Senator Smigt, although I am not of your party I am pleased to see that you have been put forward as a candidate. I believe that you are best suited of your faction to lead our nation. I would like to ask some questions of your positions though.
- You still sit as a High Judge while fulfilling the duties of a Senator. I have no objections to this. However, I do worry what could be done if a man was both Imperatar and a High Judge simultaneously. I do not doubt your character but, in order to set a precedent for future generations, would you step down from the judiciary if you were to be elected?
- If you were given a chance to alter our national policies during your tenure which of your party's positions would you enforce? ((Slider moves))
- You say you will promote freedom of trade but won't free trade measures harm our merchants? All trade on the continent flows through our borders so removing whatever protective measures we have in place would only give advantage to foreign competitors.
- Does the fleet really need expansion? I have not heard reports of piracy. Unless the goal is to menace our neighbours, I see no point in wasting gold that could be invested in infrastructure for our cities or protection for our new provinces.
- You say you will combat the "remaining total monarchs". Does that include our friend the Imperatar of Borxison?
I, and I believe my fellow Senators and the people of Azlanxo, would like to hear answers to these questions.
- Senator Alamander Urenahin, representing Ordika province.
If I were elected, I would resign my seat on the Council of High Judges, though that does not mean I would not apply to rejoin once any time I serve has been completed. The independence of the judiciary is important, but at the same time we should not restrict people once their time is over.
My core beliefs are in free subjects and free trade, so obviously those would be near the top of my legislative agenda. The other main priority for me is that the quality of our armed forces be increased.
If we encourage free trade, we will surely increase the number of people from across the continent doing their trade, not in Eurpan or our other neighbours, but in the fair city of Atlantis. An increase in such custom is good for the markets and the rest of the economy, so we should welcome it rather than choke our economy with needless, and potentially harmful, aggression toward those outside our borders. Furthermore, are not the Merchants and their political wing some of the fiercest advocates of free trade, even though you say it will harm them?
Currently this country has no military naval power and this needs to be changed. Yes, there are costs associated with maintaining a navy, but the fleet I propose would not be of the magnitude you saw when Atlantis ruled across the encircling sea. Remember that a fleet, unlike an army, cannot be raised in a matter of weeks, but takes years to construct. The expansion I propose is a forward looking one, to combat future piracy and ensure that this city can never be bested by our enemies at sea, and as such ensuring any necessary transport operations.
My loathing of monarchical tyrants does indeed extend to Borxison, though maybe not with the same strength as towards the larger realms to the south and east, and as such I would not extend any offers of friendship to them whist their government remains hoisted upon the many by the few: if I saw moves towards a more democratic system, I would reconsider this position, but it remains my firm belief we should not lend legitimacy to unelected regimes by cooperating with them.
I hope I have managed to answer some of your questions, Senator, and I look forward to any further queries you, or others, may have concerning my party.
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