Pokélections 2015

[Dedenne1]

I think I understand this haha hey what do I have to lose.
Username: Dedenne1
Region/Party: Kalos
Slogan for your party: "There are good ways to win and bad ways too lose, just make sure I'm the one winning and you'll be just fine."

 

[PokePlayer101]

Might as well do this it seems like a cool idea
Username: PokePlayer101
Region: Hoenn
Slogan for your party: "Don't focus on the things that make us the same. Instead, focus on the things that make us unique. Celebrate your differences."

 

[Chicken Fingers]

Username:Chicken Fingers
Region/Party: Sinnoh
Slogan for your party: "Arceus, Family, Love, Chicken Fingers"

 

[Kanzler]

Looks like somebody needs to get on the liberal platform.

Username: Kanzler
Region/Party: Johto Liberty Party
Slogan for your party: "A free people prosper."

 

[Her]

Enough people have signed up for the preliminaries to begin! Sign-ups are still open at this point, but they will end after I post the next set of questions.

Candidates,
- In the Pokémon regions, there is usually one big corporation that has a monopoly on everything Pokémon-related in that region. The pre-eminent example of this is Silph Co, who owns, patents and sells almost every usable item a trainer comes across in their journey, regardless of what region they come from. They control the production, supply and demand, pushing Pokémon as a way of life and being, for all intents and purposes, the leaders of the known world. However, with the rise of an elected government (you), things will have to be changed. The world as we know it cannot be run by a corporation. How will you and your party deal with these super-corporations? As the democratic power of the land, how will you manage your own influence with the all-reaching grasp of Silph Co?

- Why is there such economic, ecological and technological disparity between the regions? How will you ensure the growth of a region like Kanto to achieve the same level of development as Unova, or Kalos?

- Rare candies are a wonder drug that pushes a Pokémon to its physical and psychological limits in order to get stronger instantly. It is currently marketed as a medicine, despite there being no legal supplier of the substance. As such, it is almost impossible to control the flow of this substance. It is made and supplied purely by home labs, using a difficult procedure and rare compounds in order to make the final product. However, rising reports of rare candy labs burning down due to dangerous chemicals going rapidly unstable have caught the attention of your government - for the sake of your people and their Pokémon, something must be done. Also, recent studies have shown that rare candies contain all the same properties as crystal meth. It is essentially a high powered meth for Pokémon and once addiction starts, is almost impossible to break loose from. What will your government do to control this drug trade? Bear in mind that currently, rare candies are not illegal, due to there being no government force before you in the land. But you will have free rein to handle this drug trade as you wish.

You may answer any and all questions. Good luck.

 

[Melody]

Username: Melody
Region/Party: Hoenn / Naturalist Party
Slogan for your party: "I will fight for the natural beauty of the community"

Q1: I would simply divide the corporation in to many parts and force them to base each division out of a city of their choosing. One per Pokemon City, no region shall have more divisions than the others. Hoenn gets the ONE odd division should there be an odd number, since we're in the center of all of them.

Q2: By reassigning the professors and brightest minds and trainers to less prosperous regions. I'd also start a breeding program or two to distribute all known species of pokemon across all the regions. I imagine that there are many places where Pokemon from other regions can thrive in Hoenn, as well as any other region.

Q3: Simply ban Rare Candies from all Pokemon League Gyms and League Championships. This will damper most of it; as we should be able to test Pokemon for the residual traces of a Rare Candy in their droppings. Only Pokemon Masters of the highest caliber should be allowed to assist in the research of Rare Candies so that we may make them safer for all Pokemon. Also we do need some ridiculously powerful Masters; as they will be the center of our enforcement arm; they will be tasked with seeking out such manufacturing operations and destroying them.

 

[GiovanniViridian]

Username: GiovanniViridian
Region/Party: Kalos
Slogan for your party: "For your insolence, you will feel a world of pain!"

EDIT:

Q1: I'll encourage a variety of corporations for every region. Which means there would be different types of Potions, Full Heals etc. and it would encourage competition.

Q2: The best way is to achieve a good balance. For Celadon City as an example I would encourage having more and more buildings like in Castelia City while also encourage planting more greenery too to fit Erika's Gym.

Q3: I'll limit production of Rare Candies and make laws about the limit of using Rare Candies. I find it no point in banning them altogether as in my opinion a limit is good.

 

[Ho-Oh]

Here are my answers.

Question one (mega companies):

Thank you sir, that's a good question. First of all I would like to say that I have no intention of taking over the established companies whatsoever. What I will do is establish a tax system which will help put some of their profits towards community projects. In my own region, Unova, trash is an important issue on the agenda. That's to be expected, though, as Unova is a technoligically advanced region and therefore more technology means more tourists want to check it out, which ultimately leads to more trash. So far The Shadow Triad themselves are collectively picking up the trash as per Pokemon League instructions, but that's not enough. We need an established task force on community projects like this, and the money from the profit that the super-corporations generate will go towards projects such as those throughout the regions. It will be a fair tax, only around 5% of total profit will go towards said projects. Given how much those corporations generate they can easily afford to give back to the community a little more, especially after the price of basic items rising lately. I will not interfere in the running of those businesses, in fact I believe they are good for the regions. We will ultimately step down on any illegal or overboard behaviour but otherwise they have the free reign to carry on as they are. It's better for the economy that way.

Question two (technology etc):

I'm going to bring some of the technologies from Kalos to Kanto. It's just a matter of getting enough money put aside to be able to do this. The history of Kanto itself is enough to attract some tourists, however that isn't enough. I can't really put any plans in place/work out the actual economics unless I get access to the Kanto records, which are currently top secret. I can't give you anymore than that right now unfortunately.

Question three (Rare Candies):

Instead of totally wipe it out, what I aim to do is create other methods of getting stronger, so that the Rare Candy will become obsolete. Secret Bases are a great place for getting stronger, and I'd like to bring those specialist trainers to other regions too, as well as Unova's Join Avenue, which had the same sort of functions. My idea is that children which are younger than the age to start a journey (10) will be trained to become Pokemon trainers. They will be personal trainers and correctly train the Pokemon so they're not high on rare candy and become stronger through natural means. They'll be taught by the present trainers which can do that (and older trainers can obviously become involved too). A healthier lifestyle leads to a happier Pokemon world, so nobody will really need to resort to Rare Candy (unless they want a cheap thrill, but I can put together some advertising that advises against that).

 

[Dedenne1]

Here we go:
Q1: I would like to begin by saying that if my party is to be chosen to tackle this issue that we will handle it swiftly and aggressively. Silph Co. has been in power for too long. Although the issue has never been formally addressed i would like to show the people that we have plans for a changed future.

Like most companies Silph Co. has one goal to make money and keep a steady grip on power. But let me be clear our goal is not to eliminate or take Silph by force. rather take away some of its power and redistribute it to other areas. The first step to take is to encourage other businesses to grow and to tax companies based on the amount of money they take in per year. So a company like Silph who earns more money than most will be taxed at a higher rate than a smaller company such as a simple Pharmacy or Boutique. Once this is put into place Silph may have to higher their prices, allowing smaller companies to grow more.

Q2: In my own region of Kalos we are very prosperous, our economy is stable and our technology is advancing at a rate higher than average. To help regions like Kanto get into the modern era we will put a small tax on all areas of the region and with the money collected invest in cities to grow up new businesses and create new schools as well as labratories and factories so we can overall provide new jobs and increase opportunities available to the youth of the area. Eventually regions like Kanto, with this plan, can grow and prosper.

Q3: We cannot simply take the drug off the market, nor can we abuse the rights of the people in selling and obtaining this drug. The people have to make their own decisions on the use of this drug so rather than having people create it themselves we will invest money into a new organic drug that can will potentially have the same effect. While doing this of coarse we will not make any efforts to ban the rare candy until a new replacement can be created. However if such a goal can not be achieved we will be forced to take action and outright ban rare candies, the manufacture of them and any selling of the drug.

 

[Abby]

Queation one~
Ah yes the old company monopoly situation, Personally, I would like to introduse a tax system, making a fair share of their money go towards the police and pokemon care forces, I also beleive this should encourage local companies to start springing up and adding competition to the larger ones and creating new jobs, and that is something we'rein need of after the sudden boom of trainers

Question two~Kanto, a place of natural beauty is one of the lesser developed reigons in the pokémon world, however a lot of the tourist areas far well in the economic system, however some don't fare too well. I would like to propose restricted development in certain parts of the reigons, as I feel that Nature should be an important part. For example Veilstone city has nothing much going for it in these anti-gambling times apart from a department store, so Developments would be quite welcome there.

3~I'm a firm beleiver that rare candies are a great asset to any trainer, however, trainers who abuse them often end up with malformed pokemon, I would like to suggest that we bring in a rare candy liscence, that is only holders of one have permission to sell rare candy. Also, in order to stop the everyday, uneducated trainer from abusing them, I feel as though we should impose a minimum price of 1000 poké a peice.

 

[Zehn]

Username: Delta
Party: United Johto party
Slogan: "United people, United decisions, United Johto"

I propose a council of regions within and acceptable range. This means all six regions will be welcomed into this union. This new group will be governed by a the leaders who can vote for or against certain proposals. The first act I will propose would be The Underdeveloped Region Act 2016. This act will provide the transfer of certain objects or people to underdeveloped regions. This will include the transfer of research or professors to other regions to exchange knowledge. It will also promote the transfer of technological advances for a teaching of culture. For example the exchange of technology from a region such as Kalos for a teaching of traditional pokeball making from Johto. This Union will also help in discouraging the mega companies, as I will tax the trade between regions with a company based in many regions. For example if silf co want to trade in different regions they would get taxed heavily but a Johto based company trading within Johto would only get the base amount of VAT for that region. This would break up the large company into smaller local offices to each regions where they would have listen to the supply and demand of that region else be taken over by another company in that regions as they are no longer multi regional Giants. With the rare candy problem I propose a harsh limit to the production of the drug, and the change in the classification of the drug to a over-the-counter drug with limited allowances per Pokemon, per year or with prescription. It is also banned for Pokemon under the level of 18. The name and the packaging will also be changed. The name "rare candy" imply it is good for you and a treat, while this itself is not a problem, it is an addictive drug and should not be given a name with connotations of good, happiness and youth. The packaging with also be change to a small grey box detailing the Heath risk and warnings. This will allow the user to be able to see what it is and what it does without it being hidden behind looking like candy

 

[bobandbill]

Q1: Of course the world cannot be just run by a corporation – not without my input, anyway. It is true that companies such as Silph and Devon have dominated the landscape – look no further than the impact Devon had on developments like Sea Mauville. On the other hand, there is a lot of good these groups do as well. They employ plenty of NPCs and create numerous jobs, and their work takes science and technology forward, which further re-invests into our economy. I mean, have you seen their work with infinity energy, based on that death ray whatshisface... Lysandre made up? It's magnificent!

The solution isn't easy then – you have to try and let the region grow in the way you desire, and keep the people happy with the previous setup happy. We'll hence be in... talks with them in how they run things, with an interest to take them over as government-owned entities. I have a good feeling they will be quite receptive to our plans. Rest assured, it won't be them influencing the entire landscape without the, ahem, best interests of our citizens at heart.

Q2: A good question to allow me to explain how we would run the companies! You see, these companies are a dominating force within their own region, but you don't see much evidence of them elsewhere. Even with the popular trainer items like Hyper Potions or Great Balls, you have different companies creating the same standard sort of item. Meanwhile, it's so much harder to run things the way you want when everyone has their own set of rules and methods.

That's why we'll effectively merge the companies into their own branches. That way, Kanto can experience the same benefits of Unova, and vice versa! Some companies have ideas on production or management that others can learn from as well, and it will make it much easier for us to work with them as well.

Q3: It's clear that we can't just have these drugs lying around. You hardly want any trainers, particularly the new brand of young League Champions springing up all over the darn place, with access to these drugs. Why, it's hardly a fair fight if they have access to it! Imagine if one of them were to go rogue and felt it necessary to take down another large, say, corporation or group. We hardly need unnecessary chaos. And I suppose labs burning down is a bad thing too.

Of course, it's far easier to say 'ban it' than to implement such an act. I mean, we're not like Smogon! Not yet, anyway. If you ban something, you can simply make it more desirable. That is why that, if granted the position of governing the Pokémon world, we will again enlist the power of people within the region's best companies to research the Rare Candy, the manufacturing process, and how to best combat it, or, perhaps, make a 'safer' version. Because it'd be a shame to throw away everything about such a product – you don't see these problems with Proteins, do you? The point is, we will ensure that this problem is properly addressed, and all options fully explored.

 

[Hikamaru]

Questions answered!

Q1: As a technologically advanced region, one major issue we are trying to address as a region is always facing a need to move forward and help cater towards new residents and tourists alike. I'd like to see a new anti-pollution program to help combat the increased numbers of pollution this region has been facing lately, and we don't want it contaminating our air and water. Our company is always bringing the latest in ideas to help improve the life of our residents, so do stick with us to hear what we have in the plans.

Q2: As I said, our technology is advanced but I feel like there is still room for improvement and we also want to lend our hand to less developed regions such as Johto and Hoenn, which have more nature than urbanization so to export our services there we should help them catch up with us in technology so that everyone will be happy.

Q3: Rare Candies are one of the very few methods to raise Pokemon quickly, and while we do have services in Join Avenue that provide it, there isn't enough and we need new and convenient ways to train. My ideal choice is to have a new facility that helps struggling trainers learn from experts to train their Pokemon and it'll make it so we don't have to rely on Rare Candies as much as we currently do.

Man I was struggling with these considering I was suffering ideas block. I probably won't do very well but it's the best I could come up with.

 

[Somewhere_]

Question #1

I would encourage the creation of new companies to compete and build factories for those local businesses. These local businesses would have my backing and I would do my best to make them bigger. My ultimate goal is to merge all of them into one giant company able to compete with the other. Competition is good for business and would boost the economy.

Question #2

I would assign different regions different scientists based on their abilities. Each region can research something different, then trade their ideas with the next region so every region can benefit from the various research and get the best of every world.

Question #3

It will be impossible to stop the drug market. So, the government will put together a team of scientists to make a cheaper and healthier version of rare candies to be available and produced at local businesses. We will make a standard to be met and let others make their own flavors and such to sell. I would outlaw all homemade rare candies to be sold and marketed as the government and local business brand of rare candies.

 

[Her]

great answers so far
I'm sick & dark avenger is awol so the next set of questions have been a bit delayed I'm sorry

- Should human consumption of Pokémon be made illegal? Can there be exceptions?
- Should there be a ban on catching legendary Pokémon, as they are essentially the gods that keep our universe intact?
- Why is healthcare left in the hands of previously mentioned mega-corporations? Should hospitals, and more importantly, PokéCenters, be nationalised? This would require customers to pay a very small fee to use facilities, but it would mean that your government now has control over the healthcare system. Or are you content to leave things as they are?

sorry for the shorter questions
i'm very sick lol

also no more sign ups after this post I'm sorry

 

[Melody]

- Should human consumption of Pokémon be made illegal? Can there be exceptions?
Yes. Except in cases where one isn't consuming the Pokemon itself; but a product of the (hopefully still living) Pokemon; like Moo Moo Milk. Since most all Pokemon show signs of basic sentience; we should respect that and not eat any of them who do not consent. Most Pokemon however lack the capacity to consent.
- Should there be a ban on catching legendary Pokémon, as they are essentially the gods that keep our universe intact?
No. These Legendary Pokemon often do not choose unworthy trainers. There should however be a very strict requirement on capturing Legendary Pokemon; you should have attained at least all eight badges before attempting a capture. This is to allow the Gym Leaders to fully assess you as a trainer and raise objections by withholding their blessing to capture a Legendary. The badge need not be the only thing conferred by a Leader, they should also confer the blessing to attempt such a capture if they believe it will not upset the balance of the world or could save it.
- Why is healthcare left in the hands of previously mentioned mega-corporations? Should hospitals, and more importantly, PokéCenters, be nationalised? This would require customers to pay a very small fee to use facilities, but it would mean that your government now has control over the healthcare system. Or are you content to leave things as they are?
Leave it as is. The service is and should remain to be FREE. We should incentivize companies to keep providing this service, and give them feedback on how to better improve it. We can't have our youth running around trying to become trainers without this vital support system.

 

[Kanzler]

Vote Kanzler and the Johto Liberty Party for a free and prosperous future! Feel free to explore our platform in more than one sitting.

Q1: In the Pokémon regions, there is usually one big corporation that has a monopoly on everything Pokémon-related in that region. The pre-eminent example of this is Silph Co, who owns, patents and sells almost every usable item a trainer comes across in their journey, regardless of what region they come from. They control the production, supply and demand, pushing Pokémon as a way of life and being, for all intents and purposes, the leaders of the known world. However, with the rise of an elected government (you), things will have to be changed. The world as we know it cannot be run by a corporation. How will you and your party deal with these super-corporations? As the democratic power of the land, how will you manage your own influence with the all-reaching grasp of Silph Co?

Spoiler:

First things first – monopolies can be bad for consumers and the economy. Without sufficient competition, a monopoly can charge prices much higher than it could if it had competition and consumers suffer from a lack of choice. The lack of competition also stifles innovation and efficiency, because why bother when nobody challenges you? A monopoly can also make it difficult for new businesses to enter the market.

Now, it's important to note that while Silph Co has a monopoly on trainer consumables, it is their only field of expertise. They do not have significant holdings in the retail, entertainment, and energy industries. This means that they are not all-powerful as they are often alleged to be. Furthermore, their monopoly status does not seem to have caused unfair pricing or choice issues. In all Pokémon regions, there has never been an incidence of trainer consumable shortages. Prices have stayed level for the past three years and by almost all accounts, price is not a limiting factor when trainers are making their decision to purchase consumables. HP recovery products come in sizes of 20, 50, 120, 200HP and complete recovery, which provides ample choice for Pokémon of all levels and HP base stat.

The current state of business also indicates that competition is not being unfairly restricted. Berries are the main alternative to Silph Co items, with regional specialties capturing a niche market. Neither of these products have been threatened by the Silph Co monopoly. Silph Co has made no attempt to acquire berry-growing operations nor restrict the ability of trainers to grow their own berries. In fact, Silph Co does not attempt to compete with the berry market, which continues to have an exclusive advantage in their organic and low-cost appeal.

Lastly, what I feel is the white elephant in the room: Silph Co does not have a monopoly in Pokémon healthcare – the primary source of Pokémon health care is at Pokémon Centers, which remain a universal, government funded program. If Silph Co dramatically hiked its prices or disappeared tomorrow, Pokémon will continue to have the essential care they need. Silph Co products provide portability and thus convenience, but they do not have a stranglehold on healthcare altogether.

Because Silph Co has been exercising its monopoly status in trainer consumables responsibly, I believe that it would be unjust and unwise to penalize Silph Co. Given all the evidence, there is no need to forcibly dismantle Silph Co or subject it to further taxes – why punish them when they remain lawful and have sound business practices? They are following the rules.

Although public caution and perhaps suspicion of large corporations is justified, government overreach ungrounded in law or fair play based on those feelings are not. With that being said, businesses that abuse their monopoly and seek to enforce their monopoly at the expense of consumers and the economy should be punished. If elected, the Johto Liberty Party will conduct a review of current anti-monopoly legislation, and strengthen their provisions, if necessary. While the regions have not faced any unscrupulous monopolies in recent history, it is important that the laws remain up to date and capable of protecting our people. The Johto Liberty Party is committed to a free and prosperous society judged equitably on the basis of law.

Q2: Why is there such economic, ecological and technological disparity between the regions? How will you ensure the growth of a region like Kanto to achieve the same level of development as Unova, or Kalos?

Spoiler:

One of the great things about the six regions is the great diversity of each. Each region is blessed with its own cultural heritage, natural resources, and Pokémon biodiversity. Of course, that each region is differentially endowed with resources mean that there will naturally be disparities between regions. What is important is not that we reduce economic and technological disparity for the sake of reducing diversity, but to ensure an adequate standard quality of life.

While Unova and Kalos are known to be industrial giants, the other regions are not worse off because of it. Kanto manufacturing has never been as intensive as Unova's or Kalos', but it has a flourishing service industry as evidenced by its many skyscrapers in Saffron and Celadon. Kanto, along with Johto, are the smallest and least populated of the six regions, so it's natural that it would not achieve the same heights as the bigger regions. However, Kanto and Johto have taken steps to integrate their economies, beginning with the construction of the magnet train. Their cultural and entertainment industries are also integrating with radio becoming the dominant medium in both regions. Hoenn, although bigger than each Kanto and Johto, is the least economically developed region but its environment is pristine and remains largely untouched. In addition to facilitating ecological tourism, this has allowed the region to become a key center for climate research. Sinnoh similarly isn't as developed as Unova and Kalos but is endowed with rich mineral resources, and has become a centre for renewable energy research and development in response to their mountainous and forbidding terrain.

Now, I live in Johto. Born and raised in Cherrygrove City. Let me tell you that Johto is not a bad place to live. We're not as fancy as Kalos or as busy as Unova, but we do very well for ourselves and are surrounded by a rich cultural heritage. Let me tell you that although we are not as wealthy, we are just as modern and live as fulfilling lives as those from the next region.

By now you've probably realized that I don't think that this is the best question to ask. Economic development is not the most important aspect to the growth of a nation, and there isn't one gold standard by which to measure it. The six regions don't all look like Unova or Kalos, and they shouldn't have to. It would be unfair to impose one standard of development on all the regions. Every region has its unique identity and ways of life, and this diversity should be celebrated. Every region has the right to determine whether industrial development is the best strategy for growth, but, as we have seen, every region can rightfully choose its own unique strategy for economic growth which is fitting for their individual situations and identities.

The bottom line is that the peoples of the six regions are not poor. As long as this is true, that some regions are wealthier than others is not a bad thing. Every region has the same high standard of Pokémon healthcare, as well as a high variety of consumer goods. Even if the cities do not have all the bells and whistles, they are well-maintained and safe places to live. The light of Lumiose City does not dim the splendor of Saffron, nor the glory of Goldenrod, nor the majesty of Mauville, nor the joviality of Jubilife, nor the character of Castelia.

The Johto Liberty Party believes that government should have no more than a necessary hand in the economy and respects each region's right to economic self-determination. If elected, the Johto Liberty Party will continue the program of increased regional integration to foster prosperity for all. We have a five-point plan for economic development that maximizes efficient use of public funds as well as maintaining the ability for the regions to choose the vision that's right for them.

1. Expand funding for national infrastructure. Integrating Johto and Kanto was the first step, but if the regions are to fully harness their economic might, further integration must be facilitated. Key projects include expanding harbours and shipping lines for the four core regions, and as well as expanding the Unovan airport at Mistralton City, which is approaching capacity.
2. Begin the Regional Transfer Payments. These payments ensure that the government of each region is capable of providing the level of public services that all other regions are capable of providing. This program does not require increased taxes because it is a redistribution of existing government revenue.
3. Begin the National Investment and Stimulus program. The NIS will supplement transfer payments for equalizing economic growth. The funds will be allocated to each region based on need, and the region decides how the money will be spent on merit-based criteria. This allows each region to decide which projects to support and ultimately the vision it believes is best for itself.
4. Begin the Natural Resources Fund. While our free enterprise economic system allows for natural resources to be developed by firms, we believe that the wealth of natural resources should benefit all of us. While the burden of this fund will be carried by natural resources firms, proceeds will fund education, infrastructure, environmental protection, and smart investments for all for decades to come. It's a small price to pay for resource extraction companies but the right thing to do.
5. Respect and protect regional biodiversity. We believe that it is ecologically damaging to introduce foreign species of Pokémon to new habitats without appropriate investigation. Invasive species have the potential to displace native Pokémon, causing imbalance in the ecosystem. Zubat and Tentacool are particularly hardy species that cause misfortune both to trainers and the environments they invade. And we all remember the Unovan Poké Transfer Lab Crisis – let's work together to prevent further ecological disasters.

We at the Johto Liberty Party don't believe in simply assigning people to tasks – we want a society where people make their own choices and are not compelled to do things for the government. With our plan, we will drive the regions' economies forwards while keeping the people free, taxes low, and investments smart. Remember our slogan – "a free people prosper"!

Q3: Rare candies are a wonder drug that pushes a Pokémon to its physical and psychological limits in order to get stronger instantly. It is currently marketed as a medicine, despite there being no legal supplier of the substance. As such, it is almost impossible to control the flow of this substance. It is made and supplied purely by home labs, using a difficult procedure and rare compounds in order to make the final product. However, rising reports of rare candy labs burning down due to dangerous chemicals going rapidly unstable have caught the attention of your government - for the sake of your people and their Pokémon, something must be done. Also, recent studies have shown that rare candies contain all the same properties as crystal meth. It is essentially a high powered meth for Pokémon and once addiction starts, is almost impossible to break loose from. What will your government do to control this drug trade? Bear in mind that currently, rare candies are not illegal, due to there being no government force before you in the land. But you will have free rein to handle this drug trade as you wish.

Spoiler:

I want to begin by saying that substances can be a very touchy subject. Let's not kid ourselves, it's taboo and there's a lot of misinformation and confusion about them. For instance, even this question claims that there are no legal suppliers of Rare Candies even though they are not illegal! A lot of our laws and perceptions about the substance are conflicting, and many are simply behind the times.

When we talk about potentially dangerous substances, we must prioritize the issue of harm. To what extent do Rare Candies harm their users? Society at large? To what extent might government controls and bans harm users and society? The Johto Liberty Party believes that harm to society must be minimized, but also that hasty government action may create more harm than it removes.

Rare Candies are already underground. This presents harm to society, as we have seen from the explosion of unregulated home labs. Banning it would be a formal but useless gesture, and cracking down will only drive it further underground. The black market will thrive, people will be hurt by crime, and the rest of us will have to pick up the pieces. No, it is the Johto Liberty Party's stance that Rare Candies must be taxed and regulated.

Why should we regulated such an unfair and dangerous substance you might ask? Let me address each point individually. Despite Rare Candy's reputation as a cheap trick for cheaters, it actually has surprisingly little effect on Pokémon competition. It is well established that every Pokémon has a genetic limit on its capacities known as "Level 100". It is also well known that every Pokémon is capable of reaching Level 100, whether through training alone or with the help of Rare Candy supplements. Currently, competitive Pokémon battles only occur with Pokémon rated at Level 100 and since Rare Candies have never been documented to allow a Pokémon to exceed its genetic potential, it does not bestow upon its users an unfair advantage. In fact, Pokémon scientists agree that another factor, tentatively named "effort values" or EVs for short, and are responsible for most of the variation in performance in Pokémon at the same level. However, studies show that there is no correlation between Rare Candy use and EV growth. As a training tool, Rare Candies are just that – they allow Pokémon to grow faster, but in no way ruin the balance of competition. Thus it is an injustice to limit them on the basis that they are unfair when they simply are not.

Now, Rare Candies do have a well-documented reputation for addiction and abuse. In light of this, however, the best solution is not aggressive policing but harm reduction. Much of the danger of Rare Candies are due to its underground nature. Secret labs are not subject to safety controls and can explode dangerously, costing lives and money. The composition of Rare Candies also cannot be controlled – impurities in "cooked up" Rare Candies exacerbate its addictiveness and side effects, leading to hospital cases that eat up healthcare resources, which all of us pay for through taxes. If Rare Candies are regulated, then its sale can be controlled and taxed, its purity can be ensured, and it can be deprived of its value on the black market.

The Johto Liberty Party believes that the public can be trusted with the responsibility to use a potentially dangerous product, and that regulation is a less costly option for our money and our freedom than both abolition and the status quo. The Party already has several proposals for Rare Candy purity standards and are working with leading biochemical corporations on how to ensure quality control. I am personally drafting legislation that will restrict the availability of Rare Candies to selected points-of-sale as well as to the most experienced trainers to prevent abuse by the less knowledgeable and the irresponsible, along with a bill to expand Pokémon mental health and addiction programs with proceeds from a Rare Candy tax. Together we can ensure a safe environment for Pokémon and Pokémon battles, where trainers are free to choose the option most appropriate for them, and where the unfortunate few who suffer from Rare Candy abuse are protected and cared for. It's our moral imperative.

Q4: Should human consumption of Pokémon be made illegal? Can there be exceptions?

Spoiler:

In short, no, human consumption of Pokémon should not be made illegal. Humans have eaten Pokémon since the very beginning, and many of us still enjoy doing so. Of course we wouldn't eat our family and friends, so I don't consider this to be a very controversial issue.

On the other hand, the Johto Liberty Party has a firm, zero-tolerance stance against Pokémon cruelty and abuse. These crimes are taken as seriously as any other crime. The Johto Liberty Party, if elected, will continue supporting the severe penalties for Pokémon cruelty, as well as ensuring that livestock practices are humane.

Q5: Should there be a ban on catching legendary Pokémon, as they are essentially the gods that keep our universe intact?

Spoiler:

Pokémon of legendary status are among the rarest, most powerful, and wisest Pokémon known to us. They were once universally revered as gods, and many among us still hold those beliefs. However, as our understanding of the world evolves (no pun intended), we must come to terms with what might be an inconvenient truth – despite their almost inexplicable power, legendary Pokémon are not supernatural, but flesh-and-blood like you, me, and our own partner Pokémon.

We have always known this to some degree. Historical instances of heroic figures partnering with legendary Pokémon has been documented, albeit sparsely, and some of the accounts of these Pokémon that have been preserved disagree with the usual otherworldly portrayals in myth and legend. With current evidence, these historical accounts ought to be believed. While legendary Pokémon were once believed to be monolithic gods, they have been hypothesized to breed like any other Pokémon. Gatherings of Lugia has been sighted, as well as that of Latios and Latias. Research into Rayquaza physiology reveals its perpetual flight is not of a divine nature but due to its remarkable ability to absorb energy from the sun. Some Pokémon that were once considered legendary are not any longer, take Arcanine for example. It is possible that this is the fate for all Pokémon currently considered to be legendary.

Now, just because legendary Pokémon are not divine does not mean that they can be trifled with. They are incredibly powerful, and consequently, incredibly independent. Their power significantly impacts their ecosystems, and can even affect our environment on a global scale. Their capture by trainers does not symbolize their subordination to us, but is rather a formalization of a partnership to a member of our society. We might help one another in times of great need, but remember this: they are not our friends. Their power can threaten us if we threaten them. In any case, there is no need to ban catching legendary Pokémon.

It is my view that legendary Pokémon are to be respected and not to be interfered with. Disturbing them means disturbing the environment, which will have negative consequences for us all. The Johto Liberty Party, if elected, will enact a new Department responsible for enhancing our understanding and rapport with legendary Pokémon. It will also be charged with the enforcement of penalties against those who harm and undermine our relations with legendary Pokémon. Respect for legendary Pokémon is not simply an issue of courtesy but also smart environmental policy and it makes national security sense.

Q6: Why is healthcare left in the hands of previously mentioned mega-corporations? Should hospitals, and more importantly, PokéCenters, be nationalised? This would require customers to pay a very small fee to use facilities, but it would mean that your government now has control over the healthcare system. Or are you content to leave things as they are?

Spoiler:

I think we need to clarify things a little: although healthcare is delivered by corporations, it is paid for and subsidized by the government and, ultimately, the people. That's why all your PokéCenter visits are free! And that's how things ought to continue.

The Johto Liberty Party supports the status quo. It's more likely that further privatization, not nationalization, would require customers to pay fees, and that's simply not acceptable. However, nationalization would not be a good option either. Healthcare is delivered by corporations because they have the knowhow to do it best – albeit working under government regulation and meeting government standards. In fact, it's probably true that further nationalization would force customers to pay fees, because the government wouldn't be able to run such a huge system efficiently!

We don't have to fix something that isn't broken. The current system gives us the best of both worlds by allowing government oversight to ensure the quality of service, and also making the whole system more efficient by delegating the day-to-day activities and service delivery to corporations who manage operations locally. Healthcare is widely available, costs are low, corporations can make a profit, and everybody wins.

 

[GiovanniViridian]

Should human consumption of Pokémon be made illegal? Can there be exceptions?
Eating Pokemon? No thanks. I want to encourage a good relationship between humans and Pokemon. I'll make it illegal and plus if human consumption of Pokemon there will be a chance of Pokemon rebelling against trainers.

Should there be a ban on catching legendary Pokémon, as they are essentially the gods that keep our universe intact?
Yes, since getting these legendary Pokemon into a trainer's hands will be very dangerous as time and space will be affected. The exception is if the legendary Pokemon chooses the trainer.


Why is healthcare left in the hands of previously mentioned mega-corporations? Should hospitals, and more importantly, PokéCenters, be nationalised? This would require customers to pay a very small fee to use facilities, but it would mean that your government now has control over the healthcare system. Or are you content to leave things as they are?
I'll leave them as what they are. Would you want to pay over healing your Pokemon when your Pokemon's life could be in danger? No thanks.

 

[Abby]

Question one~As so meone who does not beleive in the consumption of pokemon, you may be shocked to hear that I'm going to be keeping this legal, at least for the time being. My reasoning is that we don't want the black market to thrive and pokemon delicacies would be a huge selling point of the black market

Q2~I think that ledgendary pokemon should be allowed to be caught, as a trainer who is able to capture one is surely a very skilled one, however, if the ledgendary is being used maliciously, then we shall release it instead of rehoming it.

Question 3~Free healthcare should be inportant for pokemon, as oftentimes they will come to near death situations and if you cant afford to heal tgem then many lives could be lost. I would also like to propose free human healthcare, even more tax, but it will go gradually. Just look how successful it waa in Anglo.

 

[Her]

Candidate Archy has had to withdraw from the race, unfortunately. Also I'm going to message everyone who hasn't answered at least one question so far - I have a very small attention span and a lot of time on my hands and I would like more posts to read! Plus it's just good to actually participate in these things.