

[Dentali]

Speaker Douglas' Office

The Speaker of the House apparently asked for Levi to come around when he was in D.C. to his office to talk all things 2020. The Senator obliged and arrived at his office.

After Doyle left Murphy was scheduled for a very similar meeting with the Speaker, despite mild exhaustion by the Speaker he was still pleasant enough when Murphy arrived. "Senator Murphy, how are you? Please sit down"

[Dentali]

What the Democratic Party Needs in 2020
By Senator James Moore

After our party’s loss in 2016 I decided to take the time to reassess what the country needs. Not just in a Presidential candidate but as a nation. However seeing that we often, rightly or wrongly, define our place as a country by who holds the highest office. As we seek to choose the next one it is important for the Democratic Party to recognize what is needed and nominate a candidate that best addresses that need.

For a time I wondered if I was that candidate, but eventually came to the conclusion that should not be my role. However, being one of the few members of my party who have been elected statewide in a place that President Wolf flipped, I do hope that my assessment makes an impact and is worth something.

I plan to endorse a candidate before the Iowa Caucus, the candidate I feel has the best chance of giving the country what it needs right now. The question is, what does it need?

I for one am looking for a President that will not be a “Tweeter in Chief”, that can keep out of the petty day to day struggles between people. Twitter is a wonderful and useful tool, but it is not made for complex political arguments and more often than not facilitates a level of disrespect that we should seek to purge from our nation.

While I do not believe strongly in the so called “identity politics” as many in the country do, I do believe it is time that a woman should be in the executive branch. Whether President or Vice President a woman can bring a valuable perspective long overdue to our nation, it will send a message to the world and the women of our country. Furthermore there is no shortage of qualified candidates.

Being able to give the country what it needs means nothing if you don’t know how to win. I want a candidate with a clear, defined strategy for victory in 2020. Victory not just for the Presidency, but a strategy and a commitment to retaking the Senate and protecting our majority in the House, if not expanding it.

To that point they must understand why we won the house in 2018, as well as so many other offices across the country. Candidates running persuasion based campaigns, not ones based on progressive turnout won the districts that went to Wolf in 2018. Not a single Democrat won a competitive state or House district with an unabashedly progressive campaign. Winning swing states and swing voters can’t happen without persuasion based campaigns.

Since 2016 there has been much passionate debate about whether persuading swing voters or increasing progressive turnout is the winning tactic. No doubt both are important, but evidence as to which is more effective is overwhelming.

Democrats who ran on pocketbook issues had and continued to have a huge advantage. I want a candidate who doesn’t promise some utopian dream of Universal Healthcare which bans private insurance. Promise to reduce healthcare costs, promise to expand Medicare, and show how Republicans will raise those costs.

At the end of the day you can’t lead the Democratic Party if you are at war with the Democratic Party. Absurd purity tests regarding Medicare for all or your policy preference of choice only shrink the party, the Democratic Party is and should remain a big tent party and a coalition that recognizes the strength in standing together.

The democratic establishment and the leadership are not perfect but you should be more focused on attacking whoever Wolfs successor is than attacking your opposition for the nomination or the democratic establishment.

To that end you should not be questioning the motives of those who do not support your policy preference, people who come to the conclusion that a Medicare public option is better than Medicare for all can come to that position by examining the facts at hand, thinking it through and coming to a conclusion. Attacking them relentlessly, implying they are shills for Big Pharma or even want to see people die in the streets from lack of medical care gets us nowhere as a party or a country. This is just one example, but it is one I see constantly on social media and sometimes by people who should know better.

Your campaign should not be about self centered grievances and the mistakes of the past. If you want to see the gold standard for being an unabashed Progressive and surrogate for your candidate while still understanding what it takes to bring together the party, look at (Not Ro Khanna) or (Not Pramila Jayapal). It’s not about being mean on twitter, it’s about being open to the ideas of those who don’t agree with you on everything. If you can’t do that in the Democratic Party where people agree on 80% of the solutions and 100% of the goals, you cannot do that leading the nation.

I am not asking them to be a centrist or give up your ideals. Their administration should be to the left of Baharia, raise taxes on the rich, require universal background checks, secure citizenship for Dreamers, combat climate change, expand healthcare, break up monopolies and ban assault weapons. Just don’t give in to the fantasy that millions of left wing democratic socialist voters are waiting to turnout for the right candidate.

I don’t care if a candidate can whip up a crowd and fill stadiums. We already elected a tv star President, now we need someone who can actually run a country.

We need someone who can work across the aisle, negotiate, compromise and unite. Someone who recognizes the best and brightest, who is willing to do the mundane and hard work of pushing for legislation and executing laws. More than anything, we need someone to turn us away from the bloody tribalism of the last decade. If we have reached a point where we can no longer talk with the other side than we are dead as a nation.

We need a calmer Presidency, someone that will allow politics to fade from the day to day headlines and twitterverse. We cannot turn back all the gridlock or polarization, but we can reduce it and head in the right direction.

The Democratic party needs a candidate with an incredible work ethic, infectious optimism, intellectual curiosity, and a true dignity that rises above the pettiness we see in our day to day politics. But mostly we need a candidate that realizes the single greatest problem we face isn’t a foreign power, racial injustice, income inequality, crumbling infrastructure or some tangible threat. Our greatest challenge are the cracks in the fabric that unites our nation.

If any candidate wants to discuss the best way to accomplish that mission, you know where my office is.

[Dentali]

Nathaniel Richardson
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia
April 4th, 2020



April 1st to 4th Nate had spent making funeral arrangements and then burying his father. They were close, he was a good man and worked tirelessly to give Nate and his siblings a good life… he would not approve of Nate stopping now.

Governor Nathaniel Richardson
@GovernorRichardson

I would like to thank all those who prayed for my family in this difficult time, all the kind words and thoughts were greatly felt and appreciated. In lieu of flowers please donate to St. Judes Children’s hospital which my father supported every chance he could. I will be returning to the campaign trail on April 4th.

Hitting the trail once again Richardson arrived in Arlington, Virginia.

George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School was his first stop in the early morning where he gave a guest lecture. Being the namesake of a Conservative Icon it would once again show Richardson’s conservative credentials and respect as well as engaging a number of Conservative activists. After that he traveled to Arlington National Cemetery where his grandfather had been buried, Nate’s father also had the option of being buried there but opted out. It was a minor photo op of Nate paying respect to the sacrifices of those who bled to keep the stripes on the flag red.

Arlington was a prime example of smart growth and the benefits of an exploding tech sector and would soon house the new co-headquarters of Amazon.com. Richardson visited the Crystal City Neighborhood and the site of the under construction headquarters, talking to the locals about the economic impact of the headquarters on the area. Crystal City was in many ways the ideal technocrat city, relying on technology, high tech industry, smart transport and economic planning to a massive degree.

Arlington was not a Republican stronghold by any stretch of the imagination, but the sheer size of the city made it worth visiting in order to win the state. He would spend the rest of the workday going door to door from businesses and talking to the workers and patrons present, visiting a local restaurant at lunch time to do the same. In the evening after normal working hours and before dinner time he went to the residential areas going door to door to do his trademark retail politics.

Forest Acres, Richland County, South Carolina
April 5th, 2020



Richland county was the second most populous in the state and was more or less the center of South Carolina, containing the majority of the city of Columbia. It also contained the South Carolina Department of Corrections and by extension a few criminal justice advocates. He put together an early morning meeting with them to discuss the next steps on criminal justice reform in the country.

From there Richardson met with a handful of faith leaders in the county from various institutions. They had a 3 hour conversation about the importance of faith in society and Richardson’s commitment to faith and the family unit. Richardson spoke not only about his personal faith but its influence on his policy, making note that his model President was Eisenhower who believed strongly in the importance of faith in American society.

His next stop was A.C. Flora High School where he gave a presentation on civic service to the students and talked about what it was like to work in Congress and be a Governor even doing a brief Q&A with the kids. Likely only a handful of seniors would vote but they would presumably tell their parents about the Presidential candidate they just met. As evening fell, Richardson and his volunteers blanketed the suburbs, knocking on doors, shaking hands and meeting people. Richardson’s strength with retail politics, the suburbs, and in the Carolina’s worked hand in hand here.

In the evening he held a rally to a crowd of curious residents

“Hello!” Richardson said to the passionate crowd “It’s an absolute honor to see you all here” Richardson took his time giving a wave and a positive smile to the crowd and made sure the assembled cameras saw him. He dressed in a suit and dress shirt but opted to not wear a tie, sporting a professional but approachable look.

“Thank you all for joining me here today. We are all here because we are united in common cause, we all want to move this country forward! So who here is ready to get to work? Let me tell you about how we are going to make the American dream a bit more accessible, how we are going to build on the achievements we have made since 2016 and bring our country to new heights!”

Richardson let the cheers die down a bit before continuing

“I stand here today for the same reasons a lot of you are. Because of the sacrifices my parents made, because of the chances they took, all their kids went and got an education, we followed our own dreams we have our own children and that is the work ethic they instilled in us. There wasn’t a single day that it was easy, there wasn’t a single day my parents didn’t put everything they had into making their business a success. All that hard work gave them a beautiful life that could only happen in America, the greatest country in the world. That’s a dream I share, to give a better life to my daughter, for all our children. Now, their son is proud to be running for the Presidency of the United States! Let’s stand up for America and push the country forward!!!”

The cheers from the crowd were spirited, with a few campaign officials and activists scattered in the crowd to lead the chants and have the crowd applaud at appropriate moments.

“That’s really humbling thank you. Before I detail my plans for the country and how we move forward, I would like to take a few moments to pay tribute to President Wolf.”

The crowd applauded, some politely and some with great enthusiasm

“I make no excuses for the times I have disagreed with him, in policy or rhetoric. But I will say this, 4 million new jobs, more people employed than ever before in the country of which 400,000 are manufacturing jobs, the ones dems told us were never coming back… Hispanic, Asian and African American unemployment at the lowest rates ever recorded. Explosive economic growth, unemployment at a 49 year low, median household income at the highest level ever recorded, 3.9 million Americans off of food stamps. 95% of US manufacturers are optimistic about the future, highest level ever.”

“Wolf ended the ACA individual mandate, eliminated regulations, lowered taxes and delivered on his promises. Enacted tax cuts and reforms that put hundreds of billions back into the economy, back in the hands of taxpayers. Small businesses have the lowest tax rate in 80 years. The VA is more accountable and effective than ever before, our military has recovered from the cuts of the Baharia years. By every metric the economy is the strongest it’s ever been, our military is the strongest its been in decades and once again we can look to the future with hope. So thank you President Wolf”

“The flow of illegal immigrants has decreased sharply, for the first time in 65 years the United States has ceased to be a net oil importer. These are two areas specifically the last few administrations had promised action but failed to deliver… the latest information has shown that workers earning growth have grown at a rate of 3.4% a rate not seen since Reagan, the poverty rate is at the best rate since the 90s and unemployment the best since the 60s… This is not a trickle down economy, its a lifting up economy! Thank you President Wolf!”

“If you are a woman today, who is a single parent your income has jumped an average of 7.% in the last year… more than any other group. Poverty rates for women of color fell dramatically, and unemployment rates for African American and Hispanic women are now under 4.5%... thats unheard of. Thank you President Wolf.”

By the third “Thank you” the crowd had been applauding with enthusiasm, Richardson allowed it to crescendo, joining in the applause and letting it die before continuing his speech.

“The majority of our countries growth has been in the lower and middle income groups… That is the simple truth, its right in the numbers. Economic growth policies under Wolf did more to combat income inequality and poverty that the tax and spend policies of Baharia. The ENDLESS mantra coming from limousine liberals, is that the tax cuts and reform only benefited the rich… in truth it benefited the most needy. The numbers are in, and any way you swing it… the Republicans are just better for the economy.”

“Despite these successes every day I hear Democrats continue on about tax cuts for the rich and promoting 70% tax brackets, open borders, socialized medicine, and the Green New Deal.”

“Despite all the accomplishments we have made since 2016 in this country, unprecedented economic growth, a strong military and a protection of our rights and liberties, those who call themselves ‘Progressives’ want to roll back all our accomplishments, and then take more and more money out of the private sector, give it to unelected bureaucrats who couldn’t run a lemonade stand, and somehow hope it improves the economy. We have too much government, we need to shrink it.”

“Progressives are saying, ‘it's complicated, just trust us’... well I'm here to tell you it's simple. We either go forward together as a country or back, forward towards more freedom, lower taxes, regulation and fiscal responsibility, or back towards economic downturn, escalating deficits and the death of small businesses. Do you want to go forward or back?”

“Democrats tell us to trust Iran while it supports terrorism and continues its nuclear program unabated by the terrible Iran nuclear deal, they say just trust the news media when it produces hit jobs on conservatives while ignoring the worst of the left, they say just trust the socialists as they take away your healthcare. Voters trusted them when they said ‘if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, if you like your doctor, keep your doctor’ Why should we trust them again? Do you want to go forward or back?”

“I am a Republican, a Conservative because I trust the individual American citizen more than I trust someone in Washington. I am a Conservative because I trust that I know what is better for the education of my child, because I trust that I know how to best spend my own money, because I trust myself to make the best decisions for my own future. Democrats do not trust the American people! So let me ask again, do you want to go forward or back?”

Richardson’s emphasis on the “forward or back” phrase and the plants in the crowd had them repeating the line with him with force the third time, engaging them and making it appear as if they had one voice. It was an old effective rally tactic.

“I want to detail and tell you exactly how I plan to move our country forward, to greater heights than ever before… but first let me tell you a little about myself, my story and where I come from.”

“I have done all I can to devote my life to public service. I was born right here in Wilmington, NC... I am the oldest of three siblings born to Patrice and Robert Richarson who owned and ran the small business of Richardson Realtors.”

“I went to Duke University, and found my true calling working for the working men and women of this country. I worked with Conservatives around the country, advancing the cause of liberty as part of the movement, before returning home and working to do my part making North Carolina better.”

“In 2008 I was first elected Congressman, representing North Carolina’s 7th district. I had a strong conservative record and as a Congressman I authored many bills which I am proud of, I reformed the tax code for farmers and small businesses, but I am perhaps most proud of authoring the DC Voucher pilot program which today serves over 10,000 families.”

Some scattered applause from the audience continued

“In 2012 became Governor, eager to do my part to help my state recover from recession. Together we united behind a common cause, and delivered. We have a flourishing economy, the 10th largest in the country, unemployment has been cut in half and our labor market is the strongest in the nation. North Carolina is the fastest growing economy in the country, no state even comes close. We did this through $4.4 billion dollars in tax relief, investing in small businesses, entrepreneurs and the power of American spirit to innovate and overcome. We did this while doing more than just balancing the budget, we have the 4th largest surplus per capita in the nation. It is a brand of fiscal responsibility and tax relief I plan on bringing to the nation as a whole. We do not have a revenue problem we have a SPENDING problem, we need to take a look at all our programs, if they don’t work we fix them and if we can’t fix them we take the money we are spending on them and give it to a program that works”

“”We can not only make our tax cuts permanent, we can give the middle class even more tax relief. Regulatory relief as well is vital especially for small businesses, arguably tax and regulatory relief is the biggest achievement of the Wolf administration and it is something my administration would continue.”

“As Governor I lead the charge on Education Savings Accounts, on school choice and putting parents back in charge of their children's education. We have enacted transparency on college campuses for the job market, and encouraged trade schools so that those entering the workforce are trained for the most in demand jobs available. Together we have brought North Carolina from 30th in the nation in terms of education, to 25th, a trend I have every faith will continue. As President I would push for an ambitious national school choice program, creating education savings accounts and tax relief for education that will encourage school choice and help parents tailor their child’s education. Because it is an engaged parent that knows what is best for their own child, not some bureaucrat in Washington.”

“As Governor I took historic steps to protect the unborn, the most vulnerable among us. I signed a 20 week abortion ban into law. As President I will support measures such as the ‘Born Alive’ law which protects infants born alive after babies survive abortions. I will also push to restrict second & third trimester abortion except when it threatens the life of the mother.”

“Just in the past few years the legislature and we have created Carolina’s Choice Care, which emphasizes personal choice in healthcare, using the free market principles of competition and free exchange of ideas to provide the best healthcare possible to the most people at the lowest cost. We need to repeal and replace the ACA and institute a plan that works with the free market to lower costs and provide higher quality care.”

“What do I stand for? I stand for results, if something is broken I fix it, if it works I double down on it. I have balanced the budget, cut taxes, brought in jobs, lowered healthcare costs and improved education. North Carolina like every state struggles, we have our own challenges… Unemployment, quality of education, poverty, I have worked every day in and out to try and improve the lives of the American people, and by every metric we have made them better. That is why I am running for President, because its the best way I can serve, how I can make the biggest impact on the most people, I am first and foremost a grateful American just looking to give back.”

The applause line landed and the crowd responded with enthusiasm, he was playing the greatest hits for them.

“Not only am I a strong conservative that knows where we need to go as a nation, but how to get there. I will be constantly unveiling plans on how to reform our nation’s finances, healthcare and education. How to balance the budget and how to keep our military strong, how to fund schools choice and keep the cost of colleges low. I have done this in North Carolina and I will bring this to the country as a whole. All of my policy isn’t just based on labels, its based on what I have lived and what I know. I know first hand how easy it is for the government to take your hard earned money, under a Richardson administration it will get a whole lot harder.”

“I also have a not so secret weapon, my wife Amanda. She is a fighter, brilliant, bold and beautiful, a true mind at work. I could not do this without her support. She is a strong woman of faith, a mother, wife, an intellect, and a true patriot, every day I am reminded how lucky I am to have her as my partner.”

“But the first person I asked if I could run for President was another brilliant woman. My daughter Jessica. Jessica is a big reason why i’m doing this. This is a personal fight for the future my daughter will inherit from us. I want every parent to give their child what I have been able to give to mine, what my parents gave to me. Strong values of patriotism, faith and a personality driven for success, the ingredients that turn American Dreams into American Realities.”

“To do that we need a President that will balance our budget, that will reform and protect our retirement programs, that will repeal and replace the ACA, that fights for American businesses, that supports our military and our global alliances, that helps raise wages, that helps create better jobs and that provides policies that help not just our generation but generations to come.”

“I hope to be that President.”

Another applause line allowed Richardson to collect his breath and shift gears

“This election is about principles, principles held by working people and everyday Americans. Principles that you don’t need to get from the New York Times. These are principles enshrined in our Constitution, principles of faith and hard work.”

“Principles that affect our economy, our foreign policy, our healthcare policy, our border and the very way government works. Principles promised by our democracy, the promise of opportunity for all which is unfilled by too many.”

“We have seen what burdensome overregulation does to our small businesses, over taxation. From the time I was young and my parents ran a small business, to today when I have traveled all over the country speaking to small business owners, their number one concern and barrier to prosperity is always regulation. As I said before the Wolf administration has made great strides in fighting overregulation but we need to work to enshire protections into law that keep the unelected bureaucracy from strangling our small businesses in the future.”

“They want to raise the minimum wage… I admit I wanted the minimum wage raised once too… I was 15 and working a minimum wage job… I didn’t know any better so give me a break.”

The crowd laughs a bit

“Mandating an increase in the minimum wage not only leads to the closing of businesses who can’t afford it like we have seen in Seattle, not only leads to the laying off of countless workers, but stunts the ability to get new people into the workforce. It’s a job killer.”

“I am a Christian, I believe strongly in charity and the importance of helping those in need. If your neighbor is going through a tough time I believe in giving them a helping hand. But sometimes we can do more harm than good. Welfare eligibility needs reform, the kind of reform already started to programs like food stamps, creating basic work requirements for those who have the ability to work. 20 hours a week, if no jobs are available they can do charity work instead. Getting people working is the best way to get them off their feet and keeping them from dependency that can last generations. That doesn’t help anyone… as President I will measure the success of programs like food stamps by how many people we can get standing on their own two feet not by how many more people get covered by it.”

“We as a nation also need to be able to stand on our own two feet when it comes to the deficit. Contrary to the belief on the other side of the aisle, the remedy for spending too much money is not spending more money or raising taxes to 70%. They said ‘trust us’ they said passing the ACA and the Medicaid expansion would magically balance the budget… didn’t happen. Now they are saying taking away your private insurance and let them increase your taxes and somehow it will cost you less and the government less. Just Trust Them”

Richardson wasn’t a particularly mean politician, but throwing red meat to the base was necessary in the 2019 Republican party. The paragraph drew appropriate hisses from the conservative audience.

“Healthcare is the issue most on the minds of American’s today and I do not blame them. But unlike Progressives I don’t believe that putting the government in charge of anything makes it more efficient or improves its quality. We need a healthcare system that utilizes and works WITH the free market, the kind that I have established in North Carolina that has consistently reduced premiums and costs year after year. States need to be given more freedom to design health care systems and exchanges for themselves.”

“When we talk about healthcare I would be remiss if I did not discuss abortion. I never thought I would see the day when states were enshiring abortion to the point of birth in their state constitution. We have democrats who are supposedly part of the mainstream advocating for the killing of babies that have been delivered, infanticide. It is more clear than ever that we must reaffirm our values, that life is sacred and that we have the right and obligation to protect the unborn with our laws.”

“In the first 100 days of my Presidency I will ask Congress to send to my desk a ban on all abortions after 25 weeks except in cases of rape, incest or life of the mother. It is not as far as I want to go, but it’s something I believe we can get done. It will get challenged in court which is all the more reason that we need to elect conservatives not just to the Presidency but the Senate as well, so we can appoint judges who are not just social justice warriors using judicial fiat and essentially writing laws. We need judges that call balls and strikes based on the Constitution, protecting individual liberty for everyone including those unborn.”

The Evangelicals in the crowd enthusiastically cheered the proposal, a major specific commitment that lined up with where the majority of Americans were. Not as far as some wanted to go but it was a big win for a candidate.

“I believe in balancing the budget, like we have done here in North Carolina, reforming welfare to ensure its sustainable and available not just for us but for our children. Its a cliche but we can’t keep kicking the can down the road. We need to get tough on our budget. It is killing our nation slowly but with increasing speed, it will take hard choices that will piss off special interests but it is the only way to save our country and preserve the nation for future generations.”

“Democrats want to solve the budget crisis by raising taxes, heck that’s the first instinct of democrats… if it moves tax it. As President my first move will be cutting needless spending, my second will be reforming failing programs. I have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, no tax increases as your President.”

“As Governor I forged strong ties with Israel, and that is a friendship I want to continue as President, supporting the undeniable right of Israel to exist and defend itself. We need to strengthen relations with our allies, NATO, Israel and nations around the world united in common cause. Let me be completely clear, agreements like the Iran Nuclear Deal are a joke. The treaty, that’s what it is, was unenforceable lip service, immediately violated in letter and spirit, and sealed with secret cash bribes in the middle of the night. It did nothing to protect Israel, nothing to prevent a nuclear Iran. This is no way to conduct diplomacy, that is no way to keep our nation safe.”

“We must lead through the power of our example, negotiating from a position of strength, demanding respect and ensuring peace. We need to stand up to Russia in the Ukraine and the Baltic instead of letting Putin annex half the country like Baharia did, we need to stand up to nations like Syria that use chemical weapons on innocent people, and if we draw a red line we need make sure we enforce it with the righteous fury of the American Military.”

“Ukraine deserves our full backing, supplying them with weapons to defend themselves. In addition we need to work with NATO to expand our naval presence in the Black Sea and expand missile defenses to curb Russian aggression. I am not advocating a new Cold War, but we must act with moral clarity and show our resolute will in the face of tyranny and oppression. Whether radical Islamic terrorism in the Middle East, the rights of Israel to self defense, the nuclear threat of North Korea or an expansionist China we must show American mettle.”

“Let us never forget 9/11 or the lessons learned. Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies must work together to thwart terror at home and we must deny terrorists safe spaces abroad. There is no overnight solution to terrorism, Islamic or otherwise. It will require constant vigilance and a network of allies, over time we will win, we will overcome, but we must not accept a bad deal just for the sake of temporary peace. We must seek lasting peace, a true peace that secures our nation and our people, future generations.”

“China is perhaps our greatest long term threat, from the South China Sea to North Korea to the growing influence of the nation in the UN we are challenged by them. They steal our intellectual property and are making inroads in Africa and in our own hemisphere. We need to respond, doubling our efforts to defend on the cyber front, protecting against aggression in the South China Sea strengthening regional alliances, and finally organizing an international and organized economic response to China’s economic foul play.”

“Only by getting tough on China can we stop it dishonest trade practices, stop its aggression and intellectual property theft and stop it constant human rights abuses.”

Moderate applause, the foreign policy section isn’t what most voters cared about and it was probably a bit long and detailed HOWEVER his lack of foreign policy experience required him to show he still knew his stuff.

“We face another challenge on our Southern Border. To the challenge of illegal immigration I give you this simple principle… ‘keep the lawbreakers out’. Our current immigraiton system needs drastic reform and while I do support a path to citizenship for Dreamers we cannot turn a blind eye to those who have broken the law and continue to break the law.”

“Many who cross our border illegally are indeed looking for a better life, I understand that, I respect that. But a significant amount are coming over intent on committing crimes, bringing drugs and violence, the very thing so many crossing the border are fleeing. Without being able to control our border we have no way of seperate the good from the bad, real families with those smuggling children across the border to sell into sex slavery. 20,000 people are trafficked across the southern border every year to be sold into slavery, many of them are children. We need stronger border controls to stop this scourge.”

“Immigration is the foundation of our nation, I believe it is a strength and it always will be. But I also believe a nation without borders is not a nation and that we have every right to make sure people entering our country are good hardworking people and not criminals.”

“The Presidency is a sacred trust, a great honor and a greater responsibility. I want to show the country and the world the best of what America has to offer. American’s live optimistic, positive and confident in the future, a unique American optimism. A nation of immigrants, who came to this country for the same reason my parents started a small business, to create a better life for their family. Americans pursue not just material wealth but the richness of life, the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, religion, speech, self defense, the freedom to build a business with their own hands.”

“Our nation promises the opportunity for a better future. As President I want to help Americans put away just a little more, have a little more to save for college, a little more time to take care of sick loved ones, give a little more to charity. For small businesses, I want next year to be their best year, create an environment where they can hire more workers or give them a raise. I want to help create an environment where a college grad can get a good job and pay off their loans, build for the future instead of trying to dig themselves out of debt.”

“Americans don’t quit, when trouble hits you work harder, do more with less and try to stay optimistic. You deserve better, as President I want to make the good times better and the hard times easier. But in the end, I can’t do anything, the Government can’t do anything, not really… All we can do is set you on the right path, the right direction, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES ARE GOING TO DO IT. The People! Are going to move us FORWARD!”

Roaring applause from the crowd, setting up an expectation and then coming back on an upswing is another classic rally tactic Richardson enjoyed employing

“Americans support each other, our communities, faiths and families unite us. And while today harsh rhetoric and anger are present on both sides of the aisle, I believe that tomorrow we can become more unified than ever before. “

“I intend to run hard, fight hard, to take a stand and to win. The campaign starts tonight. The Presidency is the most difficult job on earth, I will need all your help to get through it. I ask you all now to share my hopes and intentions, to go with me where I wish to lead. I want to lead the building of a better America, it’s a simple concept but a large one.”

“Our mission, our target. It is a mission the Republican Party has been pursuing since the 1850s, securing the blessings of liberty, protecting freedom and ensuring economic prosperity. I hear the democratic rhetoric today, they see an America in decline, an America founded on rotten principles. I say that America was founded on liberty and good principles, it acknowledged its flaws and gave future generations the tools to make a more perfect union and improve upon it. I say America was founded on idealism and principles that we as a nation have not always lived up to, but we can always do better.”

“I want an America where the only thing that can stop you is the limits you place on yourself.”

“That is my mission, to keep our country moving forward with those ideals in our heart. Thank you all, God bless you and God bless the United States of America.”

The crowd roared as Richardson left the stage. He would spend the next hour speaking with people in attendance, taking selfies and answering individual questions, shaking every hand he could.

[Dentali]

FOX Interview
04/01/2019
Senator Jillian Dayton



Craig Benfield: Good morning, this is FOX News. Today is April 1st and we just received the first quarter FEC reports of the candidates for President. Among those candidates is Senator Jillian Dayton of Virginia, who was in the Virginia State Senate from 2001 to 2006, a member of the US House of Representative from 2006 to 2013, The Governor of Virginia from 2013-2017 and has the Senator from Virginia since 2018. Senator thank you for joining us today.

Dayton: Thank you for having me, Craig.

Benfield: Senator first quarter fundraising is in, are you happy with the result?

Dayton: Admittedly, it could've been better, but this race is a marathon not a sprint.

Benfield: You also got into the race later than Murphy and Westra. Regardless we have a long way to go. I would like to start out by asking you about gun control. Virginia has off year elections, Democrats are hoping to make big gains in the state legislature this year running in a large part on gun control issues.

You are the Senator from that state and formerly the Governor. Do you feel the movement in Virginia is indicative of larger trends in the nation? And as President what measures would you push for on the issue of gun control?

Dayton: I'll be making the rounds after the June Primaries to support my Virginian colleagues, I do believe Virginia is reflective of a growing trend among voters that prioritize gun control as their key priority. However, let's be cautious about framing the upcoming Virginian elections as a gun control referendum, that's a key issue, but so too is ensuring that we expand on VAHCA, improve public education and make Virginian elections as reflective of the voters intentions as possible. As President, I'd push for universal background checks and I'd rehash my efforts from when I was a Congresswoman to allow the CDC and other public research institutes to determine the best path towards reducing gun related deaths. Under the current laws, public money can't research the cause of gun deaths, fearing research, fact and truth are not the American way, in my first 100 days I'd permit research grants to go towards researching the best path forward.

Benfield: Do you believe guns in the hands of responsible civilians makes us safer?
Dayton: I'm a gunowner, I'm a responsible gunowner, responsible citizens who store their guns safely, follow all safety precautions to limit the risk of harm to others, make their communities safer. However, America doesn't have one gun issue, we have multiple issues that all link into our gun deaths, mental health issues continue to climb, children struggling with depression an anxiety are becoming more frequent and when you have inflammatory dialogue being churned out almost daily over cable news, it can incite violence. I want to address gun deaths critically, its why I want research done to provide high quality advice to Congress upon which we can base our decisions. I want to expand counselling and mental health assistance services to every public elementary and secondary school, I want to prevent the need for metal detectors to line our schools and I want ordinary Americans to be able to live, worship, cheer and thrive without fear of a maniac with a gun. To do this, we need background checks on all purchases, we need to remember that the Second Amendment inherently specifies "well regulated" as its opening words.

Benfield: One more question on guns. Do you believe armed school resource officers should be present in schools?

Dayton: We've reached a point where that's become needed. Let's get to a point where we don't need to have armed guards and metal detectors outside every school.

Benfield: speaking of schools... what reforms to our education system would you support as president?

Dayton: We're going to give more funding to schools according to need, President Baharia's Race to the Top and the No Child Left Behind Act both addressed curriculum shortages, the crux of the American education system's shortcomings are fixated around the need for better infrastructure in Middle America, and better teacher to student ratios nationwide. Fixing public education isn't just about preparing our children for the future, its about rectifying decades of worse outcomes among racial minorities and lifting all of America up together. We're going to re-evaluate standardized testing, the 21st Century needs accountability, but 21st Century Teaching and Learning isn't about pumping students full of information and having them squeeze it all back out just for a test. It needs to be about equipping our children with the capacity to innovate, standardized testing needs to account for a holistic, whole-of-student evaluation of more than just understanding the content. I'd amend current standardized testing mechanisms, and make grants available to states for building, repairing and expanding schools. We can't just throw money at Education, we need pedagogical consistency between schools that prioritizes skills and capacity over just sitting exams.

Benfield: Where do you stand on charter schools?
Dayton: The NAACP believes Charter Schools contribute to segregation, and I'm inclined to agree, I would raise accountability for Charter Schools to prevent them underserving communities in need, tying their funding to their ability to reflect their community, and I would seek to expand the opportunity to unionize the charter school workforce. Ideally, we can get to a point where American public schools are the world standard and this debate doesn't need to happen.

Benfield: We asked this same question of Senator Westra when he was on and he gave a similar answer. So we double checked the data.
(A graphic appears)
The most recent data released by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a part of the U.S. Department of Education says that traditional public schools enroll 50% white, 15% black, and 26% Hispanic students, charter schools are 33% White, 27% black, and 32% Hispanic students. This is confirmed by state boards of education.
They do however serve less students with disabilities, only covering 10.6 percent of all charter school students, compared to about 12.5 percent in traditional public schools.

Dayton: Charter schools are concentrated in certain states, and the extent to which they reflect the district and community in which they originate is the component that I'm more interested in. National data isn't useful when students in the charter school system are disproportionately concentrated in urban areas, and certain states. UCLA also agrees with the NAACP that charter schools oftentimes don't reflect their surrounding community. While nationally charter schools may appear more diverse, at a community level, they are not reflective of the community which they are intended to serve.

Benfield: What about higher education? Some of your democratic colleagues support free college, where are you on that?

Dayton: Unlike most of them, I've actually implemented an affordable college plan. I don't support a blanket free college policy, why should we give the children of billionaires entry to college for free? I would make national, my VUSE plan from my time as Governor of Virginia. VUSE created a range of state-sponsored positions at colleges across the state, public or private that would be subsidized by the State of Virginia down to a more affordable annual tuition cost between $6,000 and $12,500. The number of 'Commonwealth Support Positions' would fluctuate per institution depending on its capacity to handle more students, and estimated demand for that profession or qualification in Virginia. Colleges could accept more students beyond the positions the government sponsored, if they so chose, but they wouldn't fall under the same scheme as those who were able to fall into a CSP. Free college can't be paid for. My plan can be, it also works, and has had the effect of raising enrollments for colleges be they private or public. That reduced tuition cost which is dependent on the estimated income of a graduate, for example, a medical graduate as opposed to someone with a liberal arts degree, is repaid as a tax deductible interest free repayment, unlike actual loans which stack up against your credit rating, my plan enables you to go to college irrespective of your parents income and doesn't punish you for your success in later life.

Benfield: To play devil's advocate... can you put a price on the arts? Can an artistic work and its impact on people be measured in a dollar amount?

Dayton: I can't, unfortunately, studies show that someone with a science degree is going to outearn someone with an arts degree by at roughly $15k in their first five years after graduation, and by almost $40k if grad degrees get involved. If at some point in the future employers decide to flip the script, we'd change things around to be reflective of future income. Right now though, and looking at the next decade or two, it would be unfair to arts students to impose on them the same HECS debt as a med student.

Benfield: So that covers future college students, what about the standing student debt crisis?

Dayton: For current debt holders, if you have loans that you would have paid off under my plan, we would cancel it at once. Otherwise, we'll recalculate dollars owed and you'd be treated as though you went through HECS from the beginning. For example, if you graduated last year with $90,000 owed and studied Engineering. Under my plan, you'd actually owe approximately $40,000, and that'd be your tax deductible repayment schedule. If you graduated a decade ago with $90,000 owed then and about $10,000 left and studied Engineering, under my plan you'd have started tax deductible repayments ages ago and because these are interest free, you'd find your debt cancelled. There will be a retroactive clause for all current and past students that reorients their dollars owed. This would effect all students, no matter what college they went to, private or public. This is how we unlock access to expensive Ivy League schools for all students based on merit, not just the richest Americans and their charitable donations.

Benfield: How about those who already paid their loans? Someone graduates and works hard, pays off their loans this year then your administration cancels loans. What do you say to them?

Dayton: If a train is running over two people an hour, and we have the opportunity to change its tracks so it stops running over any new people, we can't ask ourselves if its fair to those who've already been screwed by the system. For those people new opportunities such as affordable grad school suddenly become available, everybody gets new opportunities out of my plan.

Benfield: Id like to take a second and ask you about something a bit more nebulous. Our nation is quite divided at the moment, how would your administration bring the country together?

Dayton: As President I'd appoint at least one Republican to my cabinet. I'll also do what I'm doing now. Talking to voters through the platforms they're familiar with. Few Democrats would watch FoxNews, given its reputation during the Baharia Administration, but Conservatives do. I don't see how we can bring anyone together if we refuse to have basic conversations about the issues. Our nations divisions are based on a feeling of unfairness. Of hard work being unrewarded, of someone getting more than they've worked for or less than they deserve. I'm here to put fairness first, to make sure that if you're nearing retirement you get to actually enjoy your retirement, and that if you're working hard for the foreseeable future, you deserve good pay, good hours and peace of mind. This isn't controversial. Fair is fair.

Benfield: Do you think Senator Westra or Murphy could bring the country together should they win the nomination?

Dayton: I've committed to supporting whoever the eventual nominee is, but much of the party hasn't, and screaming at folks that consider themselves moderates or independents about a revolution, doesn't exactly bode well in the party let alone the country.

Benfield: So you’re for reform not revolution?

Dayton: Reform is what got us the New Deal. It's what got us the Great Society. It's what led to the Affordable Care Act, which despite its criticisms, did deliver health insurance for 20 million people. We can improve on what we have without calling for a revolution. Young Americans deserve the opportunity to go to an affordable college, to have the choice of healthcare plans and the opportunity to buy a house. This can be done without alienating half the country.

Benfield: that’s all the time we have for today, thank you Senator.

Dayton: Thank you

[Azekopolaltion]

Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com

---

Glad that everyone agrees on the success of the Affordable Care Act. Proud to have been the one who actually wrote it.

[Lavar Baller]

Senator Frank Doyle
April 7th, 2019
Capitol Hill

A day after his public launch of PAPA in his joint presser with Westra's policy director, Frank had been summoned for a meeting with Speaker Malcolm Douglas. Frank had served in the House since the 80's, so he had come to know Douglas after the latter's election in the early days of the 21st Century. The man had always given off a slightly intimidating vibe to Frank; needless to say, he didn't like him all that much. But a request for a meeting with the party's de-facto leader could not be denied.

He entered the Speaker's office.

“Senator thanks for coming” Douglas said sitting behind his desk and gesturing to the seat across the table from him “I saw your late night appearance, good stuff.”

"Glad you enjoyed it," Frank responded as he took a seat. "I hope everything is well in the House. Congratulations on the passage of the Election Holiday Bill, that's really good stuff. Never thought the Republicans would be the one to actually initiate that!"

[Dentali]

“Senator thanks for coming” Douglas said sitting behind his desk and gesturing to the seat across the table from him “I saw your late night appearance, good stuff.”

"Glad you enjoyed it," Frank responded as he took a seat. "I hope everything is well in the House. Congratulations on the passage of the Election Holiday Bill, that's really good stuff. Never thought the Republicans would be the one to actually initiate that!"

"They're morons, I honestly don't know what they were thinking... Kost I get, he's running as a moderate for President or is considering it at least. But they didn't mount any kind of defense. We caught them sleeping on that. Still, Wolf might not sign it but it'll be that much harder to fight against in the future."

"But I didn't ask you here to talk about legislation" Douglas said closing a file folder on his desk "I want to know if you're running for President or at least considering it."

[Lavar Baller]

"Glad you enjoyed it," Frank responded as he took a seat. "I hope everything is well in the House. Congratulations on the passage of the Election Holiday Bill, that's really good stuff. Never thought the Republicans would be the one to actually initiate that!"

"They're morons, I honestly don't know what they were thinking... Kost I get, he's running as a moderate for President or is considering it at least. But they didn't mount any kind of defense. We caught them sleeping on that. Still, Wolf might not sign it but it'll be that much harder to fight against in the future."

"But I didn't ask you here to talk about legislation" Douglas said closing a file folder on his desk "I want to know if you're running for President or at least considering it."

"I am still considering it, to be honest. I am happy with how the field is shaping up, but I don't think any of the candidates are putting forward a vision that will realistically deal with our country's future. They're all stuck in the fights of the last century. If I do get in, I'm hoping to enrich the conversation a bit and really strengthen whoever our nominee is."

[Dentali]

"They're morons, I honestly don't know what they were thinking... Kost I get, he's running as a moderate for President or is considering it at least. But they didn't mount any kind of defense. We caught them sleeping on that. Still, Wolf might not sign it but it'll be that much harder to fight against in the future."

"But I didn't ask you here to talk about legislation" Douglas said closing a file folder on his desk "I want to know if you're running for President or at least considering it."

"I am still considering it, to be honest. I am happy with how the field is shaping up, but I don't think any of the candidates are putting forward a vision that will realistically deal with our country's future. They're all stuck in the fights of the last century. If I do get in, I'm hoping to enrich the conversation a bit and really strengthen whoever our nominee is."

"Well here is the thing... its April, not too late to announce but you need to decide soon.... I've been speaking with the minority leader and we think it is very possible that a significant portion of the Senate will be running in 2020... like yourself" Douglas says gesturing to the Senator across from him.

"You're also up for re-election in 2020, now historically when someone runs for President the state they represent resents them for it somewhat, their favorables go down in polls. You're in one of the safer states but anything can happen, and if you decide to run for President it puts who is going to run for your seat in question, as running for President and Senate at the same time isn't easy."

"What I am trying to say here is that if you have no intention of running for your seat figure that out as soon as possible and announce it publicly so whoever does run has the best chance to win. And if you run for President while keeping your options in the Senate open please get out of the race early if its not panning out, don't drag it out and jeopardize our standing in the Senate."

"I am having this talk with everyone who has a seat up in '20 and is contemplating a Presidential run, or is already running. This isn't personal against you... i'm just covering my bases. My priority is control of Congress."

[Dentali]

Calhoun, Gordon County, Georgia
April 6th, 2020



Calhoun had grown by a full third in the past 2 decades, part of the greater southern population boom. It was also a strongly Republican area with the party frequently receiving over 75% of the vote in the county.

Nate opened his day appearing on the local saturday morning tv news show doing a cooking segment where he shared his personal salmon recipe made for healthy eating. Next he visited several of Calhoun’s points of interest, the famous Rock Garden and the New Echota Historic site where he even met with representatives of the Cherokee nation briefly to discuss his support for them. Following this he made an appearance on the local religious radio station WLOJ-LP where he talked about his faith and the importance of strong families in society.

Then came the companies, Wolf’s strong manufacturing appeal made areas like Calhoun much more winnable for Republicans. Richardson visited Mohawk Industries, Shaw IndustriesBeaulieu International, LG Chem, and Kobelco Construction Machinery America, which all had factories in the county. He met with the rank and file workers and the management of the factories, talking to them about how he would support manufacturing and double down on the growth they had seen in the past 3 years.

After making the rounds he attended his traditional Saturday evening rally at a community center in Calhoun.

“Hello!” Richardson said to the passionate crowd “It’s an absolute honor to see you all here” Richardson took his time giving a wave and a positive smile to the crowd and made sure the assembled cameras saw him. He dressed in a suit and dress shirt but opted to not wear a tie, sporting a professional but approachable look.

“Thank you all for joining me here today. We are all here because we are united in common cause, we all want to move this country forward! So who here is ready to get to work? Let me tell you about how we are going to make the American dream a bit more accessible, how we are going to build on the achievements we have made since 2016 and bring our country to new heights!”

Richardson let the cheers die down a bit before continuing

“I stand here today for the same reasons a lot of you are. Because of the sacrifices my parents made, because of the chances they took, all their kids went and got an education, we followed our own dreams we have our own children and that is the work ethic they instilled in us. There wasn’t a single day that it was easy, there wasn’t a single day my parents didn’t put everything they had into making their business a success. All that hard work gave them a beautiful life that could only happen in America, the greatest country in the world. That’s a dream I share, to give a better life to my daughter, for all our children. Now, their son is proud to be running for the Presidency of the United States! Let’s stand up for America and push the country forward!!!”

The cheers from the crowd were spirited, with a few campaign officials and activists scattered in the crowd to lead the chants and have the crowd applaud at appropriate moments.

“That’s really humbling thank you. Before I detail my plans for the country and how we move forward, I would like to take a few moments to pay tribute to President Wolf.”

The crowd applauded, some politely and some with great enthusiasm

“I make no excuses for the times I have disagreed with him, in policy or rhetoric. But I will say this, 4 million new jobs, more people employed than ever before in the country of which 400,000 are manufacturing jobs, the ones dems told us were never coming back… Hispanic, Asian and African American unemployment at the lowest rates ever recorded. Explosive economic growth, unemployment at a 49 year low, median household income at the highest level ever recorded, 3.9 million Americans off of food stamps. 95% of US manufacturers are optimistic about the future, highest level ever.”

“Wolf ended the ACA individual mandate, eliminated regulations, lowered taxes and delivered on his promises. Enacted tax cuts and reforms that put hundreds of billions back into the economy, back in the hands of taxpayers. Small businesses have the lowest tax rate in 80 years. The VA is more accountable and effective than ever before, our military has recovered from the cuts of the Baharia years. By every metric the economy is the strongest it’s ever been, our military is the strongest its been in decades and once again we can look to the future with hope. So thank you President Wolf”

“The flow of illegal immigrants has decreased sharply, for the first time in 65 years the United States has ceased to be a net oil importer. These are two areas specifically the last few administrations had promised action but failed to deliver… the latest information has shown that workers earning growth have grown at a rate of 3.4% a rate not seen since Reagan, the poverty rate is at the best rate since the 90s and unemployment the best since the 60s… This is not a trickle down economy, its a lifting up economy! Thank you President Wolf!”

“If you are a woman today, who is a single parent your income has jumped an average of 7.% in the last year… more than any other group. Poverty rates for women of color fell dramatically, and unemployment rates for African American and Hispanic women are now under 4.5%... thats unheard of. Thank you President Wolf.”

By the third “Thank you” the crowd had been applauding with enthusiasm, Richardson allowed it to crescendo, joining in the applause and letting it die before continuing his speech.

“The majority of our countries growth has been in the lower and middle income groups… That is the simple truth, its right in the numbers. Economic growth policies under Wolf did more to combat income inequality and poverty that the tax and spend policies of Baharia. The ENDLESS mantra coming from limousine liberals, is that the tax cuts and reform only benefited the rich… in truth it benefited the most needy. The numbers are in, and any way you swing it… the Republicans are just better for the economy.”

“Despite these successes every day I hear Democrats continue on about tax cuts for the rich and promoting 70% tax brackets, open borders, socialized medicine, and the Green New Deal.”

“Despite all the accomplishments we have made since 2016 in this country, unprecedented economic growth, a strong military and a protection of our rights and liberties, those who call themselves ‘Progressives’ want to roll back all our accomplishments, and then take more and more money out of the private sector, give it to unelected bureaucrats who couldn’t run a lemonade stand, and somehow hope it improves the economy. We have too much government, we need to shrink it.”

“Progressives are saying, ‘it's complicated, just trust us’... well I'm here to tell you it's simple. We either go forward together as a country or back, forward towards more freedom, lower taxes, regulation and fiscal responsibility, or back towards economic downturn, escalating deficits and the death of small businesses. Do you want to go forward or back?”

“Democrats tell us to trust Iran while it supports terrorism and continues its nuclear program unabated by the terrible Iran nuclear deal, they say just trust the news media when it produces hit jobs on conservatives while ignoring the worst of the left, they say just trust the socialists as they take away your healthcare. Voters trusted them when they said ‘if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, if you like your doctor, keep your doctor’ Why should we trust them again? Do you want to go forward or back?”

“I am a Republican, a Conservative because I trust the individual American citizen more than I trust someone in Washington. I am a Conservative because I trust that I know what is better for the education of my child, because I trust that I know how to best spend my own money, because I trust myself to make the best decisions for my own future. Democrats do not trust the American people! So let me ask again, do you want to go forward or back?”

Richardson’s emphasis on the “forward or back” phrase and the plants in the crowd had them repeating the line with him with force the third time, engaging them and making it appear as if they had one voice. It was an old effective rally tactic.

“I want to detail and tell you exactly how I plan to move our country forward, to greater heights than ever before… but first let me tell you a little about myself, my story and where I come from.”

“I have done all I can to devote my life to public service. I was born right here in Wilmington, NC... I am the oldest of three siblings born to Patrice and Robert Richarson who owned and ran the small business of Richardson Realtors.”

“I went to Duke University, and found my true calling working for the working men and women of this country. I worked with Conservatives around the country, advancing the cause of liberty as part of the movement, before returning home and working to do my part making North Carolina better.”

“In 2008 I was first elected Congressman, representing North Carolina’s 7th district. I had a strong conservative record and as a Congressman I authored many bills which I am proud of, I reformed the tax code for farmers and small businesses, but I am perhaps most proud of authoring the DC Voucher pilot program which today serves over 10,000 families.”

Some scattered applause from the audience continued

“In 2012 became Governor, eager to do my part to help my state recover from recession. Together we united behind a common cause, and delivered. We have a flourishing economy, the 10th largest in the country, unemployment has been cut in half and our labor market is the strongest in the nation. North Carolina is the fastest growing economy in the country, no state even comes close. We did this through $4.4 billion dollars in tax relief, investing in small businesses, entrepreneurs and the power of American spirit to innovate and overcome. We did this while doing more than just balancing the budget, we have the 4th largest surplus per capita in the nation. It is a brand of fiscal responsibility and tax relief I plan on bringing to the nation as a whole. We do not have a revenue problem we have a SPENDING problem, we need to take a look at all our programs, if they don’t work we fix them and if we can’t fix them we take the money we are spending on them and give it to a program that works”

“”We can not only make our tax cuts permanent, we can give the middle class even more tax relief. Regulatory relief as well is vital especially for small businesses, arguably tax and regulatory relief is the biggest achievement of the Wolf administration and it is something my administration would continue.”

“As Governor I lead the charge on Education Savings Accounts, on school choice and putting parents back in charge of their children's education. We have enacted transparency on college campuses for the job market, and encouraged trade schools so that those entering the workforce are trained for the most in demand jobs available. Together we have brought North Carolina from 30th in the nation in terms of education, to 25th, a trend I have every faith will continue. As President I would push for an ambitious national school choice program, creating education savings accounts and tax relief for education that will encourage school choice and help parents tailor their child’s education. Because it is an engaged parent that knows what is best for their own child, not some bureaucrat in Washington.”

“As Governor I took historic steps to protect the unborn, the most vulnerable among us. I signed a 20 week abortion ban into law. As President I will support measures such as the ‘Born Alive’ law which protects infants born alive after babies survive abortions. I will also push to restrict second & third trimester abortion except when it threatens the life of the mother.”

“Just in the past few years the legislature and we have created Carolina’s Choice Care, which emphasizes personal choice in healthcare, using the free market principles of competition and free exchange of ideas to provide the best healthcare possible to the most people at the lowest cost. We need to repeal and replace the ACA and institute a plan that works with the free market to lower costs and provide higher quality care.”

“What do I stand for? I stand for results, if something is broken I fix it, if it works I double down on it. I have balanced the budget, cut taxes, brought in jobs, lowered healthcare costs and improved education. North Carolina like every state struggles, we have our own challenges… Unemployment, quality of education, poverty, I have worked every day in and out to try and improve the lives of the American people, and by every metric we have made them better. That is why I am running for President, because its the best way I can serve, how I can make the biggest impact on the most people, I am first and foremost a grateful American just looking to give back.”

The applause line landed and the crowd responded with enthusiasm, he was playing the greatest hits for them.

“Not only am I a strong conservative that knows where we need to go as a nation, but how to get there. I will be constantly unveiling plans on how to reform our nation’s finances, healthcare and education. How to balance the budget and how to keep our military strong, how to fund schools choice and keep the cost of colleges low. I have done this in North Carolina and I will bring this to the country as a whole. All of my policy isn’t just based on labels, its based on what I have lived and what I know. I know first hand how easy it is for the government to take your hard earned money, under a Richardson administration it will get a whole lot harder.”

“I also have a not so secret weapon, my wife Amanda. She is a fighter, brilliant, bold and beautiful, a true mind at work. I could not do this without her support. She is a strong woman of faith, a mother, wife, an intellect, and a true patriot, every day I am reminded how lucky I am to have her as my partner.”

“But the first person I asked if I could run for President was another brilliant woman. My daughter Jessica. Jessica is a big reason why i’m doing this. This is a personal fight for the future my daughter will inherit from us. I want every parent to give their child what I have been able to give to mine, what my parents gave to me. Strong values of patriotism, faith and a personality driven for success, the ingredients that turn American Dreams into American Realities.”

“To do that we need a President that will balance our budget, that will reform and protect our retirement programs, that will repeal and replace the ACA, that fights for American businesses, that supports our military and our global alliances, that helps raise wages, that helps create better jobs and that provides policies that help not just our generation but generations to come.”

“I hope to be that President.”

Another applause line allowed Richardson to collect his breath and shift gears

“This election is about principles, principles held by working people and everyday Americans. Principles that you don’t need to get from the New York Times. These are principles enshrined in our Constitution, principles of faith and hard work.”

“Principles that affect our economy, our foreign policy, our healthcare policy, our border and the very way government works. Principles promised by our democracy, the promise of opportunity for all which is unfilled by too many.”

“We have seen what burdensome overregulation does to our small businesses, over taxation. From the time I was young and my parents ran a small business, to today when I have traveled all over the country speaking to small business owners, their number one concern and barrier to prosperity is always regulation. As I said before the Wolf administration has made great strides in fighting overregulation but we need to work to enshire protections into law that keep the unelected bureaucracy from strangling our small businesses in the future.”

“They want to raise the minimum wage… I admit I wanted the minimum wage raised once too… I was 15 and working a minimum wage job… I didn’t know any better so give me a break.”

The crowd laughs a bit

“Mandating an increase in the minimum wage not only leads to the closing of businesses who can’t afford it like we have seen in Seattle, not only leads to the laying off of countless workers, but stunts the ability to get new people into the workforce. It’s a job killer.”

“I am a Christian, I believe strongly in charity and the importance of helping those in need. If your neighbor is going through a tough time I believe in giving them a helping hand. But sometimes we can do more harm than good. Welfare eligibility needs reform, the kind of reform already started to programs like food stamps, creating basic work requirements for those who have the ability to work. 20 hours a week, if no jobs are available they can do charity work instead. Getting people working is the best way to get them off their feet and keeping them from dependency that can last generations. That doesn’t help anyone… as President I will measure the success of programs like food stamps by how many people we can get standing on their own two feet not by how many more people get covered by it.”

“We as a nation also need to be able to stand on our own two feet when it comes to the deficit. Contrary to the belief on the other side of the aisle, the remedy for spending too much money is not spending more money or raising taxes to 70%. They said ‘trust us’ they said passing the ACA and the Medicaid expansion would magically balance the budget… didn’t happen. Now they are saying taking away your private insurance and let them increase your taxes and somehow it will cost you less and the government less. Just Trust Them”

Richardson wasn’t a particularly mean politician, but throwing red meat to the base was necessary in the 2019 Republican party. The paragraph drew appropriate hisses from the conservative audience.

“Healthcare is the issue most on the minds of American’s today and I do not blame them. But unlike Progressives I don’t believe that putting the government in charge of anything makes it more efficient or improves its quality. We need a healthcare system that utilizes and works WITH the free market, the kind that I have established in North Carolina that has consistently reduced premiums and costs year after year. States need to be given more freedom to design health care systems and exchanges for themselves.”

“When we talk about healthcare I would be remiss if I did not discuss abortion. I never thought I would see the day when states were enshiring abortion to the point of birth in their state constitution. We have democrats who are supposedly part of the mainstream advocating for the killing of babies that have been delivered, infanticide. It is more clear than ever that we must reaffirm our values, that life is sacred and that we have the right and obligation to protect the unborn with our laws.”

“In the first 100 days of my Presidency I will ask Congress to send to my desk a ban on all abortions after 25 weeks except in cases of rape, incest or life of the mother. It is not as far as I want to go, but it’s something I believe we can get done. It will get challenged in court which is all the more reason that we need to elect conservatives not just to the Presidency but the Senate as well, so we can appoint judges who are not just social justice warriors using judicial fiat and essentially writing laws. We need judges that call balls and strikes based on the Constitution, protecting individual liberty for everyone including those unborn.”

The Evangelicals in the crowd enthusiastically cheered the proposal, a major specific commitment that lined up with where the majority of Americans were. Not as far as some wanted to go but it was a big win for a candidate.

“I believe in balancing the budget, like we have done here in North Carolina, reforming welfare to ensure its sustainable and available not just for us but for our children. Its a cliche but we can’t keep kicking the can down the road. We need to get tough on our budget. It is killing our nation slowly but with increasing speed, it will take hard choices that will piss off special interests but it is the only way to save our country and preserve the nation for future generations.”

“Democrats want to solve the budget crisis by raising taxes, heck that’s the first instinct of democrats… if it moves tax it. As President my first move will be cutting needless spending, my second will be reforming failing programs. I have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, no tax increases as your President.”

“As Governor I forged strong ties with Israel, and that is a friendship I want to continue as President, supporting the undeniable right of Israel to exist and defend itself. We need to strengthen relations with our allies, NATO, Israel and nations around the world united in common cause. Let me be completely clear, agreements like the Iran Nuclear Deal are a joke. The treaty, that’s what it is, was unenforceable lip service, immediately violated in letter and spirit, and sealed with secret cash bribes in the middle of the night. It did nothing to protect Israel, nothing to prevent a nuclear Iran. This is no way to conduct diplomacy, that is no way to keep our nation safe.”

“We must lead through the power of our example, negotiating from a position of strength, demanding respect and ensuring peace. We need to stand up to Russia in the Ukraine and the Baltic instead of letting Putin annex half the country like Baharia did, we need to stand up to nations like Syria that use chemical weapons on innocent people, and if we draw a red line we need make sure we enforce it with the righteous fury of the American Military.”

“Ukraine deserves our full backing, supplying them with weapons to defend themselves. In addition we need to work with NATO to expand our naval presence in the Black Sea and expand missile defenses to curb Russian aggression. I am not advocating a new Cold War, but we must act with moral clarity and show our resolute will in the face of tyranny and oppression. Whether radical Islamic terrorism in the Middle East, the rights of Israel to self defense, the nuclear threat of North Korea or an expansionist China we must show American mettle.”

“Let us never forget 9/11 or the lessons learned. Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies must work together to thwart terror at home and we must deny terrorists safe spaces abroad. There is no overnight solution to terrorism, Islamic or otherwise. It will require constant vigilance and a network of allies, over time we will win, we will overcome, but we must not accept a bad deal just for the sake of temporary peace. We must seek lasting peace, a true peace that secures our nation and our people, future generations.”

“China is perhaps our greatest long term threat, from the South China Sea to North Korea to the growing influence of the nation in the UN we are challenged by them. They steal our intellectual property and are making inroads in Africa and in our own hemisphere. We need to respond, doubling our efforts to defend on the cyber front, protecting against aggression in the South China Sea strengthening regional alliances, and finally organizing an international and organized economic response to China’s economic foul play.”

“Only by getting tough on China can we stop it dishonest trade practices, stop its aggression and intellectual property theft and stop it constant human rights abuses.”

Moderate applause, the foreign policy section isn’t what most voters cared about and it was probably a bit long and detailed HOWEVER his lack of foreign policy experience required him to show he still knew his stuff.

“We face another challenge on our Southern Border. To the challenge of illegal immigration I give you this simple principle… ‘keep the lawbreakers out’. Our current immigraiton system needs drastic reform and while I do support a path to citizenship for Dreamers we cannot turn a blind eye to those who have broken the law and continue to break the law.”

“Many who cross our border illegally are indeed looking for a better life, I understand that, I respect that. But a significant amount are coming over intent on committing crimes, bringing drugs and violence, the very thing so many crossing the border are fleeing. Without being able to control our border we have no way of seperate the good from the bad, real families with those smuggling children across the border to sell into sex slavery. 20,000 people are trafficked across the southern border every year to be sold into slavery, many of them are children. We need stronger border controls to stop this scourge.”

“Immigration is the foundation of our nation, I believe it is a strength and it always will be. But I also believe a nation without borders is not a nation and that we have every right to make sure people entering our country are good hardworking people and not criminals.”

“The Presidency is a sacred trust, a great honor and a greater responsibility. I want to show the country and the world the best of what America has to offer. American’s live optimistic, positive and confident in the future, a unique American optimism. A nation of immigrants, who came to this country for the same reason my parents started a small business, to create a better life for their family. Americans pursue not just material wealth but the richness of life, the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, religion, speech, self defense, the freedom to build a business with their own hands.”

“Our nation promises the opportunity for a better future. As President I want to help Americans put away just a little more, have a little more to save for college, a little more time to take care of sick loved ones, give a little more to charity. For small businesses, I want next year to be their best year, create an environment where they can hire more workers or give them a raise. I want to help create an environment where a college grad can get a good job and pay off their loans, build for the future instead of trying to dig themselves out of debt.”

“Americans don’t quit, when trouble hits you work harder, do more with less and try to stay optimistic. You deserve better, as President I want to make the good times better and the hard times easier. But in the end, I can’t do anything, the Government can’t do anything, not really… All we can do is set you on the right path, the right direction, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES ARE GOING TO DO IT. The People! Are going to move us FORWARD!”

Roaring applause from the crowd, setting up an expectation and then coming back on an upswing is another classic rally tactic Richardson enjoyed employing

“Americans support each other, our communities, faiths and families unite us. And while today harsh rhetoric and anger are present on both sides of the aisle, I believe that tomorrow we can become more unified than ever before. “

“I intend to run hard, fight hard, to take a stand and to win. The campaign starts tonight. The Presidency is the most difficult job on earth, I will need all your help to get through it. I ask you all now to share my hopes and intentions, to go with me where I wish to lead. I want to lead the building of a better America, it’s a simple concept but a large one.”

“Our mission, our target. It is a mission the Republican Party has been pursuing since the 1850s, securing the blessings of liberty, protecting freedom and ensuring economic prosperity. I hear the democratic rhetoric today, they see an America in decline, an America founded on rotten principles. I say that America was founded on liberty and good principles, it acknowledged its flaws and gave future generations the tools to make a more perfect union and improve upon it. I say America was founded on idealism and principles that we as a nation have not always lived up to, but we can always do better.”

“I want an America where the only thing that can stop you is the limits you place on yourself.”

“That is my mission, to keep our country moving forward with those ideals in our heart. Thank you all, God bless you and God bless the United States of America.”

The crowd roared as Richardson left the stage. He would spend the next hour speaking with people in attendance, taking selfies and answering individual questions, shaking every hand he could.

Jefferson, Jackson County, Georgia
April 7th, 2020



Nate was legitimately a religious man, it was by no means an affectation, and believed that faith united American society and its diminishment was one of the causes for the division in recent years. So Richardson would have been going to church every Sunday regardless of whether or not he was running for President, however him attending church in the places he was campaigning in certainly did not hurt him with evangelical voters. Today he went to First Baptist Church Jefferson, he played it low key but had a supporter in the church make a big deal of him being there which got the attention of the congregation. He spoke with church goers, shaking hands and in general being a pleasant Christian

Following the service Richardson held a fundraiser targeted toward affluent Georgians, the area was well off and the residents were known to make political donations. As a supporters home he hosted local politicians, dozens of small business owners, community and faith leaders of all stripes as well as inviting the Republican donors Richardson had spent decades cultivating relationships with. They served dinner and Richardson gave a miniature town hall for the crowd in a somewhat more laid back setting than typical for his campaign.

Richardson had the early fundraising lead over Prendergast, and while it was certainly not everything it was a lead he intended to keep.

[Lavar Baller]

"I am still considering it, to be honest. I am happy with how the field is shaping up, but I don't think any of the candidates are putting forward a vision that will realistically deal with our country's future. They're all stuck in the fights of the last century. If I do get in, I'm hoping to enrich the conversation a bit and really strengthen whoever our nominee is."

"Well here is the thing... its April, not too late to announce but you need to decide soon.... I've been speaking with the minority leader and we think it is very possible that a significant portion of the Senate will be running in 2020... like yourself" Douglas says gesturing to the Senator across from him.

"You're also up for re-election in 2020, now historically when someone runs for President the state they represent resents them for it somewhat, their favorables go down in polls. You're in one of the safer states but anything can happen, and if you decide to run for President it puts who is going to run for your seat in question, as running for President and Senate at the same time isn't easy."

"What I am trying to say here is that if you have no intention of running for your seat figure that out as soon as possible and announce it publicly so whoever does run has the best chance to win. And if you run for President while keeping your options in the Senate open please get out of the race early if its not panning out, don't drag it out and jeopardize our standing in the Senate."

"I am having this talk with everyone who has a seat up in '20 and is contemplating a Presidential run, or is already running. This isn't personal against you... i'm just covering my bases. My priority is control of Congress."

"Mr. Speaker, I assure you that I will always put the good of the country and party before my own personal interest. I am planning on the latter option you provided - I will probably only stay in the presidential race for a few debates, and if it does not catch fire with voters I will happily return to the Senate. But I do want to push the policy debate in this primary, especially when it comes to automation or foreign policy."

"I have zero intentions of jeopardizing our Senate chances. The DSCC got me to where I am today. I would be remiss not to heed the concerns of party leaders."

[Puertollano]

Speaker Douglas' Office

The Speaker of the House apparently asked for Levi to come around when he was in D.C. to his office to talk all things 2020. The Senator obliged and arrived at his office.

After Doyle left Murphy was scheduled for a very similar meeting with the Speaker, despite mild exhaustion by the Speaker he was still pleasant enough when Murphy arrived. "Senator Murphy, how are you? Please sit down"

"I'm doing fine, thanks." He took a seat at the desk. "Trying to win back the White House from the Republicans, so I haven't been up to much," Levi said jokingly.

[Dentali]

"Well here is the thing... its April, not too late to announce but you need to decide soon.... I've been speaking with the minority leader and we think it is very possible that a significant portion of the Senate will be running in 2020... like yourself" Douglas says gesturing to the Senator across from him.

"You're also up for re-election in 2020, now historically when someone runs for President the state they represent resents them for it somewhat, their favorables go down in polls. You're in one of the safer states but anything can happen, and if you decide to run for President it puts who is going to run for your seat in question, as running for President and Senate at the same time isn't easy."

"What I am trying to say here is that if you have no intention of running for your seat figure that out as soon as possible and announce it publicly so whoever does run has the best chance to win. And if you run for President while keeping your options in the Senate open please get out of the race early if its not panning out, don't drag it out and jeopardize our standing in the Senate."

"I am having this talk with everyone who has a seat up in '20 and is contemplating a Presidential run, or is already running. This isn't personal against you... i'm just covering my bases. My priority is control of Congress."

"Mr. Speaker, I assure you that I will always put the good of the country and party before my own personal interest. I am planning on the latter option you provided - I will probably only stay in the presidential race for a few debates, and if it does not catch fire with voters I will happily return to the Senate. But I do want to push the policy debate in this primary, especially when it comes to automation or foreign policy."

"I have zero intentions of jeopardizing our Senate chances. The DSCC got me to where I am today. I would be remiss not to heed the concerns of party leaders."

“I’m very happy to hear that Senator, and please know if you’d like my input on your campaign my door is always open.”

[Dentali]

After Doyle left Murphy was scheduled for a very similar meeting with the Speaker, despite mild exhaustion by the Speaker he was still pleasant enough when Murphy arrived. "Senator Murphy, how are you? Please sit down"

"I'm doing fine, thanks." He took a seat at the desk. "Trying to win back the White House from the Republicans, so I haven't been up to much," Levi said jokingly.

“Yes I’ve noticed, you’ve had quite the campaign going... I’d like to talk to you about that actually. I’ve been speaking with the minority leader and we are in agreement that the number of senators running in this cycle is somewhat worrying, especially since a number of you have seats up in 2020. We would like to know if you had any intention of running for re election should your presidential campaign not pan out.”

[Puertollano]

"I'm doing fine, thanks." He took a seat at the desk. "Trying to win back the White House from the Republicans, so I haven't been up to much," Levi said jokingly.

“Yes I’ve noticed, you’ve had quite the campaign going... I’d like to talk to you about that actually. I’ve been speaking with the minority leader and we are in agreement that the number of senators running in this cycle is somewhat worrying, especially since a number of you have seats up in 2020. We would like to know if you had any intention of running for re election should your presidential campaign not pan out.”

"Look, if I feel like my campaign is about to crash and burn, I will run for re-election in the Senate. I'm not particularly concerned about that at the moment, though."

[Dentali]

“Yes I’ve noticed, you’ve had quite the campaign going... I’d like to talk to you about that actually. I’ve been speaking with the minority leader and we are in agreement that the number of senators running in this cycle is somewhat worrying, especially since a number of you have seats up in 2020. We would like to know if you had any intention of running for re election should your presidential campaign not pan out.”

"Look, if I feel like my campaign is about to crash and burn, I will run for re-election in the Senate. I'm not particularly concerned about that at the moment, though."

“Well it’s my job to be concerned” the Speaker countered “the Senate is hard enough to win as it is, and considering how close Minnesota was in 2016 I wouldn’t consider it safe. Voters tend to resent those who run for president, the feel like you are just using them for higher office or won’t put their needs before your own ambitions. I’m not asking you to drop or anything, I’m just asking you to make a decision early as whether or not to run in the senate. So that someone else can replace you on the ticket as early as possible.”

[Puertollano]

"Look, if I feel like my campaign is about to crash and burn, I will run for re-election in the Senate. I'm not particularly concerned about that at the moment, though."

“Well it’s my job to be concerned” the Speaker countered “the Senate is hard enough to win as it is, and considering how close Minnesota was in 2016 I wouldn’t consider it safe. Voters tend to resent those who run for president, the feel like you are just using them for higher office or won’t put their needs before your own ambitions. I’m not asking you to drop or anything, I’m just asking you to make a decision early as whether or not to run in the senate. So that someone else can replace you on the ticket as early as possible.”

"If this makes you feel better: I am coming first in nation-wide Democratic polling. I'm not dropping out anytime soon."

[Puertollano]

Campaign Announcement: Win in 2020 App

The Levi Campaign have designed a new application that can be downloaded on Apple and Android called Win in 2020. The Win in 2020 app will be available for free on all relevant app stores. The app is designed to help supporters, volunteers and those interested in our campaign to win back the White House in 2020 to download. It has multiple features such as a hotlink to where you can donate to the campaign, easy access to sign up to volunteer, important information in enrolling to vote prior to your primaries and more. When users sign in their state of residence, the app will remind people what times and what days Levi will be in their state, the deadline for enrollment or what day their primary/caucus is being held. In a new feature, users on the app will be able to watch all Levi 2020 rallies in real time, live on the 'broadcast' tab of the app.

We've designed this application so we can win in 2020 and win big! Senator Levi Murphy has been the only candidate that can prove he can win strongly against any Republican they throw against us. That's because as a worker from the Mid-West, Levi knows what makes voters in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Minnesota tick: and that's the terrible neoliberal policies of the 1990s. Download the Win in 2020 app from wherever you download your applications from, and join us on the winning path to the White House!

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Governor Jonah Prendergast Jr.
Saturday 6th April
Arkansas

The first Saturday of April was a good time to visit Arkansas - it represented the first of the year’s farmers markets that took place on Saturdays through to the autumn, and - nestled in the Fayetteville Historic Square - had a comfortable, old American feel to it. It maintained traditions, but not without innovations - the market accepted E.B.T. and food stamps. Governor Prendergast inaugurated his visit to Arkansas with a visit to this market. He went from stall to stall, and he did buy some things - fresh produce was nice, though he admitted, he wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do with them on the campaign trail. He spoke with the vendors about how they had brought a very traditional retail format into the 21st century, and praised them for doing so! He spoke about the need for the government to do more to support farmers, including - potentially - boosting the price of food. It was time that farmers got a fair deal from the government. He was nebulous, perhaps, on how to do that, but a vague campaign notion was certainly better than a sticky, specific promise which was vulnerable to examination. He had time before he’d compose his full policy paper on agriculture - he was still working on criminal justice with Senator Anderson, and foreign and defense policy with Senator Slater. There’d be a steady stream of policy papers from his campaign, that was for sure. He wasn’t to be out-policied. But for the time being, he enjoyed the morning at the market, acquainting himself with ordinary Arkansans and with the farmers who fed them, a cosy bit of retail.

He then went to visit the Superior Industries manufacturing plant, still in Fayetteville, where they made aluminum wheels for cars - another part of his automotive strategy. Walking the factory floor, he engaged with people, he became familiar with their work, and continued his strategy of deep listening - showing a genuine connection, a genuine bond with these people and their words. A factory like this was vulnerable to pressures on the automotive industry, and he saw it as his mission to reassure him that - if he could take the reins - he would make sure that their business would not run dry, one way or another. In this, he mentioned the opportunities presented by Brexit - the U.K. was a net car importer and if trade became easier with the U.S. and harder with the E.U., there was a massive potential market there to export new cars into that country - he would put the men and women who worked in the automotive industry at the front of his trade policy.

Heading outside of Fayetteville, he went to one of the natural gas fracking wells in Cleburne County, going to shake hands with gas workers and get to know their labors. Fracking was, perhaps, an area of hydrocarbon exploitation he didn’t know so much about, and so he showed an eagerness to learn, ingratiating himself and coming off warmly towards those actually manning the wells. Fracking was a battleground issue though, and his promise to them was clear and simple - I won’t throw you under the bus. Democrats want to kill shale gas here, and shale oil in North Dakota, and other such projects across the entire United States - it will not happen under a Prendergast Administration. Nothing sounded sweeter to an American worker than job security.

Bentonville, in Benton County, was his next stop - it was a brief, quick visit, to take lunch with representatives of the Walton family and the WalMart corporation. It was one of the largest pitches to big money he was going to make, and he wanted to set special time aside for them rather than just lumping them into his larger fundraiser that evening in Little Rock. His pitch was pretty simple on the face of it - he’d keep his door open to their needs, they were America’s biggest supermarket, and keeping them at peak efficiency wasn’t just good for him, or for the Waltons, but in his mind, good for keeping the country fed. It was a pretty lurid prostitution, politically speaking, to so freely offer himself as the man in their corner, but - frankly speaking - they made far more money than he ever did, and he had to respect that degree of gravity - one thing he made very clear was that such masterful command of wealth was evidently a sign of respectable achievement, and that merit should be assessed first and foremost - America would forever be open for business.

There was, as ever, a convenient Holiday Inn for a town hall, and he settled down in the one in Bentonville for a town hall, as part of his - by now usual - pattern of state-by-state events. It might not necessarily be as flashy as Richardson’s rock star routine, but it was down-to-earth, it was humble, and it connected with ordinary people. His implicit intention was to leave everyone with a warm feeling leaving one of his events - like he was a trustworthy figure, safe hands to bear the Wolf Pack and prevent it from being taken away from them.

”Good afternoon to you all, here in Bentonville.

Coming here to Arkansas, there’s this delightful intersection between fundamental American traditions, and the promise of American innovation. I know you’ll say I say this to all the states, but there was something wonderfully enriching about coming here, and I feel like a warmer man for having seen it for myself.

America has a choice ahead of it in this coming election. With figures like Levi Murphy and Tim Westra surging on the left, the Democratic candidate is likely to be a socialist, or very least, wreathed in socialism. The Republican candidate will be the only viable defense against the wholesale dismantlement of our laws, our constitution, and our American way of life. Irrespective of the results of this primary, I must urge you to vote against the specter of revised, reheated Sovietism that we’re seeing rear its ugly head.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should be taken for granted. Too many Washington elites have done that. But my politics were forged in West Virginia, among America’s forgotten. I know the value of listening, and that’s what I’m here to do. I’m here to listen, Bentonville.

Give me your truth, your honesty. Don’t hold back. You have a right to be angry, and I will take that anger and I will expose the deafened sheep in Congress to it. It’s the very least you should expect.

So I’m here to listen, and I’m here to learn. Take the mic, and give me questions, give me your stories. Whatever you need to say - say it.”

He would return to Fayetteville after his Bentonville town hall, linking up with one of his favorite allies and surrogates, Senator Slater. A Fayetteville native, they’d be headed to the University of Arkansas campus there, so that he could hold another rally with conservative students and young people. This had worked well for him in Missouri with Senator Anderson, and so he was hoping for similar successes here. Giving his senatorial colleague room to introduce him and warm up the crowd, he’d come on afterwards with smiles and waving, going to stand at a lectern in an empty lecture hall co-opted for the purposes of engaging with these promising young Republicans.

”Hello there, young conservatives of Fayetteville! I’m so proud to see you here, braving your liberal, pro-censorship colleagues to come listen to me and Senator Slater today. You’re good, solid, honest people, and I like that about you. It’s a shame that so many want to shut down the conversation about policy on campuses. Our society is richer for having political discourse, and that’s something that we conservatives are proud to champion.

Being liberal used to mean upholding liberty. Fundamental liberty. But over the past half century or so, we’ve seen it slide into a very different context. Trying to define liberty. As if our God-given rights are something to be bartered over, corrupted or constrained. Well, I’m pretty sure James Madison didn’t stick a big old asterisk at the bottom of the Bill of Rights going ‘except when it doesn’t suit the Democratic Party’!

That’s the role of modern conservatism, aside from managing the economy and the budget, aside from standing up for people with honest values, it’s about conservation - conservation of the most basic precepts on which our American society is based, and I am proud to have committed to maintaining President Wolf’s record of only appointing justices to the federal bench who are committed to working within, rather than building without, the constraints of our existing federal law. The judiciary was not, and has never been, empowered with legislative authority. It is a usurpation, a coup, for them to allege otherwise, and we are restoring dignity and the rule of law here in the United States!

But whilst I’m here today, I want to talk a bit about college debt. I spoke about this when I was on Christian radio in Georgia with Father Duncan Flanagan, but I want to speak about it again because it’s a relevant issue to you and it’s also one where the discourse has been shut down by liberals. College debt is out of control, that much I am willing to concede, but a debt-based system, rather than a subsidy-based system, is better for Americans. Why? Because it’s sustainable, and it doesn’t set a hard cap on who can go to college. In jurisdictions in Europe where they have fully funded college, there’s a limit to how many native students their colleges can take in, because it’s not financially sustainable. So they set aside more college places for international students who can keep the colleges funded with their higher tuition. Do you want to live in a society with an arbitrary number set on who can go to college? Isn’t that a wholly amoral and bleak outlook to have on Americans’ right to self improvement? Fully-funded college doesn’t mean fully-funded college at current levels, it means American colleges turning away American students because they can no longer afford to teach them!

I will not be the President who signs into law a bill which slaughters American ambition! I will not be the President who tells young Americans ‘sorry buckaroo, looks like you missed out on your seat on the bus!’ Only the Republican Party is committed to protecting the promise of an American college education, and it’s about time the liberals recognized that!

So what can we do about college debt? Well, we can apply some slight government pressure to bring the prices down, but obviously we can’t push too hard or the colleges won’t function. What we can do is restructure the debt model so that it’s easier to pay back, making sure that colleges get their money and the taxpayer won’t be left out of pocket, and keeping American students able to access American colleges. And we can allow capitalism to do its job, opening up the competition market and allowing the invisible hand to improve the deal for American students. Healthy capitalism when allowed to do its job properly will usually correct problems in a market, and it’s about time we let it get on and do just that!

So the next time a gasping, exasperated liberal hacktivist gets up in your face about college debt, don’t let them dominate the conversation. They love to point to Europe to broadcast the merit of their schemes. Take a look under the lid of what they’re promising, and show them the big, gaping flaws in their plans. Trust me, my friends, they don’t know what they’re talking about. But you guys? You know better, and America is smarter for having you!"

With his warm stump speech wrapped up, outlining a positive vision for how to address college debt without embracing the erroneous far left position, he went to shake hands, get to know the various students, and talked to them about not just what he could do for them, but how they could help the campaign, building the donor base and talking to friends and family. A lovely bit of extra retail after the rally.

To cap off his visit to Arkansas, he flew up to Little Rock to do yet another big money fundraiser - predictable, isn’t he? - and settled into the living room of another wealthy, well-connected local Republican to rub shoulders with the business elite of the state’s capital. His pitches would be varied, depending on the industry, but he’d done his homework. To Windstream Communication’s representatives, he reiterated his commitment to get the F.C.C. off of people’s backs - the Federal Government shouldn’t be in the business of making life difficult for business. For the investment bank Stephens, he spoke about the need to see that financial regulators aren’t too free and easy in opening up their accounts to the world, and wanting to protect their rights to invest without self-righteous mobs protesting their funding for un-P.C. and un-environmental causes like fossil fuels. And to the people here from the Bank of the Ozarks, his promise was to shield them from any further blowback from “Baharia’s Recession”. The recession was long past them now, the economy was booming, and keeping banks enchained any longer was a fool’s endeavor. Either way, he hoped to see the money keep flowing in as his long day in Arkansas came to an end.

[Dentali]

“Well it’s my job to be concerned” the Speaker countered “the Senate is hard enough to win as it is, and considering how close Minnesota was in 2016 I wouldn’t consider it safe. Voters tend to resent those who run for president, the feel like you are just using them for higher office or won’t put their needs before your own ambitions. I’m not asking you to drop or anything, I’m just asking you to make a decision early as whether or not to run in the senate. So that someone else can replace you on the ticket as early as possible.”

"If this makes you feel better: I am coming first in nation-wide Democratic polling. I'm not dropping out anytime soon."

"No it doesn't... this isn't my first rodeo, if you study history you know that races are highly volatile and however is leading at this point is rarely the nominee at the end of the day... But it doesn't matter, I am asking you to commit early either to running for Senate or the Presidency. If you're so confident you will win the nomination the say you won't run for the Senate so that we can find a good candidate."

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

Erika Goldman
@GoldmanConnecticut

[insert picture of Murphy's 2020 app announcement, specifically the "That's because as a worker from the Mid-West, Levi knows what makes voters in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Minnesota tick: and that's the terrible neoliberal policies of the 1990s." part]

Murphy's right - swing state voters do tick with our sensible New Democrat policies much better compared to his iconoclastic socialism. But you know what doesn't make your voters tick, Murphy? Insulting them. Mitt Romney learned this the hard way, and so will you. #MidwestNewDemocrats

[Agarntrop]

Erika Goldman
@GoldmanConnecticut

[insert picture of Murphy's 2020 app announcement, specifically the "That's because as a worker from the Mid-West, Levi knows what makes voters in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Minnesota tick: and that's the terrible neoliberal policies of the 1990s." part]

Murphy's right - swing state voters do tick with our sensible New Democrat policies much better compared to his iconoclastic socialism. But you know what doesn't make your voters tick, Murphy? Insulting them. Mitt Romney learned this the hard way, and so will you. #MidwestNewDemocrats

John Atang
@JohnAtangNY3

Neoliberalism has run its course and is now on its deathbed, appointing a candidiate that would defend it would mean another Clifford catastrophe.

[Azekopolaltion]

Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com

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The choice is clear. Continue the legacy of disastrous, job-destroying globalization without concern for workers, or pursue a new policy by, of, and for the working class? Let’s get past the labels. It’s not an ideological struggle. It’s a class struggle.