Joshua Paul Franke-Hyland

 

Joshua Paul Franke-Hyland, January 21, 1974 (Grants Pass, Or.) -

VP candidate for Independent (aka Constitutional Party aka Constitutional Government Party aka Non Affiliated) (2012)

Running mate with nominee: Dean Daniel Morstad (b. 1974)
Popular vote: 1,094 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Dean Morstad of St. Paul, Minn. filed with the FEC for US President on Nov. 29, 2011. Probably best described as libertarian centrist, he was very thorough in outlining his proposed Presidential agenda on his campaign website. His stand in the issues included--

against government bailouts for corporations -- withdraw the United States government from the Federal Reserve system -- immediate freeze on all work visas -- the debt ceiling will be FROZEN under Dean Morstad’s administration -- phase out all medical programs at the Federal level -- the US government will ban the use of Depleted Uranium in United States weapons, and sign international treaties banning the use of these weapons internationally -- Dean will work with Congress to abolish all corporate subsidies and tax exemptions -- as the US draws down military forces abroad, they will be redeployed along the US borders -- Dean Morstad will work with Congress to repeal all Federal education laws and mandates, eventually shutting down the Department of Education and all Education funding programs in his fourth year -- we will phase out nuclear technology over the next 7 years -- the US will place a moratorium on ‘fracking’ practices pending an exhaustive investigation into safety concerns -- with respect to Global Warming, the United States needs to invest in direct research in climate modeling -- Dean will work with Congress to establish a scientific consensus on the definition of Life and when life begins and frame US legislation within that definition -- the power to decide the definition of marital status shall be left to the People to decide at the state level -- the withdrawal of all foreign aid and foreign loans -- Tariff policies should exist to support and encourage US industry and agriculture and to maintain balance with foreign subsidies -- oppose the death penalty -- support conceal and carry legislation and would work with Congress to repeal any Federal programs which track the purchase or ownership of guns.

In a rarity for Presidential candidates, Morstad outlined his specific timetable for his first term--


The Plan

Dean outlines his four-year plan to restore America to the People

Year 1

    Freeze the US debt ceiling
    Bring the troops home to protect the US borders
    End rendition policies, close overseas detention facilities – bring all terror suspects back to US for trial in US Judicial system
    Enact a flat rate tax of 15% for corporations and individuals
    End all subsidies of commodities in concert with tariff changes
    Place a moratorium on work visas
    Halt stimulus spending and corporate bail-outs, end the Presidents Working Group on Markets
    Order end to Federal Reserve “Emergency”/”Bail-out” loans.  Order repayment of 50% of loans to Federal Reserve within 36 months
    Balance US budget to match US tax receipts
    Halt all foreign aid/loans – excluding UN payments
    Withdraw US from World Bank and IMF
    Repeal the Patriot Act
    Ban future Social Security Trust Fund purchases of US Treasury debt
    Recognize Palestine on 1947 UN borders
    Normalize relations with Iran and pursue peaceful nuclear technologies under the terms of the NNPT
    Work with Congress to establish a United States Central Bank restricted from fractional reserve banking, charging interest, or foreign or corporate lending
    Abolish no-bid contracts for US Government departments and agencies
    Aggressively investigate and litigate fraud in US banking and investment sector
    Ban corporate influence at DOE, USDA, FDA and EPA

Year 2

    Pay down $200 Billion in US debt (and lower US debt ceiling by $200 Billion)
    Implement a flat rate tax for corporations and individuals without deductions
    Reduce military budget by 10%
    Allow opt-out option for Social Security, Medicare and “Obamacare”
    Order repayment of 50% of remaining loans to Federal Reserve within 24 months
    Reform corporate regulations to reduce complexity and eliminate loopholes
    Reduce 10% and eliminate 20% of US government agencies
    Decriminalize drugs under the Controlled Substances Act

Year 3

    Pay down $200 Billion in US debt (and lower US debt ceiling by $200 Billion)
    Reduce 10% and eliminate 10% of US government agencies
    Restore federal parks and forests to state agencies
    Work with Congress and the States to repeal the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution
    Eliminate the department of Education
    Reduce military budget by 10%

Year 4

    Pay down $200 Billion in US debt (and lower US debt ceiling by $200 Billion)
    Reduce 10% and eliminate 10% of US government agencies
    Set roadmap for continued re-payment of US debt
    Withdraw the United States government from the Federal Reserve system – repeal the Federal Reserve Act of 1913
    Restore Execute Executive Order 11110 to issue silver certificates
    Reduce military budget by 10%
    lift moratorium on work visas

Morstad proposed eliminating a number of agencies that he felt were not mandated by the Constitution and could be instead the responsibility of the states. Here is a partial list--

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
African Development Foundation
Amtrak
Appalachian Regional Commission
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program

Broadcasting Board of Governors
|–> Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN)
|–> Radio Free Asia (RFA)
|–> Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
Commission on Fine Arts
Commission on International Religious Freedom
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission)
Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Corporation for National and Community Service
|–> AmeriCorps
Defense Acquisition University
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Delaware River Basin Commission
Denali Commission
Endangered Species Committee
Farm Credit Administration
Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Federal Geographic Data Committee
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac)
Federal Housing Finance Agency
Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds
Federal Labor Relations Authority
Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer
Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae)
Federal Reserve System
|–> Federal Reserve Consumer Help
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
Federal Voting Assistance Program
Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae)
Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation
Holocaust Memorial Museum
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Institute of Peace (Note: As much as I would like to keep this agency, the Constitution provides for the government to insure domestic Tranquility, not international Tranquility)
Inter-American Foundation
International Trade Administration (ITA) (The Federal Government is tasked with regulating commerce with foreign nations, but not promoting commerce)
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
Japan-United States Friendship Commission
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (Article 2, Section 1 of the US Constitution says that the President must take an oath, not that we throw him a party.  We don’t throw a party for the State of the Union speech, it is televised.  We can do the same for the Inauguration.)
Joint Fire Science Program
Legal Services Corporation
Library of Congress
|–> Federal Library and Information Center Committee
|–> National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare
Marine Mammal Commission
Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission [NOTE: As Medicaid and other federal health care programs are phased out, this agency will be eliminated in that process.]
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission [NOTE: As Medicaid and other federal health care programs are phased out, this agency will be eliminated in that process.]
Millennium Challenge Corporation
Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) [NOTE: There are on-going missions within NASA and the administration should be funded sufficiently to support such on-going missions, but no new missions or projects should be funded by the Federal Government.]
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
National Council on Disability (NCD)
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
National Interagency Fire Center
National Labor Relations Board
National Park Foundation [Note: This agency can be combined with the National Park Service]
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK)
National Science Foundation
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
Office of Compliance
Office of Director of National Intelligence [This position will remain under the White House]
|–> Office of National Counterintelligence Executive [Eliminate]
Open World Leadership Center
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Peace Corps
Presidio Trust [Note: This entire complex is self-funding and should be given to the people of the state of California]
Selective Service System (SSS) [The States are responsible for maintaining a militia and they should also have their own processes for organizing and calling up members of their respective state militia]
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Smithsonian Institution [Note: Congress will need to determine how the assets of the Smithsonian Institution will be transferred to the States.]
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Social Security Advisory Board
State Justice Institute
Stennis Center for Public Service
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Susquehanna River Basin Commission [Note: I recommend the Federal Government withdraw from the compact and return all federal lands in the Susquehanna River Basin to the people of the appropriate member States.]
Tennessee Valley Authority [Note: This agency is self-funded.  The assets should be put into a corporate trust, which would be owned and managed by the citizens of the States that are the primary consumers of TVA electricity.]
U.S. AbilityOne Commission
U.S. Access Board
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
U.S. Arctic Research Commission
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

U.S. Courts
|–> U.S. Tax Court [Note: There will be no need for a Tax Court if we repeal the 16th Amendment and abolish the Internal Revenue Service.]

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
|–> Agricultural Marketing Service
|–> Agricultural Research Service
|–> Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
|–> Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP)
|–> Economic Research Service
|–> Farm Service Agency
|–> Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
|–> Foreign Agricultural Service
|–> Forest Service
|–> Marketing and Regulatory Programs (Agriculture Department)
|–> National Institute of Food and Agriculture
|–> Natural Resources Conservation Service
|–> Risk Management Agency (RMA)
|–> Rural Business and Cooperative Programs
|–> Rural Development
|–> Rural Housing Service
|–> Rural Utilities Service

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)
|–> Bureau of Industry and Security
|–> Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
|–> Economic Development Administration (EDA)
|–> Minority Business Development Agency
|–> National Technical Information Service

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
|–> Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) [Eliminate]
|   |–> National Intelligence University
|–> Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)
|–> Defense Technical Information Center
|–> Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
|–> Economic Adjustment Office
|–> Missile Defense Agency (MDA) [NOTE: I would call for the retirement, dismantling and disposal of the U.S. stockpile of ballistic missiles)
|--> National Defense University [Eliminate]
|   |–> Industrial College of the Armed Forces (School for National Security and Resource Strategy)
|   |–> Information Resource Management College
|   |–> National War College
|–> National Reconnaissance Office
|–> National Security Agency (NSA)
|–> U.S. Army
|   |–> Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) (School of the Americas)
|   |–> U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

U.S. Department of Education (ED) [Eliminate]
|–> The Education Publications Center (EDPUBS)
|–> Federal Interagency Committee on Education
|–> Institute of Education Sciences
|   |–> Information Resources Center
|–> Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education
|–> Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)
|–> Office of English Language Acquisition
|–> Office of Federal Student Aid
|   |–> Federal Student Aid Information Center
|–> Office of Innovation and Improvement
|–> Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE)
|–> Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
|–> Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
|–> Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board [Eliminate after banning nuclear power]
|–> Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
|–> National Laboratories
|–> National Nuclear Security Administration [Eliminate after all nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors have been dismantled and destroyed]
|–> Oak Ridge National Laboratory
|–> Office of Fossil Energy
|–> Office of Nuclear Energy [Eliminate after banning nuclear power]
|–> Office of Science
|–> Office of Scientific and Technical Information
|–> Power Administrations [Note: There are many utilities owned by the Federal Government under these four Administrations.  They should be given to multi-state boards that can set policies for the utilities.]
|   |–> Bonneville Power Administration
|   |–> Southeastern Power Administration
|   |–> Southwestern Power Administration
|   |–> Western Area Power Administration
|–> Public Affairs

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
|–> Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
|–> Administration for Children and Families (ACF) [Eliminate]
|   |–> Administration for Native Americans
|   |–> Administration on Developmental Disabilities
|   |–> Child Welfare Information Gateway
|   |–> Office of Refugee Resettlement
|–> Administration on Aging (AoA) [Eliminate]
|   |–> Eldercare Locator
|–> AIDS.gov
|–> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
|   |–> Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
|   |–> CDC National STD Hotline
|–> Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
|–> Health Resources and Services Administration
|–> HHS-TIPS Fraud Hotline
|–> Indian Health Service
|–> National Health Information Center
|–> National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
|–> National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
|–> National Institutes of Health (NIH)
|   |–> Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Interagency Coordinating Committee
|–> National Runaway Switchboard (NRS)
|–> Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE)
|–> President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) [Eliminate]
|–> Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US CERT)
|–> Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
|–> Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
|–> Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) [Eliminate]
|–> Community Planning and Development
|–> Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO)
|–> Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Office
|–> Housing Office (HUD) [Eliminate]
|   |–> Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
|–> Office of Multifamily Housing
|–> Office of Policy Development and Research
|–> Office of Public and Indian Housing

U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)
|–> Bureau of Land Management [NOTE: This agency should be eliminated once all federal lands are returned to the states]
|–> Bureau of Reclamation [Note: All assets of the Bureau should be turned over to the control of multi-state agencies.  Each agency will be comprised of member states which have interests in the resources under control of this agency.]
|–> Federal Consulting Group
|–> Indian Arts and Crafts Board
|–> National Park Service [ELIMINATE and return all federal lands to the States for management]
|   |–> Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission
|–> Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
|–> U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [ELIMINATE]
|   |–> Migratory Bird Conservation Commission

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
|–> Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
|–> Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
|–> Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
|–> Office of Justice Programs [ELIMINATE]
|   |–> National Institute of Justice
|   |–> Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
|–> Bureau of International Labor Affairs
|–> Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
|–> Employment and Training Administration
|–> Job Corps
|–> Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
|–> Office of Disability Employment Policy

U.S. Department of State
|–> Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
|–> Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs
|–> Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
|–> Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
|–> Federal Transit Administration
|–> Maritime Administration
|–> National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
|–> Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA)

U.S. Department of the Treasury
|–> Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [ELIMINATE]
|   |–> Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries
|–> Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)
|–> Taxpayer Advocacy Panel [Note: This agency will only be eliminated once the IRS is eliminated.]

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
|–> Energy Star Program
|–> National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
|–> National Pesticide Information Center

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB)
U.S. Trade and Development Agency

White House
|–> Council of Economic Advisers
|–> Council on Environmental Quality
|–> Office of National AIDS Policy

He attained ballot status in Minnesota and a bureaucratic glitch resulted in some confusion over his political party--

Oct. 17, 2012

I have gotten several questions about which party I belong to.  To answer the question, I am a truly independent candidate (according to the wikipedia definition). I am not affiliated with any political party.  I don’t belong to a political party; and no political party nominated or endorsed me.

If you look at my FEC Form 2 filing, I list my party as “Independent”.  Several publications rightfully identify me as an independent candidate.  The Minnesota Daily got their information correct, as did the Nashua Telegraph – and others.  Politics1 also gets my label correct.

Where does the confusion come from?  On the MN Secretary of State candidate filing page, they list my “Political Party” as “Constitutional Government”.  This information came from the Presidential Candidate nomination papers [PDF] on the Secretary of State website.

The nominating petition asks the candidate to list their “political party of principle, in no more than three words.”  I listed my political principle as “Constitutional Government”.  By this, I declared to the voters of Minnesota that I am running on the basis of federal and state governments operating within the strict limitations outlined in the Constitution.

However, on the Minnesota Secretary of State candidate page, they don’t identify that the field from the nominating petition could represent a political party OR a political principle.

The Green Papers list my party as “Constitutional” on the MN candidates list – based on the information from the Minnesota Secretary of State website.  However, they rightfully list me as an Independent candidate on their filing page based on my FEC filing.

Though the information from the Secretary of State’s website has been picked up by other news sources.  And to their credit some of the authors have taken notice of the correction regarding my party status.

Morstad's running-mate was someone who was a fellow student back in his high school days, according to one news account. The VP's biography was supplied on the campaign website--

As announced on January 30, 2012, Josh Franke-Hyland joined the Morstad for President ticket as the Vice President candidate.

Josh says, “I am running for office to support Dean Morstad’s write in candidacy. There are many reasons why I agreed to run. This election I learned more about the process and more about challenges to a representative democracy than in all previous elections. Dean and I agree on the majority of the issues and I believe that Dean has the character and fortitude to see appropriate resolutions to these issues during a four year term. I know that my concerns are not the concerns of the Republican or Democratic Parties. If elected I look forward to assisting Mr. Morstad in meeting the objectives of our campaign. I will work to keep our campaign pledge during the 4 year term by discouraging ‘mission creep’ and the influence of special interest groups.”

Josh is 38 years old. He was born in [PNW Trivia Alert!!!] Grants Pass, OR, and adopted by Christine Franke and Mike Hyland.  He attended US Army occupational or technical schools for Logistics, Intelligence and Civil Military Operations.

Joshua Franke-Hyland holds a strong commitment to family.  He is married to Ruth Slater and has one 12 year old son from his previous marriage.  As a father and a husband, he understands the challenges that American families face today.  Josh is a member of the Roman Catholic church.

Josh has served his country through active duty military service.  He served on active duty in San Antonio TX.  He is currently serving as an enlisted soldier in the IIR, and served for approximately 21 months in Afghanistan as an Army Reserve Civil Affairs Soldier. Most recently, he worked overseas in support of the US Army as a civilian contractor.  Through his military experience, Josh understands the challenges faced by our country in the international arena.

Morstad was on the ballot in Minnesota finishing 8th out of 10 with 0.04% of the vote in that state. He was also a registered write-in in 8 additional states. He made a few comments that he might run again in 2016 but it did not come to pass.

Election history: none

Other occupations: US Army, civilian military contractor

Notes:
For reasons that are not clear, the Presidential ticket of Joseph Andrew Jensen/Joe Henry made a deliberate point of telling voters NOT to vote for Morstad. Jensen was apparently a co-worker of Morstad's.

Albion Williamson Knight Jr.

Albion Williamson Knight Jr., June 1, 1924 (Jacksonville, Fla.) - May 22, 2012 (Gaithersburg, Md.)

VP candidate for US Taxpayers Party (aka Taxpayers Party aka Amercan Independent Party aka Independent Voters Party aka Independent American Party of Nevada aka American Party) (1992)

VP candidate for US Taxpayers Party (aka Taxpayer Party aka Constitutional Party aka Independent) (1996)

Running mate with nominee (1992, 1996): Howard Jay Phillips (1941-2013)
Popular vote (1992): 33,585 (0.03%)
Popular vote (1996): 41,996 (0.04%)
Electoral vote (1992, 1996): 0/538

The campaign (1992):

If the old saying that religious converts turn into the most zealous believers is true, Howard Phillips might serve as a case study. Raised in the Jewish faith, he converted and became an evangelical Protestant as an adult in the 1970s and founded the US Taxpayers Party, known today as the Constitution Party.

Phillips had been a loyal Republican Party foot soldier and eventually worked in the Nixon administration as the director of two agencies but resigned due to what he perceived as the liberal drift of his party. It was during the era when the Watergate scandal was unraveling, so Phillips' timing was excellent for the purposes of finding an alternative. He briefly identified himself as a Democrat and ran for the US Senate as such.

As he felt no satisfaction with either major party, Phillips founded the Conservative Caucus in 1974. By the 1980s-early 1990s even the Reagan and Bush administrations were too liberal as well as fiscally irresponsible for him. He supported the Libertarian Party in the 1988 election but felt they were much too permissive in their social policies. In the meantime he had been busy networking with other conservative activists and in 1991 served as a co-founder of the US Taxpayers Party. Unlike the major parties, the US Taxpayers Party was more of a confederation than a union.

Phillips was the USTP Presidential nominee in 1992, his first of three runs. His running mate was Albion W. Knight, Jr., a retired US Army Brigadier General who resigned from his position as an Archbishop of the United Episcopal Church of North America in order to run. Phillips had two other VPs, Stephen C. Graves in Louisiana and Robert Tisch in Michigan.

The US Taxpayers Party made it to the ballot under variations of that name in 14 states. In addition some older political parties climbed on board and endorsed the USTP. The Independent American Party of Nevada (no relation to the national Independent American Party) had Phillips/Knight on their ballot line. Parts of two rival parties that hated each other, the American Party (Rhode Island and South Carolina) and American Independent Party (California), also joined up. In Massachusetts Phillips won the Independent Voters primary. In cases where he competed for votes, Phillips' main competitor was Bo Gritz.

One party the USTP failed to absorb was the Right to Life Party in New York. Instead of Phillips the RTLP endorsed president Bush for re-election.

The USTP platform included: Cut federal spending by $500 billion a year -- Abolish the IRS -- Support capital punishment -- Appoint only judges who oppose abortion -- oppose Planned Parenthood -- Repeal quotas -- Support the Electoral College -- Promote Biblical philosophy in government -- oppose gun control -- Sever US ties with the UN, World Bank, and IMF -- End foreign aid -- Oppose Gay rights -- No women in combat -- Eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts -- Eliminate pensions for elected officials -- Eliminate the Public Broadcasting Service.

There are not a lot of examples of Knight taking an active role in the 1992 electioneering, although he did appear on a C-SPAN discussion with Nancy Lord (Libertarian) and Barbara Garson (Socialist).

On the ballot in 21 states and write-ins in six others, the USTP finished with 43,400 votes (0.04%) on Election Day, somewhat under the 50,000 predicted by some pundits. 33,585 of those votes were for the Phillips/Knight ticket. They probably would have placed with a higher percentage but it is reasonable to conclude that a good number of their targeted base voted for Ross Perot or Bo Gritz.

The Phillips/Knight team had their strongest results in: South Carolina 0.22%, Mississippi 0.17%, Alaska ; Arkansas 0.15% each, Nevada 0.13%, California ; New Mexico 0.11% each, Washington 0.10%. In Arkansas they finished in 4th place.

The campaign (1996):

The 1996 Presidential campaign for the US Taxpayers Party really begins with columnist, pundit, and speechwriter Pat Buchanan's bid for the Republican nomination. His surprisingly popular insurgent effort sounded the call for the forces of the rapidly growing hard Right and evangelical wings of the Republican Party. He called them his "Pitchfork Army" in the best of Populist demagogue traditions. Some of his critics called him "David Duke without the sheets" but the US Taxpayers Party really wanted Buchanan on their ticket and made no secret about it.

Howard Phillips, who basically was the US Taxpayers Party and had been the first Presidential nominee of the new party in 1992, watched as Buchanan gave Sen. Bob Dole a big scare early in the season but then bombed out on Super Tuesday in Mar. 1996 and suspended his campaign. This made Buchanan a free agent in the eyes of Phillips, who told a reporter, "My first choice is Pat Buchanan as an active candidate. My second choice is Pat Buchanan as an inactive candidate." The plan, if Buchanan was tied up, was to run someone else for President and still electioneer as the Party of Buchanan. Then, after they won the election, instruct the Electors to brush aside whatever name was officially in the ballot and cast their lots for Pat Buchanan.

For his part, Buchanan was playing coy and openly considered running in the third party if they gained ballot access in all 50 states (they didn't make it). He used that leverage to influence the Republican ticket, saying if Dole did not select a strong pro-life running-mate, then maybe a Party of Buchanan wouldn't be such a bad idea. Dole's subsequent selection of Rep. Jack Kemp was apparently sufficient and Buchanan came on board and endorsed the Republican ticket. So that was the end of that.

So once again the new party turned to Howard Phillips as the Presidential nominee. It would be the second of three runs for him. He described his long range plans for the US Taxpayers Party: "Our main constituencies are pro-lifers, home-schoolers and those concerned with the expansion of government. We want to establish a firm enough position so that as the Republican Party dissolves, as I believe it will, ours will be seen as an alternative."

Platform issues included: Balancing the Federal budget "immediately" -- abolishing the IRS, Dept. of Education, NEA, HUD, ATF, CIA -- Pull the US out of the UN, NATO, NAFTA, GATT -- Impose a moratorium on immigration -- Oppose abortion -- Support states' rights

Phillips opposed what he called the "Satanzation of America." He wrote, "The goal of the New World Order is to remove God from His throne and replace Him with power-seekers who desire not freedom UNDER God, but freedom FROM GOD." He also said, "My comprehensive object is to restore American jurisprudence to its biblical presuppositions and the federal government to its constitutional boundaries."

The campaign had some support from other third parties. The American Independent Party in California had become an affiliate and would remain so for the next decade. The Right to Life in New York, which had endorsed the Republicans in 1992, backed Phillips in 1996. The Concerned Citizens Party, based in Connecticut, signed on as well.

The US Taxpayers Party drafted Herbert W. Titus as the VP in 1996, but Phillips was on the ballot with four other running-mates as well, all considered stand-ins: Albion Knight his 1992 running-mate was on the ballot in Iowa, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia -- Joseph A. Zdonczyk in Connecticut and Illinois -- Samuel Blumenfeld in Kentucky -- and Robert J. Meucci Sr. in Mississippi. In Arizona no VP was listed.

The Phillips/Knight ticket finished with: Virginia 0.57% (best percentage for the USTP in 1996), Pennsylvania 0.43%, South Dakota 0.28%, Iowa 0.18%, Minnesota 0.16%, Vermont 0.15%, Tennessee 0.10%

Election history: none

Other occupations: US Army Brigadier General, management consultant, Archbishop of the United Episcopal Church of North America, co-founder Church of England (Continuing), author

Buried: Arlington National Cemetery (Arlington, Va.)

Notes:
Buried in the same cemetery as third party VPs Merritt Barton Curtis and Edward Moore Kennedy.

William Daniel Dyke

William Daniel Dyke, April 25, 1930 (Princeton, Ill.) – March 10, 2016 (Dodgeville, Wis.)

VP candidate for American Independent Party (aka Conservative Party aka George Wallace Party aka American Party aka Independent aka Constitutional Party aka Concerned Citizens Party) (1976)

Running mate with nominee: Lester Maddox (1915-2003)
Popular vote: 162,657 (0.19%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

By the 1976 election the American Party and the American Independent Party were two separate political entities, both claiming to be the rightful philosophical heir to George Wallace's 1968 significant third party effort.

While the American Party was more influenced by the John Birch Society, the American Independent Party had taken a couple steps into the past and in a contentious and bitter convention battle nominated the publicity-grabbing arch-bigot and pickaxe handle wielding ex-Governor of Georgia, Lester Maddox. Many delegates who considered themselves to be serious conservatives walked out of the convention upon his nomination as they regarded Maddox to be a populist buffoon and throwback to an era while inflaming an issue that most of America, including many in this Right-wing party, wanted to put behind them and move on.

To balance the ticket the VP position was given to former Madison, Wis. Mayor Bill Dyke, who made his mark as a controversial conservative law and order Republican during the anti-war demonstrations in his city. He had been a member of the American Independent Party for only a few hours before he won the nomination.

Upon being selected as the Veep, Dyke said, "We're going to effect the outcome, sure we are. I have no illusions about this. This is not a major party and I'm aware of that." When asked if he shared Maddox's views on race, Dyke replied, "Certainly not. I am not a segregationist." Since the words "Lester Maddox" and "segregation" were solidly welded together by 1976 one is left wondering why Dyke agreed to be the running mate or associated with Maddox in any way. Needless to say, many of Dyke's past Republican supporters were shocked and dismayed. And many of Dyke's former progressive opponents pointed to this action as proof Dyke had always been the extremist they said he was.

The AIP platform opposed abortion, the ERA, pornography, homosexuality, gun control, legal marijuana, and busing for school segregation, U.S. involvement with the United Nations, amnesty for Vietnam War draft evaders, and releasing the Panama Canal. It supported the governments of Taiwan, South Africa, and Rhodesia.

George Wallace, the Godfather of the AIP, endorsed Jimmy Carter in the course of the campaign. Maddox was livid. He said southern Democrats who endorse Carter were "southern pseudo-conservatives" who "have betrayed the people and betrayed the South." Of Wallace in particular Maddox declared the Carter endorsement was "The greatest blow to the conservative cause in this nation's experience." Maddox predicted a Ford victory.

The Maddox/Dyke ticket was on the ballot or had recorded write-ins in 23 states and placed 5th nationally, closely tucked after the Libertarian Party and in front of the American Party. Maddox had a different running mate in the state of New Jersey, Edmund O. Matzal.

Maddox/Dyke polled 1.74% in Idaho. The runner up states were Louisiana 0.79%, Alabama 0.78%, California 0.65%, Mississippi 0.63%, Nebraska 0.56%, Pennsylvania and Washington 0.55% each, and Connecticut 0.51%. An argument could be made that the AIP cost President Ford the State of Ohio but that would not have changed the final outcome of the national contest.

Other occupations: children's TV host, TV news panel show moderator, general contractor, horse breeder, attorney, judge, children's book illustrator, movie producer

Election history:
1967 - Mayor of Madison, Wis. (Nonpartisan) - defeated
1969-1973 - Mayor of Madison, Wis. (Nonpartisan)
1973 - Mayor of Madison, Wis. (Nonpartisan) - defeated
1974 - Governor of Wisconsin (Republican) - defeated

Buried: ?

Notes:
He had a past and future third party VPs as opponents in the 1974 race: Patrick Lucey (winner) and
 Georgia Cozzini.
An uncredited executive producer of the 1975 film The Giant Spider Invasion.
Illustrator of the children's book The General's hat, or why the bell tower stopped working / by Kay
 Price (Sauk City, WI : Geranium Press, 1990)

Thomas Jefferson Anderson

Thomas Jefferson Anderson, November 10, 1910 (Nashville, Tenn.) – August 30, 2002 (Raleigh, NC)

VP candidate for American Independent Party (aka American Party aka Constitutional Party aka Independent aka Independent Party aka Conservative aka George Wallace Party) (1972)

Running mate with nominee: John G. Schmitz (1930-2001)
Popular vote: 1,100,896 (1.42%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

As it happens so often with radical political movements that are personality-driven, when that personality is no longer around a vicious battle for supremacy takes place to fill the power vacuum. So it was with the American Independent Party when George Wallace returned to the Democratic Party after his unsuccessful third party bid in 1968.

Wallace was rather cagey about whether he would return to the AIP or not in the event he failed to win the Democratic nomination, but an assassination attempt gravely crippling the candidate on May 15, 1972 derailed all of his electioneering plans for that year. Several Wallace loyalists felt the AIP was really a one-man party, while others were ready to forge ahead on a policy-driven agenda.

Where the 1968 version of AIP had a populist and segregationist regional appeal in the South, the 1972 version reflected the fact that the ticket was occupied by John Birchers and their message played well in the Far West. But not all was rosey in the Party. Some of the disgruntled Ohio AIP delegates went home and formed their own ticket of Edward Wallace and Robert B. Mess.

John G. Schmitz outpolled segregationist Lester Maddox and fellow John Birch Society member and author Tom Anderson for the AIP Presidential nomination. Anderson became the running mate. Schmitz and Anderson were both well known in the art of sharp-tongued wisecracks.

Their campaign slogan: "When you're out of Schmitz, you're out of gear" was a takeoff on the well-known ad jingle at the time, "When you're out of Schlitz, you're out of beer."

To describe Schmitz as an ultra-conservative would be putting it mildly. In 2004 Schmitz was selected as the third most conservative member of the House and Senate between 1937-2002, behind only Ron Paul and Larry McDonald. Eventually he grew too extreme for even the John Birch Society and was expelled from the organization. A decade later the scandals of his personal life caught up to him, ending his political career. Tom Anderson would run for President in 1976 from the splinter American Party.

The Schmitz/Anderson ticket placed third nationally. Although not nearly as successful as George Wallace was in 1968, they did have some impressive results, actually placing second in a few counties. They were on the ballot in over 30 states. Strongest vote percentages: Idaho 9.3%, Alaska 7.25%, Utah 5.97%, Oregon 4.98%, Louisiana 4.95%, Montana 4.23%, Washington 4.00%, Arizona 3.25%, California 2.78%.

Election history:
1972 - American Independent Party nomination for US President - defeated
1976 - US President (American Party) - defeated
1978 - US Senate (Tenn.) (Independent) - defeated

Other occupations: sailor (US Navy WWII), securities salesman, journalist, author, radio commentator, John Birch Society activist

Buried: Mt. Hope Cemetery (Franklin, Tenn.)

Notes:
Winner of the 1978 race was Howard Baker.
Buried in the same cemetery as Minnie Pearl (Sara Ophelia Colley Cannon)
Methodist.
"America has a great mission to perform: to save the world from slavery and to save the world for Christianity."--Tom Anderson ca1962