The Moderate Party

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Revision as of 18:24, 18 October 2006

Status

The Moderate Party is and was the oldest party in Liberalia, dating back to the pre-Liberalia days of the WWSETI parliament. Originally called "The Centrist Party," it changed its names to reflect its newer policies in January 2006. Since then, the Moderate Party has been the most successful political party in Liberalian history, providing four Prime Ministerial terms and also managing to expand the region from its small foundations after the Christmas Revolution to its massive status today. The Moderate Party was the first party to be established in Liberalia and it's colour, Purple, is present on the regional flag.

Current membership is considered to be very low, compared with a high of twenty members, in early 2006.

History

The Moderate Party was founded by Carops in August 2005. The party was successfully elected to government in WWSETI, where the future Christmas Revolutionaries were then based, and was monumental in leading the revolution itself. The Moderate government was overthrown in effect by the dictatorial actions of the WWSETI admin staff, and forced the legitimate government, under Carops to relocate to Liberalia.

Therefore, on arrival in the new region, the Moderates led the new provisional government, which was comprised of all the parties. Followin g the elections called shortly afterwards, Carops was re-elected unanimously as the now Prime Minister of Liberalia and WWSETI, a title which has now been dropped. The Carops government continued to rule until March 2006, when another Moderate, Farlane, was elected to office. Farlane's term continued to build upon the strong foundation which Carops had provided and led Liberalia to even greater times.

Carops, who seemed to have left politics in many ways, made a return in the May 2006 elections to beat Julio Trigman to the position and to regain the Prime Minister position. Carops ruled agin until July, when Random_Textbox_Inputs, the first non-Moderate, took control of the region.

Following this, the Moderate Party began to suffer from a long and slow decline, which continued up to the point that Carops announced that the party would be closing shortly in late August 2006.

Beliefs and Policies

Manifesto

Moderate Party of Liberalia Manifesto

1. Religious and political freedom We do not accept discrimination on any grounds. We will also work for equality in the workplace and in other spheres of society. All religions are free to practice wherever and whenever they wish. Religions will be allowed to practice freely, as long as this does not infringe on the rights of others. We would have aspects of all major religions placed on the school curiculum, ensuring that children in Liberalia are well-informed about other faiths to remove ignorance and racism.

2. Separation of Church and State The Moderate Party is a secular organisation, and as such believes that religion has no role to play in governing the region. We would encourage the teaching of philosophy. No overt signs of religion will be tolerated in any state organisation, so that all citizens of Liberalia will be treated equally irrespective of religion by regional authorities. While the Moderate Party believes that authorities must behave in an ethical and moral way, we do not believe that religiosity and morality are supporting factors, but that morality can exist in a person without religion. All children in Liberalia will receive an entirely secular education. Parents have the prerogative to instruct their children of their own religious beliefs in their local place of worship or religious teaching centre.

3. Economic Policies (Taxation/ Tarriffs and Quotas) The Moderate party would implement a progressive tax rate, with 30% Income Tax on all gross income above 20,000 Libers, 40% on gross income above 40,000 Libers, and 50% on gross income above 60,000 Libers. Any annual income earnt below this would not be taxed. Inheritance tax would only apply to those who would be leaving behind more than 1,000,000 Libers. The starting rate would be 5% for 1,000,000-1,999,999. A rate of 15% would be applied to any inheritance of and above 2,000,000. All goods entering Liberalia would be taxed and tarriffed to encourage internal trade between the nations of Liberalia and discourage trade with outside. We would also impose common trading standards across the region, to ensure that goods from all member nations are of a similar quality and substance. We would allow free trade between the nations of Liberalia. However, a Centrist government would set a quota on goods enterring the region from abroad, which if exceeded, would result in the rejection of these goods. All industries which require state subsidies would receive them in order to protect Liberalian workers. Similarly, the State will ensure through regulation and inspection that all enviornmental and social obligations of businesses are met and impose financial penalties upon those which fail to uphold their obligations. A number of inspection and regulation bodies would be established to oversee the market and ensure that the interests of capital are not placed before the interests of the common man. The Moderate Party is committed to regulated capitalism and the implementation of a mixed economy.

4. Foreign Affairs The Moderate Party will operate an entirely Pacifist approach to foreign affairs. We will not take the region to war or into a conflict with anyone unless we are already under attack, or Liberalian interests have been heavily compromised. We would keep Liberalia neutral in all conflicts which do not concern us. We would establish an International Conference centre, similar to that in Q102 to encourage ties between different regions. We would accept nations fleeing from corrupt and dictatorial regions as political immigrants and grant them asylum. We would actively search for new allies and partner regions to expand Liberalia's influence throughout the NS world. However, we would concentrate also on maintaining good relations with current allies and friends. The Moderate Party is opposed to Liberalia being involved in the Invader-Defender conflict. We view this as part of the game which leads to danger and instability for regions involved, but also something which restricts diplomatic and potential ties across the NS world for Liberalia. It is far more benefitial for the region to advocate a neutral stance in this conflict. The Moderate Party does not agree with the "colonisation" of other regions for the sole purpose of conquering them. We believe that regions should be afforded protectorate status if they so wish, but only if they request it. They should remain able to govern themselves, but be afforded protection by the Liberalian State. For Liberalia to operate anything resembling a colony is hypocritical, considering the history of our region. The Moderate Party would encourage ties with democratic and prosperous regions, as we always have. We would use our connections in NS to contact those we know for furthering our region's influence. We would not, however, actively establish relations with fascist, invader, or aggressive regions, as we feel that this is not in the interests of Liberalia.

5. Social Policies (Health and Personal Care) The Moderate Party would totally ban smoking in public and the taking of all recreational drugs throughout the region. We believe that a smoking ban is in essence a liberal innovation – Liberalism states that people should be free as long as it does not harm others and passive smoking kills, proving that a smoking ban is in effect not an illiberal proposal. In order to enforce this, we would establish a Liberalia Customs Organisation to police this problem, imposing strict penalties against offenders. The smoking of tobacco and the use of illegal drugs would result in financial and custodial punishments, dependent on the scale of the offence. We believe that these two factors are substantial social evils, which must be eradicated. We see the legalisation of drugs as an admission of defeat on the part of civilised nations and will oppose the argument that legalisation will deal a blow to organised crime. We believe that in today's reality, the legalisation of drugs will simply cause organised crime to diversify, meaning that the logical solution would be to tackle the roots of organised crime itself. The Moderate Party supports the idea of a free and universal healthcare programme for all Liberalian citizens, regardless of wealth or ability to contribute to the system. It is our belief that healthcare is a fundamental human right, to which all are entitled, and that it is the duty of governments to protect their citizens. In establishing a universal healthcare system, maintained by the taxpayer, we believe that protection will be given and the rights of the citizen recognised. Abortion would be allowed in Liberalia, but only with an acceptable reasons. If it was found that rape or incest had taken place, or that the birth of the child would seriously harm either the mother or child, or had a physical or mental disability, or a genuine social/economic reason then there would be sufficient grounds for an abortion. Not wanting a child is not a sufficient reason for an abortion, and when people believe that they are responsible enough to engage in unprotected sex, they must accept the consequences and be prepared for pregnancies to occur. It is illiberal in the extreme to support the destruction of potential members of society due to their "inconvenience" on a whim and an encouragement of a dstructive and hedonistic lifestyle. We accept that the birth of a child can have undesirable effects upon a family, and should a family have any reason to suspect that adverse effects would occur, and these claims had been looked into, an abortion would be granted, as stated above. However, the point has come to distinguish between legitimate reasons for abortion in law, as opposed to the undesirable current use of abortion as a form of contraception by some quarters of society. We would make contraception widely available to those unable to gain access to it due to cost. A number of Sexual Health Clinics would be established in major population areas to provide advice on family planning all Liberalians. Children who are born unwanted will become the responsibility of the state, which will either ensure the child's welfare in a state institution or encourage a foster-family to adopt the child.

6. Social Policies (Welfare State) We support the creation and maintainence of a welfare state in Liberalia. We dod not accept that poverty is a result of fiscal irresponsibility, but rather a result of many factors, both economic and social, which must be addressed by the State. We do believe, however, that hard work is essential if a family is to get out of poverty. The government will not function as a charity, and we will expect all those who receive state assistance to contribute to the state in return. We will provide to people what they need in order to live productive and prosperous lives, if they are unable to do so without state assistance. State benefit schemes would be introduced for people seeking work, on pregancy leave, raising families, etc. Should the person receiving unemployment benefits from the State consistently fail to take up offers of employment from the local job-finding agencies or gain a criminal record, benefits will be withdrawn by the state. If the current economic situation means that there are no jobs for those who need them, the government will encourage people in receipt of benefits to do voluntary community work. We would also create various Government savings schemes to enable those people who attempt to take advantage of the system to buy products that they would otherwise have been unable to obtain, without any opportunity to defraud the nation. We will pay benefits to them using a voucher system, whereby companies could claim money back off the government, which would ensure that money was spent only on essentials and bills.

7. Education Policies (Higher Education) The Moderate Party believes that children should be taught among those of similar abilties to themselves, as this is beneficial to all. As such, we would establish a system of grammar and secondary modern schools across the region. Primary schools would be open to all and a test at the end of primary education would determine whether children go to the grammar or secondary modern school. We would ban private schools to make sure that all children get the same chances in life and to improve the fairness of the system. Independent schools are only a means whereby the rich give their children an unfair advantage in life and are intolerable. Those attending grammar schools would be encouraged to attend University, while those attending community or secondary modern schools would be encouraged to find a trade or join an apprenticeship scheme. However, there would also be a chance for the best in the secondary modern schools to gain academic qualifications and go to university. Academic qualifications would be valued highly, but there would also be a system of apprenticeships and there would also be “applied” subjects for less academically able students at the secondary modern schools eg. “Applied Maths” – for this, there would be more emphasis on the way in which Maths relates into everyday life, although there would be a degree of academic learning involved as well. We would try to crack down on fraudulent craftsmen in the region. All professionals, tradesmen, and people employed in a specific area, where certain skills are required must have a government certificate to prove that they are capable of performing their role. These certificates would be available in all schools, after a certain period of specialist training, and there would also be courses offered in adult education colleges. There would be specialist schools, funded by the state, for special needs children, who would receive every opportunity open to children in mainstream education.

8. Education Policies (Other) The Moderate Party would provide a free education for all in Liberalia, providing that our conditions are met. The Moderate Party would not allow corporal punishment in schools, but would support the rights of teaching staff to defend themselves or other pupils from violent and disorderly members of the school. We would remove persistently unruly pupils from mainstream education so that they can receive the attention they need and hopefully to curb their behaviour. Should signs show and improvement in behaviour, they would be returned to their mainstream education. Even if held in Special Educational Institutes, they would be able to achieve the same qualifications as other pupils and would be encouraged to engage in extra-curricular activities in the hope of curbing their disorderly behaviour.

9. Crime Reduction Policies The Moderate Party believes that, although rehabilitation is an important apsect of criminal sentencing, it should be secondary to punishment. As such, we would enforce hard-line sentences on serious crimes such as murder and rape. First-Degree Murder would be punishable solely by life-sentence and rape would carry a minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. However, we would maintain "Open Prisons" for less serious crimes, where those who have committed "victimless crimes" and minor offences would serve their sentences. Should a prisoner who is being held for a serious crime present good behaviour consistantly, it will make no difference to his/her treatment or sentence length. Criminals would be considered for release early, only if they were thought to ne able to successfully return to society, to hold down a job, and not to return to a life of crime. We would also remove "Creature comforts" such as televisions and games consoles from all prisons in Liberalia, as we do not consider these to be suitable punishment for people who have adversely affected the lives of others. We feel that time in prison would be better spent reflection on the past, attending classes, and learning new skills for life after release, rather than watching television. We do not support the Death Penalty. Emphasis within prisons would be upon the gaining of new skills and opportunities in order to prevent criminals returning to crime upon their release.