In politics, compromises are frequently seen as a sign of selflessness which places the greater good of the country ahead of principled, yet divisive stances. Some would even venture to suggest that partisanship's are shortsighted and the surest way to hinder progress, and represents the greatest challenge to national unity.
And yet, between 1995 and 2003, during his tenure as governor of New Mexico, Gary Earl Johnson vetoed almost 800 bills (including line items) sent by the state legislature which led to arguably the state’s worst ever legislative gridlock. But his principled stand also massively reduced government spending, decelerated spending growth and wiped off the state’s budget deficit. By the end of his term, the treasury even reported a $1 billion surplus – all achieved without raising any taxes!
The son of a public school teacher and a government servant has always been viewed as too principled for politics. But as he had demonstrated during his two terms as governor, his methods work. Not all the time mind, as evidenced by his failed school voucher proposal and calls to decriminalize marijuana and reform drug laws, but the results speak for themselves.
However, while Gov. Johnson has intimated to friends of his desire to run for office from a very young age, he was very practical about the path he would take. While studying at the University of New Mexico, Gov. Johnson started a handyman business as means to achieve financial independence. After graduating with a degree in political science in 1975, his company, Big J Enterprises, expanded into remodeling and renovation, and eventually, construction.
His company grew rapidly and quickly, but managing it proved to be increasingly more difficult for the hands-on business owner. Ever the problem solver, Gov. Johnson took night classes on time management in 1987 to better equip himself to handle the challenges of managing a multimillion dollar company. It proved to be a catalyst for Gov. Johnson, and forced him to reassess his life, both professionally and personally. He became more goal-oriented, leading to some calling him the most disciplined individual they've ever known.
This probably explains why after being rebuked by the state Republican leadership in 1993, the young upstart still went on to contest the GOP primaries the following year; or his decision to leave the Republican Party in 2011 to seek a presidential nomination under the Libertarian Party ticket; or why he is so confident that a third party candidate (himself) will finally achieve the 15% national polling threshold in 2016 and qualify for the presidential debates for the first time since 1992.
Gov. Johnson is an ardent believer of liberty, individual rights and small government. He is against military intervention and high taxation. He is convinced that existing drug laws and policies are doomed to failure. Gov. Johnson is also a strong proponent of personal responsibility. He believes that anyone in the country can make their own fortune with hard work. In a 2000 interview, Gov. Johnson stated that “anybody that wants to be an entrepreneur in this country can make an absolute fortune. Even somebody who cleans houses… If I started a business tomorrow just cleaning houses by myself […] I think I could make $100,000 a year. You clean four houses at $100 a day. I know what these people do when they come in and clean. In three hours I could do what they do. I just don't buy into the notion that anybody can't still make it today if they are willing to work hard.”
One thing is for certain though. If Gary Johnson were to somehow be elected president, the triathlete will be the fittest president in American history.
http://2016.candidate-comparison.org/
| 2016 Republican Presidential Nominee |
Donald Trump
Businessman, television personality and author |  |
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When Donald John Trump announced his candidacy for the 2016 presidential election at the Trump Tower to an audience of about a thousand supporters on a blustery New York morning on June 16, 2015, no one could’ve anticipated the impact that he would have on this election cycle. No one (aside from Ann Coulter) could’ve even envisioned Mr. Trump winning the GOP presidential nomination. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time – even Mr. Trump himself -, there was a leadership void within the Republican Party that was crying out to be filled.
The billionaire’s no-nonsense style, outsider status, business savvy and keen political instincts drew in the support of blocks of politically frustrated middle class conservatives, tea partiers and Ron Paul’s orphaned paleolibertarians, who were all looking for a champion to lead them and give their struggle a voice. In the following months, these disparate groups of voters organically coalesced into a powerful coalition which has propelled Mr. Trump’s candidacy from the fringes of the race to the summit of the Republican nomination leader board with surprising, albeit controversial, ease.
And to think, the teetotaler wasn’t even certain about running as late early 2015. There were real fears that similar to the general elections of 1988, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012, Mr. Trump would not make a bid for the nomination despite giving indications that he might.
His giddying ascension in the polls has been met with incredulous wonder by the media and more established candidates who have long fallen to the wayside. His combative performances in the debates left his opponents tongue-tied, much to the delight of his supporters. His controversial off-the-cuff deliveries and political incorrectness are viewed proudly by his legion of followers. His war cry, Make America Great Again, has galvanized even the elderly to attend his lively rallies.
Mr. Trump’s in-your-face style has drawn a lot of flak from all corners, but only a fool would doubt that there is a method behind his apparent madness. As the former reality TV star has demonstrated repeatedly throughout his career, his audacity is always accompanied by a ferocious intelligence.
There is simply no denying that Mr. Trump has changed the face of American politics forever. And the prospect of a businessman being elected to the White House has rekindled century-old memories of the Roaring Twenties when entrepreneurs such as Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover occupied the Oval Office.
Mr. Trump’s nationalist populist brand of politics captured the imagination of the nation, and powered his victory in the Republican primaries. However, will the charismatic real estate tycoon be able to use an identical approach in his White House run, or will he pivot to the center and reign in his explosive personality? Will he be able to unite the party’s fractured base and win over the agitated social conservatives? Will Miley Cyrus move out of the country if Mr. Trump is elected?
http://2016.candidate-comparison.org/
2016 Democratic Presidential Nominee
Hillary Clinton
Former U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator and First Lady
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton
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Born: October 26th, 1947 (age 69)
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The sight of former president Bill Clinton wiping away tears of joy while standing silently behind his wife as she was making her victory speech in the 2000 Senate elections in New York may appear a little melodramatic for some. However, when one considers the sacrifices and extreme loyalty that Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton has shown to her husband over the previous 26 years, that gesture suddenly makes all the sense in world.
Secretary Clinton’s ascension to Senator, and thereafter, Secretary of State, is not something all that surprising for those that knew her, considering what a gifted child, student and political operative Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton was.
Born in Cook County and raised in suburban Park Ridge just outside of Chicago, Secretary Clinton grew up in a loving middle class family. Her early years were shaped by her Goldwater-Republican Navy veteran and business owner father and his tremendous work ethic, balanced against her mother’s Democratic leanings and harsh childhood.
At an age where young girls and boys were still too preoccupied with watching cartoons on TV, young Hillary was already busy demonstrating her leadership abilities and initiative with backyard carnivals and cookie and food drives for charity. When others her age were engrossed with the challenges of school and growing up, young Hillary was busy with the post-election canvassing of Chicago’s south side for the Republican Party. When children tread lightly around their parents and elders, she was engaged in delightfully spirited political debates with her family during dinner.
Her star continues to shine brightly at Wellesley, where her commencement address drew a seven-minute long standing ovation, and at Yale, where she was paid to intern at Washington every summer. She was already an experienced Democratic aide before even graduating from Yale, and was headhunted to be part of the Watergate impeachment inquiry team counseling House Democrats months after finishing college.
She was never a radical, beatnik or hippie, but neither was she a middle-of-the-road moderate. She is, above all, an idealist – an intelligent, disciplined, driven and practical idealist. Despite her image of a strong and uncompromising woman, people who she’s worked with reveal her to be a polite, considerate, consultative, and perhaps most surprisingly, religious individual. The latter perhaps is due to the influence of her mother and grandmother, both strong-willed Methodist women. She is also an exceptional public speaker, and can speak for an extended period of time without notes – done without pauses and filler syllables.
Over the years, many negative epithets have been used by the press and political opponents to describe her. As many have learned however, pigeonholing or underestimating Secretary Clinton often comes at a great cost.
The key to defeating Secretary Clinton lies in winning over her core support base - women, baby boomers and minorities. Meanwhile, her weakest demographic is the millennials, and this is clearly reflected in her underwhelming support online. And yet, one gets the impression that her opponents simply do not get this very simple equation. Will this prove costly in the end?
http://2016.candidate-comparison.org/
2016 Green Party Presidential Nominee
Jill Stein
Physician, Reformer, Environmental Activist
Jill Stein
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Born: May 14th, 1950 (age 66)
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It would be a mistake to think that Jill Ellen Stein, the Green Party’s nominee for president, is a lightweight candidate for the 2016 presidential election. An August 2016 McClatchy/Marist national poll showed the Illinois native polling at 16% among Americans under the age of 30 – almost twice as many as Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump (9%). She also tied with Mr. Trump among undecided with 8%. Dr. Stein has clearly carved a following in the millennial voting demographic, which at 75.4 million, has surpassed the baby boomers as the largest living generation in the country.
The Harvard Medical School graduate, who also earned a B.A degree from Harvard College in 1973, spent about 25 years as a physician and researcher before transitioning into politics and social activism. Her first notable exposure to politics came in 1998 when she participated in the campaign to pass the Clean Elections Law in Massachusetts, a bill designed to reduce the influence of big-money lobbyists and special interest groups by limiting public money from being used to co-finance the political campaigns of candidates who refused to agree to a $100 contribution cap. However, five years later, the bill was repealed by the Democratic-controlled state legislature, a decision which prompted Dr. Stein to break her ties with the Democratic Party.
Her maiden run for public office came during the 2002 Massachusetts’ gubernatorial election, where under the banner of the Green-Rainbow Party, she finished third behind Republican Mitt Romney and Democrat Shannon O’Brien.
From the start, Dr. Stein’s core political philosophy has always been centered on the environment, renewable energy and campaign finance reform – issues that feature heavily in the Green New Deal, her pitch to the American people for the general election. The Green New Deal outlines her commitment to create “20 million living wage jobs that provide 100% clean renewable energy by 2030” while “reviving the economy, halting climate change, and making wars for oil obsolete.” Under Dr. Stein’s leadership, the Green Party will make a strong play in down-ballot races, with reportedly several hundred candidates contesting in Senate, House and state seats across the nation.
The high unfavorable ratings for both Mr. Trump and Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton has given her campaign a massive boost, and the Green Party is expected to appear on the ballots of up to 48 states and Washington D. C in this cycle, breaking the record of 2000 when Ralph Nader attained ballot access in 43 states.
Ms. Stein, the co-founder of the Massachusetts Coalition for Healthy Communities, is an avid musician and can play several musical instruments. She was also the lead vocalist for the folk-rock band, Somebody's Sister, which released four albums during the 90s (she sounds good, folks).
http://2016.candidate-comparison.org/
The Libertarian Party (Gov.) Gary Johnson and the Green Party (Jill Stein) need 5% of the national vote for their parties to reach minor party status. Anything over 25% puts that party at Major Status with the Republican and Democrat Party's.
A Patriots View |
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