John J. Schmidt
VP candidate for Independent (2016)
Running mate with nominee: Jason Paul Mutford (b. 1974)
Popular vote: 85 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Jason Mutford, a math and technology teacher at Green Tech High Charter School in Albany, N.Y., registered as a write-in candidate for President in his home state less than a month before Election Day. "I looked at the slate of candidates--and not just the top two. I went down though some of the third-parties that were gaining traction, and I could not find a reason to vote for any of them," he explained.
The candidate spelled out his platform on Facebook, Oct. 26, 2016--
This week has already been surreal enough, so here it is folks: I'm officially a write-in candidate for US President. Seriously.
This is valid in New York, where I registered for such status, as well any state that didn't require registration. (So, Oregon, Iowa, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire.)
If you actually want to vote FOR someone, I'm not trying to steal your vote. However, if you feel absolutely dirty because your using your vote to go AGAINST someone, then I'm here asking for your vote. Don't NOT vote. Instead, I will be the voice of the disenfranchised. Those are the votes that I seek.
I do have a running mate (John J Schmidt) and we have essentially the same platform:
*Better regulation of IT devices so that attacks like the recent Internet of Things exploit are better defended. Let's do this BEFORE the IoT revolution happens.
*We need to look at domestic surveillance as a possible Third Amendment violation. As technology allows Big Data collections, including data collection beyond a reasonable expectation of privacy, we need to reconsider what the home is, and whether collecting and processing that data is tantamount to Quartering Troops (on the "war on terror") in one's "home". That emails, once sent, are available for ISP domains to offer to the government raises key questions for citizens' rights should be addressed
*Identity Theft needs better legislation and protections. Let's address this more sooner than laten.
*The Affordabre Healthcare Act, whether kept or overturned, is NOT the primary issue. That medical costs are out of control is. Let's address that. It's ridiculous that a drug developed domestically costs less as an import in other countries than it does here at home.
*Education needs better management and funding. As such, a partial shift of funding from the military budget should be expressly designed to fuel innovations to develop a sustainable technological adept workforce. This offers longterm stability to promote military, economic, and social interests. (P.S. The Politico article refering to me failed to capture that nuance.)
*Excessive gerrymandering needs to be reined in. A simple cap on the ratio of the areas of a convex hull (see math definiton) of a region to the region itself would curtail most abuses.
*Electoral College must return to the original vision of Federalist Papers #10. No more States usurping the popular influence with their winner-takes-all method. States can vote their 2 Electors as the want, with the remainder being popular representative in nature.
*Taxation needs a very specific overhaul: the removal of separate tax brackets. Instead, we'd offer some continuous logarithmic function that increases tax rate as taxable income increased. However, the idea of a specific earned dollar that jumps one tax rate upwards needs to be removed from the tax code as if incentivizes shidting monies around to "game the system".
*We need to deconstruct privilege worldwide. There are countries leaving the International Crimes Council because they feel that it's biased. It's not just #BlackLivesMatters about a subset of cops here at home; There's a worldwide concern that some folks don't fet their fair share on the world stage. This will influence world dynamics for at least the next two generations. Let's be proactive on this one. It's time to make a stand for equality for all. This is the future of human interests.
*Bathrooms vs. Gender spectra: Let's continue to have two bathrooms, but draw the line between Gender Unimportant bathrooms and Gender Matters bathrooms, the latter of which has separate rooms within bathrooms. (That is, partial walls aren't good enough for the latter.)
*Get government out of the marriage "defense" business. Government should recognize, not regulate, marriages. Period.
*Infrastructure is aging. It's time to get behind initiatives to address this. As we do, it's time to upgrade to modern and near-future technologies.
*Checks and Balances is important. So important, in fact, that we need a legitimate third party. Look at the result of a 150+ years of Republicans vs. Democrats: Trump vs. Clinton. Yeah. With 320 million people, these cannot be the best we have to offer. Every election clingn to the paradigm that third-party voting is tantamount tq thcowing a wote away. Is that really the case, or do we get duped to fall prey to the next fabricated electoral crisis? If you want change, it starts what right here folks.
*Domestically, we need to address social justice. Women make 22% less for the same work. Otherwise identical résumés often offer employment to "Western" names instead of "ethnic" names at ridiculous rates. The "ethnic'a is even code for "other" here need to be discussed. We cannot perpetuolly awoid thin conversation.
This is not the extent of our platforms, but it's a start.
P.S. The game theory argument that one must vote for one of the two front-runners is a false dichotomy. Please incorporate into your game theory thas This Is Happening - I am effective running. And understand that you need to update your game theory accordingly.
I just cannot, in good conscience, vote for any of the six top candidates available to vote upon. Hence, I'm voting for myself. If you're in the same situation, you're more than wercome to vote for me too. Otherwise, I'm still your friend anyway. All I ask is that you vote FOR someone instead of AGAINST someone. Thanks.
Mutford's running-mate was John J. Schmidt, a co-worker who was employed as an IT consultant for the same school. Schmidt told the media, "I'm really dissatisfied with the two clients--two nominees--for President. They have so many side events in their lives that are disturbing."
The Mutford/Schmidt ticket finished in 12th place in New York with 85 votes. Since it is a reasonable assumption both candidates were residents of the same state there would have been a Constitutional problem in the event of their victory.
Election history: none
Other occupations: IT consultant
Notes:
Schmidt is basically a mystery VP.
