Fwurg

[Senator Afra Mesti Vanlind of Komès]

"Chancellor Acehtoo believes that if we toss money and goods towards our newest members ad nausium, this will solve all problems. I say she has lost sight of the real issue: helping all of our members to establish and improve their infrastructure!

The current shortages at the Ministry of Commerce, in this time when infrastructural development is absolutely central in establishing our economic growth, is an outrageous oversight that I cannot forgive Chancellor Acehtoo for! And despite this shortage she calls for tax-cuts? Does she intend to let the deficit run even higher?

My two opponents both offer tax cuts, but I say rather than cutting taxes we need to raise taxes! I propose to raise taxes in all brackets by five percent-point for a period of ten turns.

Additionally, I call for a stop on further expansion of the Bozzy Spine. Instead, all this money should be used to provide significant subsidies on Hyperspace Nodes and Mass Transit Cargo Freighters. This will stimulate our infrastructure and improve and promote trade within the Union. Everyone will benefit from the increased trade!

A good infrastructure is also a solid defense as it can be used to quickly move our forces to where they are needed. I support a good defence for the Union but Senator Bolv'ar makes it appear as if the enemy is at our doorstep. Yet I look around and I see us trading with the Core Hegemony, providing aid to the Slave Rebellion and receiving humble apologies and requests from the Hutt Families. Our defences our fine - we need to worry about our infrastructure. That infrastructure will be the basis of our defence.

And what is with Chancellor Acehtoo's plan for colonization and terraformation? Is the size of the Union truly something to worry about? Does she feel we do not have enough planets yet? Most member worlds can barely get their products to their neighbours, let alone the rest of the Union. The size of our Union is fine - we need to worry about our infrastructure. That infrastructure will be the foundation for future growth.

When I am voted Chancellor in a few weeks, I will take charge of these matters myself. I will make sure that you are not only able to get your goods where they are destined to go, I will make sure we get there faster!"

- The message was delivered with the Senators of Suma and Meritonia standing behind the Komès candidate. Both voiced their seconds for the candidacy immediately.

((OOC: If you wish to discuss the infrastructural strategy of the Kingdom of Komès or ask clarification and positions on various issues, this is where to do it ))

[Nehket Aeka]

The Veolian Commonwealth Senator asks the following two questions:

"You have already mentioned this shortly, but could you go into more detail about your plans for the military of the Union and its members?"

"You strongly argue against Bozzy Spine extension. However, during the recent Bozzy Spine vote you did not abstain from voting to indicate this. Instead you sided with your allies to obtain them a comfortable upgrade of their trade capacity financed by the Union. Even worse, it appears that you either lied to myself and Senator Ardios Eldrilith of the Praetorian Empire in our private communications on the Bozzy Spine extension vote, or that your sudden aversion to the Bozzy Spine extension is little more than a play on the current feelings about the distribution of such an enormous amount of resources.

It strikes me as odd that on the one hand you did not indicate your aversion to this extension like The Silver Forests of Remunzia did, but instead opted to help your allies gain such an economic advantage. Could you elaborate on this sudden change of hearts to prove me wrong?"

[Senator Afra Mesti Vanlind of Komès]

"What!? How dare you!

You were a member of the Union what, a good week, before you were asking for a 50.000 handout to your system through your cronies?

Meritonia and Suma are founding members of the Union! As such, Meritonia, Suma and for that matter, my own world of Komès which is also a founding nation, have been paying to the Union since before it was a government! Taking into account the hand full of the Veolians have contributed and weighing it against the more than 10.000 in subsidies they have received, a little more humility would have been in order! To top it all off, your proposal for the Bozzy Spine extension would have cut the Meritonians and the Sumans out of the general trade routes and would have isolated these founding members for your personal benefit.

And you have the audacity to imply that -I- am working out of economic self-interest?

My interests have always been the good of the Union as a whole. At the time of the extension, the good of the Union was supporting the Sumeritonian route - not only was it better, but they deserved the extension a lot more than your world did Senator - I know that won't win me your vote, but it is the truth.

At this time, it is subsidising Hyperspace Nodes and Mass Transit Cargo Freighters. At some point, the Bozzy Spine will be completed, but for now the first priority is to get the economies of the newer members fired up and better integrated so they can become net contributors. So you can become a net contributor, with a strong economy, integrated into the Union as one indivisible whole.

And hopefully by then you will no longer look at your fellow Union members and see webs of alliances, but you will see a whole with a common interest."

The Senator had been truly angry, but now calmed down visibly.

"You asked about my plans for the military of the Union and its members. I plan to leave it as it is. Union Members should be able to decide for themselves whether or not they want to increase their defences. A solid infrastructure will reduce their vulnerability and by encouraging them to improve their connection to the Bozzy Spine, they too will safely fall under the umbrella of the Union Fleets."

[Former Senator Bolv'ar of the Confederacy of Excaria]

Senator Bolv'ar shook his head. "Such boorish rudeness from a candidate chancellor. What kind of talk is that to accuse the Veolians of such a ploy, especially considering that they offered very clear details on why a route, which by chance happened to be through their sector, was the best for the Union.

I see your military plan is basically founded on the strategy that worlds should stand around helplessly and hope someone comes to save them? I'm not even going to waste my time debating why that is a bad idea."

[RemcoSwenker]

Senator Konev rises form his seat to ask a few questions. "Darya has to agree with the comment made by Senator Bolv'ar on your rude response to the good senator of the Veolian Commonwealth.
It seems to me that if you, senator Vanlind, become chancellor we will have diplomatic incidents all over the map. Instigated by our chancellor who flies of the handle at the slightest provocation."