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

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

GOD (CENSORED) (CENSORED) AHHHHHHH YOU (CENSORED)!

(just wow,M8,I ain't keen on long AF apps,I wrote so much,but no,I'm denied. I don't even RP as good as you.
Maybe that's because i don't do 628923198912383848393902934484847477473373 line long posts and apps.
I am mad)

I DONT LIKE HAVING TO BE PERFECT ON EVERY SINGLE APP OK YOU (Redacted)!

Boi I'm probably a worse RPer than you, and yet I got accepted. All you need to do is calm down and revise your app.

[Imperial Esplanade]

Let's leave it there and move along, guys.

The situation was addressed, parties warned, and the offer made to come back with a revised application.

[Greater vakolicci haven]

Hi,

I see the OP hasn't been updated in a couple of weeks, so I have some questions.
Is this still open, and is texas governor still available? Also, how advanced are we through the plot?

[Dentali]

Hi,

I see the OP hasn't been updated in a couple of weeks, so I have some questions.
Is this still open, and is texas governor still available? Also, how advanced are we through the plot?

Yes just midterms make it slow

Yes they are available

Its advancing on a weekly basis

[Greater vakolicci haven]

Hi,

I see the OP hasn't been updated in a couple of weeks, so I have some questions.
Is this still open, and is texas governor still available? Also, how advanced are we through the plot?

Yes just midterms make it slow

Yes they are available

Its advancing on a weekly basis

Midtrms are about the worst idea that educational institutions have ever come up with.

Have we got to the point where everybody is announcing candidacy for president yet?

[Dentali]

Yes just midterms make it slow

Yes they are available

Its advancing on a weekly basis

Midtrms are about the worst idea that educational institutions have ever come up with.

Have we got to the point where everybody is announcing candidacy for president yet?

no republicans yet (the president is not running for a second term, just announced that), 3 dems have formed exploratory committees.

[Vaquas]

Things are a bit busy irl, I will make an attempt to be more active in the coming days. We will be moving forward shortly.

Are there any pressing issues that need to be addressed?

[Dentali]

Things are a bit busy irl, I will make an attempt to be more active in the coming days. We will be moving forward shortly.

Are there any pressing issues that need to be addressed?

not particularly, most people are just prepping runs for the presidency. In the Senate a bit of a cluster of people objecting to motions, but that tracks

[Azekopolaltion]

Things are a bit busy irl, I will make an attempt to be more active in the coming days. We will be moving forward shortly.

Are there any pressing issues that need to be addressed?

There are also several apps waiting for approval

[Dentali]

(Image)

---

Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Azekopolaltion
Character Name: Timothy "Tim" Westra
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 66
Character Height: 5' 10"
Character Weight: 182 lbs.
Character Position/Role/Job: Senator for New Jersey (2013 - ), Representative for New Jersey's 1st Congressional District (1996-2012), president of communications firm The Win Company (1984-1988)
Appearance:

(Image)

Character State of Origin: New Jersey
Character State of Residence: New Jersey
Character Party Affiliation: Democrat
Main Strengths: Very pro-worker, strong union support, able to work with Republicans, progressive but not leftist, seen as patriotic
Main Weaknesses: Very dry, non-dynamic personality. Not popular with minority voters. Blunt, rude, mean. Disliked by staff. Rumors of infidelity, inappropriate relationships are hurting him in the polls.
Biography:

Tim Westra was born in Freehold, New Jersey, in 1953. He is of Dutch and Irish descent through his father, and Italian through his mother. He spent his childhood in Freehold, where he lived on South Street, a working class neighborhood. His father worked as a bus driver among other things; he suffered from mental health issues through his life which worsened in his later years. His mother was a legal secretary whom Westra has said was the main breadwinner in the family.

Westra became a star player on the school football team at his public school, and helped lead his team to the state high school championship. He was so talented that he was recruited by Cornell to play on their college team. At Cornell, aside from his time playing football, Westra majored in History. After getting one too many concussions, Tim decided he'd risked too much on football and decided to invest more time in academics. After receiving his Bachelor's degree in 1975, he went on to study political science as his Master's degree at Rutgers University.

While at Rutgers, Tim got deep in the burgeoning labor movement in New Jersey. With the energy of Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi gushing through his veins, Tim started attending many union meetings, and conducted several of his college studies on American trade unions. He graduated from Rutgers in 1977. He worked on several local campaigns in New Jersey, becoming a well-known young operative. In 1984, after working as deputy campaign manager for a New Jersey state senator, Tim left working for others to establish his own communications and legislative strategy firm called "The Win Company." Based in Newark, the firm worked heavily in connecting unions with legislators and candidates. This helped Tim develop strong local networks in New Jersey.

The firm provided Tim with an established reputation in New Jersey politics. As the firm grew, so did his ambitions. He expanded the Win Company, moving it to D.C. to extend his level of contacts in the capital city. The big break of his career came in 1988 when his comms firm was hired by New Jersey Senator Frank Lubintern's reelection campaign. After his reelection, Tim was hired as a junior legislative and strategy consultant to Senator Lubintern. The Senator was known for being a strong New Deal Liberal, a persona that Tim helped to shape. He especially contributed in strengthening the Senator's ties to New Jersey unions, and Tim helped union leaders have their say in what policy the Senator drafted. In 1991, after steadily moving up through the ranks in Senator Lubintern's office, Tim was promoted to Senior Legislative Aide.

As the Senator's chief advisor on legislation, Tim had a significant say in the policy debate. He pushed the Senator to be a consumer right's champion; Tim was the chief author on the Senator's American Reinvestment Act of 1993. Had it passed, it would have greatly expanded the earned income tax credit and boosted the wealth of middle class families. But alas, Senator Ludinberg had fallen out of favor with his party. The 1990s was the era of the New Democrats, led by President Clifford. Under the new president, the Democratic Party turned away from New Dealers like Senator Ludinberg and Tim Westra, instead turning to corporate centrism and party moderates. Despite the Senator's protestations, Tim pushed Ludinberg to continue being a bold New Dealer; Tim's legislative team helped lead the charge against the passage of NAFTA. But this led to a fall in Ludinberg's reputation amongst his colleagues. In mid 1994, Tim Westra resigned from Senator Ludinberg's team. It is common knowledge that Tim was dismissed for his dogged economic liberalism, at odds Clifford's administration.

But this made Tim a hot pundit in the media. He was present in countless New York Times and Wall Street Journal articles, serving as a foil to the New Democrats who dominated the media. His economic progressivism also ensured that he remained popular with unions and workers back home in New Jersey. In 1996, Tim ran for Congress in the Democratic stronghold of New Jersey's 1st Congressional District. He had a relatively big advantage over his primary opponent, a retired Navy pilot, because of his widespread support from organized labor as well as most New Jersey politicians. He was also able to run a very efficient campaign, having been an experienced political operative himself.

Once he was elected to Congress, Tim became known as someone who always put labor concerns first. This did not always mean he was progressive; when asked about single-payer healthcare in 2000, Tim stated he "didn't want to scrap coverage for union folks who battled hard to earn it." In the House, he founded the "Blue Collar Caucus" for Democrats from white working class districts. He voted against the repeal of Glass Steagall and introduced legislation that would further regulate Wall Street. His legislation from 2000, which failed to gain mass support in the party, is today seen as the precursor to what would become the [not Dodd Frank] Act almost a decade later.

He became a relatively established voice in the House when President Baharia was elected, along with a slew of liberal young Democrats. He was appointed as Assistant Whip in the House, and was seen by the party as a reliable liberal vote. He was reelected relatively comfortably in 2000, 2004, and 2008. He gathered accomplishments in that time, helping to push the Affordable Care Act through Congress, a law which he is a staunch defender of.

In 2012, upon the retirement of Senator Ludinberg, Tim ran for the open New Jersey senate seat. He was endorsed by the retiring Senator, for whom he had worked for so many years ago. He defeated two primary opponents, one being a colleague from the House and the other being a former District Attorney from the state. The general election, however, proved to be a different ballgame. Four women anonymously revealed to the press that he'd had extramarital relationships with them at different points in his career. Tim's wife left him, and he took a hit in the polls. He managed to edge out a win, 52% to 48%, but not unscathed.

He's held a big profile in the Senate, known for his blunt speeches as well as his long-held pro-worker stances. He's looking at a 2020 run for president, even though he knows he doesn't have much of a chance because the affairs scandal would probably hamper him.

Other Info: N/A

I have read and accept the rules of the roleplay: Azekpolaltion

Do Not Remove: 84721

Bump

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you.

1. "progressive but not leftist" is kinda weird, maybe change it to "Pragmatic Progressive"
2. Its really odd for a union guy to have a masters degree, also its expensive... should probably cut it. Also what was his degree in?
3. Did he have a day job post college? Or just attended meetings? I recommend he have some sort of 9-5 job before becoming more established

Honestly an overall excellent app, I would recommend those changes but even without I shall tell Vaquas to accept it

[Vaquas]

(Image)

---

Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Azekopolaltion
Character Name: Timothy "Tim" Westra
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 66
Character Height: 5' 10"
Character Weight: 182 lbs.
Character Position/Role/Job: Senator for New Jersey (2013 - ), Representative for New Jersey's 1st Congressional District (1996-2012), president of communications firm The Win Company (1984-1988)
Appearance:

(Image)

Character State of Origin: New Jersey
Character State of Residence: New Jersey
Character Party Affiliation: Democrat
Main Strengths: Very pro-worker, strong union support, able to work with Republicans, progressive but not leftist, seen as patriotic
Main Weaknesses: Very dry, non-dynamic personality. Not popular with minority voters. Blunt, rude, mean. Disliked by staff. Rumors of infidelity, inappropriate relationships are hurting him in the polls.
Biography:

Tim Westra was born in Freehold, New Jersey, in 1953. He is of Dutch and Irish descent through his father, and Italian through his mother. He spent his childhood in Freehold, where he lived on South Street, a working class neighborhood. His father worked as a bus driver among other things; he suffered from mental health issues through his life which worsened in his later years. His mother was a legal secretary whom Westra has said was the main breadwinner in the family.

Westra became a star player on the school football team at his public school, and helped lead his team to the state high school championship. He was so talented that he was recruited by Cornell to play on their college team. At Cornell, aside from his time playing football, Westra majored in History. After getting one too many concussions, Tim decided he'd risked too much on football and decided to invest more time in academics. After receiving his Bachelor's degree in 1975, he went on to study political science as his Master's degree at Rutgers University.

While at Rutgers, Tim got deep in the burgeoning labor movement in New Jersey. With the energy of Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi gushing through his veins, Tim started attending many union meetings, and conducted several of his college studies on American trade unions. He graduated from Rutgers in 1977. He worked on several local campaigns in New Jersey, becoming a well-known young operative. In 1984, after working as deputy campaign manager for a New Jersey state senator, Tim left working for others to establish his own communications and legislative strategy firm called "The Win Company." Based in Newark, the firm worked heavily in connecting unions with legislators and candidates. This helped Tim develop strong local networks in New Jersey.

The firm provided Tim with an established reputation in New Jersey politics. As the firm grew, so did his ambitions. He expanded the Win Company, moving it to D.C. to extend his level of contacts in the capital city. The big break of his career came in 1988 when his comms firm was hired by New Jersey Senator Frank Lubintern's reelection campaign. After his reelection, Tim was hired as a junior legislative and strategy consultant to Senator Lubintern. The Senator was known for being a strong New Deal Liberal, a persona that Tim helped to shape. He especially contributed in strengthening the Senator's ties to New Jersey unions, and Tim helped union leaders have their say in what policy the Senator drafted. In 1991, after steadily moving up through the ranks in Senator Lubintern's office, Tim was promoted to Senior Legislative Aide.

As the Senator's chief advisor on legislation, Tim had a significant say in the policy debate. He pushed the Senator to be a consumer right's champion; Tim was the chief author on the Senator's American Reinvestment Act of 1993. Had it passed, it would have greatly expanded the earned income tax credit and boosted the wealth of middle class families. But alas, Senator Ludinberg had fallen out of favor with his party. The 1990s was the era of the New Democrats, led by President Clifford. Under the new president, the Democratic Party turned away from New Dealers like Senator Ludinberg and Tim Westra, instead turning to corporate centrism and party moderates. Despite the Senator's protestations, Tim pushed Ludinberg to continue being a bold New Dealer; Tim's legislative team helped lead the charge against the passage of NAFTA. But this led to a fall in Ludinberg's reputation amongst his colleagues. In mid 1994, Tim Westra resigned from Senator Ludinberg's team. It is common knowledge that Tim was dismissed for his dogged economic liberalism, at odds Clifford's administration.

But this made Tim a hot pundit in the media. He was present in countless New York Times and Wall Street Journal articles, serving as a foil to the New Democrats who dominated the media. His economic progressivism also ensured that he remained popular with unions and workers back home in New Jersey. In 1996, Tim ran for Congress in the Democratic stronghold of New Jersey's 1st Congressional District. He had a relatively big advantage over his primary opponent, a retired Navy pilot, because of his widespread support from organized labor as well as most New Jersey politicians. He was also able to run a very efficient campaign, having been an experienced political operative himself.

Once he was elected to Congress, Tim became known as someone who always put labor concerns first. This did not always mean he was progressive; when asked about single-payer healthcare in 2000, Tim stated he "didn't want to scrap coverage for union folks who battled hard to earn it." In the House, he founded the "Blue Collar Caucus" for Democrats from white working class districts. He voted against the repeal of Glass Steagall and introduced legislation that would further regulate Wall Street. His legislation from 2000, which failed to gain mass support in the party, is today seen as the precursor to what would become the [not Dodd Frank] Act almost a decade later.

He became a relatively established voice in the House when President Baharia was elected, along with a slew of liberal young Democrats. He was appointed as Assistant Whip in the House, and was seen by the party as a reliable liberal vote. He was reelected relatively comfortably in 2000, 2004, and 2008. He gathered accomplishments in that time, helping to push the Affordable Care Act through Congress, a law which he is a staunch defender of.

In 2012, upon the retirement of Senator Ludinberg, Tim ran for the open New Jersey senate seat. He was endorsed by the retiring Senator, for whom he had worked for so many years ago. He defeated two primary opponents, one being a colleague from the House and the other being a former District Attorney from the state. The general election, however, proved to be a different ballgame. Four women anonymously revealed to the press that he'd had extramarital relationships with them at different points in his career. Tim's wife left him, and he took a hit in the polls. He managed to edge out a win, 52% to 48%, but not unscathed.

He's held a big profile in the Senate, known for his blunt speeches as well as his long-held pro-worker stances. He's looking at a 2020 run for president, even though he knows he doesn't have much of a chance because the affairs scandal would probably hamper him.

Other Info: N/A

I have read and accept the rules of the roleplay: Azekpolaltion

Do Not Remove: 84721

Bump

Looks very solid.

Accepted.

[Jovuistan]

I want to do a slice of life post, but I don't know what it should be.

[Sanabel]

Midterms, seminar papers, etc all have me strapped. Rest assured, I will be back soon. And I will be making a Republican presidential candidate.

[Bruke]

Midterms, seminar papers, etc all have me strapped. Rest assured, I will be back soon. And I will be making a Republican presidential candidate.

Good luck with classes! I’ve got a big paper and a midterm next week, so I’m scaling back things here for now.

[Agarntrop]

Oh for fuck's sake. I've had Anderson do a whole legistlation package relating to Venezuela and then chrome crashed and I fucking lost all of it. Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

[Imperial Esplanade]

Oh for fuck's sake. I've had Anderson do a whole legistlation package relating to Venezuela and then chrome crashed and I fucking lost all of it. Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

For future reference: I recommend copy-and-pasting progress onto a Google Doc or on Discord, to keep a copy on-hand in case this sort of thing happens.

[Dentali]

Jersey Boy is in

[Normudria]

Sorry for delay. Can I still write my MT guy?

[Dentali]

Sorry for delay. Can I still write my MT guy?

of course, always open

[Uttland]

I'm considering Moore as an exception, and you can assume that this motion passed widely.

[Meelducan]

Finally I have this bitch done.

---

Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Meel
Character Name: John Donaldson
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 64 (Born 8 January 1955)
Character Height: 5’’9
Character Weight: 155 lbs
Character Position/Role/Job: Businessman, Democratic Donor, Hedgefund Manager
Appearance:

Character State of Origin: New York
Character State of Residence: New York
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic
Main Strengths: Wealthy, Liked within the Party, Charismatic
Main Weaknesses: Not well known outside of New York, Older, Prone to gaffes
Biography:

Born to a successful New York Prosecutor and an heiress of a profitable real estate company, John was birthed on the 8 January 1955, in Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City. Being the oldest child of the family, John had a very easy childhood and naturally excelled at school, specifically in Maths and Science. While he looked up to his father, he was heavily influenced by his mother, who taught him a lot about the world of business.

After graduating High School in 1973, John was at an impasse on what to do. While he admired his father, he had little interest in studying and practicing law, so he decided to enter the world of Finance. With that newfound flame, John decided to do a degree in Economics and Mathematics at Yale. His first years at Yale were quiet ones, with John mostly sticking with a few close friends. However, when John was in his final year he would emerge from his 'shell' and become a much more confident person. With this degree, he would go on to attend Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1979, where he excelled. He would then move back to New York City and would soon be picked up by the investment bank, Morgan Stanley.

John worked in Morgan Stanley as an associate for three years before rising to the position of Partner. However, John would not stay with Morgan Stanley long, as he eventually made some moves and founded Irpac, his own hedge fund where he served as senior-managing-partner. This was where John made most of his money. While John was normally a very cautious man, he did invest a number of times in volatile markets, which the majority made John quite a lot of money. By the mid-'90s, John had made millions with his work in his hedge fund.

2000 was a significant year for John, after fundraising for (Not-Al Gore), he became a major player within the New York Democratic Party, with him funding many State races within the party. He also met with then First Lady Diana Clifford, supporting her in her Senate race.

Due to his close friendship with Diana Clifford, he was an avid supporter of her 2008 Presidential run. While he was disappointed that she didn't win the nomination, he immediately began fundraising for (Not-Obama), quickly becoming one of (not-Obama)'s most prolific fundraisers. This loyalty did not go unrecognized as (not-Obama) invited John to celebrate election night with him and the campaign in Chicago, Illinois. He would later be invited to his inauguration.

The next years would be quite uneventful for John, with his name being occasionally floated for some Senior government positions. He did, however, in this time, found NationOne. This was an educational non-profit focused on closing the educational achievement gap by providing children with abundant opportunities outside the school day. Originally started in New York, he spread it to within the New England area.

When 2016 came around, John considered running for the nomination, but he instead supported Diana Clifford in the primaries. During an interview with a local New York he accidentally called Clifford's opponent a 'democratic communist', he would later apologize for the statement. A few months into the Primary John had to be reminded who the other Democratic Primary candidates were during a radio interview. He later claimed that the names had just slipped his mind. John would later be advised by the Clifford Campaign to stop giving interviews, to which he agreed to. When Clifford won the nomination, John began fundraising again and steadily became one of her major donors. He was also in attendance with the Clifford campaign on election night.

In 2018, he helped fundraise for the New York Democratic Party. This was also the year he released an autobiography book and began a book across the nation. While his book did not gain headline news, it sold moderately well. He helped with many of the State races in 2018.

With the 2020 Presidental race looming over the nation, John has been considering a run, and with Wolf not seeking a second term, his mind may be already made up.

Other Info: Worked on the Jimmy Carter campaign in 1976. Has a lesbian cousin.

I have read and accept the rules of the roleplay: Meelducan

Do Not Remove: 84721

[Sanabel]

---

Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Sanabel
Character Name: Laura Renée Chase (née Schneider)
Character Gender: Cisgendered Woman
Character Age: 58
Character Height: 5’9”
Character Weight: 135 lbs
Character Position/Role/Job: Large-animal veterinarian (1985-Present), Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 57th District (1995-2007), Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives (2003-2006), President and Co-Founder of Heartland Patriots (2009-2010), Governor of Iowa (2011-2017), United States Ambassador to Germany (2017-Present)
Appearance:

Character State of Origin: Iowa
Character Place of Residence: US Embassy in Berlin, Dyersville Iowa
Character Party Affiliation: Republican
Main Strengths: Popular among conservatives- especially Evangelical protestants, connected to small donors through Tea Party ties, reasonably successful as a governor, firebrand.
Main Weaknesses: Incredibly divisive diplomatic tenure, reputation for lack of intelligence especially among the media, controversial statements made while acting as a conservatice activist.
Biography:
Laura was born in 1960 in Dyersville, Iowa, a small town outside of Dubuque. Her family lived in a fairly upscale household, as Laura’s father was a middle manager for Deere and Company, which had a major manufacturing center in Dubuque. Laura was always an ambitious girl, learning to play the piano and ride horses at a relatively young age. In high school she made the decision to become a veterinarian, something her parents encouraged despite the socially conservative nature of her community.

So, in 1977, Laura attended the University of Iowa where she earned a B.S. in biology, and became president of her sorority. Immediately following, she attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison where she earned her veterinary degree. Following this point she returned to Dyersville to practice veterinary medicine and marry her high school sweetheart, Bob Novak, who was an Evangelical minister at that point.

Over time, the couple had four sons. They did very well for themselves, the veterinary practice succeeding and Bob working his way up to minister and director of the massive Dubuque County Community Church. Her ambition continued, however. In 1994, inspired by her distaste for the Clifford administration, Laura ran successfully for Iowa’s part-time legislature. Serving as a state rep while maintaining her practice. As a fairly mainline Republican, she worked her way up to Chair of the Republican Caucus, then to Speaker of the House following the 2002 elections. From this position, she promised voters to serve as a check to the Democratic governor and state senate. As the years rolled by, she became infamous within Iowa’s largely genteel political scene for outright refusing to take up bills from the Democratic senate, or compromise with the governor. She burned bridges but also inspired many, making both friends and enemies within the state legislature and Iowa as a whole.

In 2006, Laura’s ambitions drew her to look beyond the statehouse. She made the decision to run for US House in the first district. The divisive speaker and her neophyte opponent devolved the race into a bare knuckle boxing match, with mudslinging and a large amount of national attention. In the end, the national environment proved difficult to overcome, and her opponent won by a decent margin in the swing district. Some in the Iowa GOP were relieved, glad to toss Novak into the dustbin of Iowa political history.

Laura crushed. She returned to motherhood, to her veterinary practice, but still desired more, and her husband continued to support her ambition. With Baharia’s rise, the Novaks began to drift further to the right, disgusted with their perception of the country’s direction. Laura quickly noticed she was not the only one- others were angry too. She realized that if she could be the angriest, she could have her ticket back into politics.

Throughout 2008, Laura and her husband organized on behalf of local tea party organizations. A noted conservative leader, people gravitated to her, and she became a major grassroots organizer and fundraiser for the movement, becoming a mainstay of massive tea party rallies across the midwest. Her rousing, firebrand speeches were shared across tea party circles. In 2009, she founded the group Heartland Patriots, to coordinate between the various organizations of the fragmented movement. From this position she was involved with organizing a number of protests, including a very large one in Washington, D.C. in early 2010 to protest the Affordable Care Act. Using her newfound tea party fame as a launching point, Laura ran for governor of Iowa in 2010. A popular former governor and moderate was seen as a heavy favorite in the Republican primary, but Laura managed to raise large sums off of small donors and outmaneuver him in the debates, harnessing the conservative anti-establishment rage that consumed the party. In one of the most stunning upsets of the 2010 primary cycle, she narrowly won the primary.

Though she did not moderate her tone or change her divisive style, Laura won the general election by a comfortable margin. She was aided by the national environment, and that her Democratic opponent, a long-time state auditor, endorsed the Affordable Care Act. After taking office as Iowa’s first female governor in 2011, she moved to Des Moines while her family stayed in Dyersville so her husband could remain a minister at a county-wide megachurch and her children did not have to change schools.

Her first years as governor was a bit rocky, due to a testy relationship with the legislature. Despite having a Republican majority in both houses, they proved unworkable due to Laura’s burned bridges with more establishment-minded politicians. However, Laura still took some actions, including a refusal to allow Iowa schools to participate in Common Core. She used authority over executive agencies to relax economic regulation, allowing her to take credit for economic growth that was mostly a result of the national recovery. She also stood her ground contra the legislature publicly, an ostensibly principled and assertive stance that proved popular with the electorate. As the legislature grew warmer toward Laura, she was able to pass some legislation during the end of her first term. Her greatest accomplishment was a tax reform bill that included historic tax cuts. Property taxes and income taxes were reduced, and the earned income tax credits were expanded.

In 2014, she easily defeated her Democratic opponent in a favorable environment, remaining governor with an even larger conservative majority in the state legislature. With this majority she was able to pass a heartbeat ban, legislation banning sanctuary cities, and balance the budget (even though it controversially included borrowing slightly more).

When 2016 rolled around she seemed like a kingmaker in the Republican Iowa caucus. After some deliberation, she decided to support the natural tea party fit, (Not-Ted Cruz) at the last moment, credited with helping him pull off his narrow caucus win. Angling for a spot on his ticket, Laura became a strong surrogate for his campaign, frequently stumping across the Midwest and appearing on television. This helped him pull of buoying victories in Wisconsin and Kansas. When he lost the primary, Laura changed gears to back Wolf, endorsing him strongly in an RNC speaking slot.

In the general election, she stumped for Wolf, and organized for him in Iowa. She hoped to take a cabinet position, but Wolf kept her at arms-length due to criticism and negative comments she made during the primary season. She was, however, offered the position of ambassador to Germany. While many politicians would have seen it as an insulting offer, Laura saw potential to make a splash and readily accepted her nomination in early April of 2017.

Following her nomination, Laura set to work learning about the history of US-Germany relations, and studied international affairs more broadly. Concurrently, she worked with the legislature to pass her last major piece of legislation in mid-April. It was a law expanding gun rights in Iowa, enacting a stand-your-ground law, expanding the right of citizens to sue if they believe their Second Amendment rights are being infringed, and expanding the gun rights of minors, among several other provisions.

In early May, she travelled to Washington for her nomination hearing. Despite being grilled over a lack of foreign policy experience in what was clearly a political appointment, Laura managed to avoid most verbal traps and make it through the gauntlet unscathed. In the end, her confirmation broke practically around party lines, with 52 senators voting for and 47 voting against.

Laura was sworn in by Vice President Tawney and moved into the Ambassador’s Residence in Berlin. Within hours, she received backlash from German politicians and businesses for saying that German businesses should end their operations in Iran immediately. It set the tone for her tenure in Berlin, wherein she expressed skepticism toward the European Union, mass migration, and the German political establishment. Throughout her time as Ambassador, Laura was a regular contributor to Fox News and conservative radio, criticizing the German chancellor, the funding imbalance in NATO, and more. She frequently urged Germany to stop buying Russian gas and stop doing business with Iran. She appeared alongside the ambassador to the European Union and President Wolf at rallies in Poland and closed-door meetings with European leaders to urge increases to NATO funding. In 2018, she called for the investigation of German media over their anti-American bias, after she was accused of acting like “the high commissioner of an occupying power” by a German politicians. By the end of that year, she was threatening sanctions over the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. She considered lobbying for the position of Ambassador to the United Nations after a vacancy emerged, but opted to wait.

Domestically, Laura maintained a good relationship with tea party actors, and gained popularity among conservatives more broadly as her antics in Berlin were reported upon fondly by right-wing media. Frequent trips to Washington were made to raise money for conservative politicians and organizations, and she spoke annually at CPAC and AIPAC. She rebuilt her rapport with Wolf, and ostensibly boosted her foreign policy chops. However, her antics were reported with disdain by liberal and international media. Fortunately, Wolf’s even worse antics gave her a lot of cover.

When Wolf announced he would not seek a second term, Laura was reportedly called and urged to return from Berlin to run for president by a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus.

Other Info: Good rapport with Evangelical groups through her husband. Has 3 adult sons.

I have read and accept the rules of the roleplay: Middle Finger.

Do Not Remove: 84721

[Uttland]

Initial feedback is welcome- I know the app is not fully fleshed out yet, just want to know about to the general direction of the character.

(Image)

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Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Bruke
Character Name: Karel Volek
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 90
Character Height:
Character Weight:
Character Position/Role/Job: Aide to Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. (1954-1960/1?); Borough President of Manhattan (1960/1?/2?-1964); New York State Assemblyman (1964-1975) -Minority Leader of the Assembly from 1972? to 1975; Lieutenant Governor of New York (1975-1978); Comptroller of New York (1978-1990); Congressman for the 14th? District (1992?-2009?); Senator for New York (2009-present)
Appearance:
(Image)
Character State of Origin: New York
Character State of Residence: New York
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic
Main Strengths: He knows where all the bodies are buried
Main Weaknesses: He knows where all the bodies are buried
Biography: (Minimum 2-3 paragraphs)

Karel Volek was born in 1929 and raised in a lower middle-class household in Yorkville, within Manhattan's Upper East Side. His parents were of Czech ancestry, descendants of Forty-Eighters who had come to America seeking political and religious freedom.

His introduction to politics was from his father, who was working as a ward heeler for Tammany Hall. Said father ended up with a position with the WPA-funded West Side Improvement Project -ultimately overseen by Robert Moses- for three years (1934-1937), which led to a career with the Department of Parks.

The immediate assistance, which kept the otherwise struggling family in their home, left an impression on young Karel which stuck with him for the rest of his life- and his time in public office.

Tammany Hall beckoned to Karel, and with a good word put in for him by his father was able to become an aide to a Sachem -a leader- and take over when that leader passed away. From there he rose through the ranks to become an aide to one of their favored elected officials, Robert F. Wagner Jr. While Wagner was Mayor, Karel served as a political fixer- pushing spin and puff pieces to journalists, “convincing” whistleblowers to keep quiet, and keeping local potentates on the side of Gracie Mansion.

When Mayor Wagner broke with Tammany Hall, Karel stuck with the latter- and his reward was to become Borough President of Manhattan in what was once described as a “highly irregular election”. As Borough President, he was most well-known for promoting the demolition of old Penn Station to make room for the current Madison Square Garden.

While Karel worked on building himself up, Tammany Hall was being torn apart by reformers- and those who worked for it had a target on their backs.

In 1964, with his political future uncertain, he reached out to not-Ed Koch- who was clamoring to kick out all Tammany Hall men from city politics. In exchange for promising to not work in city politics ever again, Volek was allowed to try his hand at state politics. He ran for State Assembly that same year, and won a seat- the first time he won office in his own right.

As a State Assemblyman, he was most well known for serving on the Joint Legislative Committee on Matrimonial and Family Law -the Wilson Committee for short- which liberalized New York's divorce law in 1966. Beyond this, he served as a cheerleader of the burgeoning Metropolitan Transportation Authority- a project of Republican Governor not-Nelson Rockefeller.

As Lieutenant Governor, Volek worked with the Municipal Assistance Corporation to pull NYC out
of fiscal crisis- and personally recommended to Governor not-Hugh Carey who to appoint to its board.

His experience with Albany politics allowed him to sweep the Democratic field for Comptroller in 1978. While Comptroller, he blunted the effects of public pension reform put into place by then-Governor not-Mario Cuomo- earning him plaudits from state government employees.

In 1990, there came yet another turning point in his life. Volek considered running for Governor in 1994 and challenging not-Cuomo- but was warned by party leaders that they would not support the challenge. Choosing the path of non-confrontation, he instead took a 2 year hiatus from politics before running for Congress to represent the then-14th District.

As a Congressman, he is most well-known for touting the formation of the Acela Express by Amtrak and for pushing through legislation providing compensation for the victims' families following 9/11. In addition, he supported a wave of not-Clinton era legislation on crime and deregulation, along with NAFTA.

He has long been a champion of Wall Street, voting for the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act -ending Glass-Steagall- along with supporting the bill for TARP (bank bailouts, etc.); while he voted for Dodd-Frank originally, he supports major reforms to it.

He shifted from a dove to a hawk following 9/11. He has always been pro-business, and has been pro-education reform since the release of the landmark report, A Nation at Risk.

He most notably crossed party lines to endorse not-Michael Bloomberg for the 2001 race for Mayor of New York City, and endorsed him in every other subsequent election- notably snubbing the (mostly- 2 out of 3) progressive Democrats who challenged the Republican. In this, he joined with his one-time rival not-Ed Koch and his former boss, Governor not-Hugh Carey.

For Volek, politics is personal: he was found to do the most insider trading of any member of Congress in a 2012 investigation, and had been consistently ranked as the congressperson most likely to provide pork barrel spending to his district, and the congressperson to provide the most effective constituent services, for every year since his election.

In response to the 2012 backlash against insider trading in Congress, he for the first time placed all of his investments in a blind trust.

Governor not-David Paterson appointed him to serve as Senator in 2009, as appreciation for his service to the state Democratic Party.

Other Info:

He served as chair of the Democratic Leadership Council from 1993? to 1995?, and is still a member to this day.

In terms of religion, he is a cultural Catholic- attending Mass, etc. on important holidays but otherwise being inactive; does not like to talk publicly about his beliefs.

Supported by the New York Chamber of Commerce; supported by the Partnership for New York City since its founding in 1979.

Served on the board of the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association until 2001, still a patron of the Bohemian National Hall.

In later years, was a close friend of Carmine DeSapio- the true last boss of Tammany Hall.

I have read and accept the rules of the roleplay: Bruke

Do Not Remove: 84721

Bumpity bump

Apologies! Ill be getting to it now, just replying to let you know its been seen.

[Uttland]

Okay, @Bruke, I worry your guy is simply too old.

Like maybe I could see him getting appointed as like a seatwarmer, but winning a formal election at 80+ and continuing to do so at least two other times is very hard to believe for New York. I get you want to make a Tammany Hall guy, but Volek is too old to realistically operate in the Senate well with the approval of his state.

EDIT: upon further review, age is not as egregious as it seems. Honestly might be fine. Ill look at other things in a moment

[Bruke]

Finally I have this bitch done.

(Image)

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Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Meel
Character Name: John Donaldson
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 64 (Born 8 January 1955)
Character Height: 5’’9
Character Weight: 155 lbs
Character Position/Role/Job: Businessman, Democratic Donor, Hedgefund Manager
Appearance:

(Image)

Character State of Origin: New York
Character State of Residence: New York
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic
Main Strengths: Wealthy, Liked within the Party, Charismatic
Main Weaknesses: Not well known outside of New York, Older, Prone to gaffes
Biography:

Born to a successful New York Prosecutor and an heiress of a profitable real estate company, John was birthed on the 8 January 1955, in Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City. Being the oldest child of the family, John had a very easy childhood and naturally excelled at school, specifically in Maths and Science. While he looked up to his father, he was heavily influenced by his mother, who taught him a lot about the world of business.

After graduating High School in 1973, John was at an impasse on what to do. While he admired his father, he had little interest in studying and practicing law, so he decided to enter the world of Finance. With that newfound flame, John decided to do a degree in Economics and Mathematics at Yale. His first years at Yale were quiet ones, with John mostly sticking with a few close friends. However, when John was in his final year he would emerge from his 'shell' and become a much more confident person. With this degree, he would go on to attend Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1979, where he excelled. He would then move back to New York City and would soon be picked up by the investment bank, Morgan Stanley.

John worked in Morgan Stanley as an associate for three years before rising to the position of Partner. However, John would not stay with Morgan Stanley long, as he eventually made some moves and founded Irpac, his own hedge fund where he served as senior-managing-partner. This was where John made most of his money. While John was normally a very cautious man, he did invest a number of times in volatile markets, which the majority made John quite a lot of money. By the mid-'90s, John had made millions with his work in his hedge fund.

2000 was a significant year for John, after fundraising for (Not-Al Gore), he became a major player within the New York Democratic Party, with him funding many State races within the party. He also met with then First Lady Diana Clifford, supporting her in her Senate race.

Due to his close friendship with Diana Clifford, he was an avid supporter of her 2008 Presidential run. While he was disappointed that she didn't win the nomination, he immediately began fundraising for (Not-Obama), quickly becoming one of (not-Obama)'s most prolific fundraisers. This loyalty did not go unrecognized as (not-Obama) invited John to celebrate election night with him and the campaign in Chicago, Illinois. He would later be invited to his inauguration.

The next years would be quite uneventful for John, with his name being occasionally floated for some Senior government positions. He did, however, in this time, found NationOne. This was an educational non-profit focused on closing the educational achievement gap by providing children with abundant opportunities outside the school day. Originally started in New York, he spread it to within the New England area.

When 2016 came around, John considered running for the nomination, but he instead supported Diana Clifford in the primaries. During an interview with a local New York he accidentally called Clifford's opponent a 'democratic communist', he would later apologize for the statement. A few months into the Primary John had to be reminded who the other Democratic Primary candidates were during a radio interview. He later claimed that the names had just slipped his mind. John would later be advised by the Clifford Campaign to stop giving interviews, to which he agreed to. When Clifford won the nomination, John began fundraising again and steadily became one of her major donors. He was also in attendance with the Clifford campaign on election night.

In 2018, he helped fundraise for the New York Democratic Party. This was also the year he released an autobiography book and began a book across the nation. While his book did not gain headline news, it sold moderately well. He helped with many of the State races in 2018.

With the 2020 Presidental race looming over the nation, John has been considering a run, and with Wolf not seeking a second term, his mind may be already made up.

Other Info: Worked on the Jimmy Carter campaign in 1976. Has a lesbian cousin.

I have read and accept the rules of the roleplay: Meelducan

Do Not Remove: 84721

Very nice! He could be a Howard Schultz like figure except on the inside.