Election Day 2022 and Hanuman Jayanti

 

Campaign 2022 is done. Now it's up to Patrienish citizens to elect the Fifty Second Congress. Election Day 2022 falls on Hanuman Jayanti. Vote early and sing the Hanuman Chalisa often!

Patria Post has been kept busy during Campaign 2022 with mail-in ballots, but they issued a stamp to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti.

Battleground Precincts as Campaign 2022 ends

Today is the last day of the race for Patria’s Fifty Second Congress. Tomorrow is Election Day. Just as there are battleground states in the US presidential election campaign, there are battleground or swing precincts in Patria as the SRM, Social Democrats, Chakra and other parties attempt to woo voters from the now-defunct Amrita Party. The following is a brief look at the precincts that could swing the 2022 election.

Arboria

As the home base of the Amrita Party and Amma’s adopted “home” since the party’s formation in 2002, Arboria is one of the leading battlegrounds thanks to the demise of the Amrita Party in late 2021. The Chakra Party and SRM have been battling tooth and nail for Arboria’s 21 seats, with the Social Democrats and Greens also strongly in the hunt. There are likely enough Amma devotees in Arboria longing for the now-defunct party to elect at least one independent Amrita member through write-in votes.

Centralia

Patria’s old de-industrialized Rust Belt. Amrita took 9 of its 25 seats in 2018 while the Social Democrats won 6. The Social Dems are fighting hard for Patria’s former industrial heartland, in an attempt to stave off frustrated, poverty-stricken voters going for the macho-tough National Union and the “Patria First” SRM.

Nova Columbia

Usually a breeding ground for fringe and nutbar single-seat parties such as the Patriots’ Union of Nova Columbia (PUNC), as well as minor parties such as the Lilith, Chastity and Libertarians. With 36 seats up for grabs, a fair chunk of the minor party representation in the 52^nd Congress could come from Nova Columbia.

Pottsylvania

Like Nova Columbia, another hotbed of fringe and nutbar parties. The Pottsylvanian Alliance, United Patriots of Pottsylvania or some other stupid party is likely to take one of Pottsylvania’s 13 seats.

Federal District of Castoropolis & Caesarea

With 99 seats in play – 38 in Castoropolis and 61 in Caesarea – Patria’s largest city and the Caesarean suburbs and exurbs that surround it are the major prize in the 2022 election cycle. Note that unlike the District of Columbia, Patria’s capital city enjoys full representation in Congress. Like most major macro-world cities, Castoropolis is chock-full of liberals and hard-leftists, who will split the vote between the Greens and Social Democrats. The proliferation of yoga studios will translate into votes for the Chakra Party. Minor fringe parties usually pick up a seat or two in the Federal District and Caesarea, and along with Arboria there are some hard-core Amrita supporters who could write in an independent Amrita member or two.

As in 2018, Social Dems are playing the Bernie card.

Typical SRM campaign poster seen all over Patria.

Chakra Party could hold balance of power between SD and SRM.

NU men are tough as nails.

Early voting in Fredonia: SRM, Chakra, Social Dems in dead heat

 The feisty little Precinct of Fredonia (“First in freedom, first to fight”) traditionally votes one week earlier than the rest of Patria (TROP). As Patria’s smallest precinct, Fredonia holds only nine seats in Congress. The SRM, Chakra Party and Social Democrats took two seats each, with almost the same percentage of popular votes. The National Union, Green Party and Jungle Party were awarded one seat each of Fredonia’s delegation in the Fifty Second Congress. Fredonia more often than not goes its own way. Its early election returns are a poor predictor of how TROP will vote on April 16, but the 52nd Congress election is still too close to call in Patria’s 12 other Precincts plus the Federal District of Castoropolis.

SRM took two seats in Fredonia's early voting.

Two seats for the Chakras and Social Dems in Fredonia.

As Fredonia’s Early Election Day is also Ram Navami, the traditional “birthday” of Lord Rama, Patria post issued a stamp depicting Ram and Sita together.

Micronationalism in action: Patria salutes the Principality of Islandia

The tiny island of Coffee Caye off the coast of Belize has been acquired by a group of investors who hope to turn it into the world's first crowdfunded micronation: the Principality of Islandia. The investors paid US$180,000 plus tax for the island in 2019 and are selling shares in it for $3,250 apiece. So far 89 people have invested in the project. Investors and visitors to Coffee Caye automatically become citizens of Islandia. Of course one of the first things Islandia's investors/citizens did was adopt a flag:

Patria naturally extends de facto recognition to Islandia. May your hearts bloom and spirits soar in Islandia.

Welcome to Islandia! For a mere $3,250 this could be yours!

Six more weeks on campaign trail as Congress takes pre-election recess

Patria’s tenrec (the animal symbol of Patria, as proclaimed by Act of Congress in 2018) saw its shadow – or perhaps didn’t see its shadow – today, meaning there are six more weeks of campaigning until 52^nd Congress Election Day, April 16.

After a rare Saturday session that capped off days of marathon debates on tax reform and tax cuts for 2023, the Fourth Session of the 51^st Congress (4·LI 2021-22) adjourned for the traditional, though unwritten, pre-election recess in order to allow Congress members to hit the campaign trail in their home Precincts and districts. Congress will return a few days after the Election Day/Patriots’ Day weekend for the also traditional Lame Duck session, which will conclude a day or two before Inauguration Day.

Although supporters of the defunct Amrita Party tend to be parking their vote with the Social Democrats or Chakra Party, the SRM is fighting hard for their votes. The newest SRM campaign posters feature the goddess Kali and a new slogan “WHOSE PATRIA? OUR PATRIA!” along with the SRM's usual "Patria first".

“Radio and Trust” as Patria celebrates World Radio Day 2022

 

While not an official public holiday where schools and businesses are closed, Patria celebrates World Radio Day on February 13.

Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level and even in unrecognized micronations such as Patria, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the diversity of audiences in their organizations and operations.

Radio continues to be one of the most trusted and used media in the world, according to different international reports. The theme of the 2022 edition of World Radio Day is thus devoted to "Radio and Trust", with the following sub-themes: trust in radio journalism (produce independent and high quality content), trust and accessibility (take care of your audience) and trust and viability of radio stations (ensure that radio survives and remains sustainable even in times of financial crisis, war, revolution or pandemic).

This year also marks the centennial of broadcasting in Patria, as legendary AM stations such as PMC-846, POKX-648 and PMBC-1152 signed on in 1922. Patria’s national broadcasting network, the Voice of Patria or Ramrajyavani, was inaugurated in 1926. In 2001, Patria Post issued a commemorative stamp to mark its 75^th anniversary.

PMC celebrating 100 years on the air.

Radio, of course, plays a major role in Patria’s 2022 election campaign. All radio stations in Patria are required to broadcast paid political announcements. The following are some of the campaign slogans that are heard on Patria’s airwaves, and will be heard every day until Election Day, April 16. All campaigning and electioneering, including radio ads, must end at 11:59 PM April 15. 

SRM: “Patria First”, “Take back the economy”

Chakra Party: “Patria’s inner voice”, “Inquire within for real change” 

Social Democrats: “For the Workers, not the Wokesters”, “Progress with a purpose” 

National Union: “Big dogs for real men”, “Don’t be a pussy” 

Jungle Party: “Have a take, don’t suck”, “Step your game up and make Patria better” 

Green Party: “Bikes not cars”, “For a sustainable Patria” 

Chastity Party: “Because sex is dirty” 

Family Values Party: “1950s values for the 2020s” 

Libertarian Party: “More freedom, less government” 

Reconstruction Party: “Building a new Patria from the ashes of the old” 

Incel Party: “Giving virgins a voice” 

Lilith Party: “Vulvas for victory”

Chakra Party: we love cats

While the National Union considers owning a dog (particularly a big one like a Pit Bull or Rottweiler) a test of manly character, the Chakra Party is appealing to cat owners. The party that bills itself as “Patria’s inner voice” says men who love cats are not pussies. Along with the Chakra Party’s usual posters and outdoor ads featuring, well...duhhhh, chakras, they’ve got a kitty poster girl – a Calico cat named Chandi, who you can follow on Facebook.

With the Beijing Winter Olympics underway, and as usual, micronations such as Patria shut out of the Games, the SRM is cranking up the “to hell with China” message another notch.