9 April 2023
Last night, the official "Republic of Phillip YouTube Channel" released a new video containing a speech performed by National Assembly Rep. Owen Itzen. The speech was filmed in the Phillip del Sur Territory to an audience of one person, the cameraman. In the nearly ten-minute speech, Itzen announced that Jolly Parliament member Nicholas DeVorb would be running for President under Los Nacionalistas Libres with him as his running mate. He also announced that LNL would be changing it's platform to focus more on Libertarian and left-wing ideas. Many have assumed that this sudden change in the party's platform was made in an attempt to attract left-leaning voters who have been unable to feel represented by Phillip's mostly right-wing political parties. This new platform supports ideologies such as Progressivism, Nationalism, Social Democracy, and Welfare Capitalism.
During his speech, Itzen released important information about the DeVorb-Itzen Presidential ticket. According to him, DeVorb will still serve as Riley Cook's running mate on their Presidential ticket but does not intend for them to win. To further their intent to lose the election, Cook announced his endorsement of the DeVorb-Itzen campaign. Itzen would go on to express his admiration for DeVorb, stating that he is a "fair and impartial Presidential candidate". DeVorb is a politician who isn't nessecarily uninvolved with the events that take place in Phillip, but isn't considered to be a major player in the countries politics. During his time as a government member, he has served on the Jolly Parliament representing the Cork Party and was appointed by President Jaxson Renny as the Minister of Sports. He is respected by many of Phillip's politicians and citizens as a respectable person and a potentially great leader. Itzen then went on to adress those involved with or concerned by the Itzen-Von Controversy that took place in mid-February. He used the time to thoroughly defend himself by stating that the refusal of Reed Von's corporation wasn't corrupt or dishonest. He believes that he had the authority to deal with Von's corporation in any matter deemed proper to him. But, he did apologize for attempting to create a political deal with Von, even though doing so is not explicitly illegal, and he apologized for not looking out for the health of Phillip's economy.
Afterwards, he took time to attack other candidacies and political parties and state DeVorb's plans for the future of the nation. He said that him and DeVorb want to differentiate themselves from the other candidates. On behalf of LNL, Itzen condemned the authoritarian views of Madison Marcos and the Richardson Party, of which she is the sole member. Since its establishment, the Richardson Party's entire platform has been to establish a totalitarian regime in Phillip with Party Chairman Marcos as the Dictator. He also condemned the Cork Party's Anarcho-capitalist and Facist ideologies and the Theocracy, Feudalism, and Lassez-Faire Democracy supported by Butter Butta Bentley candidate Von and his campaign team. He claims that if either Cook or Von were to be elected that the "beaurocratic process" of Phillip would slow down drastically as he believes both candidates are slow when it comes to decision-making in Phillip. The latter is in some way true for Cook as he has historically taken the most time to cast his ballot as a representative in the National Assembly.
Itzen refrained from attacking the campaign of Iyan Seeker too much in his speech, but did say that his party is wary of territorial expansions supported by Seeker's campaign. He stated his support for domestic and economic development instead of conquering the surrounding United States, unless it was justified.
Towards the end of the middle of his speech, Itzen set out to attack the Ministry of Mint. He believes that citizens are in a state of "economy anxiety" because the Mint hasn't yet printed Phillip's currency and the economy has been nonexistent since the establishment of the country. He criticized the Jolly Parliament for its stagnation, despite the fact that DeVorb is one of the two members on the council, and Ben and Luke Fitzgibbins for repeatedly failing to hold their promises to print money. In the speech, he says that "[t]he Mint, despite being periodically praised by members of BBB and other politicians, hasn't accomplished anything of value, besides designing a currency." Itzen promised to draft and promote bills that would provide government members with salaries. He also wants to employ citizens with he what he claims is a "stable job" in the ONSG Inc., a corporation ran by Itzen himself. He promised to also permanently nationalize the corporation if elected.
Itzen took some time towards the end of his speech to reaffirm LNL's new platform and add on to his personal beliefs. He stated that LNL prioritizes religious freedom and the separation of the Church and state. He criticized President Jaxson Renny for attempting to spread Theocracy, calling it a "backwards ideology". He claims doesn't want to get rid of the Church, but instead create a state of harmony between it and the and other religions of Phillip. He even wants to support the Church by passing legislation giving citizens incentives to join the Church, such as monetary benefits. He states that overall, the principal goal of the DeVorb-Itzen campaign is the increase citizen involvement in Phillip, such as funding government trips to new territorial claims and creating events that citizens could participate in.
Many politicians, such as Vice President Fitzgibbins, are approaching the launch of the DeVorb-Itzen ticket with suspicion. Overall, the launch of the campaign could potentially pull some of Von's voters and give him a harder time being elected.