Beluzia

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SLP Foreign Affairs Leadership Goes Against Assembly Motion for War in Saridan

Claire McFarland out on the campaign trail, where she recently hit the BPP on their motion to declare war on Saridan
Fort Thorne, February 5th 4125- Today the SLP continued their full on campaign offensive. Their latest target, the Beluz Peoples Party, who have opened up a motion to declare war on Saridan. While the bill is scheduled to not be voted on until after the general election, it currently has a vote total of 202 aye, 192 nay, and 67 abstaining. The reason for the motion is the continued "atrocities" in Saridan. While the SLP has campaigned against the Saridani government's policy, which most opponents consider human rights abuses but the Saridani government calls it religious doctrine, the party considers war too far. Here is Claire McFarland in a rally today, addressing the Assembly

"With all do respect to the Honorable Assemblymen and Women, this is a rash and stupid move. First, while the SLP is campaigning on doing more, this goes too far. Secondly, we are risking going to war with Vanuku, who have a greater military machine than us. This move could also throw current negations among the great powers into turmoil."

She clarified the party's stance later on in a radio interview

Look, what is happening in Saridan is a fragile situation. We have Vanuku, who considers the possible actions of the WC and other nations a violation of national sovereignty and who has deployed ships to the area. Secondly, we have several international forces like Istalia fighting for a humanitarian mission. I'd like to note that diplomacy is working so far, since Vanuku has started to take some refugees that would have otherwise been sent to camps. However, more needs to be done to help fix this humanitarian crisis;consequently, that is why the SLP has come out in support of a resolution to cut diplomatic and economic ties with Saridan. However, military force at this stage makes us look like war mongers. It almost gives off an imperialistic aura around such action. There is also the staunch support Vanuku has given to Saridan; therefore, I would not be surprised if we see Vanuku not be too pleased with plucky little Beluzia sending a few ships to bomb Saridan. Not to mention that I find it highly unlikely that we can effectively fight Vanuku without a major military overhaul over decades. I find that the ideas behind the resolution are good, but the method of enforcing those ideas is the wrong way to handling the problem. I say we need to stick to diplomacy, which is already showing its effectiveness.

The motion has also found staunch opposition in the BCFP, who have opposed any intervention in the crisis. They feel that Beluzia should not act as "policemen of the world". The declaration has also found opposition in the BTP, who have supported increased action before. It looks as though the fate of both a resolution to cutoff diplomatic relations and a declaration of war now rely on the upcoming general election.

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Beluzia Daily General Election Special


It is now 4 AM and we can now conclude that the BCFU's James Horrell will win the presidency of Beluzia in this second round of presidential voting. This now puts the BCFU,only 2 weeks ago being the smallest party, into the presidential office. He came ahead of the Liberty Coalition's Joseph Mulligan.

The legislative elections were full of dramal. It all started at around 9pm, when polls closed and exit polls were released. Early data showed 1 clear thing, the BTP were losing, and they were losing big. Early returns from Bailon showed a swing away from the BTP of about 6%. That would be at 10% by midnight. Those same early returns were strong for the Liberty Coalition, gaining a swing of about 8 points in the early results. That grew to nearly 15 points by the end of the night. The SLP and the NCP, the new parties on the political scene, had decent showings in the early Bailon returns, with the SLP pulling in 9% and the NCP 5%. Those numbers would stay solid throughout that time.

The true extent of the BCFU was shown in Iker Ado's returns, where they hovered around 47%. That grew to 50% and would eventually stop at 51%. The Liberty Coalition and the SLP saw decent returns here as well. Iker Ado, once the BPP's major region, saw major losses for the BPP. Early BPP casualties came from the Iker Ado delegation. The BTP also saw major losses here, with a swing of 8% against them. However, what shocked some analysts was the lack of NCP support in the state. It took 3 hours for a single vote to come in for the NCP, with a grand total of 5 votes being their story in the state. The BRRP saw some decent returns here as well.

By midnight, the picture was becoming clear. Analysts projected BTP losses at 60. By 9:30 it was 70. The longer the night went on, the larger the losses got, 80 at 10, 90 at 11. By 12, the consensus was that the BTP would lose at least 100 seats. The number kept climbing, until by 2 the consensus was that it would come to around 110 seats lost for the BTP, around 3/4 of their legislators . Things were not good, but significantly better in comparison, for the BRRP, who were looking to lose around 40 seats. By contrast, the Liberty Coalition and BCFU were looking to double and triple their representation respectively. The SLP was hovering around 10%, NCP at about 8%, while the BPP were looking at minor losses. SLP Chairman Billy Blanchard called the outlook "respectable". The mood in their campaign headquarters could be described as contempt, neither cheerful or somber. By contrast, the gloom or pompous celebration, depending on the party, was palpable.


This would be the eventual makeup of the National Assembly. The biggest losers of the night were the BTP, losing 114 seats, and the BRRP, losing 45. By contrast, the BCFU gained 107 seats and the Liberty Coalition gained 88. The SLP took 60, and the NCP took 49; while the BPP lost 6.

That was that, the drama was over. Like any old drama, it saw the collapse of mighty figures. Analysts are still not sure what took down the great titan that was the BTP. Adding more to this puzzle for political scientists was the survival of the BPP's coalition, even as the two other main establishment parties collapsed around them. Meanwhile, two new giants from the center rose to take their place. In what many have called a masterful campaign, the BCFU have more than tripled their representation in the assembly and have taken the presidency. Whatever the reasons, one thing can be certain, that night will surly be studied for generations to come.

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Marriage Equality Act Passes, Beluzia Rejoins Nations Recognizing All Marriage

(left)Gay rights protesters were seen outside the Assembly on the day of the vote on the bill, urging Assemblymen and Assemblywomen to vote aye on the bill. (Right) Religious and other conservative protesters were also there, but in smaller numbers

Fort Thorne, January 5th 4156- Beluzia today rejoins a club it was once part of and now recognizes homosexual marriage with the passage of the Marriage Equality Act. The bill overwhelmingly passed, with 411 Ayes, 34 Nays, and 155 Abstaining. The only opposing party was the Beluzian Traditional Party, a party that has taken a conservative stance on social issues. The bill was created by the BCFU and quickly saw major support from several gay rights organizations, as well as opposition from more right leaning conservative groups.

Both sides were in full force today; however, it was clear that the side supporting the bill had much more numbers. The crowd cheered and booed some major assemblymen, depending on who came up. One man who received a major cheer from the crowd was PM Stevens Hohns, who received the most credit for creating and passing the bill.

The vote was over at about 12 PM, and at 1 an abnormally happy Internal Affairs Minister Edward Dawson addressed the crowd. He gave the news of the bill's passage amid a torrent of cheer and celebration, a kind of feeling that only those there will know. The emotion in the crowd was truly impossible to describe. Some started dancing, others embraced in tears. After about 30 seconds, the crowd started singing the last stanza of the national anthem. Mr. Dawson addressed the crowd, calling today "a day of triumph and celebration for Beluzia".

Today is a day that transcends the party line. We hope today will mark a new, permanent era for marriage rights in Beluzia. What happened an hour ago overtakes all of our petty squabbling, it goes above our mudslinging, and it unites is all in victory. Today is a day of triumph and celebration for Beluzians all across the nation.

However, the minister was not met with unanimous celebration. He had some food and anti-gay marriage literature thrown at him as he walked off the podium. There were faces of disgust, but no real faces of shock among the conservative members of the crowd. The collapse of the BTP pretty much assured the passage of some kind of marriage equality law; despite this, they were determined to make their opinions heard. Police had to break up the occasional brawl that broke out after the passage of the bill became known.

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News Brief: 13th January, 4127
Devin David Calling It Quits

Mr. David gave a statement at a press conference in the capital
Fort Thorne- The SLP's last presidential nominee and current party leader Devin David has said that he will not seek another run for the presidency of Beluzia. The sudden announcement came during the lead-up to the SLP's leadership primaries, scheduled throughout October. The Party leader had this to say

I feel that I have done my part and helped get this party moving. However, I feel that my time is done. It is my belief that it is time for a new face for this party to propel us to the presidential runoff. I also have some personal reasons. I'd like to spend time with my family, time which I have missed the past 8 years. I also want to take things to a smaller scale. I am considering a run for Governor of Bailon, but I honestly need some time to think.

This move now leaves the door open for the nomination. Many analysts are expecting either shadow Foreign Minister Claire McFarland or Interior Minister Ed Dawson to take his place. However, the self-proclaimed "O'Mallite" group of the party is expecting to run Assemblyman Karl Cooper in the primary. Weather the Center-Left, pro-devolution message will resonate with primary voters is unkown.

Claire McFarland Out of The Closet; Confirms Tabloid Speculation

The Shadow Foreign Minister seemed cool amid major tabloid speculation over her sexuality
Port Karav, Iker Ado- The SLP Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, Claire McFarland, was on a 1 week visit to her home state when a local tabloid journalist spotted her walking home with another woman from a nightclub known to attract gay patrons. Both the club and the girl she was with were unknown or left out for privacy reasons, but the journalist managed to get photographic proof of the incident. The reporter, a 19 year old university student and part time tabloid journalist named Gina Reid, said something about the two reminded her of something. "I had a feeling I knew her, and when it dawned on me I just took the photo without thinking" she said on the matter "It's the one time my political knowledge helped me in journalism". She says McFarland hadn't noticed her, and her story made the headlines of the local magazine, The Karav Celebrity Digest.

Almost immediately, the Assemblywoman's press team was confronted, and for about a week refused to comment. The story broke national news when it made it onto breakfast TV, and then traditional media. With the recent debate over the Marriage Equality Act still in people's minds, it seemed everyone could not get enough. Tabloids and morning radio kept the story alive as the rumors took the nation by storm. The unusual part of this was how long this stayed in the public eye. Most of these political rumors die in a day, but this one was different. The photograph was there and the cultural mindset of the population on LGBT rights insured that this was not going to die.

Then today, Ms. McFarland gave a press conference where she confirmed the rumors. She openly admitted that she was bisexual and asked the press to

"not search out my Girlfriend. She does exist, and if she wants to come out and admit to being my girlfriend then she will. However, to me it's her decision to make and the press should respect her privacy. I will not let today's revelations get in the way of my work of representing the state of Iker Ado and as Shadow Foreign Minister.

The tabloid photos blurred out any distinguishing features of the woman she was with, through Ms. McFarland has spoken with the original photographer and has confirmed that it was her. The two then talked for a bit, the journalist clearly ecstatic to meet the Assemblywoman. Ms. Reid said it was "an honor to meet such an inspirational woman". Ms. Reid has said that she has registered for the SLP and said that she hopes Ms. McFarland runs for the presidency. Humorously, Ms. McFarland said that she "felt like [she] was a pop singer meeting a giddy fan-girl"

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SLP Nomination Campaign Begins, Cooper and McFarland Declare Candidacies

Cooper on the right and McFarland on the left. Both had received a warm welcome for their campaign declarations.

January 11th, 4130- Ahead of the party primary votes throughout the month of April, two expected presidential candidates have arisen to try to take the nomination. Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Claire McFarland was the first to declare. She is in the lead and has a mainstream platform. Her platform is mainly defensive, calling on a continuation of current policy. However, she does want to both expand the budget and reform taxes, something that her colleges have so far, to quote her, "procrastinated" on. The main part of her announcement speech, however, concerned LGBT rights and the recent re-opening of the debate on LGBT rights. Possibly due to her exposed bisexuality, she has condemned the recently proposed "Act for the Restoration of Hosian Values", a law which is projected to fail.

There are those in our Assembly that wish to criminalize a section of the population for their sexuality. They want lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and any person of any other sexuality that does not conform to their standards to be criminals from birth. They do this in the name of "Horsian values" and "tradition". Well we as a campaign and as a party have a message for them, it has been Beluzian tradition for over a century to be accepting and embrace our citizens whose sexuality isn't hetro, and that tradition did not stop with these forces in power. The right wing in this country claims tradition when in reality they throw citizens under the bus in order to change our tradition of acceptance and equality under the law. They only seek to change the traditions of the nation to fit their agenda of hate. Let me tell them, let us all as a movement tell them, they will not succeed. Our love will triumph over their hate in the end.

Assemblyman Karl Cooper had a different message for the party. He hails from the party's center-left, pro-devolution wing. When observing the lead up to the canceled 4127 primaries, Fmr. Gov. Erika Wilkins said "My whole life I've analyzed politics. I'm telling you now, Mr. Cooper has the potential to be the most influential man in politics. He's the Hammond of this generation". She was referencing the infamous 4050 primary campaign which saw isolationist Senator Harvey Hammond hijack the party and defeat the establishment star Sen Sara Stanley and is the run that many say in the long run killed the party. Unlike Mr. Hammond, however, Mr. Cooper is not a controversial figure. His message is one of moderate devolution of some areas and some, small scale privatization of non-essential industries (it is important to note that, traditionally, the SLP considers most infrastructure as well as more traditional essential industry to be essential). The big part of the devolution plan, even moderate, is energy policy and public works.

Local Government is the way in which our infrastructure needs to be run. Give local government control, and our massive public works projects will be better suited for our local communities. Currently, it's an all-federal bureaucracy and they don't know the needs of every local community. With energy, the federal government just says "build wind farms" without a care for the local conditions. Currently, local governments are filling federal quotas that they know are inefficient, but they have no choice in the matter. If we wish to push through our platform across this great nation, we need a local base that can efficiently enact SLP policy.

However, Mr. Cooper has a steep hill to climb due to the wild popularity of Ms. McFarland. McFarland holds an 18 point lead over Cooper nationally in a three way poll with Ed Dawson, who is still undecided on a run. If Cooper has any chance of a win, he needs to win most undecideds, most of the Dawson block, and some McFarland voters.

Poll 9-10 January
Claire McFarland 52%
Karl Cooper 34%
Ed Dawson 5%
Other/Don't Know 9%

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McFarland Takes Bailon and Iker Ado in SLP Primaries

One line at a polling station in Iker Ado, where there was an unusually high turnout in some rural areas

April 10th, 4130- Despite a relatively strong debate performance, Presidential hopeful Karl Cooper suffered a major blow to his campaign with a loss in the key race in Bailon and a stomping in McFarland's home state of Iker Ado. While polls in Bailon showed the gap narrowing, it was not enough for Cooper to win the state. With polls showing an advantage for McFarland in the remaining contests, it looks like it's her race to lose. Here are the results and delegate allocations for Bailon and Iker Ado

Bailon (118 pledged delegates)
McFarland 56% (66 delegates)
Cooper 44% (52 delegates)

Iker Ado (310 pledged delegates)
McFarland 62% (192 delegates)
Cooper 38% (118 delegates)

Cooper now has to somehow clear a major hurdle that looks increasingly unlikely to overcome. Some SLP circles are saying the race is McFarland's and are calling on Cooper to call it quits. However, a lot of analysts are saying that they are surprised at the progress Cooper has made. Ask any respected pundit a month ago if Cooper would clear 40% and they would have given you a crazy look. Cooper's run, although not successful, looks to be historic.

Breaking: Cooper Drops Out


April 11th, 4130- In a rally in Negunia, Assemblyman Karl Cooper announced that he is suspending his presidential bid. His announcement was brief. He thanked his supporters and said that he honestly did not expect to do as well as he did. He said that a "new train has left the station. All it needs is some more coal and the center-left train will be full steam to the presidency"

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OOC: once again I'm behind time for a news story
Why Her: McFarland Shot by Two Bullets

One event from both gay-rights and SLP activicts held in the aftermath of the successful assassination

June 13th, 4130- A great tragedy has come onto the trail with only a few weeks until the election. SLP Presidential nominee Claire McFarland was shot twice by gunman Dennis Hamilton, a self-identified "crusader". The event occured at 2:12 PM as Ms. McFarland was greeting voters in rural Iliathar. Police arrived quickly and arrested a man armed with an illegal pistol. He was quickly arrested and plead guilty to the assassination, claiming that "God had willed it".

Mr. Hamilton, aged 32, is a native of Iliathar. According to the police report, he is mentally unstable and is a fanatic Horsian. Police say that he had become a self-radicalized individual through his readings and skewed to blatantly wrong interpretations of religious texts. He was able to give his motive, which was to "stop the spread of the gay agenda". This confirmed the speculations among the left that this was a hate crime, fueled by the disbelief in the individual that a bisexual could become president of Beluzia. So, when the campaign event was planned and announced on June 11th, Mr. Hamilton made his move.

McFarland was pronounced dead at 2:18, with one bullet striking her heart, the other hitting her arm. She was 38 and unmarried, though she leaves her longtime lover. Her identity, always anonymous out of respect, is now confidential by police order. She is also reported to be given a temporary police escort for the time being. Ms. McFarland was killed in a hateful act amid a renewed debate on LGBT rights. Throughout the night, several LGBT rights groups gathered in cities across Beluzia to say their goodbyes and pay their respects. They were joined by men and women, straight or gay, minority or majority, to condemn Mr. Hamilton's actions.

Being the first assassinated political figure in Beluzian politics since the 4050s, she now joins a very small list. An assassination like this is thought of as impossible, especially one brought on by hate. Today's events show how wrong those assumptions are. The general shock across the nation is a symptom of the fortunate rarity of these events. Fortunately for Beluzians, attacks of this caliber are some of the rarest events in Beluzia, but that seems to only worsen the feelings many are having.

The proximity to the election is a problem for SLP leadership. Party rules adopted at the 23rd National Convention make it that, "should a candidate not be able to continue their campaign for any reason and there is less than 1 month until the general election, the second place candidate on the first nominating vote shall be offered the nomination. Should they refuse or be unable to accept the nomination, the 3rd place candidate will be considered. This process is repeated until either a 1st ballot candidate accepts the nomination or no candidate from the first ballot remains. Should no one remain from the 1st ballot or there is more than 1 month until the general election, then the delegates of the national convention shall meet within 48 hours of the initial vacancy to choose a nominee".

This system gives the nomination to Cooper, who accepted it at 4:30 PM today. He gave this speech

While we all wish these circumstances to be different, I accept the nomination for the SLP's presidential candidate. What we witnessed today was a total disregard for human rights and an act of pure hate. A man, unable to fathom a gay president, decided that the best course of action was to take her life. With his decision, Beluzia has lost a bright leader that fought hard for all that she stood for. With her we lose the closest we've gotten to a recorded LGBT Head of State across all of our history. With her we lose the figure-head of a movement.

While I am honored to be nominated for president of Beluzia, I feel as though I don't want it. I would rather accept the nomination the way Claire did, a stage with the iconic balloon drop of the convention. This moment is a bitter one, a moment where the words "I accept your nomination" have a negative connotation. As a party, a movement, and a community, we have seen one of the most dreaded acts of violence that could be committed by anyone.

However, we must move forward. Claire would not want us to sit around and just mourn; rather, she'd want us to take her torch to the presidency. Furthermore, she'd want us to preserve and take this party and this nation past grieving and into a future of prosperity. We must show the world that these acts of terror and pure hatred will not deter us. We must show that these acts will unite us and help to push us forward.

and now, the present
Victory Was Never So Bitter

Newly elected President Karl Cooper of Iliathar at his victory rally

July 4130- Despite major losses for the governing coalition in the assembly, Karl Cooper managed to win a nail-biting second round in the presidential race. President Cooper emerged with a lead of about 1.7 million votes or about 3 percentage points. However 2 things cloud his victory over the BTP's Isaac Keltcher. 1st is the assassination of Claire McFarland, the whole reason he became the candidate. Second is the makeup of the Assembly, which shows tricky ground for both sides of the isle. The BPP appears to hold the ability to oust the coalition it is a part of if it chooses to side with the BTP and BNP. This legislative position could possibly make an early election possible, which has the real chance of ousting Mr. Cooper.

However, this has not deterred Mr. Cooper, who is already laying out some domestic policy with center-left SLP assemblymen. This has also involved a new shadow cabinet team, but the current ministers have their jobs until uncertainty has been cleared. President Cooper has also announced his intentions to immediately begin planning some foreign relations projects.

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President Announces "Local Power, National Prosperity" Reform Plan; Hits Rocky Start

The president gave a press conference where he announced his plan for a new reform plan to be made of several laws

January 10th, 4131- President Cooper has announced a plan by the pro-devolution wing of the SLP to try to pass reforms supporting devolution in some sectors of the government, specifically some infrastructure. The plan will come as a series of laws throughout the term which aim to "bring more efficiency in to local government; so they may implement national policy protecting the rights of workers and the environment with as much care for their citizens as possible". the move seems to be part of a pivot in SLP policy since President Cooper took over the party after McFarland's assassination. The president said this at the press conference

If the Assembly implements LPNP, we will see it as the first stages in a new era for the Beluzian economy. With these proposals, we will see local governments with the power to shape their infrastructure policy. Local government will be able to tailor their infrastructure policy to their economy, rather than have it be determined for them by a couple of bureaucrats. It will become clear, expanding the power of local government will help us as a nation progress throughout the century. While some may say that these proposals are flawed or radical, we feel that these are the first steps to a new and prosperous future.

So I command the Assembly to really consider these proposals and all they stand for. I encourage them to look into the possibilities and to inquire with local councils about them. I also encourage the voters of this party and this nation to look into these proposals and see that local power leads to a national prosperity.

The program, called "Local Power, National Prosperity" (LPNP), is already off to a shaky start with the projected failure of the "Infrastructure and Eminent Domain Reform Act". If it were to be implemented, it would both legalize eminent domain for the government and devolve public works projects to local governments. The bill has found opposition on both sides of the isle, with the BRRP bringing up the possibility of the negative effects of private companies taking on these works and the right wing showing general opposition.

Despite this first setback, the so called "O'Mallites", as they were dubbed by some opponents, are not unfazed. They have already proposed the Establishment of State Policing Act, which aims to keep the federal police but establish separate police units for each state. Only time will tell how any upcoming programs do in both the Assembly and in practice.

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Anti-Cooper Social Liberals Turn to Dawson

Assemblyman Dawson, pictured here as Internal Affairs Minister, has become the figure many in the SLP want to take back control from Cooper's wing

July 21st, 4134- With about a year until the SLP holds presidential primaries, several SLP assemblymen belonging to the progressive wing of the party met in the back-room of a local Fort Thorne diner. The most prominent man in that room was Fmr Internal Affairs Minister and current Assemblyman Edward Dawson. It became clear to onlookers that the meeting was about the upcoming primaries. Dawson had a major following in the 4130 primaries despite not running, and that following is what has prompted many in the party to want to draft him as a contender to Fmr. President Cooper. Mr. Cooper has already said he's running again.

However, even with Dawson as a candidate, the SLP's progressive assemblymen and assemblywomen have a tough battle ahead. The "O'Mallite" wing led by Mr. Cooper has a new grip on the party's base. While Cooper's first term was considered a practical failure, Mr. Cooper still holds an approval rating above 50% among SLP voters, 45% of whom say that he has not had enough time to prove himself and would have done better given time. It seems that despite LPNP's failure, Cooper still holds a decent grip on the voters.

Dawson, meanwhile, is not as known among voters as Mr. Cooper. Recent polling has established that only 43% of SLP voters surveyed know who Mr. Dawson is. Only 40% know he presided as Interior Minister over the Marriage Equality Act, an act which can be seen as the most significant piece of legislation passed with him in the cabinet and which was proposed by the BCFU. The only significant legislation Dawson had worked on was the Libel Reform Act, which relaxed libel laws. While that act significantly affected the press, it had little influence on the lives of everyday Beluzians. While Mr. Cooper failed to pass any meaningful legislation, the party's voters paid attention to the LPNP's programs. When the same poll asked, "Which of the following law do you think either has or would have had the most impact on you life?", voters responded

Libel Reform Act 12%
Gambling Reform Act 11%
Reformation of Policing Act 5%
Establishment of State Policing Act 17%
Nuclear Power Reform Act 11%
Infrastructure and Eminent Domain Reform Act 44%

Cooper's Infrastructure and Eminent Domain Reform Act is by far the winner, with the paper explaining that it was mostly likely the provisions on eminent domain that pushed it so far up. As a result, Cooper is at least able to claim that he attempted to be a force of change while Mr. Dawson passed simple laws that would have done nothing in the long run.

However, this has not deterred the progressives. When confronted about the meeting, Mr. Dawson said "It was about preventing the SLP from going down the road of the BCCP", referencing the old, radical states' rights party that disbanded in the 3990s.

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Ed Dawson Declares Candidacy in Primary Challenge Against Cooper

Mr. Dawson was swarmed by press as he declared his candidacy for the SLP's presidential nomination

January 12th, 4134- With about 7 months until the SLP's primary elections in July, Assemblyman Edward "Ed" Dawson has declared that he is running in his first campaign rally today. With Mr. Karl Cooper expected to officially declare in the next few days, the race for the presidency is now underway. Polls show Mr. Dawson and Mr. Cooper in a tight race nationally for the 632(1 for every 10,000 voters + 1 superdelegate for every sitting national legislator) delegates that choose the party's nominee in September. The race stands as follows
Cooper 45%
Dawson 41%
Undecided 14%

Mr. Dawson set the tone of his campaign at his declaration rally

Fellow SLP voters and citizens of Beluzia, our party stands at a crossroads. Fate has allowed the scourge of devolution to take over the SLP. My opponent, former president Cooper, is taking this party down the path of a radical push for inefficient local governments. His wing claims that it'll be a local revolution. I say it'll be a revolutionary failure. Mr. Cooper has failed, and even if he could pass a law, it would have failed.

What I'll do with the SLP is take it back on the road it needs to be on. If we want to compete, we need to reach out to the left wing support that this party has held since Pres. Richards 100 years ago. I'll tell you that we'll create a national infrastructure system taken away from the scourge of the private sector. As a party, we'll once again stand up for the poor in the entirety on this nation, not just in Parlos Decina. As a movement, we will win and we will win big.

Mr. Dawson is already setting up a ground team across the country along with the former president. What Mr. Dawson said in his speech is true, the party is at a crossroads. Traditional progressive or devolution, the SLP voters now decide.