Third Party & Independents: Archives

“Born at Madang, Papua New Guinea” - how can you be a presidential candidate?

Article I, Section 1, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution:
“No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President”

I think this constitution provisions needs to be taken out- perhaps that can be one of your planks. Otherwise, I dont see how you can be a “presidential candidate”. I mean no disrespect at all, since I was born in another country and am sad that I will never have even the chance to be president of this great country.

Misha, I am not absolutely sure, but, I believe if his parents were American, his birth on foreign soil in no way negates his citizenship - I believe it makes him eligible for dual citizenship.

I think the phrase “natural born citizen” disqualifies him. I could be wrong, but I’m fairly sure that this candidate cannot be President. He can run all he wants; there’s nothing preventing his candidacy, just his inauguration.

Dr. Mesplay’s issues are right on!

—Universal ballot access for the Green Party —
This would require dismantling or overhauling the FEC to accomodate major third party representation. I totally agree.

—Remove personhood rights (and excuses) from corporations—
I totally agree. Corporations should not have the rights of a citizen and the exemptions provided incorporation. Decision makers of corporations must be held accountable for their decisions as they affect the general welfare or harm to society.

—Blue collar time for white collar crime—
Absolutely. A wealthy tax cheater or CEO like Enron’s Lay, commit crime against most members of society - that is to say, their crimes harm 100’s of millions of honest citizens. This kind of crime should be punished at least as harshly as an individual who pulls a gun and robs a person on the street, since that crime is one only against one person.

—Development of community-based communities (jobs, agriculture, housing, energy)—
This position is more debatable. However, I believe in the premise as inherently good. We have gone so far with economies of scale and oligopoly that communities based on local companies for jobs, locally grown foods that can be trusted, locally designed housing that relects local weather and environmental considerations as well as local economy, and locally produced and managed energy by coops will all benefit local inhabitants of communities. This is not to say we should scrap current Big national enterprises, but, federal, state, and local laws should not impede local competitive forces in these areas.

—Promote simpler living and a slower pace of life as an overlooked option—
I could not agree more. As a nation and culture, we have all been brainwashed by the concept of consumerism. Our bankruptcy rates, our shock by limited credit options, our dependency on credit, and our constant deluge of consumer oriented advertising is a root of so many of the ills our society faces.

—Separation of powers: remove the stranglehold of banking and business upon gov’t—
Not new, but, definitely a positive goal in my opinion.

—Transform the military toward peace-keeping operations, to peacefully assist mass migrations of people driven by drought.—

If Dr. Mesplay had used the word defense instead of peace-keeping, I would have agreed. As for assisting mass migrations of people driven by drought, I would not support the U.S. bearing that responsibility alone. However, Dr. Mesplay has hit upon an issue which looms on tomorrow’s headlines and the U.S. should be leading an international effort to prepare for this cataclysmic human event coming straight at humanity.

—Teach that economic desperation fuels anti-US sentiment and terrorism—
Absolute agreement.

Although this candidate’s platform requires a bit more research to see past some of the generalities, there are some basic problems with the campaign goals that really interface reallity.

Now first, there’s ‘bring the troops home’ Oh what a glorious luxury at this point.
What do we let the region dissolve into a three way civil war, with certainly the Shi’ites who would be backed by Iran, take over? How humane is that? Wake up, whether we wanted to be in it or not be in it, we are in it through to an attempted democracy. Can we actually afford another Bosnia? Do we want the blood of that sort of a conflict on our hands? Because the horror show that would follow our abandonment would be our fault. Strange as it may seem it would be inhumane to leave, actually. Not only that, it would leave a totalitarian theocracy in charge of the country. Freedom for us but theocratic reigeim for them, humane right? No sorry, I mean ethical treatment of human beings, right? That is totally removed from what is going on. And I don’t like it either but to leave now would throw babes to dogs.

Next, recognition of global climate change as serious problem. Oh Yeah there’s no one on that issue. That has never been addressed anywhere or by any world leaders. Well shucks you must be a real harbinger on that issue then? recognition, okay I’m looking, uh yep it’s there alright.

Next, protection of indigenous rights. Now he’s talking about people in the U.S., right? I like how he seems to be careful not to use the term sovereignty or address the facts that the Indians on reservations in the U.S. Who have casino’s on their land get less than 10% of net revenues for something in their own backyards. Who is he going to protect the hillbillies of Kentucky, because outside the U.S, he is sh*t out of luck and he can prattle all he wants but what is Brazillian policy is Brazillian policy and only bucks can procure otherwise. Goooodluck getting that passed!

Next, teach that economic desperation fuels anti-U.S. sentiment and terrorism. It breeds guerilla factions, yes and based on hopes of something better or atleast a purpose, they thrive. It’s just like the skinhead movement of the eighties, if they think they can take over perhaps they think they can be in charge and have high placement in the regeim. That’s part of what terror is for some. But teach who us? That’s really useful? Now with the middle eastern groups it’s Islamic brainwashing mixed with the lack of seeing any future for themselves. Also being a community hero/ martyr as well as in some cases their families getting monies for their suicides, has play. What fuels it is in part desperation but teaching it and doing something about it are two different animals. We need to get them a ministry of deeds for their lands so they can buy sell and own land. We need to give them loans that they don’t have to payback (or we collect on) until they can be responsible for those loans. We need to safeguard all monies transfered overseas and monitor the allocation of those monies so they are being put to good use and don’t fall into the wrong hands. We need to combat AIDS more effectively with treatment as well as the female condom (men will never wear a condom, sorry) giving them control over their own bodily safety and education(as well as with other diseases). We need to do so many beneficial things to secure a better world for them and ourselves. Unfortunately teaching that economic deprivation…is the most useless and with a man of this many academic accolades to think this somehow is help is near embarrassing. Highborn uppercrust suburbanite white people suck.

Why not something like making it illegal for any public servant to hold stock in any company. Cheney would’nt be able to work on behalf of Halliburton, Kellog, Bechtel, Boeing, Raytheon, L3, Motorola, Qinetiq, MCI and other corporations. So that not only don’t they have wars to feather their own nests but can’t profiteer if war presents itself as a neccessity. Given that all negotiative options are exhausted. Did you know that Rumsfeld is the wealthiest man in that administration. Recently he declared that we need a whole new military, it really tells you something about this administration to take a look inside their stock portfolios.

How about make all claims by the I.R.S disputable on a local level at your local courthouse via intranet. Or perhaps something useful like everyone gets there own personal I.R.S. passworded webpage that holds all S.S. info and taxation info which connect to a library on tax law written in something other than bureaucratese.

How about differential Federal taxation based on where you live in the country. All monies made in a certain zone such as rural Nebraska get taxed differently.

Why no mention of raising minimum wage (perhaps I’ve overlooked it unless he is insisting we all get paid in shiny rocks in which case…NEAT!)

It must be nice to be a lofty academic living in an unreallistic shell and never having had to get his little handsies dirty in the real world.

As a dedicated Independent voter who has a strong antipathy toward the Democratic front runners and George W. Bush I can only hope that the Greens offer some better alternatives than this gentleman. The Oval Office is not simply a way to get off the unemployment rolls.

The alternative parties like the Greens and the Libertarians have the organization to give America viable candidates not beholden to the right wing status quo that dominates America in the guise of the Democrats and the Republicans but powerful thinkers with credible political and social experience is just a basic requirement for getting the attention of both the mainstream media and the majority population of America.

The alternative parties need to offer alternative candidates but not fringe candidates. Fringe candidates will only perpetuate the status quo it will never change it.

Today more than ever America needs alternatives to the policy offerings of the right wing Democrats and the extreme right wing Republicans. But policy offerings need to be solid and presented realistically not euphemisms that themselves require all Americans to change their personal choice of a way of life. Policy offerings that do require sacrifice of Americans must be proposed in ways that either compel people to want make the sacrifice clearly -a sacrifice for the greater good- or just as clearly a sacrifice to serve the most fundamental self interest of most individuals. None of these concepts seem to be clearly reflected in Mesplay’s goals and philosophy.