Tag Archives: 2016 Presidential Campaign

Election, Featured

Judge Opens the Door for Third Party Candidates in Georgia

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On March 18, U.S. District judge Richard Story struck down part of Georgia’s stringent ballot access law requiring third party candidates to collect an enormous number of signatures to appear on the ballot, ruling it unconstitutional.

Under old law, parties not recognized by the state of Georgia were required to collect signatures from 1 percent of eligible registered voters to get on the statewide ballot, equating to over 50,000 signatures. Now candidates only need to collect 7,500 signatures.

Georgia’s previous ballot access requirement narrowed voters’ choices for their presidential candidate, but now the future for third parties is looking brighter in the Peach State.

In 1972, Congressman John G. Schmitz, the American Independent Party presidential candidate that year who got over 1,100,000 votes nationwide, did not qualify to be on the Georgia ballot. In 1976, former Georgia Governor Lester Maddox, who ran as the American Independent Party presidential candidate, couldn’t get on the ballot in his own state.

Ralph Nader, who was the Green Party nominee in 1996 and 2000 and an Independent nominee in 2004 and 2008, was never on the ballot in Georgia, even though he placed third in 2000, 2004, and 2008.

But now one hindrance to ballot access in Georgia has been lessened this election cycle.

“This is a huge victory for Georgia voters who wish to vote for minor party or independent candidates for president,” said Richard Winger from Ballot Access News. “The decision is important for the 2016 race, because when one compares the easier requirements to get on the ballot for president in each state (minor party or independent), Georgia required the 3rd highest number of signatures.  Only North Carolina and California required more. The Texas minor party petition was a slightly smaller number of signatures.”

The ruling may be an opportunity for those in the #NeverTrump movement who are flirting with the idea of running a third party candidate against GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.

Georgia attorney and RNC rules committee member Randy Evans told Daily Report that the court’s ruling is “particularly noteworthy given that it comes at a time when institutional powerbrokers are meeting in Washington, D.C., to discuss the creation of another party should Donald Trump become the GOP nominee.”

Nicholas Sarwark, the chairman of the Libertarian National Committee which is the executive body of the Libertarian Party, told Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook, “While the Libertarian Party already has ballot access in Georgia, we applaud Judge Story’s ruling striking down Georgia’s unconstitutionally high ballot access requirements. For 45 years, we’ve been fighting to give Americans a real political choice, while Republicans and Democrats have put up these barriers to competition to try to stop us. The real winners in this ruling are the people of Georgia who will have more political choice on their ballot.”

A 2015 Consider This video from Truth In Media highlighted the fact that the Republican and Democrat parties no longer represent the majority in the U.S.

R's and D's No Longer Majority

Republicans and Democrats are no longer the majority.Learn more: http://bit.ly/1Kdbdqm

Posted by Truth In Media on Saturday, July 18, 2015

Election, Featured, Foreign Policy, Interviews, Videos

Exclusive: Ron Paul Talks Media Bias, Rand Paul Campaign

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In an exclusive interview, Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook talks with former Texas Congressman and liberty icon Dr. Ron Paul.

In the interview, Ron Paul shares his thoughts with Cook about his son Rand Paul’s presidential campaign. Ron also discussed with Cook his position on the Syrian refugee crisis, ISIS, foreign policy, gun control and the obstacles of overcoming a biased media.

Dr. Paul went on to request support for Rand’s money bomb at RandPaul.com.

Check out Ron Paul’s new book, Swords into Plowshares, here.

Election, Politics

Clinton Funded by More CEOs Than All Other Presidential Candidates

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With over 760 self-identified CEOs having donated to her presidential bid so far, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is beating all other presidential candidates in total number of CEO campaign donors.

According to analysis of Federal Election Commission records by CNBC’s Big Crunch, Clinton has received donations from more CEOs than Republicans Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz combined. However, Jeb Bush has received significantly more money from CEOs than Clinton, though he received that larger total amount from a smaller number of donors — around 550. No other candidate has come close to Bush or Clinton in the number of CEO donors. Marco Rubio came in third on that list with less than 200 CEOs backing his campaign.

Infographic credit: CNBC
Infographic credit: CNBC.

Including donations to candidate-affiliated super PACs, Bush has received over $15 million in donations from CEOs, whereas Clinton has received nearly $5 million. Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, and Chris Christie trail closely behind Clinton in terms of total dollars donated by CEOs.

[RELATED: Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton Support Keeping U.S. Troops in Afghanistan]

Clinton’s most generous CEO donors lead entertainment companies whereas the top Bush supporters came from companies in the energy sector. CNBC’s Mark Fahey wrote, “Among her supporters, Clinton counts Bob Iger of Disney, Drew Houston of Dropbox and Ursula Burns of Xerox. None of her CEO supporters have given to Republicans this year. Bush’s approximately 550 supporters — about equally split between his campaign committee and super PAC — are CEOs like Steve Schwarzman of Blackstone, Roger Penske of Penske and Bob McNair of the Houston Texans.”

“CEOs showed little interest in real-life CEOs Carly Fiorina and Donald Trump,” Fahey added.

CNBC cautioned that the data set does not include CEOs who might not identify themselves as such on FEC disclosures.

Additionally, a May CNBC survey of the presidential preferences of U.S. millionaires found Hillary Clinton in the lead with 36 percent and Jeb Bush trailing behind her at 20 percent.

Truth in Media notes that, in past elections, strange bedfellows like Donald Trump and 21st Century Fox News Corp. have also donated to Hillary Clinton.

For more election coverage, click here.

Election, Politics

Carson Says He Would Consider Evidence That a Suspect’s Religion Shows Probable Cause For Searches

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2016 Republican presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson said on Sunday’s episode of ABC’s The Week that he does not feel that religion should be considered a type of probable cause for investigating U.S. Syrian refugees, but that he would be willing to listen to arguments by those who feel that it should.

During the interview, ABC News reporter Martha Raddatz challenged Carson to defend his recent controversial comments suggesting that he would be opposed to supporting a Muslim American for president.

Carson modified his position and clarified that “anybody, it doesn’t matter what their religious background, if they accept American values and principles and are willing to subjugate their religious beliefs to our Constitution, I have no problem with them.”

Raddatz then asked Carson whether he believes that all Muslims support the imposition of Sharia law.

Carson replied, “What we should be talking about is Islam and the tenets of Islam and where do they come from? They come from Sharia. They come from the Quran. They come from, you know, the life works and examples of Muhammad. They come from the fatwas, which is the writings of scholars. You know, and if you go back and you look at — what I would like for somebody to show me is an approved Islamic text that opposes Sharia.”

He continued, “If you can show me that, I will begin to alter my thinking on this, but, right now, when you have something that is against the rights of women, against the rights of gays, subjugates other religions and a host of things that are not compatible with our Constitution, why in fact would you take that chance?”

[RELATED: Ben Carson Says He Would Secure U.S.-Mexico Border with Drone Strikes]

Proposing a hypothetical scenario for consideration, Raddatz asked, “I want to turn to the migrant crisis. You told me a few weeks ago that bringing in people from the Middle East right now carries extra danger and we can not put our people at risk because we are trying to be politically correct. Let’s imagine some of those refugees get into the United States. For authorities to track emails, cell phone calls, they usually need to have probable cause. Do you think in some instances religion should be enough for probable cause?”

Carson responded, “I personally don’t feel that way, but I would certainly be willing to listen to somebody who had evidence to the contrary. I think that’s one of the problems, we get to our little corners, and we don’t want to listen to anybody anymore.”

For more election coverage, click here.

Election, Featured, Interviews

Exclusive Interview: Austin Petersen to Run for President as a Libertarian

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU-sO7FEtmE

Last week Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook spoke with Austin Petersen, Editor-in-Chief of The Libertarian Republic, who is seeking his party’s nomination for the President of the United States.

Petersen made it clear that he is seriously running for president and that he will be old enough next year to qualify when he turns 35 years old next spring.

Cook asked Petersen about his strategy to reach voters who are being promised “free” stuff by Sen. Bernie Sanders who’s currently attracting large crowds.

“I cannot give you free stuff, but I can give you free-dom, and from that is the bounty, the cornucopia, that heart of the American dream, but I believe we’ve lost our way,” said Petersen. 

“It’s going to take a cabal of libertarian activists who will defend and champion these ideas and explain to the American people why these ideas are superior to the ideas of socialism, central planning, and big government,” said Petersen.

Regarding ballot access issues, Petersen said that “we have to prove that we are viable.”

“The American people, if they saw a libertarian candidate polling high enough I think that the American people would demand them to be included in the debate,” said Petersen.

Petersen describes his campaign run as a David and Goliath story and said that he wants to take what resources he has and go to war.

“We have to work harder than the Republicans and Democrats,” said Petersen.

“David beat Goliath because he was brave enough to go on the field of battle with his sling and sword, and challenge Leviathan. That’s what libertarians have to do. We have to challenge the Leviathan and we’re going to have to punch above our waist. We’re going to have to learn the tactics and strategies that our enemies employ against us because they are far greater and out fund us. We have to smarter, train harder and find the strategies that work,” said Petersen.

Petersen’s platform:

  • Reduce economic inequality by lowering barriers to entry in the marketplace, licensing, taxation, and fees. Urge Congress to adopt the “Penny Plan,” across the board spending cuts of 1% per program.
  • Strengthen national security by reducing/ending foreign aid to nations hostile to the USA. Reconsider overseas troop deployments in areas not important to US national security, and audit the Pentagon. Reform the Veteran’s Affairs administration.
  • Lower barriers to trade with foreign nations, and allow American companies the leeway they need to develop domestic energy production, in order to create good paying jobs at home.
  • Audit the Federal Reserve. Institute a Monetary Commission devoted to studying the implications of replacing central banking with “Free Banking,” and abolishing laws of legal tender.
  • Abolish the existing, complicated tax code that discriminates against the most productive Americans, and replace it with a simple, flat tax at the lowest rate necessary to support the core functions of government. Seek voluntary ways to fund public services where possible, lotteries, tolls, etc.
  • Streamline our immigration system by following updated “Ellis Island” styled protocols. Security check. Disease check. Done.
  • Work with Congress to institute new protocols that will protect national security while placing the balance of weight towards due process and individual rights. No beheadings without due process.
  • Reclassify the war on drugs as a medical problem, not a criminal problem. Deschedule drugs at the federal level.
  • Allow young people to opt out of Social Security.
  • Overturn Obamacare. Seek out market alternatives to problems of health and wellness.
  • Defend Life – Encourage a culture of life, and adoption, and educate Americans about the “consistent pro-life ethic,” which also means abolishing the death penalty.
Editor’s Pick, Featured, Politics

Exclusive Post-GOP Debate Interview With Gary Johnson

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“After last night I believe now that the Republican nominee is going to be Carly Fiorina,” says Gary Johnson, the 2012 Libertarian Party presidential candidate and former two-term Republican governor from New Mexico. “I think Carly Fiorina won the debate hands down. I thought she was clearly impressive, that she was dynamic,” said Johnson, but “I disagree with her on a lot of things she had to say.”

Johnson told Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook in an exclusive interview that he disagreed with Fiorina on her marijuana policy. Johnson, who is fiscally responsible and socially liberal, noted that when U.S. Sen Rand Paul (R-Ky.), NJ Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J) and Carly Fiorina were discussing drug laws, there was talk of utilizing treatment options rather than incarceration. “That’s a really old model, the notion to pledge support for treatment over incarceration,” said Johnson, particularly for marijuana.

“The Republican Party is behind the eight-ball on a lot of issues that are directly impacting the country and the world and it’s just too bad.”

“With the exception of Huckabee who supports the Fair Tax, nobody is really talking about how to grow to the economy and how to bring about economic growth,” said Johnson.

Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook asked Johnson, “If you were President, what would you do regarding foreign policy in the Middle East right now?”

“We need to recognize our enemy and our enemy is radical Islam,” Johnson responded.

“We can do a better job of drying up the funding of these terrorist organizations. And that  would include money coming into the United States. And it doesn’t involve boots on the ground and it doesn’t involve dropping bombs. But there is a real threat. Of late, I am not Islamicphobic, I’m Shariaphobic,” said Johnson.

Johnson said he wasn’t going to run as a Libertarian as this moment. “There’s no real advantage to getting out there at this point. You’ve got the Republicans that are sucking all the air out of the room, and for that matter, same with the Democrats,” said Johnson.

“I hope to be the Libertarian nominee and I hope to be able to be the voice of what I think is the philosophy of most Americans, which speaking with a broad brush stroke, is being fiscally responsible and socially liberal- the definition of a classic liberal which I think most of us in this country falls in that category,” said Johnson.

Watch the video above, and download our podcasts: PodBean | Itunes

Election, Featured, Interviews, Politics, Videos

EXCLUSIVE: Ted Cruz Explains Why Ron Paul Supporters Are Working On His 2016 Run

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkcYdOz2kxI&feature=youtu.be

Florida governor and 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush raised many eyebrows recently when he claimed “I have libertarian blood running through my veins.” The comment was an appeal for liberty-minded voters to give his campaign a look.

But Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) has already appealed to many liberty-Republicans.

Recently, at a town hall event in South Carolina, Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook asked Senator Cruz why so many supporters of Ron Paul are now working for the Cruz campaign.

“Thanks for the question, it’s one of the most encouraging aspects of our campaign,” Senator Cruz replied. “If we’re going to win we’ve got to reassemble that old Reagan coalition. We’ve got to bring together conservatives, Evangelicals and libertarians. We’ve got to bring together young people, Hispanics and women and Reagan Democrats.”

“In 2012 I was the only candidate in the country who was endorsed by Ron Paul and Rick Santorum. And the reason is, I had built a record of standing and fighting for the Constitution, fighting for religious liberty, fighting for liberty. And when you stand for the Constitution, and when you stand for the Judeo-Christian values that built this country, that can bring people together behind shared principles,” answered Cruz.

“So I’m very proud to have the support of a great many of libertarians and liberty-minded folks here in South Carolina and nationally,” said Cruz.

Steven Long, a liberty activist in South Carolina who attended the Cruz campaign event, told Cook, “I support Cruz because he is a conservative leader that we can count on. He shut down the government to attempt and end Obamacare—one of the worst laws in our nations history. When Rand Paul had his filibusters, Cruz was there to support him, but when Cruz had his filibuster, Paul was nowhere to be found. Cruz speaks the truth about the establishment and he doesn’t try and cozy up to them to get ahead. You’ll never see him endorse Mitch McConnell. He has a record of arguing before the Supreme Court and as Solicitor General he headed up many cases. In the senate he has been a steadfast leader and has never compromised his values.”

Election, Featured, Videos

Exclusive Video: Ted Cruz Praises Donald Trump

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On Monday, Congressman Jeff Duncan hosted presidential candidates Gov. Scott Walker, Dr. Ben Carson, and Sen. Ted Cruz at his 5th Annual Faith & Freedom BBQ in South Carolina.

The event was one of the largest South Carolina GOP events to date, drawing over 2,000 people.

SC GOP Chairman Matt Moore told Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook that Jeff Duncan’s Faith & Freedom BBQ “is a huge success, a record breaking event.”

Sen. Ted Cruz told reporters, “there have been an awful lot of Republican presidential candidates who have gone out their way to take a stick after Donald Trump. I am not one of them. I like Donald Trump.”

“I am glad that Donald Trump is in this race,” said Cruz.

“Donald Trump is shining a light on the problem of illegal immigration, and because Donald Trump is talking about it, all our friends in the mainstream media are actually covering illegal immigration,” said Cruz. He went on to express that he was “grateful that Donald Trump forces the media to cover the crisis that is illegal immigration.”

This is not the first time Cruz praised Trump. “I like Donald Trump. I think he’s terrific, I think he’s brash, I think he speaks the truth,” Cruz said previously on Fox News.

Cruz’s rhetoric on securing the southern border and defunding Planned Parenthood received the loudest applause from the conservative crowd.

Cruz demonstrated that he knew his audience – even giving his accent a deeper, southern drawl – by mentioning the most three important things to South Carolina voters: God, guns, and Ronald Reagan.

But many Republicans there were unsure about Scott Walker and his position on immigration. During Walker’s speech a heckler yelled: “What about the border?!”

Walker ignored the question.

Cruz did hint to reporters that the love fest between him and Trump may end soon. “There will come a time as this campaign moves forward for policy differences, but my focus right now is laying out my positive record, and frankly the difference between campaign conservatives who talk a good game on the trail, and a consistent conservative who is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow,” said Cruz.

Election, Featured, Politics

Trump: “If I’m Going Down, Then Bush Is Going Down with Me”

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Reportedly motivated by a feud with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush over a failed business deal, sources close to real estate tycoon and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump claim that Trump has vowed to stop Bush from ascending to the presidency.

In an article by New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman which gives an inside look into Trump’s presidential campaign, a friend and informal adviser to Donald Trump quoted the celebrity billionaire as having said, “If I’m going down, then Bush is going down with me. He’s not going to be president of the United States.”

Below the headline in Sherman’s article, which focuses on the nuts-and-bolts of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, details are found which point to the emergence of a heated and personal feud between Trump and Jeb Bush. Reportedly, Trump blames Bush for Univision’s cancellation of its contract to televise the Miss USA Pageant.

“While Trump assured me that he thinks Bush is ‘a nice person,’ he has told friends in private that his animosity is personal. According to one friend, Trump blames Bush and Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim for Univision’s decision in June to cancel a $13.5 million contract with Trump to televise his Miss USA pageant. Five days later, Slim scrapped a deal with Trump to develop shows in Mexico. Trump responded by filing a $500 million lawsuit against Univision. ‘Trump believes it all goes back to Jeb,’ the friend says. ‘He thinks Jeb and his wife, Columba, are close with Carlos Slim and Univision got pressure from Slim operatives.’ In a move that further confirmed Trump’s suspicions, Univision has hired Miguel Estrada, a Washington lawyer with deep Bush ties,” wrote Sherman.

[RELATED: Paul Hits Trump On Socialized Healthcare And Support Of Clinton]

Trump plans to best a recent $10 million television ad buy by Bush’s Right to Rise super-PAC by spending “whatever it takes.”

Another friend of Trump reportedly told Sherman, “[Trump’s] numbers are going to come down, and then he’s going to panic. He doesn’t believe it will ever happen. He has not confronted this in his mind.” Sherman theorized that a drop in the polls might motivate Trump to carry out “a kamikaze mission against the candidates left standing.”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to ignore the Republican National Committee’s request that he take a pledge not to run against the GOP’s eventual nominee if he loses the primary.

When asked if he would consider withdrawing from the race, Trump told Sherman, “I only want to go all the way.”

For more election coverage, click here.