Thinking of throwing your vote away by voting for a third party presidential candidate? Here is a breakdown of your choices

Thinking of throwing your vote away by voting for a third party presidential candidate? Here is a breakdown of your choices

For several months, all we have been hearing about in the news is “John Kerry this” or “George W. Bush that”. What about all of the other 23 presidential candidates that will be on at least one state’s ballot when the election finally takes place Tuesday? How are we supposed to know where they stand on the issues when they get little to no air time?

To help Indianans who do not fit the traditional Republican or Democrat mold and are looking for a presidential candidate to vote for who better matches their political views, the Hoosier Gazette, with help from Politics1.com, has assembled a short profile of each of the four third-party candidates who will be on the ballot in our state:

Michael Badnarik

MICHAEL BADNARIK of Texas
Libertarian Party
Presidential Nominee

POLITICAL: Libertarian nominee for State Representative, 2000 (2nd place - 15,200 votes - 17%) and 2002 (3rd place - 1,100 votes - 2%).

PROFESSIONAL: Self-employed computer consultant, 2001-present. Nuclear power industry computer programmer, 1977-2001. Skydiving instructor, 1998-present.

Michael Badnarik -- a gun rights activist and proclaimed "constitutional scholar" -- was one of the first candidates to jump into the 2004 Libertarian Presidential contest. While Badnarik supports all of the various LP positions, he has made his staunch support for gun rights the top item on his political agenda. He hopes his campaign will give him an opportunity to "teach people about the Constitution, and the liberties that it is designed to protect." That's why his official slogan is: "Lighting the fires of liberty, one heart at a time." Badnarik was among the most active of the LP candidates, frequently flying to party events around the nation before the LP National Convention. He was viewed as the darkhorse even at the start of the convention, but then he made a strong impression during the candidate's debate before the first ballot. He finished a surprisingly strong second place on the first ballot -- only two voters behind first-place finisher Aaron Russo (258 to 256). By the third ballot -- with the support of former rival Gary Nolan, who dropped out after the second ballot -- Badnarik scored a 423-344 victory over Russo. "If I can win the nomination, there's no reason I can't win this election," Badnarik told the cheering LP delegates after winning the nomination. In reality, Badnarik harbors no illusions that he can win the elections -- but he wants to use his candidacy as an educational platform for his libertarian, anti-Iraq War, and pro-gun rights views. Badnarik is one of the hardcore libertarians in the LP who dislikes nearly any and all government intrusions into people's lives. It turns out that Badnarik is more than just talk. Badnarik says that the federal income tax has "no legal authority" and that people are justified in refusing to file a tax return "until such time as the IRS provides them with an explanation of its authority to collect the tax." Accordingly, he hasn't filed any federal tax return in many years. He also moved to Texas specifically because of the state's liberal gun ownership laws. However, Badnarik refuses to get a driver's license because the state requires drivers to provide fingerprints and Social Security numbers -- resulting in Badnarik getting several tickets for driving without a license. Amusingly, Badnarik even refuses to use zip codes when he writes letters because he sees them as illegal "federal territories." The LP has slipped to fifth place in the 1996 and 2000 Presidential elections. However -- with the implosion of Ross Perot's former Reform Party -- Badnarik and the LP are likely to return to at least a fourth place finish (and possibly third, depending on what happens with ballot access matters involving Ralph Nader and the Greens).

Michael Badnarik for President
P.O. Box 841
Buda, TX 78601
512.799.8200
Email: campaign@badnarik.org

Walt Brown

WALTER F. "WALT" BROWN of Oregon
Socialist Party USA
Presidential Nominee

Note: Brown is the also the nominee of the Natural Law Party of Michigan and the United Citizens Party (SC)

POLITICAL: Oregon State Senator, 1975-87 (served as a Democrat). Malheur County Counsel, 1989-91 (served as a Democrat). Member, Socialist Party USA since 1948. Founded the Socialist Party of Oregon, 1992. Socialist Party USA nominee for Congress in 1998 (6%), 2000 (2%) and 2002 (3%). Legal Counsel, Socialist Party USA.

PROFESSIONAL: Semi-retired attorney, currently. Deputy District Attorney, 1989-91. Former Professor, Northwestern Law School. US Navy & US Navy Reserve, 1944-70 (World War II veteran; retired at the rank of Commander). Aircraft riveter, mailman, construction worker and warehouseman (before attending college).

EDUCATION: B.A. and J.D., University of Southern California. M.A. in Government, Boston University. M.L.S., University of Oregon. Attended courses at Harvard Law School. Rhodes Scholar nominee, 1948.

PERSONAL: Born in 1926. Widower, father and grandfather. Recently remarried.

The SPUSA are true democratic socialists -- advocating left-wing electoral change versus militant revolutionary change. Many of the SP members -- including Presidential nominee Walt Brown -- could easily be members of the left-wing faction of the Democratic Party. Unlike most of the other political parties on this page with "Socialist" in their names, the SP has always been staunchly anti-communist. Founded by labor union leader, ex-Democratic elected official and pacifist Eugene V. Debs in 1900, the SP was once a mighty national third party (Debs -- for example -- received over 900,000 votes and 6% for President in 1912). The SPUSA also once elected congressmen, mayors and other officials throughout the 20th Century (largely during the 1910s through 1950s). Curmudgeonly peace activist David McReynolds was the party's 2000 Presidential nominee, earning ballot status in seven states (7,746 votes - 8th place - 0.01% ...plus a bunch more write-in votes in New York and other states where election officials refused to tabulate individual write-in votes). The 2000 showing was a far cry from the SP glory days, but a major improvement over the party's 1996 showing. Some SPUSA insiders gripe that Brown insists upon total day-to-day control of all aspects his own campaign, even writing his own press releases, newspaper ads, etc. They note it took over a week after Brown won the nomination for him to finalize the press release announcing his victory. Brown failed to achieve ballot status in California in March 2004 when he lost the primary contest for the Peace & Freedom Party's Presidential nomination in that state. Still -- considering that Brown captured over 10,000 votes during his 1998 congressional run -- it is reasonable to expect that he should he able to push up the party's 2004 showing by a small amount. In Spring 2004, a feminist faction within the SPUSA attempted to force the SPUSA national leadership to replace Brown as the nominee when it was learned he is personally not pro-choice on the abortion issue. A series of harsh email exchanges followed between rival factions. However, party leaders decided that since Brown is running on the officially-adopted SPUSA Platform (which is pro-choice), his candidacy is de facto pro-choice and there is no need to replace him. Brown readily says electoral victory is not possible, but he hopes his campaign and other third party challenges from the left will -- in the long term -- force the Democratic Party leftward. "The type of leadership that we got from a Reagan or a Schwarzenegger is not what we need in this country. We need thoughtful, well-educated people who have the charisma of credibility, not the charisma of TV ... Time is on our side. Time is on the side of democracy, time is on the side of the cure for cancer [and] time is running out for dictators, time is running out for stupidity," said Brown.

Walt F. Brown for President 2004
c/o Socialist Party of Oregon
P.O. Box 5633
Portland, Oregon 97228
503.636.4150
Email: WaltBrown4Prez@aol.com

Ralph Nader

RALPH NADER of Connecticut
Independent Candidate for President, and
Reform Party Presidential Nominee

POLITICAL: Green Party Nominee for President, 2000 (ballot status in 44 states - 3rd place - 2,878,000 votes - 2.7%) and 1996 (ballot status in 22 states - 685,000 votes - 4th place - 0.8%). Write-In candidate for President, 1992 New Hampshire Democratic Primary. Drafted as the New Party Nominee for President, 1972. Registered as an Independent voter.

PROFESSIONAL: Consumer advocate. Attorney. College lecturer. Author. Founder of Public Citizen, Congress Watch, Essential Information, the Public Interest Research Group, Center for Auto Safety, Center for the Study of Responsive Law, Institute for Civic Renewal, Government Purchasing Project and other public interest organizations. US Army Reservist, 1959.

PERSONAL: Born February 27, 1934 in Winsted, Connecticut. Single (never married).

Famed consumer advocate, liberal activist and Harvard-educated attorney Ralph Nader is making a fourth Presidential run in 2004. He launched his 2004 Presidential Exploratory Committee in December 2003, and announced his official candidacy in February 2004. Unlike 1996 and 2000, Nader did not seek the Green nomination in 2004 (although he did seek their "endorsement" and ballot access). Instead, Nader is officially running as an Independent. He also announced plans to form and run under the banner of the "Populist Party" -- only where needed -- but merely for making it easier to gain ballot access in some states. In 2000, Nader raised millions of dollars, mobilized leftist activists and grabbed national headlines with his anti-corporate campaign message. Nader ignored pleas from liberal Democrats that he abandon the race because he was siphoning essential votes away from Al Gore's campaign -- answering that Gore was not substantially different than Bush, and that his own campaign was about building a permanent third party. In the end, Nader was on the ballot in 44 states and finished third with nearly 2.9 million votes -- seemingly depriving Gore of wins in some key states (conservative Reform Party nominee Pat Buchanan, but contrast, intentionally ran a "safe states" startegy and declined to campaign in any states that were close so as to not hurt Bush's chances). More significantly, Nader missed the important 5% mark for the national vote, meaning that the party will still be ineligible for federal matching funds in 2004. Since 2000, Nader still maintains he did not cause Gore to lose because he believes most of his own voters were people who not have bothered to vote at all but for his candidacy -- although he is clearly still annoyed that many Democrats who previously donated to his various liberal public interest groups cut off their donations in retaliation for Nader's 2000 campaign. Nader extended an olive branch -- of sorts to the Dems -- in a 2003 news interview: If the Dems agree not to go negative on his Presidential campaign, Nader promised to encourage all the voters who show up to vote for him to also vote for Dems for Congress and all the other down-ballot offices to help them recapture majority status in those legislative bodies. Nader vows that his latest campaign will work "to defeat the giant corporation residing in the White House masquerading as a human being." By forgoing the Green option in favor of an Independent run, Nader will have to secure his own ballot status. However, a vocal group within the Greens still attempted to organize a "Draft Nader" campaign for the nomination. Peter Camejo's surrogate candidacy and other tactics were being used in the primary for this draft movement. Nader, however, again shot down the draft movement in March 2004 when he wrote an open letter to the Green Party saying he would accept the party's endorsement, but would refuse to accept the Green nomination. "If you do not choose a Presidential candidate in Milwaukee, I would welcome your endorsement and have said the same to other third parties as well ... Should the national Green Party decide to endorse my candidacy and have its members focus their efforts on state and local races, then State Green Party ballot lines and the participation of Greens in a variety of ways would be mutually helpful," wrote Nader. In May 2004, Nader received the endorsement and de facto nomination of the Reform Party -- ensuring him of ballot status in CO, KS, MI, MS, MT, SC, and FL. Nader still plans to pursue the Independent route, but will run under the Reform banner only if needed in those states to ensure he appears on the ballot. Also, many of his prominent 2000 supporters -- including folks like filmmaker Michael Moore and The Nation magazine -- called on Nader to get out of the 2004 race and make it clear they will not support him again. The Nation argued that the 2004 run will turn progressives sharply against Nader and expel him from their ranks. An unapologetic Nader, in response, attacked them as cowardly members of the "liberal intelligensia." Nader badly miscalculated his strategy for dealing with the Greens. On the eve of the Green Party Presidential Nominating Convention, he selected respected Green leader Peter Camejo as his VP runningmate. His supporters then made a push to either win Nader the nomination or, alternatively, ensure that the party nominated no candidate -- but then endorsed Nader. David Cobb, however, praised Nader's passion but successfully argued that merely "endorsing" Nader would risk the party's ballot status in several states and do nothing to build the party for the long-term. Cobb's approach worked, and he handily defeated the Nader forces for the Presidential nomination on the second ballot. At the Green National Convention, Nader finished 3rd place with 117.5 delegates (17%) on the first ballot. Nader and John Kerry are friends of more than 30 years, so a late Nader withdrawal from the race in Kerry's favor is not outside the realm of possibility -- but his selection of Peter Camejo as his VP runningmate seems to indicate a desire to run a full campaign. However -- now that he must go forward without the Green Party's ballot status -- Nader will be lucky if he can secure ballot access in just 15 states. It is already clear Nader will not qualify for the ballot in Indiana, California, Texas and some other larger states. Because of his failure to secure the Greens' ballot spots, Nader will not be a factor in much of the 2004 race (except in Florida and Michigan).

David Cobb

DAVID KEITH COBB of California
Green Party
Presidential Nominee

POLITICAL: Co-Founder, Texas Green Party, 1999. Texas State Coordinator, Nader for President Campaign, 2000. General Counsel, Green Party of the United States, 2000-03. Green Party nominee for Texas Attorney General, 2002 (41,000 votes - 1%). Campaign Director, Reclaim Democracy, 2002-03. Board of Directors, Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County, 2003-present.

EDUCATION: B.A. (Political Science), University of Houston. J.D., University of Houston Law School, 1993.

David Cobb -- a former construction worker and grandson of a Baptist preacher -- was a public interest attorney for the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund in Texas until he launched his Presidential campaign (and moved to California) in September 2003. Ralph Nader's politics inspired him to join the Green Party, and Cobb was a co-founder of the Texas Green Party in 1999. One year later, Cobb closed his private law practice when Nader asked him to coordinate his Texas campaign. He has devoted himself to full-time citizen activism since the conclusion of the 2000 campaign, serving as General Counsel for the Green Party National Committee until he formally launched his Presidential campaign. "We are building a democratic movement that will take this country back from the corporate hooligans who have hijacked it from us," said Cobb. Party insiders agreed that Cobb became a frontrunner for the nomination when Nader decided to not run in 2004 as a Green. Cobb won the DC primary, and placed first in several other state caucuses. Cobb was one of only four Greens listed on the California Presidential primary ballot (2nd place - 12%). He ran the most active national campaign out of anyone seeking the Green Presidential nomination. Cobb was a leading advocate of the Greens pursuing a "Safe States" strategy in 2004 -- which means that, unlike with Nader in 2000, the Cobb will focus their attempts to win votes only in the states that are not close contests and would not endanger a Democratic national victory over Bush. Pat Buchanan -- running as a conservative Reform Party canidate in 2000 -- pursued a similar strategy so as to not hurt Bush against Gore in that race. Cobb also maintains that his candidacy is only about promoting the party itself -- and building the grassroots -- and not merely promoting an individual personality (i.e., Nader). With the help of several key party leaders, Cobb outmaneuvered Nader and his allies to win the party's nomination in June 2004. Nader badly miscalculated his strategy for dealing with the Greens. On the eve of the Green Party Presidential Nominating Convention, Nader selected respected Green leader Peter Camejo as his VP runningmate. His supporters then made a push to either win Nader the nomination or, alternatively, ensure that the party nominated no candidate -- but then endorsed Nader. At the convention, Cobb praised Nader's passion but successfully argued that merely "endorsing" Nader would risk the party's ballot status in several states and do nothing to build the party. Cobb's approach worked, as he handily defeated the Nader forced for the Presidential nomination on the second ballot. As the Green nominee, Cobb is ensured of ballot status in at least 22 states.

David Cobb for President
P.O. Box 610
Eureka, CA 95502
707.269.0984
Email: info@votecobb.org