Karla Marie Ballard, April 21, 1971 (Philadelphia, Penn.) -
VP candidate for Independent (aka American Shopping Party aka Unaffiliated aka No Party aka Freedom and Prosperity Party aka Independence Party of New York) (2020)
Running mate with nominee: Brock Jeffrey Pierce (b. 1980)
Popular vote: 49,720 (0.03%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Until Brock Pierce had announced his Presidential run I had never heard of him before. And once I started to read about how the former child movie actor became a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist I realized why. You see, I'm a guy who still uses a flip phone that cannot connect to Internet or even accept emojis as valid characters. I belong to no social networks. Most of my vast movie collection is in VHS format. Until recently my car was from the 20th century (now I drive a 2002 Honda which can still play my cassette audio tapes!). I have no tattoos or piercings (obscure pun not intended). The world of Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and internet gaming is beyond the comprehension of my caveman brain.
Using the slogan "Brock the Vote," Pierce announced his intention to run and filed with the FEC as an Independent in early July, 2020. Karla Ballard was added in the FEC filing later in the month as his VP.
The Philadelphia-based Ballard was a fellow entrepreneur with an interesting family backstory, claiming to be related to the infamous US Vice-President Aaron Burr. As Ballard explained to one reporter, "For many years there was talk that we were related to Burr. When the show 'Hamilton' came out, we did DNA testing, and the findings confirmed that we are in fact related to him. The family is now comfortable with it, and the Aaron Burr Association has been welcoming. We even have his family bible!" I'm not sure that being related to Burr is the best salesmanship, but it is the kind of trivia I enjoy.
Pierce was not without political baggage. He had past ties with toxic criminals and con artists such as Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein. Pierce had survived and was cleared of allegations of child sexual abuse. He was also the subject of investigations on other legal matters. Most of his substantial political monetary contributions up to this point had been to Republicans such as Sen. Rubio, Sen. McCain, Gov. Perry, and tens of thousands to Trump's re-election effort as well as the Republican National Committee and National Right to Life Political Action Committee. This led to charges by some that Pierce was a ringer for Trump and his centrist Left rhetoric was designed to peel votes away from Biden.
In an interview with Pierce by The Daily Beast Sept. 23, 2020, the candidate inadvertently revealed he knew a lot more about technological innovation than he did about politics or government.
Pierce's platform as presented on his campaign webpage--
Re-legalizing Cannabis
We will pardon all individuals who have been charged with non-violent offenses related to cannabis and expunge their records.
We will work to end the prohibition of cannabis and fully legalize it.
We will reschedule cannabis to remove it from the DEA list of scheduled drugs and substances.
We will sign an executive order barring all federal agencies, particularly the Department of Justice, from pursuing any cases for crimes related to cannabis possession, use, or distribution.
We will renegotiate international treaties to facilitate the international and domestic legalization of cannabis.
Fiscal Policy
We will re-architect America’s economic and fiscal policies to benefit all Americans, rather than borrowing for the benefit of the elite.
We will balance America’s budget for the benefit of future generations.
We will implement regulations that open the financial markets to innovation that will provide alternative lending solutions.
We will work to end deficit spending and begin the process of eliminating the federal debt.
Universal Earned Income
We will establish a Universal Earned Income (UEI) for all Americans.
Universal Earned Income will be provided in equal amounts to every American as a monthly stipend.
Universal Earned Income will be funded by restructuring government programs and changing the structure of federal taxation to address the current gross misallocation of resources at the national level.
Universal Earned Income guarantees that all Americans will have their essential needs met as members of America’s political and economic system.
UEI will allow Americans to pursue work and careers that inspire them while increasing the value of their work and creating further abundance for all.
Healthcare
We will ensure affordable and effective healthcare for all Americans.
We will redesign America’s healthcare system to create win-win scenarios for companies and people through preventive care and treatments at reduced cost.
We will provide government grants for the development of technologies that allow our society to protect human life and prevent the unnecessary spread of Covid-19 and other diseases.
We will provide ethical and moral regulatory frameworks for the development of tools serving the interests of national healthcare, such as mental health reporting and contact tracing.
We will provide a non-emergency national mental health support line to make mental health services and support accessible to all Americans.
Criminal Justice Reform
We will end the “War on Drugs”
We will end asset forfeiture without a court order.
We will require police departments to have more transparent recruiting, longer, and more thorough training programs, as well as malpractice insurance.
We will require the use of body-cams by police while on duty.
We will require alternative emergency response options for non-violent incidents.
Technology & AI
We will ensure that America’s government is effectively educated in and able to govern current technologies for the benefit of all Americans.
We will use automation and AI to benefit all Americans.
We will ensure that suitable consumer devices and network access are provided to those who otherwise could not access the Internet.
We will ensure network neutrality and bar providers from blocking or slowing Internet content or offering “fast lanes”.
We will give Americans the right to opt out of non-essential, commercial uses of their data.
U.S. Currency Strategy
We will engage in actions to increase America’s economic liquidity.
We will ensure the highest level of transparency possible in our financial systems.
We will improve relations with all nations, including China and Russia.
We will ensure that the United States keeps pace with the emergence of digital currencies, including those from abroad.
We will ensure the healthy growth of America’s economy to the benefit of all Americans.
Your Body is Yours
We will ensure that adults have the sole right to grant or withhold consent to add things to their bodies.
We will ensure that adults have the sole right to grant or withhold consent to remove things from their body.
We will work to ensure that both explicit and implicit slavery are made illegal.
In the course of the campaign Pierce received the endorsement and/or nomination of the American Shopping Party and the Independence Party of New York.
On the ballot in 16 states with some added registered write-ins, the Pierce/Ballard ticket had their strongest results in Wyoming (0.79%), Idaho (0.32%), New York (0.26%), Alaska (0.23%), District of Columbia and Hawaii (0.20% each), Arkansas and Utah (0.18% each), Kentucky and Minnesota (0.17% each), and Oklahoma (0.16%). In Wyoming they finished in 4th place. Nationally they were 9th, behind the rapidly declining Constitution Party and ahead the equally rapidly rising American Solidarity Party.
In the fall of 2020 Pierce announced his intention to start a future new third party. In May 2021 he reflected, "I achieved everything that I was attempting to achieve: to understand the mechanics of the system. I didn't have a political background. There are a lot of ways to enter politics, a lot of ways that are probably safer and cheaper. But I chose to do the most accelerated version, which is to just go run for an elected office on a national platform, to understand what it takes. I viewed it as basic training."
Election history: none
Other occupations: entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of YING, board member of Alliance for Women in Media, board member of Northern Virginia Community College, speaker, president of the National Urban League Young Professionals
Notes:
aka Karla Ballard Williams.
