Alden H. Link, May 13, 1930 (New York, NY) -
VP candidate for Objectivist Party (2008, 2012)
Running mate with nominee (2008, 2012): Thomas Robert Stevens (1956-2019)
Popular vote (2008): 755 (0.00%)
Popular vote (2012): 4,091 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2008, 2012): 0/538
The campaign (2008):
Tom Stevens said he founded the Objectivist Party on Feb. 2, 2008, the birthday of the Party's muse and inspiration, Ayn Rand. An attorney, blogger, and reviewer of plays, Stevens had arrived at creating his party after a political journey that started with being a "reform Democrat," then very active Republican, then Libertarian, and Boston Tea Party, frequently with overlapping membership. He appeared to be a contentious character who had difficulty working within a party framework. In his Republican days he was actually indicted on a charge of employing a hit man to kill a rival Republican. The charges were dropped.
Stevens filed with the FEC for US President on June 14, 2008 under the Objectivist Party.
Alden Link of Newburgh, NY, the VP nominee, had originally filed with the FEC for US President as a Republican on Jan. 13, 2007. He had actually been campaigning since 2006 and had approached both the Republican and Libertarian parties but failed to generate much enthusiasm. In the case of the latter party, he had made a bid for the Presidential nomination. He was still running as an independent, according to his website, when he became the Objectivist Party running-mate at age 78. Like Stevens, Link had started his political activity as a Democrat.
Link's webpage included a thumbnail version of his platform--
Alden Link Stands For:
• Achieving Energy Independence
• Respecting Personal Choice
• Shrinking The Size Of Government
• Defending America
• Ending Illegal Immigration
• Exploring The Universe
• Fighting For Gay Rights
His pet issue was an enthusiastic support for expanding nuclear power as a way to achieve energy independence from oil. While campaigning in Iowa in Aug. 2006, Link proposed a government tax penalty on people deemed to be obese, which seemed to contradict his "respecting personal choice" plank.
Reporter Tim Logan of the Times Herald-Record described Link in an article on July 23, 2006--
Link is a longtime Newburgh businessman and developer. He's got thick machinist's hands, a nasal Brooklyn accent and the kind of twinkle in his eye that makes you wonder, just for a second, whether this is all a joke. He has no party, no campaign staff, no name recognition and, despite being one of the very first declared candidates for the 2008 presidential election, no real chance of actually being elected.
The Objectivist Party didn't really have an issue specific platform that I could find, but there was a "Statatement of Principles" based on Stevens' interpretation of Ayn Rand's writings--
I. INDIVIDUALS HAVE A RIGHT TO LIFE
All human beings have an individual right to life and are born with freedoms based upon this right. These freedoms include one's right to free thought, free action and the freedom to keep what is produced. It is the role of government to protect these rights, but to never encroach upon them. Living in society benefits man only if that society recognizes and protects these rights and freedoms.
II. INDIVIDUALS HAVE A RIGHT TO THEIR OWN THOUGHTS
All human beings have a right to their own thoughts and have the potential to use reason to realize their rational self-interest and to live productive lives. It is the role of government to protect an individual's right to think or act against the initiation of force by others.
III. INDIVIDUALS HAVE A RIGHT TO THEIR OWN PROPERTY
All human beings have a right to their own property and to keep what they produce. This includes the right and responsibility to decide what to do with all that is created. All individuals have a right to trade freely with others. No government should interfere with any transaction or trade between individuals.
IV. INDIVIDUALS HAVE A RIGHT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
All human beings have the right to protect themselves from any initiation of force against their rights or liberties. To enhance this individual right, citizens entrust to their government the right to protect them from domestic and foreign threats. As a result, it is a proper role of government to protect a nation's borders and to protect a nation's citizens from other people and/or governments.
On the ballot only in Colorado and Florida, the Stevens/Link ticket placed 11th in both states out of 16 and 14 respectively. In the event of their victory there would have been a Constitutional problem since both candidates seemed to be residents of the same state although at some point Link had an additional residence in Florida.
The campaign (2012):
Stevens and Link were nominated for a second run for the White House. The Objectivist Party convention took place in a couple St. Louis restaurants (one of them in a casino) in May, 2010.
Stevens founded the Personal Freedom Party on June 6, 2010, designed initially for the New York political scene. The platform included--
Legalization of Marijuana
Decriminalization of Prostitution
Legalization of Gambling
Lowering of the Voting Age
Legalization of Gay Marriage
Elimination of Excessive Taxation
Elimination of Excessive Regulation
A press release stated--
The Personal Freedom Party's main objective is to run a full slate of statewide candidates in 2014 and to obtain 50,000 votes for its gubernatorial nominee so the party can obtain "minor party" status under the election law of New York State.
On his personal blog Stevens posted, "On December 1, 2010, Alden Link was appointed Vice-Chair of the Personal Freedom Party. Alden Link is currently Chair of Hudson River Valley Libertarians (covering Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia & Greene counties in New York State). Hudson River Valley Libertarians is a chartered chapter of Empire State Libertarians."
However, Stevens filed for US President with the FEC on June 5, 2011 under the Objectivist Party rather than the Personal Freedom Party. Link, now 82, filled in as the running-mate for a second time.
At the same time Stevens was running for President he was also the campaign manager for Libertarian Presidential hopeful Carl Person. Stevens was let go from that position on Dec. 13, 2011 for various reasons including Person's disapproval of Stevens' support for decriminalization of bestiality. According to Stevens, Person was displeased when the Zoosexual community were alleged to have rallied around the slogan:
What can you do
If you're a Zoo?
Support Carl Person
He'll fight for you!
On Jan. 27, 2012, the NY branch of the Objectivist Party required the resignation of their treasurer after he revealed himself to be an unapologetic Christian. Dallwyn Merck (aka Allan Robert Hamilton) a member of the Governing Board made the comment--
Two incidents involving “conspicuous displays of ignorance” led to the Governing Board’s unanimous acceptance of the resignation of Ron Ramo as OPNY Treasurer. The first was his public statement that he could not attend an event of the Objectivist Party of New York because he would be “in church” at the time. The second was a blast text message he sent out to friends reading, “May the peace and love of God that abides in this Christmas season be with you in the New Year and the rest of your life”. Attempts to get assurances such incidences would not occur in the future were unsuccessful.
The Objectivist Party applies no litmus test with respect to who may join the party. Individuals who consider themselves nominally Christian or who have a general belief in God are welcome because the path to Objectivism is a journey and every person must travel it at their own pace. However, when an individual agrees to serve as an officer in one of the affiliates of the Objectivist Party, it sends the wrong message if that person engages in public displays of devotion to supernatural beings and/or belief in superstitions.
As our country rises above faith to embrace science and reason, the Objectivist Party is perfectly situated to lead our nation into a bright new future grounded in enlightened self-interest and purposeful living. Officers in affiliates of the Objectivist Party must reject mysticism and be an inspiration for all who look to the party to be an effective influence on cultural remnants that keep us tied to our past.
Some critics wondered if the Party was actually engaged in some kind of weird performance art, a rumor that Stevens himself seemed to encourage in comments made on the Independent Political Report--
Dr. Tom Stevens
February 1, 2012 at 23:40
I do love performance art. In fact, I view most people’s lives as performance art.
Two little know facts about me to encourage further speculation.
First, I was Baird Jones’ attorney (Baird Jones the party giver and performance art curator).
Second, I was the attorney who represented Baird Jones in his lawsuit to have the New York State law banning midget bowling overturned as being unconstitutional.
Of course, that was in a past life.
Dr. Tom Stevens
February 2, 2012 at 14:18
The usual practice was to strap a midget to a skateboard and roll him into bowling pins.
However, Baird Jones usually let the midget steer himself guided by a celebrity into plastic bowling pins. Little Mike Anderson was never harmed even though he had brittle bone disease.
Once again on the ballot only in Colorado and Florida, the ticket fared even worse in the former but in the Sunshine State they finished 6th out of 12 with 0.05% of the vote.
Election history:
1977 - White Plains, NY City Council - defeated
2008 - Republican nomination for US President - withdrew
2008 - US President (Independent) - withdrew
2008 - Libertarian Party nomination for US President - defeated
2010 - Lt. Governor of New York (Libertarian Party) - defeated
Other occupations: US Army, engineering, residential housing developer, manufacturer of wheat grass juicers
Notes:
Link has a pilot's license.
