Senator Brooke Burnstein: 'It's possible to be compassionate and uphold the rules' on immigration

TRIETON, Monomi -- Saying a "voice of reason" was desperately needed in the ongoing and increasingly hostile immigration debate, Monomi Senator Brooke Burnstein spoke out on the hot-button issue in a radio interview over the weekend.

Speaking to Grassadellian Public Radio (GPR), Burnstein said a compromise on immigration is attainable.

"There are a lot of voices drowning out the debate on this topic, but I'm here to tell you, it's possible to be compassionate and uphold the rules," said the freshman Conservative senator.

Burnstein addressed the recent controversy in his home state, in which liberals like Trieton Mayor Felipe De Orondes and Monomi Attorney General John Liu are pushing for looser immigration laws and regulations.

Meanwhile, Monomi's Conservative Governor, Will Huxton, is doing the opposite, vowing to pass stricter regulations.

Burnstein, who was elected to the Senate in 2018 but previously served in the National Assembly for more than a decade.

A notable moderate Conservative senator, he is known to work with Nationalists to achieve compromise legislation.

While generally popular among Monomians, the centrist lawmaker has struggled to win over the far-right party base of the CNS.

However, he defeated right-wing Assemblyman Pete Doonan in the 2018 primary election, and went on to defeat sitting senator Brad Fiodora in the general election.

Immigration was a major issue in his 2018 Senate race, and Burnstein blames national media most for the impasse on immigration reform.

"The media, the national media, not just those in Monomi...the national media have made this issue much more controversial than it ever was or than it ever should be," said Burnstein.

"If we stop arguing and cut the emotional manipulation of the matter out of the equation, if we just look at the facts and at common sense, it's very clear that we can treat people with compassion and kindness but also still have an orderly system that works."

The senator pointed to refugees coming to Grassadellia from war-torn and impoverished countries.

"People that are really desperate...our hearts go out to them. My heart goes out to them. That must be a very terrible position to be in, to be desperate for your family, for your safety and economic livelihood. I get that," he said.

"But at the same time, we have to have rules. We can't have a chaotic system with no rules, or with rules that aren't enforced. We need rules for our national security, we need rules for the logistics of the system, to make sure we have efficiency, and we need rules because we have a lot of people who have followed the system and done the process the way they were supposed to, and they shouldn't be punished for that, they should be rewarded for following the rules."

Asked for specifics, Burnstein said those who are detained at the border for coming illegally or without documentation should be treated with dignity, given adequate housing and food and medical care.

"What we want to avoid is what we've seen in Hungary or now in the United States, where refugees are treated with disdain, and they're put in fenced-off cages, not given adequate food or medical. We don't want that. We need quality housing, good, healthy food and enough to go around, and doctors on sight and social workers. We need to have all the provisions necessary for processing these people and doing a good job."

As for those already in the country illegally?

"I believe they should be offered a path to citizenship if they haven't committed any crimes, or broken any major laws. If they've paid their taxes, if they have a job, if they're contributing to our country and to our community, then yes, I believe they should be allowed to stay. Whether they pay a fine or have some other form of civil penalty, that's up for debate. But we need to make a path forward for these people because there are a lot of them and it's not feasible or humane to round them up and deport them."

Burnstein was emphatic, however, that he supports deporting violent and serious criminals.

"Absolutely. No question. If you are a violent criminal, if you're in a gang, if you commit a serious offense, even if it's not violent, if it's white collar crime. If it's serious, then yes, those people should be deported and prevented from coming back."

The senator's interview with host Bob Engalls was widely publicized across social media and on traditional media outlets.

Already, his pro-compromise stance has attracted stinging criticism from members of the far-right.

"If you rob a bank, the judge doesn't say, 'Well this person was desperate for money, they were really in tough financial straits, so no problem, it's okay, you don't have to go to prison,'" Biereland Senator Brad Bearns (C) said on GNN Monday night, in a mocking criticism of Burnstein's proposals.

"We have laws for a reason. And we expect people to follow them. If you can't follow them, then you don't deserve to be here," Bearns added.

Burnstein's comments received praise from some Nationalists, with Roddenshire Senator Jill Airn (N) calling it "an interesting proposal."

But other Nationalists saw the Monomi senator's ideas as incomplete.

"He said a few good things but he shouldn't have stopped where he did," said Damoign Senator Jean Chaveau. "His plan doesn't go far enough to protect people who came here through no fault of their own. His plan is still punitive and it doesn't do enough to ensure that people are treated fairly and with dignity."

Among his home-state colleagues, Burnstein's comments were greeted by a mixed reception.

Senator Cathy De Beers, a typically party-line Conservative, said Burnstein's ideas were "a good start," while Senator Rill Stevens, a more moderate Conservative, said he "likes the direction Brooke is going" with his proposals.

Monomi's fourth senator, Kerry Paul, made a neutral statement.

"This is a complex issue that needs to be evaluated further and I appreciate my colleague Senator Burnstein's contributions to this discussion."

Immigration divides Monomi's politicians

TRIETON, Mon. -- The mayor of one of the nation's largest cities has instructed his police force not to check immigration status of people detained by police.

Felipe De Orondes, a Nationalist elected in 2017, issued the directive Monday morning.

In a press conference with Trieton Police Chief Gary Rudling, Orondes said immigration status is something local officials should not be concerned with.

"Our local police have far more important things to deal with on a daily basis than checking to see if someone overstayed a VISA or not," De Orondes said.

Another factor that led to the new policy is concern that undocumented residents may feel threatened and targeted by police, and thus less likely to cooperate with police in investigations.

"Very often, police are investigating a murder or a serious crime, and there are people who know information, who would ordinarily come forward, but they're too scared to speak with police because of their immigration status," said De Orondes.

"This leads to a culture of fear and Trietoners don't want our city to be clouded by fear and suspicion," he added.

Rudling said his department would implement the new policy immediately.

"We want all residents of our city, and visitors, to feel safe, to feel comfortable coming to police. Our police department's mission is to protect our community, and if we have certain groups of people who don't feel safe, that's a problem for us," said Rudling.

The controversial policy is not without its critics.

Trieton City Councilman Troy Keeble, an outspoken conservative, ranted against the idea at last week's city council meeting.

"When did it become OK to break the rules and not get punished for it?" Keeble said. "Police are here to enforce the rules, to get the people who break the law off the streets. And now you (Mayor De Orondes) are undermining the ability of our local police to do their job, and you're putting our community at risk."

De Orondes said fears about the new policy are overblown.

"There is a lot of politics going on here with this, and I realize that a lot of people are pushing back. But it comes down to what kind of city do you want to have. Do you want to have a city where people feel safe, where they trust police, where they don't live in the shadows? Or do you want the opposite. Obviously Councilman Keeble wants the opposite. I don't," said the mayor.

In response, Monomi Governor Will Huxton, another hard-line Conservative who has taken a tough stance on illegal immigration, directed the Monomi State Police to continue to check for immigration status when pulling people over for traffic infractions.

"It is imperative that Monomians know that they're government and they're policemen and women are doing their job and protecting our state from people who don't belong here," said Huxton.

Under Huxton's directive, police will not necessarily check immigration status, but they will check drivers license information and identification databases to confirm someone is allowed to be in the country.

If someone is found to have overstayed their foreign VISA, or to have come to the country illegally, Monomi State Police are instructed to inform federal border agents.

A spokesperson for the Monomi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) called Huxton's policy "disgusting."

The MHRC is among several groups who have vowed to fight the new policy in court.

Monomi Attorney General John Liu, also a Nationalist, said his office will join the lawsuit.

Monomi's four senators -- all Conservatives -- have yet to officially comment on the issue, but Senator Kerry Paul said in a statement that "local police should be empowered to do their jobs without larger, over-arching political and culture wars interfering with their work."

Other cities across the country have been considering issuing similar proclamations but Trieton is the first, and most notable, as it the largest Grassadellian city most near the southern border with Tundra.

Data from independent studies, the Royal Guard of the Realm and Department of National Security have shown that nearly 40% of people who enter the country illegally each year do so through the state of Monomi.

The state is ground zero in the illegal immigration debate, with many poor migrants from Tundra and other countries attempting to cross the border in the rural Monomi Desert.

In response to the growing controversy, President Jim McCaren in April asked Congress for funding for 3,000 additional border agents nation-wide, but Congress has not yet acted.

8 year old boy killed after ran over by tractor

HARRISTOWN, March. -- A young boy is dead and a community in mourning after a tragic farming accident Monday in east-central Marchenay.

Cameron Stivens, age 8, was helping his grandfather, Earl Stivens, work in the family's alfalfa fields Monday afternoon when Cameron was somehow ran over by a tractor.

It's unclear exactly what happened, and investigators with the Marchenay Agriculture Safety Commission are investigating, as are local police.

LaGundy County Sheriff Corby Elmo told local media it appears Earl Stivens hopped off the tractor, which was running, to check his baling mechanism. While the tractor was briefly left unattended, somehow it became re-engaged and ran over Cameron, who was standing in the grass in front of the tractor.

"At this point, it appears to be just a terrible accident," Sheriff Elmo said. "We are treating this as an accident, not as a crime scene. Mr. Stivens is devastated and feels awful bad about what happened."

A medevac helicopter was dispatched to the open field where the accident occurred, and Cameron was rushed to Marchenay Children's Hospital in Madagen where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Earl Stivens, age 76, was also taken to the hospital for chest pains and shock.

"This is a well-known family in the local community, they've been farming for generations, and they're just good people. Cameron was an amazing kid, and we would ask people to keep this family in your prayers right now," said Elmo.

Gina Kepsley, a family member, posted a statement from the family on Facebook.

"Cameron was the light of our family, he was a wonderful big brother, a sweet son and a great kid with so much potential. We are so heart-broken and we ask that you pray for Cameron's parents and for Earl also, who feels so guilty and so terrible for what happened," Kepsley said.

A GoFundMe campaign has been created by Kepsley to help pay for funeral costs and medical expenses for Cameron's family.

Almone confirmed for Foreign Secretary by 52-44 vote

MAVOCKE -- The Federal Senate is not normally in session on a late Friday evening.

However, Senate Majority Leader Debbie Madronas (N-Damoign) called a special session of the chamber to vote on President Jim McCaren's nominee for Foreign Secretary.

Two weeks ago, McCaren made waves when he announced former POG Governor Donna Almone as his choice for Foreign Secretary, also called Secretary of State (the two terms are used interchangeably).

Almone is a Conservative, and was McCaren's chief rival in the 2016 presidential election.

McCaren's nomination of Almone was seen as a sort of extension of an olive branch to Almone and her Conservative supporters.

The former governor has strong credentials, but liberal senators opposed her nomination because she is too hawkish in their view.

Meanwhile, hardline Conservatives also opposed Almone, saying she is too weak and passive.

Both liberals and disaffected Conservatives joined in opposition to the former governor but it wasn't enough.

Ms. Almone passed by a vote of 52 to 44, with the tally being confirmed around 9:30 pm Eastern Time.

Collester immediately posted a tweet on the president's official Twitter account, thanking the senators for confirming Almone.

"Big thank you to Senate tonight for confirming a truly qualified & honorable candidate for Foreign Sec., Donna Almone," the tweet said.

Almone is expected to make an official media appearance with President Jim McCaren on Monday. Before that, she will spend much of the weekend at the president's official residence at Collester briefing he and his team on pressing diplomatic situations.

There were mixed feelings among the Senate's ranks following the confirmation.

"This is a solid pick, a solid choice," Sen. Chuck Danbury (C-Armana) told the Mavocke Capitol newspaper.

Onakiah NAT senator Deacon Busby, a leading liberal critic, expressed concern at Almone's confirmation.

"A lot of us are concerned that the president has added a Reagan-like, Thatcher-like conservative hawk to lead foreign policy team. People are wondering, 'Will this lead to another foreign policy blunder? Will it lead to another Iraq, another Vietnam?'"

Far-right Conservative opponents of Almone were equally vocal.

"As far as I'm concerned, this is the end of Donna Almone's career in the Conservative Party," said radio talk show host Bruce Gollum Friday evening following the vote.

The right-wing Conservative senators who voted against Almone included: Brad Bearns and Driscoll Sherber (Bie.), Nancy Lindselli (E. Desch.), Mark Eisinger (Remm.) and Bob Mellon (Wilk.).

Nationalists who crossed over to vote for her included: Ann Kocheni and Dan Sallovich (Carova), Donna Rae Cobb (E. Desch.), Parnell Scott (Kens.), Elizabeth Graham (N. Ceona), Jill Airn (Rodd.), Vic Chambers (S. Ceona), and Jan Van Ness (Wilk.).

Of the four senators from Almone's home state of POG, two voted for here (Conservative Dick Trau and moderate Nationalist George Mercott). The other two, Diane Coke (N) and John Paul Liffrey (N) voted against her confirmation.

Politician admits to soliciting prostitutes, colleague says it's OK if he paid 'living wage'

ELMBROOK, Damoign -- A Grassadellia City councilman has admitted to patronizing prostitutes but won't step down, his office confirmed Tuesday.

Councilman Donald Gibbons, a Nationalist from Elmbrook, a neighborhood in southwest Sexton, admitted in a press conference Tuesday that he has patronized prostitutes in Grassadellia City "on occasion" for "a number of years," though he didn't specify exactly how many.

The admission came after the local alternative newspaper City Underground first reported the allegations last week.

But on Tuesday, Gibbons admitted the allegations were true.

"It's not something I'm proud of. I knew it was wrong, I knew it was illegal, but I did it anyway, I take full responsibility for what I did, and I am coming clean now because I want the public to know that I am taking responsibility and I am making an effort to change," said Gibbons.

Most of Grassadellia City's politicians steered away from the scandal, with many refusing to comment.

However, one of Gibbons' colleagues on the city council, Councilwoman Leann Cormuth of Bennington, Eastholm, defended Gibbons.

"I don't have a problem with it, honestly," Cormuth told Local4 News.

The councilwoman, who is known for her left-wing views, has defended prostitution in the past, saying it's a "business enterprise that women freely enter" and it should not be illegal.

"Why should women be penalized if they are knowingly, willingly, and with full consent, agreeing to a sexual encounter for money. It's just a form of business. It's just a way to make money. If it's done properly, I don't see the harm in it," Cormuth said.

As for Gibbons, Cormuth admitted his illicit activities were "not very smart" for a politician and reflected on the city council poorly.

But she insisted she didn't take issue with men using prostitutes, with two conditions.

"As long as he respected them and paid them a fair, living wage, I'm OK with it. Let's move on to a real problem facing our city other than one man's consensual sexual activities."

Asked how much money would be considered a "living wage," Cormuth said $15 an hour or more.

"Personally, you'd have to pay me a hell of a lot more than $15 an hour to do anything of that nature with that man," she said, causing the small audience of reporters to chuckle.

"But as long as he paid them fairly and treated them with respect, then no big deal."

Grassadellia City Mayor Kellan Kastol was asked about Gibbons' admission during his weekly news conference.

"I think it's disappointing that a member of our city council would engage in this type of activity," Kastol said. "However, I'm not one to judge other people's personal lives, and I know people make mistakes, and I think there needs to be room for forgiveness and growth. But ultimately, I think this is a personal issue between Councilman Gibbons and his family and also his constituents."

Kastol declined to call for his resignation, but said he would resign under similar circumstances.

"If I was the one who had been confirmed visiting prostitutes, I, personally would resign. But that's just me," said the mayor.

Gibbons said he has no plans to step down.

"This is a learning experience, and an opportunity for personal growth and overcoming some personal issues in my life, and I intend to serve out my full term and continue to serve the great people of Sexton and Elmbrook, and also continue to grow personally."

Junes Charmagne tries to lure Damoign businesses north to Lial

CLOTHEN, Lial -- Together, they account for more than 20% of the country's population.

The states of Damoign and Lial are population and economic powerhouses, accounting for a significant chunk of Grassadellia's GDP and economic vitality.

But the two states are now competing openly over business.

On Monday, Junes Charmagne, governor of Lial, launched a marketing campaign aimed at businesses and companies in Damoign.

The $4.1 million ad campaign, which includes television and radio commercials as well as social media ads and traditional advertising, seeks to lure Damoign business owners north to Lial.

In one commercial, Charmagne himself appears in the ad.

"There's a reason people are moving to Lial," says Charmagne. "Maybe it's because of our beautiful four-seasons weather. Maybe it's because we have large cities but plenty of forests, deserts, agriculture and countryside. Maybe it's because we have a more business-friendly tax environment that rewards hard work and innovation."

Another TV advertisement shows a woman squished inside a crowded subway car in Grassadellia City.

"Tired of this?" says a narrator. "Maybe you should move to Lial. It's less crowded, has better air quality, and a better quality of life."

A spokesperson for Charmagne said the ad campaign was the governor's idea.

"Governor Charmagne wants to make Lial more business-friendly with a better tax environment," said spokeswoman Joanna McGable. "This ad campaign is meant to remind business owners and entrepreneurs and companies in Damoign that there are other places you can move your business to. Why not start your business in Monvaille instead? Or in Clothen?"

McGable pointed out Lial is home to many beautiful cities, and at more than twice the land area of Damoign, Lial has more nature and sparsely-populated territory than the nation's most-populous state.

However, Damoign state officials are not happy.

David Heydan, Damoign's secretary of commerce, said the ad campaign is "childish and misleading."

"First of all, really?" Heydan said in an interview with the nation-wide Grass Daily newspaper.

"I mean, this reeks of grammar school playground tactics," Heydan said.

And secondly, he added, the ad campaign doesn't reveal all the facts.

"Yes, Lial is larger in territory and has less people than Damoign, so of course it's going to be less-crowded and have a lower population density than Damoign. But we have nature here too. We have forests and rivers and parks and fields and agriculture too. Lial doesn't have a monopoly on those things. We are blessed with a lot of that here in Damoign."

Furthermore, Heydan and other critics, even in Lial, pointed out that Lial's largest city, Monvaille, doesn't have great air quality either, and is notoriously crowded.

"I hate to tell Junes Charmagne and the folks in Lial, but I've been to Monvaille. Their air isn't crystal-clean there. And their traffic jams are right on-par with what we have here in Damoign. So, I'm not sure they're being completely forthcoming with their clever little ad campaign."

Charmagne's office responded, saying the ad campaign is meant to be "light-hearted."

"We love our friends in Damoign," said McGable. "But we want business owners to know that there are other options. You don't have to be stuck in the Merryton Basin. There are many great places all over this beautiful country to start or expand your business."

Taxes have historically been relatively high in Lial, similar to tax rates in Damoign. But since Charmagne took office in January 2019, he has successfully lowered taxes and created new incentives for business.

"Our message to corporations and business owners is very simple," Charmagne said last month in a speech to the Lial Press Club in Clothen.

"This state has long closed its doors to business. Lial has for too long been a difficult place to start a business. But that's changed. We are open for business now. 'Out' with the old regulations and burdensome taxes, and 'in' with the new tax breaks, incentives and rebates."

"The state of Lial is officially a business-friendly state again," said Charmagne.

His counterpart in Damoign, Nationalist Governor Jenna Duvan, was less than pleased.

"This tax rebate, tax break stuff is just a gimmick," said Duvan during a regular press appearance at her office in Rodditch.

"As governors, we shouldn't be trying to poach businesses from one state to another. We should be supporting companies all over the country."

It's unclear how many businesses have been persuaded to relocate or open up in Lial since the soft launch of the ad campaign back in May.

Liberal senator compares Trump to Hitler

RODDITCH, Damoign -- Once again, US President Donald Trump has come under fire for remarks that have been deemed racist by his opponents and even some allies.

Referring to four minority, Democratic congresswomen who have vocal critics of he and his administration, Trump said they should "go back" to the "crime-infested" countries where they "originally came from" and fix those countries before criticizing the US government.

The comments were aimed at Representatives Rashia Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

Despite Trump implying the women are immigrants, Tlaib, Pressley and Ocasio-Cortez were all born in the United States. Only Omar is foreign-born, however, after emigrating to the US from Somalia, she became a naturalized citizen.

The comments were assailed by Democrats and even some Republicans.

Allies of the four women, who Trump calls "the squad," have rallied around the women in support.

The women have received support from outside the US as well, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying she stood in "solidarity" with them.

And now, a leading Grassadellian politician is jumping in to the controversy.

At a pro-immigration rally in east Middleboro Tuesday, Damoign Senator Deborah Kay, a Nationalist, was asked what she thought of Trump's attack on the women.

The senator, who is known as an outspoken champion of liberal ideals, unleashed on Donald Trump.

"I absolutely stand with them [the congresswomen]," Kay said.

"A lot of people say, 'Well, this happened in the US, so why should we care? It doesn't affect us.' But the truth is, yes, it does matter. It may not be our country, but this is the most influential man in the world, he leads a country that is one of our closest allies, and what he says matters. It reflects on the countries who are partners and allies of the US. And we have to speak out when racism is invoked."

Kay added that the world confronted Nazi Germany in World War II.

"This is no different, except that he hasn't started a war yet. But he has created internment camps, he has deported people with no justification, he has targeted people because of their race, and now he is openly speaking in overtly racist terms. When Hitler did these things, the world confronted him and took him down. And now Trump is doing these things but many people are silent."

"I refuse to be silent. We refuse to be silent," she said, pointing to the crowd. "We have a moral responsibility, even if it's not happening in our own country, we have a moral responsibility to defend the dignity and humanity of every person who is being persecuted by Donald Trump," said Kay.

Kay's remarks took off quickly on social media, with liberal supporters applauding her for her boldness and conservative opponents lambasting her for exaggerating and mischaracterizing.

"I have never been more proud of @SenDeborahKay," said Inzi Ibar, a liberal Pakistani-Grassadellian woman who represents Eastholm on the Grassadellia City Council.

"Deborah Kay is a complete dumb f--k," was one obscene comment from a Conservative commenter on social media.

Conservative Senate Minority Leader Jon Ralston of Ansleigha also criticized Kay's speech at the rally.

"I've come to expect this sort of behavior and extreme, leftist talk from Deborah Kay," Ralston told Radio 1. "Deborah Kay routinely says inflammatory stuff, she regularly inserts herself into political fights that don't concern her."

Conservative radio talk show host Bruce Gollum said "Deborah Kay just loves to hear herself talk."

"She's so desperate for attention, so desperate for publicity, that she will do or say anything to get a headline," said Gollum during his Tuesday afternoon radio broadcast.

Kay responded to her Conservative antagonists.

"If standing up for human rights makes me 'desperate,' then yes, I am 'desperate'," she tweeted Tuesday evening, with the hashtag #SorryNotSorry.

Trump makes America look bad, Brenton Menuhaeo says in newspaper editorial

GRASSADELLIA CITY -- Former Grassadellian President Brenton Menuhaeo is speaking increasingly publicly about his disdain for US President Donald Trump.

Menuhaeo, who left office in 2017 after serving two terms, took to the nation's largest newspaper Tuesday, penning an editorial lambasting Trump.

"There are few world leaders, certainly not in Western, democratic countries, who command such animosity and deserve it," Menuhaeo said in his editorial in The Grassadellia City Times.

Trump "makes America look bad," said Menuhaeo, but most Americans are "wonderful people who believe in equality, tolerance, and diversity."

Menuhaeo left office right as Trump was taking office in Washington, D.C.

The two men never worked together directly, but Menuhaeo's office did work with Trump's briefly after the US election, to ensure a continuation of strong bilateral relations during the transition period.

"My only interaction with him has been observing all of his egregious behavior and comments, like the rest of the world has been subjected to," said Menuhaeo.

The former Grassadellian president continued, accusing Trump of "appealing to the lowest form of politics" and "fanning the flames of fear."

Menuhaeo applauded his successor, Jim McCaren, for taking firm stances against Trump's controversial and temperamental policies.

"Grassadellia should be thankful that we have a president in Collester now who is standing strong on the world stage, who is representing our country with honor and decency. You may not agree with Jim McCaren or his policies, but no one can attack him for the way he represents our country. He does so with honor, integrity and a subtle humility."

McCaren rarely talks about Trump, usually only when he is forced to respond to one of Trump's tweet storms or provocative remarks.

"He basically avoids Donald Trump as much as possible," one Collester aide, who asked to remain anonymous because of media restrictions in the workplace, told the Times.

Collester released an official statement re-affirming US-Grass relations Tuesday, following the publication of Menuhaeo's op-ed.

"President Menuhaeo is entitled to his opinions and expressing them. But President Jim McCaren remains committed to a strong relationship between Grassadellia and our valued ally, the United States of America," the statement read.

In bipartisan gesture, McCaren nominates Almone to be next Foreign Secretary

MAVOCKE -- It's being compared to when US President Barack Obama chose Hillary Clinton to be his Secretary of State back in 2009.

Grassadellian President Jim McCaren has nominated his former Conservative rival, former POG Governor Donna Almone, to be his next Foreign Secretary.

The nomination had been rumored for months, but Collester made a formal announcement yesterday.

Almone narrowly lost to Jim McCaren in the 2016 presidential election, but despite the close race, the former POG governor has remained publicly supportive of McCaren's foreign policy.

"Donna and I have had our differences. We don't always see eye to eye. But she is a good person. She has a heart to serve this country. She's extremely intelligent and capable. I know she will serve our country well," said McCaren at a press conference with Almone.

Almone said she has not always agreed with McCaren's actions.

"But President McCaren won the trust of the Grassadellian people, and he has restored our country's position of influence and leadership in the world. I am excited to be a part of this administration, I'm honored to work for this president, and I'm excited to get to work," said Almone.

She then turned to the president in an unscripted moment and publicly made amends.

"I just want to say Mr. President, there is no animosity over the election. The past is the past, and we're both focused on the future, and I look forward to working for you to accomplish a safer, more peaceful and prosperous world."

Almone now faces confirmation in the Federal Senate, where she is expected to be confirmed, but it could be close.

The moderate Conservative politician, who is somewhat hawkish on foreign policy, is being strongly opposed by far-left liberal senators, who called her a "war monger" for supporting Grassadellian intervention in defeating ISIS in Syria.

"I'm disappointed that President McCaren has nominated someone who is openly advocating warfare to be our next Foreign Secretary," said Trinton Sen. Grace Kemp, upon hearing the announcement of Almone's nomination.

"We expect a progressive president to nominate a progressive Foreign Secretary," said Kalnier Senator Paul LeBouse. "This nomination will receive a strong opposition from the Peace Caucus."

The Peace Caucus is the group of strongly-liberal senators who oppose military intervention of any kind.

Almone enjoys strong support from mainstream Conservatives and centrist Nationalists from conservative states.

"I'm pleased with his pick," South Ceona Sen. Vic Chambers told the National Press Federation (NPF). "Donna Almone is a Conservative, but it doesn't matter what party you're from. If you believe in a strong foreign policy, if you believe that Grassadellia should be one of the leading nations on the international stage, if you believe that Grassadellia shouldn't be bullied by Iranian dictators or North Korean dictators or Venezuelan dictators, then you deserve my support. Donna has mine," Chambers said.

Chambers is a centrist Nationalist who frequently votes with Conservatives on issues pertaining to the military and national security.

However, Almone is also being opposed vehemently by some far-right Conservatives, such as Remmington Senator Mark Eisinger, who says Almone is too liberal.

"She's no different than a liberal Nationalist, in my book," Eisinger told reporters outside his Mavocke office earlier this week.

"We need a strong leader who will stand up to terrorists, who will stand up to Iran and North Korea. We need a strong Foreign Secretary who will stand firmly with Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo," said Biereland Sen. Driscoll Sherber (C), referring to US Secretary of State Pompeo.

There have been rumors that Senate Minority Leader Jon Ralston, a Conservative from Ansleigha, might even vote against Almone.

Ralston is a staunch Conservative who has advocated frequent military intervention across the globe in recent years.

But his office announced Tuesday he would back Almone.

"Is he thrilled with Donna Almone? No, not really. He has disagreed with her sharply over the years," said Ralston's chief of staff Josh Watkins. "But Donna Almone cares about our country, she's very smart, intelligent, and she's a hell of a lot better than some of the Nationalists the president could have picked."

The decision was between Almone and interim Secretary Harold Kasahn, who has served since former Secretary Dawnelle Hunter-Garrett, who was nominated by former President Brenton Menuhaeo, stepped down last year.

Almone has indicated that she will ask Kasahn to stay on, if he's willing.

"I think Interim Secretary Kasahn has done a good job, and I think his skills and experience would continue to be beneficial for the Grassadellian Foreign Office. But he may have other career plans or want to move on, and if so, that's completely understandable and fine. He needs to do what he feels is best for him and his family. But I think he has served our country well and I would see no reason to dismiss him."

The next step in Almone's confirmation process will come next week, when she will testify before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Marchenay Senator Joseph Milhaughly.

If confirmed, Almone will become the second woman to hold the Foreign Affairs Secretary position. The first was Hunter-Garrett, who held the job from 2014-2018.

New Deschire law requires employers to reveal salary or wage in job postings

NORTHBRIDGE, Deschire -- A common frustration job hunters express is employers offering jobs but not disclosing the salary or wage of the position.

Many employers post job openings on websites with a job description, requirements of applicants, and information about their company. But often, the wage or salary of the position is not included in the job posting.

That's soon to change in the state of Deschire, after Governor Jay Burns signed Joint Bill 247 into law Tuesday at the state capitol building in Northbridge.

The Wage Disclosure Act, as JB 247 is officially titled, will require employers who post jobs in the state of Deschire to disclose the salary or wage for every job.

It passed in the Deschire House of Representatives 53-47 and in the Deschire Senate 29-22.

"It's not fair when people who are looking for a job find a job posting on a job board online, but they have no idea how much money the job comes with," Burns said in a press conference after the signing. "Many job applications take an hour or more to fill out. It's not fair to job applicants to ask them to spend an hour or two of their life to apply for a job only to find out the job pays minimum wage or slightly more. That's just not fair."

The bill was created by Nationalist state Senator Naheyna Cohn from Delafield and Conservative Sen. John Raymond from Airfield Downs.

"This is really about fairness to job hunters. People deserve to have as much information as possible when applying for a job. The job market is just that - a market. And job applicants have a right to know what they're applying for," Raymond told the media.

"It's an issue of transparency and consumer rights," Cohn said.

The change will go into effect on January 1, 2020.

There are some exemptions, however.

Many employers pay wage or salary "Depending on Experience," or "DOE."

For those jobs, employers will not have to offer an exact wage or salary, but they will have to offer an income range.

For example, a television station that's hiring a news anchor can still say "salary DOE," but they will have to post a notice that says, "the income range will be between $55,000 to $110,000."

The new law will only apply to disclosing wages or salary. It will not require employers to identify themselves.

Many companies, especially for high-paying jobs, post job announcements online, but they do not reveal the name of their company.

Anonymous job postings are still permitted.

It's not just job postings on the internet either. All job postings, electronic or otherwise, are covered by the new law.

The Deschire Chamber of Commerce, the largest business group in the state, strongly opposed the bill, calling it "an assault on employers' rights."