Twilight's Last Gleaming: An American Political RP Special

[Free Ward Marchers]

“Gay Americans are a minority who need to be protected! I respect everyone’s regions beliefs, but religious beliefs do not decide who has the right to basic rights protected under the constitution! A gay American serving their country has to hide his or her identity just to serve, and then after serving admirably has to avoid marrying the person they love. So much for respecting our veterans right?

The city of Seattle has one of the original pride communities in the nation. Why is their Senator throwing them under the bus? The people of Washington deserve better.”

You know nothing of Washington Mr. Baylor, it is true there are a lot of gay and lesbian individuals in the state, a lot of which are my personal friends, and they know as well as I do that everyone has the right to respect another's identity and personal beliefs, and I'm not saying they shouldn't have the same rights of married couples just that it shouldn't be called marriage, because marriage is a sacred and ancient institution that is very incredibly important to both mainstream and religious minorities alike. You can't compromise the rights of one disenfranchised community for another.

[Kargintinia]

You know nothing of Washington Mr. Baylor, it is true there are a lot of gay and lesbian individuals in the state, a lot of which are my personal friends, and they know as well as I do that everyone has the right to respect another's identity and personal beliefs, and I'm not saying they shouldn't have the same rights of married couples just that it shouldn't be called marriage, because marriage is a sacred and ancient institution that is very incredibly important to both mainstream and religious minorities alike. You can't compromise the rights of one disenfranchised community for another.

“How is anyone being disenfranchised by gay Americans having rights?”

[Free Ward Marchers]

You know nothing of Washington Mr. Baylor, it is true there are a lot of gay and lesbian individuals in the state, a lot of which are my personal friends, and they know as well as I do that everyone has the right to respect another's identity and personal beliefs, and I'm not saying they shouldn't have the same rights of married couples just that it shouldn't be called marriage, because marriage is a sacred and ancient institution that is very incredibly important to both mainstream and religious minorities alike. You can't compromise the rights of one disenfranchised community for another.

“How is anyone being disenfranchised by gay Americans having rights?”

By ignoring the rights of religious communities, not just Christians mind you, but also the rights of Islamic peoples and other marginalized religious groups. They have the right to uphold the sanctity of marriage, expanding the definition of marriage denies the religious freedom of what defines marriage which, as I said is a sacred institution held in esteem by basically every religion on earth. Just because you think excluding a person from a definition is wrong does mean it is not without reason or merit.

[Jovuistan]

SECOND DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
SENATOR CAROLE MARTEL

"I don't think either of my friends here are completely in the wrong. Personally, I don't view this through the lens of religion should dictate public policy, I view it through the lens of civil unions being the common position held by the majority of Americans. We should base our policies on what America wants and needs, not base them on what religion says. I am a Christian, but I also believe in the separation of church and state. And keep in mind that the more conservative elements of these religions very strongly oppose a woman's right to choose. We shouldn't open up a back door to allow them to dictate who gets what rights."

[Kargintinia]

Nesbitt Tripp Baylor

”Ive been all over the globe, you all know this. I’ve met many friends, excellent people, very good friends of mine-of all different faiths. Jewish people, Hindus, Muslims all different denominations of Christianity you name it. I am a Catholic myself, if elected I would be the second Catholic President since the late great John Kennedy. At his time he faced hatred for his faith. No one should ever face hatred for their religion. But we are a secular nation. Founded on a principal of accepting all faiths and running government by policy not religion. If we do not decide a woman’s right to choose by religion-which we shouldn’t-why should we decide if gay Americans are just as much American as anyone else by religion?

No one respects all faiths as much as I do, trust me Ive met people from all religions, but there is no reason gays shouldn’t be allowed to marry.”

[Cybernetic Socialist Republics]

Fifth Question: "Do you support gay marriage?"

SECOND DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
GOVERNOR UPTON FLEMING

"My faith informs me that marriage is between a man and a woman, but the constitution, of which I and others on this stage swore have sworn on a Bible to uphold, informs us in the first amendment of the separation of church and state. Now this doesn't excuse just everything and anything, many government benefits to married couples are provided on the assumption that that we are helping individuals with responsibilities to families, so to recognize same sex marriage would be to provide benefits to people who lack the obligation to family that traditional marriage produces. For that reason, among others, I oppose any such legislation, but to be utterly honest, I rather put my effort towards tackling the major issues that keep most americans up at night and this frankly isn't one of them
However, I have to agree with Senator Martel here, the language the Senator Littenbaum uses is highly concerning. If she were to appoint judges who made their case on the grounds that religious communities can uphold their views through the force of the government, could they not use that very same reasoning to over turn Roe v. Wade? Now, I am personally against abortion, but it simply isn't the role of the government to carry out anyone's interpretation of religious text as law. That's part of the evil of the Islamist extremists our soldiers are fighting abroad and protecting us from at home, let us not betray our constitution by emboldening that line of thinking with our own rhetoric."

[Kargintinia]

Nesbitt Tripp Baylor

”You know who is kept up at night by it Governor? Gay and Lesbian Americans who wonder if they’ll ever be able to marry the person they love. Gay patriots who have to hide their sexuality in order to serve their nation. Thousands of homosexuals who have been murdered or assaulted and gone unreported because the authorities decided they're not that important. And yes Governor, all of this is connected.


Because Justice without rights is not justice, and gay Americans deserve rights whether you are ‘kept up at at night’ or not.”

[Free Ward Marchers]

(Image)

Nesbitt Tripp Baylor

”You know who is kept up at night by it Governor? Gay and Lesbian Americans who wonder if they’ll ever be able to marry the person they love. Gay patriots who have to hide their sexuality in order to serve their nation. Thousands of homosexuals who have been murdered or assaulted and gone unreported because the authorities decided they're not that important. And yes Governor, all of this is connected.


Because Justice without rights is not justice, and gay Americans deserve rights whether you are ‘kept up at at night’ or not.”

Despite my disagreement with his stance on gay marriage, I agree with Baylor here. Just because the matter isn't important to you does not mean it isn't important to someone and treating the question like it's a non-issue, when it very much is or it wouldn't have been brought up in this debate, is honestly quite insulting to potential voters who may take this question very seriously.

[Cybernetic Socialist Republics]

(Image)

Nesbitt Tripp Baylor

”You know who is kept up at night by it Governor? Gay and Lesbian Americans who wonder if they’ll ever be able to marry the person they love. Gay patriots who have to hide their sexuality in order to serve their nation. Thousands of homosexuals who have been murdered or assaulted and gone unreported because the authorities decided they're not that important. And yes Governor, all of this is connected.


Because Justice without rights is not justice, and gay Americans deserve rights whether you are ‘kept up at at night’ or not.”

Mr. Baylor, the main way that all of that is connected is that any attempt to force through the legalization of gay marriage with legislation, will be at the expense of spending time addressing issues effecting all Americans, regardless sexuality. That's an recipe for worsening, not enhancing, tolerance on this country. Again, Mr. Baylor, the united states is not one of your companies, you can't force people to do what you want them to do.

[The Sarangtus Lands]

Sixth Question: "In light of the recent tragic shooting at Virginia Tech, what will you do regarding the sale and possession of guns in this country?"

[Kargintinia]

Nesbitt Tripp Baylor

”There has been a major crisis in leadership on the topic of sensible gun laws in this nation. In no other industrialized nation is there such a abundance of gun violence. Because of our corrupt, incompetent leadership bought off by the NRA a person with mental illness can walk into a store and purchase a weapon of war with no background check or obstacles whatsoever.

Virginia tech was totally preventable. We need a comprehensive background check system, raise the age of purchasing a firearm to 21, put a limit on the size of magazines, and take action to get the dark money of the NRA out of politics. I can take on the NRA, and end this crisis of gun violence once and for all. I respect Americans 2nd Amendment rights, but you don’t need thirty rounds to take down a deer.”

[Jovuistan]

Sixth Question: "In light of the recent tragic shooting at Virginia Tech, what will you do regarding the sale and possession of guns in this country?"

SECOND DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
SENATOR CAROLE MARTEL

"First, a moment of silence for the victims of this horrible tragedy...

"What happened at Virginia Tech was disgusting, I don't think anyone thinks otherwise. It's clear that Congress needed to take action ages ago, those students didn't have to die, those people didn't have to be senselessly shot. At the very least, Congress will take action, even if it's far too late. We got together and worked out a deal for a bipartisan bill on gun reform to strengthen NICS and stop people who aren't mentally sound enough to own a gun from getting a gun.

"But that can only stop some of these shootings. In the long term, we need to undo the lapse Cush and the Republicans caused with the assault weapons ban. We need to close the so-called gun show loophole that allows people to just get a gun when they shouldn't be allowed to. I agree with my friend Tripp on this, there are so many things we need to do if we want to stop being the only country in the industrialized world where these shootings occur regularly. And I think we also need to look at how we treat people with mental illness in this country. There should be mental health parity in this country that we don't have right now, and if a teacher sees by the way a child is writing and how they're acting that they're a danger, the school should be able to take them off campus."

[Cybernetic Socialist Republics]

Sixth Question: "In light of the recent tragic shooting at Virginia Tech, what will you do regarding the sale and possession of guns in this country?"

SECOND DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
GOVERNOR UPTON FLEMING

The Virginia tech shooter was over 21 and used a hand gun so unfortunately, Mr Baylor's proposal's would have done nothing to stop this particular shooting, though it could potentially stop others. This tragedy at Virginia Tech makes it clear that we can't ban our way out of the problem of gun violence. The weapon of choice was not an assault weapon, as is also the case with the vast majority of mass shootings and shootings period in this country. So while I would not veto a [not-clinton] style assault weapons ban, should one arrive on my desk, that simply can't be the be focus of our policy here. Our focus has to be on what causes people to want to commit violence in this country, because handgun bans aren't an option here and as we've painfully experienced in our recent history, guns are not the only things that can be used by individuals to kill people.

The single most important thing we can do to prevent a shooting like this one in the future, is having an extensive, universal mental health care infrastructure, one that communicates with schools, families and clinics at all levels, not only to address mental healthcare issues, but provide relevant information to background checks for gun purchases. It is hard, however, conceive of an effective universal mental health care system in the absence of a unified and universal primary healthcare system, which is something I am committed to delivering.

[The Sarangtus Lands]

Final Question: "The candidates may now give their closing statements."

[Kargintinia]

Nesbitt Tripp Baylor

”America is a shining city upon a hill. But that hill shines much brighter when we work together to ensure a better life for all. My campaign is for equal rights, an end to the Iraq War, more jobs and tax cuts for the middle class. A Baylor administration will take America into the new century as an advanced, equal and modern nation that works for all.

So America, let’s come together. Let’s take America on a Tripp to a new era!”

[Jovuistan]

Final Question: "The candidates may now give their closing statements."

SECOND DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
SENATOR CAROLE MARTEL

"This election is about change. Change from the failures and arrogance of John Cush, to a government that puts Americans first. A government that believes in the hope and promise of the American Dream. A government that works. Those are all the things that a Martel government will strive for. From fixing our broken healthcare system to ending the war in Iraq, my campaign is about real change, change with substance and action. I believe I am the best candidate to bring this country forward, as a President who gives the American people what they want and need: real change, and a Washington that works.

"This is going to be a long campaign, with a lot of mudslinging, a lot of drama, but I will never lose sight of what really matters: you. America needs someone who can unite this country, not tear it apart. Only if we can be united as one nation, under God, can we deliver on promises of change. So no matter where you come from, whether from rural Iowa or Atlanta, a Martel administration will bring change for you. It's time to put regular Americans, no the wealthy few and lobbyists, first. If you believe in real change, if you believe in making Washington work, I'm your gal."

[Cybernetic Socialist Republics]

Final Question: "The candidates may now give their closing statements."

SECOND DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
GOVERNOR UPTON FLEMING

My fellow Americans, after nearly eight years of republican debacles, from the cush tax cuts to the Iraq war, we need change. We require a President with the public service executive experience to unify liberals and conservatives to get things done where there's agreement and when there isn't, fight for progressive change that strengthens the blue collar and middle class workers that form the core of a strong economy. I'm in this campaign because I can that president.

I'll fight to repeal the cush tax cuts, allowing us to increase public investment, like raising pay for teachers, from Alaska to Iowa, to Georgia. I'm committed to a safe and timely withdrawal from Iraq, bringing our veterans home, enriching our communities with their virtue.


I'll fight to pass my Energy for All plan, imposing a pollutant fee on imports, bringing jobs home, with revenue returned directly to the american people with a universal sustainability credit. I'll cut, fossil fuel subsidies, so that our farmer's ethanol corn gets to compete on a fair playing field. Both of these measures will also protect our environment.

I'll advance the rights of the marginalized, from a woman's right to choose, to african-americans victimized by violence, to undocumented immigrants who only wish to be productive members of their communities.

We can accomplish all this and more, because as someone who was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, during the strongest republican incumbent midterm in generations, I can deliver a large democratic majority in congress if I'm our democratic presidential nominee. Thank you and God bless America.

[Free Ward Marchers]

Final Question: "The candidates may now give their closing statements."

What we need right now, more than anything is hope. Hope for better education for our children, hope for a quick end to un unjust war spending our hard earned tax dollars, and hope for a better brighter America. We cannot allow ourselves four more years of Cush and from the looks of the republican primary, that is exactly what you will be getting, so I say to America lets fight for that hope! Let us be the change we want in this country and reject Cush and his gaggle of has bins with your votes and your words, let us change America for the better.

[Alozia]

Final Question: "The candidates may now give their closing statements."

"Today we discussed many important issues, from poverty to civil rights, issues that despite decades of Democratic advocacy still remain to be addressed, in no small part due to austerity politics and fringe, radical and hateful messaging from opportunistic politicians who seek to divide us, the American people, for political gain.

Look, I might have given my criticism to some of my colleagues on this stage tonight - sometimes you have to do that - but ultimately what I want my campaign to be, what I and many of those watching want the Democratic Party is to be a party of unity, a party of greater good, filled with honest, hard working people who will work for their peers, for their neighbors, for complete strangers who need help, all across this country. I think we have the potential to achieve meaningful change, as Democrats and as Americans, and we need someone to lead it. I think I am that candidate and I hope to see you all on the campaign trail."

[Dentali]

SECOND REPUBLICAN DEBATE
LOCATION: Indianapolis, Indiana
DATE: June 4th, 2007

Good Evening and Welcome to the Second Republican Debate, my name is Melissa Michaels from CNN and I will be moderating this debate hosted by CNN and the Wall Street Journal. Tonight our participants are all seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States. And I will introduce them now.

(Candidate Introduced)

Michaels : The first question regards Gun Control. In light of the Virginia Tech shooting what reforms to Gun Control laws do you believe are necessary to increase the security of the American People while safeguarding the rights of individuals?


OOC:

Welcome the debate of the Twilight RP. It will function as follows. There will be 1 debate question every day ie: Do you support Roe v. Wade . For the next 12 hours OOC each participant in the Debate will have 90 seconds to answer that question.

People speak an average of 140 words per minute, a fast speaker about 170 words and a slow speaker about 110. Most politicians speak at 120 words per minute because it's easier to understand and comprehend a slow speaker so don’t try and jam words in. The MAXIMUM number of words acceptable for a 90 second debate response is 260 words. The microphone WILL BE CUT OFF after 260 words and no one will hear the candidate.

After the 12 hour mark a period of ‘free discussion’ will follow, also 12 hours long. The candidates may engage and challenge one another, provided it is limited to the topic of the question. Once that 12 hour mark is up another question will be asked by the moderator. ANY POSTS REGARDING THE PREVIOUS QUESTION AFTER THIS POINT WILL NOT BE COUNTED .

Now we understand the irl comes first you might not be able to participate every day, thats fine you will get other chances to debate. If you can’t participate on a question in the IC, in the RP your character will have answered the question, it just wasn’t interesting or memorable.

[Kavanis]

Governor Ben Eriksen (OK)

Thank you, Melissa, and thank you to the volunteers here in Indianapolis.

Before we begin, I’d like to mention that at the last debate, we were joined by Senator Helms, who has since dropped out on account of his father’s illness. My thoughts and prayers are with Senator Helms, senior, and his family at this difficult time.

The Virginia Tech shooting has brought the topic of gun control to the fore. Democrats, and not a few Republicans, have backed more draconian gun control measures. There was a hasty and deeply cynical rush to politicize the tragedy, with Senator Martel talking about bringing back the so-called ‘assault weapons’ (he does bunny fingers) ban despite the perpetrator using a handgun, Congressmen talking about extending so-called ‘gun free zones’ (again) to all college campuses. It remains to be seen which of these proposals will be taken up by Congress.

I don’t believe further gun control is the answer. If there was a failing in the NICS notification system, then I’d support a technical correction, as endorsed by the NRA. But beyond that, students and professors on college campuses have the same Second Amendment rights as every law abiding American. I’m troubled by provisions being debated by Congress that would deny veterans their right to keep and bear arms. As President, I would not support any encroachment on Americans’ fundamental constitutional liberties.

[New Luciannova]

Amadeus Putnam said, “First, I want to thank everyone who made this debate possible and everyone watching at hole to hear this important discussion. I’d also like to wish my opponents luck tonight. Pertaining to the question, Benjamin Franklin famously said “those who would give up essential liberty for temporary safety deserve neither.” Thus, as a strict Cobstitutionalist, I share the view of the Founding Fathers that the right to bear arms is absolutely an essential aspect of liberty. I think I also share the view of many good-hearted law-abiding Americans when I say that we should be wary of gun control and consider alternate solutions that might be more effective.
At VA tech the risks presented by the shooter were known. He should have never been allowed to obtain a firearm under the current Virginia statutes, nor should he have had one on a university campus, and he should have been receiving adequate mental health support. The latter we stigmatize, but 68% of Americans are estimated to need some such support at any time. A more positive view of mental health as we see physical health would save more lives than gun control ever would, as the shooter shirked laws to perpetrate his crime.
We need to also think about ways to make campuses safer when that mental health fails and I think special permits issued by the school with stringent restrictions and pervasive red tape to allow a small number of firearms on campus could definitely help, because had someone who was sane, responsible, and aware of what he or she was doing been present, it would have dramatically reduced the quantity of the innocent people murdered.
Gun free zones don’t work and gun control measures haven’t worked and nobody pushing for more of the latter is taking the matter seriously and instead pursuing a political agenda. We need serious ideas and those that do not undermine the Bill of Rights.

[Meretica]

Cassandra Hepburn-Smith (R-VA)

"Firstly, thank you to CNN and the WSJ for hosting this debate, and thank you to the people of (location) for making this possible. (Deep breath and noticeable pause.) I am the only candidate on this stage-- the only one-- that supported any kind of gun reform whatsoever. And I'm sticking with that. Despite an overall decrease in crime, violent crime has been on the rise. For my entire career, I have supported making sure that violent criminals and felons that have been given due process are unable to purchase firearms. I've also supported increasing the penalties against those that bring firearms onto gun-free zones. However, we shouldn't go to the extreme and start banning firearms left and right. If you break the law, your rights are restricted. If you don't break the law, they aren't. That's how it is with all other issues. I don't see why we should be making exceptions and making it easier to hand Willie Horton or Larry Eyler to get a gun."

[Dentali]

SECOND GOP DEBATE

Moderator: We will now have a free discussion period on gun control

[Sarenium]

SECOND REPUBLICAN DEBATE
LOCATION: Indianapolis, Indiana
DATE: June 4th, 2007

Good Evening and Welcome to the Second Republican Debate, my name is Melissa Michaels from CNN and I will be moderating this debate hosted by CNN and the Wall Street Journal. Tonight our participants are all seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States. And I will introduce them now.

(Candidate Introduced)

Michaels : The first question regards Gun Control. In light of the Virginia Tech shooting what reforms to Gun Control laws do you believe are necessary to increase the security of the American People while safeguarding the rights of individuals?


OOC:

Welcome the debate of the Twilight RP. It will function as follows. There will be 1 debate question every day ie: Do you support Roe v. Wade . For the next 12 hours OOC each participant in the Debate will have 90 seconds to answer that question.

People speak an average of 140 words per minute, a fast speaker about 170 words and a slow speaker about 110. Most politicians speak at 120 words per minute because it's easier to understand and comprehend a slow speaker so don’t try and jam words in. The MAXIMUM number of words acceptable for a 90 second debate response is 260 words. The microphone WILL BE CUT OFF after 260 words and no one will hear the candidate.

After the 12 hour mark a period of ‘free discussion’ will follow, also 12 hours long. The candidates may engage and challenge one another, provided it is limited to the topic of the question. Once that 12 hour mark is up another question will be asked by the moderator. ANY POSTS REGARDING THE PREVIOUS QUESTION AFTER THIS POINT WILL NOT BE COUNTED .

Now we understand the irl comes first you might not be able to participate every day, thats fine you will get other chances to debate. If you can’t participate on a question in the IC, in the RP your character will have answered the question, it just wasn’t interesting or memorable.

"Thank you Miss Michaels," Deborah smiled, "and thank you to CNN and the Wall Street Journal," she considered the earlier three answers before sharing her own, "my heart goes out to those who lost someone at Virginia Tech, and anyone else who's lost a loved one to the terrible plague of gun violence," she let that linger for a second before continuing, "the idea of a federal gun law may be alluring to some Liberals," she continued, "but I don't see how taking guns away from responsible gun owners, and punishin' families who just want a line of defense in their homes against the rising wave of crime in our cities, is the solution. Instead, we need to improve funding of police departments, with better guidelines that allow for us to put criminals where they belong - in prison."