Ricky Johnson, December 7, 1954 (Sharon, Penn.) -
VP candidate for Independent (2008)
VP candidate for Independent (aka Non Affiliated, Nonparty) (2012)
VP candidate for Independent (aka Non Affiliated, Nonparty, Unaffiliated) (2016)
Running mate with nominee (2008, 2012, 2016): Richard Austin Duncan (b. 1953)
Popular vote (2008): 3,905 (0.00%)
Popular vote (2012): 12,558 (0.01%)
Popular vote (2016): 24,306 (0.02%)
Electoral vote (2008, 2012, 2016): 0/538
The campaign (2008):
Richard Duncan of Aurora, Ohio was making his second run for the Presidency in 2008. His 2004 running-mate, Robert C. Culbertson, was named in the early nominating petitions but was replaced by Ricky Johnson of the Sharon/Farrell, Penn. area. Johnson explained, "He was looking for someone closer to Ohio. He made a few calls and I was the only one to call him back."
Johnson was a pastor and an entrepreneur in 2008.
The campaign was a low-budget, low visibility affair as Duncan chose to electioneer person to person rather than accept big donations and hit the media market.
Apparently Duncan did operate a campaign webpage, but the Cleveland Plain Dealer shot him some short attention span questions that spelled out some of his policies:
A quick one-word answer, good or bad, for the following issues:
Offshore drilling?
Good.
Wall street bailout?
Bad.
Roe vs. Wade?
Good.
Gay marriage?
Bad.
The "Dancing With the Stars" phenomenon?
Don't know what it is.
The Duncan/Johnson ticket actually made the ballot in Ohio, where they placed 7th out of 8 with 0.07%.
The campaign (2012):
Duncan's third run in 2012 once again had Johnson on the ticket. This time he had put together a campaign webpage and gave us this news: "I have practiced real estate sales under my license I have held since 1976, worked for the U.S. Postal Service, worked as a security guard and have invested in rental dwellings. I remodeled a home into my current campaign headquarters in commercial area in Middlefield Village."
The was no mention of Johnson at all on the webpage.
Here is Duncan's 2012 platform--
My Platform
One of my top priorities is homeland security vs. terrorism and the resolution of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe militarily and strategically it is beneficial to be in that region to monitor terrorism, but the cost of lives and tax dollars must be curtailed drastically, or at least attempted to be cut back. I believe we must maintain a presence in these areas to prevent safeheavens for terrorist groups from building up as recently occurred prior to September 11th, 2011. However, we must try to prevent invasions of these countries where we are left with the task of nation rebuilding. We as Americans have a nation building chore in the U.S. which I will highlight below.
Federal Jobs and Economic Boost Act (The Duncan Plan)
Secondly, the goal of creating new jobs and preserving the ones we have in this country is crucial to me. I believe I am equipped to take on this goal due to my aforementioned qualifications, training and background in city planning principles. The public benefits are immense (social, economic, moral) from the governmental actions, means or tools which I detail below:
The major tool I would use is to propose rehabilitation projects for American cities. I would propose legislation that would target large scale distressed or blighted urban areas that have substandard housing and overcrowded conditions. Such areas will be proximate to existing central business districts. A federal or state board will administer such projects. These projects would be guided by carefully executed development plans, a common exercise of urban planning.
Corporations and businesses will be aggressively sought to locate there-in, and will benefit financially from various inducements such as favorable land prices or leases, tax breaks, etc (as previously mentioned, I attended a seminar on these industrial development programs).
However, they would be required to:
1) Employ only documented US citizens at reasonable wages, and
2) Offer health care plans to its employees at reasonable terms.
In addition to replacing these run-down areas with new industrial and commerce parks; new schools and parks, new utilities, infrastructure, streets, and affordable housing will be built. These new communities (similar to the ones I studied during my Master's Degree training) will become more beautiful, healthy, spacious, well-balanced, and carefully patrolled. Improved transportation systems will be implemented within, and high-speed rail projects (similar to what I experienced in Europe) will connect the projects state-wide.
The green movement will be integrated within each project, and the environment will be protected. Energy savings in gasoline will result due to the close proximity of jobs to housing and mass transit.
In addition to the added employment opportunities, health care plans, and the improved physical design and live-ability of our urban areas which will result from these projects, our governmental budget will move further towards being balanced.
Due to the resulting economic rejuvenation, property tax values in these areas will rise, and this money can be used for the school systems. Additional taxes can be collected and devoted to the government's general revenue funds from the worker's incomes (income taxes), from sales taxes, use taxes, corporate and franchise taxes, and other miscellaneous taxes.
A further budgetary advantage of such projects is that by putting people to work (and thus providing families with income), expenditures to the government social agencies will be cut (for example, in Ohio the Department of Job and Family Services is allocated 20 billion dollars for 2010).
Medicaid and medical charity assistance opportunities (as mentioned earlier, corporations will be required to provide health care), housing assistance, and welfare and unemployment programs should be reduced.
By providing people with jobs, this should help to reduce crime and reduce prison populations, thus reducing appropriations to our judicial/correction systems.
The United States Supreme Court has consistently upheld the power of the US legislatures to enact and implement such projects as long as the public purpose is reasonably advanced (aforementioned Kelo v New London case).
An obstacle to these projects will be overcoming many state laws which hinder such projects by confining them to severely blighted areas (Ohio's SB 167). I believe a judicial challenge could overturn or mitigate Ohio's law.
The City of Kent, Ohio, has taken a lead with the Kent Transit Plan in its downtown area, which is an admirable example of such a project, in an area of non-blighted conditions. I urge all Americans and City Planners to visit Kent, Ohio and experience the fabulous job the Government and the citizens have partaken in in a joint public and private partnership to improve our future. .
In summation, I will use 3 main tools to boost and revitalize America's job and economic conditions:
Tool 1- Launching major urban renewal projects in our major cities. These will be targeted to crime and blighted areas closely accessible to our central business districts and involve high density projects.
Tool 2- Commencing an aggressive industrial or business development program which encourages corporations, etc., to locate in these revamped areas.
Tool 3- Improving intra-city public transportation systems with links between cities by a high-speed rail system similar to those I experienced in Europe.
Equal Education
A third issue of concern to me is to assure equal opportunities for all children to receive an education. Despite ones present status, if they want to invest the effort, their American dream must be an achievable vision!!!!!!
In regards to improving school finances, I would like to investigate whether recommendations from the DeRolph v State of Ohio Ohio Supreme Court cases on school funding have been followed. Although improvements likely have been made, I would like to be assured that property taxes can no longer be the primary means of providing the finances for a thorough and efficient system of schools.
Ohio's new evidenced-based funding plan needs to be thoroughly examined.
Other Issues
Other issues of concern to me are:
A firm and fair immigration policy which deters illegal crossings of our borders. If a need is shown to increase the quotas for a particular nationality of people, this should be reviewed, but jobs for our citizens and our budgets should not suffer (tax dollars on health care and schooling for illegals). Employees should be penalized if they hire these non-U.S. employees.
The continued development of alternative energy sources, particularly exploring our resources on and off shore. Careful attention will be committed to preserving our treasured natural resources.
Providing a national health care program for the middle class who need it most.
Restoring morals in our country, preserving the right to life, and maintaining God and the right to religion as constitutionally possible.
.Our federal deficit will be firmly addressed as covered above which may also include spending cuts in areas of government which are repetitive and wasteful. Cuts in tax rates will likely occur to help spur the economy by giving citizens and small businesses more money to invest. We can no longer put our expenses on our childrens credit cards!!!!!!!!!
The Duncan/Johnson ticket once again made the ballot in Ohio, where they placed 5th out of 7 with 0.22% of the vote. Duncan was also a write-in in a dozen more states. Nationally the ticket placed 10th.
The campaign (2016):
In 2016 again Duncan ran for President and again there was no mention of his running-mate Ricky Johnson on the campaign webpage.
Duncan's 2016 webpage greets the reader with: I WILL BE ON OHIO'S PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT 2016. I NOW HAVE AVAILABLE MY BOOK ENTITLED "I RANKED 10TH IN THE NATION IN TOTAL PRESIDENTIAL VOTES IN 2012 ON A $5000 DOLLAR BUDGET".
Duncan's 2016 platform was more hawkish than the previous election--
MY PRESIDENTIAL PLATFORM
1. HOMELAND SECURITY AND TERRORISM
We as a country must maintain a strong position worldwide.I believe the current strategy in force of a continual offensive bombing is productive. The May 2, 2016 publication of Barron's reported that the coalition currently in force to defeat ISIS has retaken 6 major cities in Syria and Iraq and by late "2017... the Islamic State will reduced to some roving guerrilla bands riding around Syria". We must be careful not to kill innocent people who are caught in the middle of this situation. Many terrorist criminals which misuse the wording of the Q'uron to justify their actions must be dealt with as criminals. The Muslum followers of Islam are not the problem. If we must intensify our efforts and go into a country to correct abuses we must assure we stabilize the situation so that vacuums are not left for terrorists to strengthen such as happened in Iraq(which later spread to Syria). ISIS is the terrible consequence which has resulted from this misguided strategy. The members of these terrorist groups are taught that America is trying to impose western values on their countries. This is not true as in most cases the USA has good intentions. We must increase military spending which will be possible from my below detailed Job and Economic Act.
2.FEDERAL JOBS AND ECONOMIC BOOST ACT(THE DUNCAN PLAN OR FJEBA).
The goal of creating new jobs and preserving the ones we have in this country is crucial to everyone. I will do this by developing ZONES OR GEOGRAPHIC AREAS throughout the nation. Within these zones industries and businesses will be encouraged to locate therein by giving them incentives such as tax breaks and reduced rent or land cost prices. However, in return they must hire our U.S. citizens at a good wage and provide health care coverage. Certain provisions of Obama care will be preserved to provide health care for the truly who need it. These areas will be targeted toward brownfield or distressed sites which are in need of rehabilitation. The corporations will benefit by the above stated cost savings. Such savings will allow the corporations to stop outsourcing their labor costs to Asian countries. This movement has recently been called reshoring. These corporations who participate in this deed for our Nation will be highly praised! These areas will be exhibited by a multiple amount of planning elements which will benefit our Nation; green areas, affordable housing; and in particular the emphasis will be on compact high density developments that eliminate the sprawl issues we have experienced in the last 50 plus years(air pollution and energy costs created by automobile commuting). Commercial areas and parks and schools will round out these areas which will provide beautiful, healthy, spacious, well-balanced and carefully developed districts. The U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Kelo v. New London has upheld the power of governments to implement economic development plans like these for the benefit of the public. These incentives to bring corporations to these zones will be financed by cost savings to the government which will accrue therefrom, for example, increased property tax evaluations will benefit the local schools; increased sales taxes will flow from the commerce activity which will accrue to these areas; increased income taxes will result from the increase in payrolls in the designated areas; also there will be a reduced dependence on the entitlement programs such as welfare; medicaid, medicare and section 8 as citizens will be given jobs so they can pay their own expenses rather then to continue devastating our federal debt. Jail and judicial system costs will be lowered because when people are working crime will be a less attractive option as they will have their own money. The social security problem will also be helped as more workers will be paying into the program.
AN EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM will be constructed between these areas with the emphasis on high speed rail systems as I rode in Europe and in China. An improved freight rail system will be implemented. Within these areas efficient transit and bus systems will be built with the intent to reduce automobile dependence with its emissions problems. Finally, these areas cannot come to fruition unless there is an aggressive INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM that will solicit or market these areas.
MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES.
3. Term limits to about a 10 year term will be mandated for Congress in order to eliminate the career politicians which are looking out for lobbyists and special interests and their own pocketbooks rather than the U.S. citizens future. These politicians portray that they are out for the people but much of what they do out of the public eye is to assure they get re-elected.
4. A fourth issue of concern to me is to assure equal opportunities for all children to receive an education. Despite what economic or social status one is born into, it is important for everyone to improve their quality of life if they so choose.
5. A firm and fair immigration policy will be implemented which deters illegal crossings of our borders. Fences will be built in the high traffic areas and employers will be highly fined for hiring illegals. Quota policies will be reviewed to allow for needed workers in various sectors but our jobs will not be stolen by illegal immigrants.
6. Alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power will be aggressively sought and off-shore drilling will be increased, but with a careful eye on the environment.
7. The morals in our country will be preserved with the pro life movement and maintaining the right to worship a God of ones choice. I am a member of the First United Methodist Church but I respect all religions.
8. Tax cuts similar to "Reaganomics" will be implemented to spur the economy and our federal deficit will be addressed by the above stated cost savings and a tax increase on the top 2 percent of Americans who can afford to pay more.
9. Our Constitutional freedoms will be preserved such as gun rights(I am against gun free zones),unreasonable searches and seizures, free speech, free market trade and religious choice. Privacy may have to be sacrificed accordingly due to the terrorists recent use of cell phones and similar computer technology.
Duncan's numbers continued to climb with each election, doubling the 2012 result and coming in 9th nationally. They were on the ballot once again in Ohio (0.44%) and write-ins in 11 states.
Election history: local offices in the Sharon and Farrell, Penn. area.
Other occupations: restaurant promoter, pastor, entrepreneur
Notes:
Duncan is running again in 2020 but with a different VP.
