Today, Election Day, EBC reporter Calvin Coolidge interviewed both presidential candidates on an array of topics. Both interviews' transcripts are included in this article.
Calvin Coolidge: First question: If you had an undecided voter in front of you, what would you say is the biggest difference between you and Kraketopia, to help them with their decision?
Ogastein: I believe when you look at both campaigns there was a stark difference, in my opinion: More of the same or a more bold path forward. Of course, many of the policies were similar but I would say my campaign valued a different way of doing things.
I also think undecided voters would see a willingness to take risks and be more adventurous in governing on my part
Calvin Coolidge: What would you say is the thing that your campaign valued most differently from your opponent?
Ogastein: Well, that's a tough one but I would believe I listened to criticism and questioning with more attention. Often times I felt, and I think others did as well, that Kraken was slightly dismissive of criticisms of his term.
I think the incumbent has a lot of advantages, often times that includes the work they did during the preceding term, but Kraken seemed to dismiss those concerns, particularly about the GAP and the EBC.
I answered every single question with detail whereas if he got multiple questions, he usually lumped them together. Just a slight difference but in terms of transparency, I think my campaign was more transparent.
Calvin Coolidge: Let's talk about transparency: your transparency act failed in the Senate, but not in the CA. What do you think that says about the current mindset of the region?
Ogastein: Well, I would love to say that it say we're some authoritative regime but that's just not the case. I think that discussion put pressure on the EAAC to actually release a report and they did just that.
I've talks found this quote by Margaret Thatcher true but that bill really reinforced my view:
"Consensus: "The process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values, and policies in search of something in which no one believes, but to which no one objects; the process of avoiding the very issues that have to be solved, merely because you cannot get agreement on the way ahead. What great cause would have been fought and won under the banner: "I stand for consensus?"
At the end of the day, many noted that it "lacked bite." Senators these days need the bill to *spell* out everything that the law must require or else it will not be passed.
I've never been particularly fond of that philosophy. It's also about *why* the law was passed. I discussed that in my "Joy of Jaywalking" article. Under a legal challenge, the preamble is considered. It doesn't compel any sort of action but the spirit of the law is clear.
Calvin Coolidge: Now that the election is underway, your opponent is pulling away by an increasing margin. Why do you think that is?
Ogastein: Look, I entered this election after a lot of thought. I did not think I would be as viable a candidate as I could be in say, 6 months. I entered into a number of discussions with many people and mused about having an opposition to this President. No one bit.
So people encouraged me to run and I answered the call.
For four terms, 8 long months in Europeia, we've seen Anumia or Kraken as President. Arguably both are quite similar. Many people have no other standard to judge this term to other than Anumia's. If you're looking at that comparison, it hasn't been that bad.
I've been around for a while so I know that we could be doing a lot more. I was very serious when I spoke about complacency in my platform.
I do think I ran a very interesting campaign so I would maybe credit it to that? I'm not entirely sure though.
Calvin Coolidge: Last question: If your presidency could only focus on one Ministry for the whole term, what would it be, and why?
Ogastein: When we started the GAP, it was supposed to be this amazing project. The GREAT Architecture Project. That said, we haven't seen the results that we've been promised. I would focus on Foreign Cultivation so we could see some results and movement on this department. IF we don't see any soon, I fear that it could languish.
Calvin Coolidge: Thank you for your time.
Ogastein: No problem, it was a pleasure to be interviewed
