MPNS

[Tivona Shneider]

Alice Eliott:Mr. Abbott, it has come to our attention that the leader of Together has dropped out the race and has agreed to a joint ticket with yourself, how exactly did this agreement come around? 

JA:We have an extremely right wing government in Harlton who has teamed up with the Far Right National Front. He has literally teamed up with Fascism and is helping their agenda. This is creating dangerous times and I discussed with Madame Féret. We felt what was most needed now is a show of unity among moderates and the centre. We need to do all we can to bring moderate politics back to the Mandavines. The far left and far rights progress needs to be stopped.

AE:Cecilia Feret's Together Party will effectively be given the keys to one of the most powerful government portfolios if you win the election. Considering the party is minor, do you think it is fair that Madam Feret will be granted the Vice President position? 

JA:I do the truth Is Together are not a minor party. They are a major third party with 2,411,228  votes. Republicans teamed up with the National Front who themselves only had 4 million and who knows maybe Together will do better this time as historically they have gotten over 5 million votes in the past.

AE:We shall see. The truth remains that the National Front did not receive the vice president position as part of its coalition with the Republicans. Some are claiming a less senior position might be more appropriate? Do you rule out a coalition with the Republicans if it came to it in order to prevent the National Front entering the coalition? 

JA:Well the times are different.If it perhaps is needed I would not rule out working with Republicans out but it would have very strict conditions and one red line is a universal healthcare type system like in most civilised countries worldwide. I think its a disgrace we think so lowly of the poor some republicans argue they should just die or go bankrupt if they get cancer for example. A societies values shows in how it treats its poor and hardworking and Republicans have been weighed, measured and found wanting.

AE:It has been claimed that regarding the conflict between the Eretzorans and the Belay people, you hold a certain bias. Your family is heavily involved in fundraising for Eretzoran causes, including for the Eretzoran armed forces, and members of your family have advocated on behalf of Eretzora here in the Mandavines, donating millions to pro-Eretzora organisations. How do you respond to the accusation that you'd be biased in favour of Eretzora?  

JA:I have yes been involved in advocating for Eretzora its true but I also support Belay rights. The truth is there have been crazy parties on both sides at times but we have had an opportunity since 1589 for work towards a lasting peace based on co-operation, regional union and deep trade links in order to make future wars economically unrealistic but has Harlton took the opportunity, no he hasn't. He and the Republicans are squandering this chance while moderates on both sides are in power. One of my big foreign policy agendas will be getting Belay, the Vostics and the Eretzorans into a union of some sort to secure lasting peace. I believe we need all sides to prosper to prevent future conflict which hurts all. I also believe we need better conditions in the Yarv for the Belay but the Eretzoran Alsterenists do have a place in the region. Is it ideal they were placed there in history? No it isn't, but we need to find a solution that works going forward and I would attempt this working with the Goldecian Prime Minister.

AE:Forgive me for saying so, but many will be sceptical regardless of your words. Your family has not only donated money to charities based in Eretzora dealing with humanitarian causes, but has directly funded military charities and also projects in the occupied Belay territories. Surely you must understand why others would find it hard to believe that someone who is so involved with one side could not possibly act as a honest broker of peace? 

JA:You can donate to causes in the Yarv but still support Belay rights. You can support charities for the military but still be critical of mistakes which I'm sure my sister will vouch I certainly have been. I have also put money into projects promoting peace and organising joint sports leagues between Belay and Alsterenists.It seems these activities were left off your list. Is it perhaps because I am Alsterenist that people are asking so much of these questions?

AE:Of course not Mr. Abbott, these questions - those regarding foreign policy - will by presented to the other candidates too. Other than the Eretzoran-Belay conflict, what are the other key areas you'd like to focus on in the world arena if you win? 

JA:I would like to focus on expanding the range of our free trade agreements. We need to get more countries on the tariff free Schedule 1. I aim to get and agreement with the KEC which I believe is a fantastic organisation. I would seek to work on developing a KEC like agreement within Skathia. We need to expand international trade co-operation and also co-operation on global issues like environmental protection and climate change. I also believe we should be a human rights leader. We need specifically to protect against the threats to human rights presented by nations like Carpathia and Adwest.

AE:Would I be correct in assuming you'd limit relations with such nations if you won then?

JA:Yes that is the case. I would make extensive use of Schedule 10 for such nations around the world if they decide human rights are not important to them. Its important to support social justice abroad as well as at home. I feel there is great opportunity to do this with our partnership with Together.

AE:It is fairly public that you support a single payer health care system. Tell us more about your ideal system?

JA: Well I'd assemble a panel of experts to decide on the best system but it would need to meet the following criteria:
1:Free at the point of use
2:Efficient for the tax payer
3:Combined buying power for drugs to reduce prices paid for drugs
4:Include cover for things like Abortion and womens needs within reason.

AE:I like my guns, Mr. Abbott. I go hunting every weekend with my husband, two children and my great grandmother. Would you protect our right to bear arms? 

JA:Yes absolutely within reason. You should have the right to hunting guns but honestly do you need say a semi-auto machine gun to hunt a deer for example. Too many are dying of gun violence from such weapons. Kids are being killed in schools, we need to say enough is enough and control the most dangerous of guns, machine guns are for the army to shoot terrorists not for ordinary citizens. We need to look at how we control guns and look at things like the gun show loopholes, licencing is needed

AE:We quite enjoy using our semi-automatics. My great-grandmother is quite keen to buy the newest model. 

JA:You have to question though, is it worth school shootings being in the headlines every week. I have 3 sons the youngest of which is 12. Why should his life be at risk by a plethora of these weapons being out there with few controls. Surely lives of kids like my son are more important. As I say hunt away with your one shot rifles but some control to the chaos is needed.

AE:Mr. Abbott, how do you feel about the prospect of same-sex marriage being legalised in our country? 

JA:I very much welcome the prospect and look forward to witnessing a same sex marriage in the ICS church I attend. We have a wonderful gay couple in our church and they deserve the same rights as every other heterosexual couple in this nation. Quite frankly it ain't the states business to say people can't get married because they are same gender or sex.

AE:Interesting. Considering your relation to the Alsterenist community, what will you do personally to combat the anti-Akhadist sentiment in this country? 

JA:What has my Alsterenist heritage got to do with Anti-akhadic sentiment. I personally combat hate of moderates of any group every day. I donate to anti-fascist groups prominently and campaign against fascist parties. I will not stop criticising the extremists of any stripes. Quite frankly some on the left and in the press maybe should be asking what they are doing to tackle hate against Alsterenists or how they perhaps are personally contributing! Maybe you should ask a certain Masood what he plans to do to tackle anti-alsterenist sentiment and to tackle extremism of his friends like the Igoroveich family and his now thankfully dead hero Ramzan.

AE:Now that you have mentioned Masood, I would like to bring your attention to comments that were reported in the media last week. Your sister Rachel reportedly called Masood a 'foreigner who is not fit for the office of president'. Do you agree with your sister's sentiments? 

JA:I care not for his foreign heritage but I do question his suitability purely on the basis of his former friendship with Ramzan. Can we really trust a man who idolized such an evil dictator. Can we really trust him with our army, with gay rights and to defend our borders and citizens from extremists. He does not exactly have the best track record.

AE:I asked if you shared your sister's sentiments regarding Masood. 

JA:And I answered saying I care not about his heritage or perhaps your hearing aid needs fixing!

AE:Figures on the left have been accused of harbouring anti-alsterenist sentiments for merely being critical of the actions of the Eretzoran government, resulting in a climate in which people are often afraid to voice their legitimate concerns out of fear of being accused of bigotry. Will you stand in condemnation of this?  

JA:Actually they have not. They have been accused of Anti-Alsterenist sentiments for criticising the legitimacy of an Alsterenist state in a land they were transplanted to by force. That is anti-alsterenist , you can safely criticise governments and political figures within reason as I did with Rachel Singer. Do you seriously expect us to stand silent while people are calling for Eretzora to be wiped off the map just because of the people who inhabit it. I think you'll find some on the far left are using criticism of the state of Eretzora as a cover for hating Alsterenists and in many ways as bad as the NF or MU they themselves supposedly oppose in the name of anti-fascism. The "anti-fascists" it seems are the tails of the fascist coin to the MU's heads.Last week my kid was bullied because he was Alsterenist, yet no one speaks about that do they. My 12 year old son gets bullied every day often due to his Alsterenist roots as well as him being Autistic. Yet the far left fail to focus on these injustices.

AE:Some on the left have been critical of your selection to lead a left-wing party considering your immense wealth. What do you say to these critics? 

JA: Does my wealth have anything to do with my policy. I consistently support tax rises which would actually impact how much I pay in taxes to the tune of many millions. I have funded a centre-left party for many years and support policies which help the working class. Furthermore my business actually gives part ownership to the workers. I think I have shown my credentials. It seems my opponents on the far left and far right have not legitimate attacks on my policy so have to attack me on my ethnic background and wealth I have earnt. I look at the polls every day, I talk to workers in my business, I talk to the working class at rallies and you know what the far left failed them, the republicans have failed them but they believe in me because they know my policies are the best for them . Its these people I am interested not those who quite frankly are full of racism, homophobia and misogyny.I want to talk about policy and relevant issues that the ordinary citizen faces.

AE:Mr. Abbott, your economic policies have been criticised by the right. Many believe the country cannot possibly afford the reforms you wish to introduce. 

JA:This would be the same right that can afford to give tax cut after tax cut to the super rich who don't need it. Its funny how when one suggests things like healthcare for the poor, help with the cost of education for the poor so they can access learning and become better for the economy as well as advance themselves we suddenly have no money. The money is there. We need balanced reforms like mine, fair taxes on the wealthy through elimination of loop holes and working towards a global tax avoidance treaty in order to combat tax avoidance. These are not unaffordable. I set out a clear plan of how to pay for it and who would pay. Quite frankly I have little concern for the super rich like myself who quite frankly can afford to pay a little more if its needed to help those in genuine need. Also this would help the economy which would actually increase the wealth of the super rich like me since a lot of super rich save the majority of their extra income meaning it leaves the economy,  the middle class and working class spend most of their money so if we give them access to education and healthcare and a much needed and overdue minimum wage increase. The economy will grow faster than under republicans plans to lower taxes on the rich. Economic agencies, organisations and experts worldwide say my plan is better for the Mandavines.

AE:Thank you, Mr. Abbott, for this interview. Good luck at the election!

JA:Thank you for having me, I hope you have a good day Ms. Elliot