Showing posts with label Michael Anthony Peroutka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Anthony Peroutka. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Robert E. Thornsberry

 



Robert E. Thornsberry, October 7, 1956 (St. Mary, Ohio) -

VP candidate for Constitution Party (2008)

Running mate with nominee: Charles Obadiah Baldwin (b. 1952)
Popular vote: 4,694 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Chuck Baldwin, the 2004 Constitution Party VP nominee, had told journalists that is was up to God whether or not he would run for President in 2008. In 2006 Baldwin told the Conservative President 2008 website, "In order for me to even consider running in 2008 would require several 'miraculous' signs of reassurance that, frankly, I cannot see happening. However, I am always open to God's will." As late as Mar. 25, 2008, Baldwin told The Miller Report, "I am very honored that anyone would suggest that I should be considered as the CP presidential candidate. There are many great people in our party that, in my opinion, are much more qualified than I am. I have always tried to be open to God's will. At this time, however, I have no inclination that this is God's will for me." In late 2007 Baldwin endorsed Ron Paul for the Republican Presidential nomination.

But God must have given him the sign in short order since Baldwin jumped into the race for the CP nomination on Apr. 10, 2008 right before the convention. Other contenders included "Mad Max" Riekse but it was the threat of Alan Keyes grabbing the prize that may have inspired Baldwin to run. Keyes, who had only recently left the Republican Party after continually failing to achieve elected office, was considered acceptably conservative on social and domestic issues but a total pro-war Neocon in terms of foreign policy. Baldwin handily won the nomination and selected Tennessee attorney Darrell Castle as his running-mate.

A major loss for the Constitution Party was in California. In that state the American Independent Party had been an affiliate of the CP since the early 1990s, but in 2008 the AIP split over Baldwin and Keyes. The California Secretary of State and subsequently the court backed Keyes, and Baldwin was forced to run as a write-in in the Golden State.

The CP had a few other stray ends in 2008. The Constitution Party of Montana, like several other state chapters across the nation at the time, had disaffiliated with the national party in 2006. It seems many state groups did not agree with factions of the national Party that abortion was acceptable in cases of rape, incest, or saving the life of the mother. Also in that same year they elected their first member to the Montana State House of Representatives. Meanwhile, across the country in Maryland, another state where the local Constitution Party took a walk, 2004 Constitution Party Presidential nominee Michael Peroutka jumped ship and considered himself part of the American Heritage Party.

Rather than support Chuck Baldwin, the official Constitution Party nominee in 2008, the Montana group on Sept. 5 filed the names of Ron Paul and Michael Peroutka as their ticket of choice. State Party Chair Jonathan Martin told the press, "Ron Paul did not seek it, but he did not oppose it. He allowed it." Ballot Access News reported, "Ron Paul was aware that the party planned to do this, and has said that as long as he can remain passive and silent about the development, and as long as he need not sign any declaration of candidacy, that he does not object."

It seems Rep. Paul had a change of heart and wrote in a letter dated Sept. 10 to the Montana Secretary of State, "It has come to my attention that I was nominated by the Constitution Party of Montana as its presidential nominee. While I certainly appreciate the Constitution Party of Montana’s nomination, and all the hard work of its members, I am writing to respectfully request that you remove my name from the ballot in Montana as I did not seek nor consent to this nomination." Paul's request was denied on Sept. 15 on the grounds he acted too late. Paul/Peoutka won 2.17% of the vote in Montana. Paul himself endorsed Baldwin.

Peroutka had also won write-in votes for President in Georgia, and Castle the same in Indiana.

In Kentucky, Baldwin's running mate was Robert E. Thornsberry. Thornsberry had earlier supported Ron Paul in the Republican primaries and contributed this comment in an online Paul tribute--

I’m 51, married with two kids. I’m a librarian, my wife is an RN, my daughter is a freshman in college, and my son is in the fifth grade. We are Orthodox Christians and strongly pro life.

I’ve been a libertarian/consevative since 1980 and voted for Dr. Paul in 1988. My wife and daughter are also planning on voting for him this year.

Sent by Robert E. Thornsberry | 10:05 AM ET | 12-19-2007
Robert E. Thornsberry - December 22, 2007 at 11:31 am


On the Baldwin campaign website, every policy essay began with a quote from the candidate. Here are a few to act as a summation--

The Education of Young Americans
"If I were President, I would disband the Department of Education."

The Second Amendment Protects Our Liberty
"To help keep your family safe and your country free, go buy a gun."

A Free And Sovereign Republic, Not A World Empire!
"We will stop this international meddling...this international empire building. When Chuck Baldwin is sworn in as President of these United States the 'New World Order' comes crashing down!"

Freedom Of Choice In Health Care
"I strongly support the freedom of choice of practitioner and treatment for all citizens for their health care"

There Is Still Hope For America
"I am personally convinced that, as we get out our message is received by the people of America we will find a ready audience for our message of freedom and hope!"

A Strong National Defense For America
"We will have a national defense that is second to none, with armed forces that serve only under our flag, whose mission is to defend these United States of America!"

Personal Freedom In America
"Free people do not have to check in with government officials and show them their papers--that doesn't work in these United States of America!"

Preserving An Independent American Nation
"The globalists, with their ideas of a common currency here in the United State with a North American Union and a NAFTA Superhighway are after our sovereignty, our freedom and our national independence."

The Sanctity of Life
"I will use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to demand that Congress enact Dr. Ron Paul's Sanctity of Life Act which would set forth that every unborn child is a 'person' under the Constitution, entitled to equal protection of the law and therefore, no unborn child could be killed without due process of law."

The United Nations Will Have To Find A New Address!
"When I am President of these United States all funding for the United Nations stops!"

Baldwin's dislike for the Republican Party seemed to be even more passionate than his views on the Democratic Party. Some Baldwin quotes from different sources in 2008 campaign--

Republicans tout themselves as being “pro-life.” Yet, the GOP controlled both houses of Congress and the White House for six years and did absolutely nothing to overturn Roe or end abortion-on-demand. Under my administration, we could end legal abortion in a matter of days, not decades. And if Congress refused to pass Ron Paul’s bill, I would use the constitutional power of the Presidency to deny funds to protect abortion clinics. Either way, legalized abortion ends when I take office.
Source: Chuck Baldwin Live column: “If I Were President” , May 2, 2008

There is absolutely no reason for us to be dependent upon OPEC. There is enough gas and oil under the soil of Alaska (not to mention the Dakotas and the Gulf of Mexico) to meet the energy needs of the United States for the next 150-200 years. There is also no reason that gas should cost more than $1.50 a gallon (which is about what it was before Bush became President) ... We must begin drilling for the domestic oil that we know exists; we must build more refineries and nuclear power plants.
Source: Chuck Baldwin Live column: “If I Were President” , May 2, 2008

As President, I would end foreign aid. I would also end the current infatuation with nation-building, empire-building, and interventionism. America is not the world’s policeman. Neither are our military personnel the personal militia of the United Nations ... Remember that President Bush told the U.N. in 2003 that the reason we invaded Iraq was for the purpose of securing the “peace and credibility of the United Nations.” (I lie not; that is what he said.)
Source: Chuck Baldwin Live column: “If I Were President” , May 2, 2008

The Democrats basically want the illegals to continue to come across the border at will for the sake of getting votes. The Republicans, on the other hand, want the borders to remain open for the purpose of being able to obtain cheap labor. Regardless of the reason, neither major party has any desire to secure our borders.
Source: Charles Geraci in The Herald Journal, Cache Valley, Utah , Jul 5, 2008

Not only does the Bush administration not secure our borders and ports, it wants to provide a “path to citizenship” for illegal aliens. It allows tax dollars to be used to pay for illegal aliens’ education, social services, and medical care. It offers birthright citizenship for illegal aliens. And it prosecutes and imprisons Border Patrol agents for shooting (but not seriously enough to prevent his escape back into Mexico) a known illegal alien and drug trafficker.

No wonder the flood of illegal aliens has skyrocketed since George W. Bush became President. And is there anyone who does not understand that a John McCain Presidency will be more of the McSame? A McCain White House promises continued open borders and ports. Plus, McCain will also push forward with his plans to grant amnesty to illegal aliens. When it comes to illegal immigration, amnesty, etc., there will be no relief from an Obama White House. Both Barack Obama and John McCain are pro-open borders, pro-amnesty twins.

Source: Chuck Baldwin Live column: “Open Borders Prove” , May 23, 2008

Basically, the only difference between the Republicans and the Democrats today is that the Democrats want to tax and spend, and the Republicans want to borrow and spend. But both of them want to spend. They spend like drunken sailors, except that’s an insult to sailors because at least sailors are spending their own money.
Source: Charles Geraci in The Herald Journal, Cache Valley, Utah , Jul 5, 2008

Secret ‘suspicious activity reports’ filed by financial institutions and reviewed by teams of agents spread around the country. The American people are largely unaware that they are now living in a universal surveillance society. Virtually every major financial transaction--as well as much of their travel--is reported and monitored by the federal government. This total surveillance system, that began in earnest under Bill Clinton’s administration, has mushroomed into a ubiquitous and finely tuned science under George W. Bush. Dare I say that Dubya’s neurotic fixation with spying on ordinary citizens rivals Comrade Stalin’s paranoiac obsession with a total surveillance society?

You and I are constantly being watched, listened to, monitored, taped, and stalked by our own government. So, do any of us really believe that we still live in a free country? A Chuck Baldwin Administration will bring an immediate end to the surveillance state.

Source: 2008 Presidential website, baldwin2008.com, “Issues” , May 27, 2008

I opposed the preemptive invasion of Iraq, and I continue to oppose the occupation of that country. I believe the Bush administration was untruthful about the motivations for going to war with Iraq and continues to deceive the American people to this very day.
Source: Chuck Baldwin Live column: “Strictly Personal” , May 9, 2008

Baldwin/Thornsberry placed 5th in Kentucky with 0.26% of the vote in the Bluegrass State.

Election history:
2010 - Kentucky House of Representatives (Constitution Party) - defeated

Other occupations: law librarian at Eastern Kentucky State University, science fiction author

Notes:
Enjoys Civil War reenactment.
Along with Jason Matthew Coleman, an Independent in Kansas, was the second librarian third party VP in 2008.
Trivia - The University of Kentucky, where Thornsberry gained his library degree, was well known for being one the very best schools for catalogers at the time he attended. I actually applied and was accepted there a few years before he was enrolled, but decided to sign up with the University of Washington instead.


Thursday, September 24, 2020

Michael Anthony Peroutka

 



Michael Anthony Peroutka, September 7, 1952 (Baltimore, Md.) -

VP candidate for Constitution Party of Montana (2008)

Running mate with nominee: Ronald Ernest Paul (b. 1935)

Popular vote: 10,638 (0.01%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

In 2008 Ron Paul was still a sitting member of the US House of Representatives for his district in Texas. Although he had indeed been a member of the Libertarian Party and was even their Presidential nominee in 1988, he always operated as a card-carrying Republican when holding public office, albeit somewhat as an outlier.

Rep. Paul had been running for President in the Republican primaries in 2008, usually standing out in the debates as being the most vocal candidate to oppose the foreign military adventures that had been initiated by the George W. Bush administration. By June 2008 it was obvious lightning wasn't going to strike and Paul dropped out of the race with not enough delegates to really make an impact.

Some call him conservative, or a libertarian Republican, but I have always thought of Ron Paul as a political party unto himself beyond conventional classification not unlike Ralph Nader. Paul enjoys a base of support that some commentators describe as a personality cult. Many of his followers refused to allow his campaign to die in 2008 and by November he was either a certified write-in or actually on the ballot in a couple states. Paul's role in all of this seemed to be mostly passive.

The Draft Paul movement resulted in write-in votes from five states: California (with VP Gail Lightfoot), Illinois, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. In California his name was associated with both the Republican and Libertarian parties, but in the other write-ins he was merely a Republican. He was also on the ballot in two states. In Montana he was listed under the Constitution Party with Michael Peroutka as his VP and in Louisiana under the Louisiana Taxpayers Party with Barry Goldwater Jr. as the running-mate. Paul earned a combined total of 42,426 reported popular votes (0.03%) in 2008.

The Constitution Party of Montana, like several other state chapters across the nation at the time, had disaffiliated with the national party in 2006. It seems many state groups did not agree with factions of the national Party that abortion was acceptable in cases of rape, incest, or saving the life of the mother. Also in that same year they elected their first member to the Montana State House of Representatives. Meanwhile, across the country in Maryland, another state where the local Constitution Party took a walk, 2004 Constitution Party Presidential nominee Michael Peroutka jumped ship and considered himself part of the American Heritage Party.

Rather than support Chuck Baldwin, the official Constitution Party nominee in 2008, the Montana group on Sept. 5 filed the names of Ron Paul and Michael Peroutka as their ticket of choice. State Party Chair Jonathan Martin told the press, "Ron Paul did not seek it, but he did not oppose it. He allowed it." Ballot Access News reported, "Ron Paul was aware that the party planned to do this, and has said that as long as he can remain passive and silent about the development, and as long as he need not sign any declaration of candidacy, that he does not object."

It seems Rep. Paul had a change of heart and wrote in a letter dated Sept. 10 to the Montana Secretary of State, "It has come to my attention that I was nominated by the Constitution Party of Montana as its presidential nominee. While I certainly appreciate the Constitution Party of Montana’s nomination, and all the hard work of its members, I am writing to respectfully request that you remove my name from the ballot in Montana as I did not seek nor consent to this nomination." Paul's request was denied on Sept. 15 on the grounds he acted too late.

Earlier in the campaign season Peroutka had endorsed Rep. Paul for President in the Republican primaries. His statement on Sept. 2007 included some views quite contrary to the Libertarian Party philosophy--

I endorse Rep. Ron Paul for President. And I endorse him not because he is the lesser of two evils. A Christian can never endorse any kind of evil. I endorse Rep. Paul because — from a Christian/Biblical and Constitutional perspective – he is, by far, the best candidate running for President.

— Rep. Paul believes, correctly, that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant word of God and thus it is not the role of God-ordained civil government, at any level, to feed, house, clothe or educate anybody.

— Rep. Paul takes his oath to God as a Congressman seriously and believes, correctly, that the Constitution is the highest man-made law in our land, that it severely restricts what the Federal Government can legally do, and it must be obeyed. This is why, as he states on his campaign web site, he has: never voted to raise taxes; never voted for an unbalanced budget; never voted for a Federal restriction on gun ownership; never voted to raise Congressional pay; never taken a government-paid junket; and has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.

In addition, Rep. Paul has voted against: the Patriot Act; regulating the Internet; and he voted against the Iraq war. He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program. He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

— Rep. Paul, again correctly, is truly pro-life and believes that there are no circumstances under which it is OK to murder by abortion any innocent unborn babies.


The Paul/Peroutka ticket did pretty well for being such reluctant candidates. Pulling in 2.17% of the vote in Montana at third place, it was the best showing in all of the states where the Draft Paul effort had either gained ballot or registered write-in access.

In the end, Rep. Paul endorsed Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party for President.

As a point of trivia, Peroutka was also a write-in candidate for President in Georgia in 2008, where he took 23 votes.

Election history:
2004 - Reform Party of the United States of America nomination for President - defeated
2004 - US President (Constitution Party) - defeated
2008 - US President (Constitution Party of Georgia) - defeated
2014-2018 - Anne Arundel County Council (Md.) (Republican)
2018 - Anne Arundel County Council (Md.) (Republican) - primary - defeated

Other occupations: attorney, US Dept. of Health and Human Services employee, founder of the Institute on the Constitution, radio host, board of directors of the League of the South, Board of Trustees of The Conservative Caucus Research Analysis & Education Foundation, Board of Governors for Council for National Policy,

Notes:
The Human Rights Campaign called Peroutka an "active white supremacist and secessionist sympathizer" Dec. 2012.
Became a Republican in 2014.
One of Judge Roy Moore's biggest financial political donors.