Republicrat Alternatives, part 5

His spelling and grammar are atrocious. Most noticeable is his overuse of the apostrophe. He claims that his spellchecker isn’t working.

He is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonial with over 32 years of military service. He served in two wars (Vietnam and Iraq), but thinks that it was wrong for the U.S. to fight these wars. He is “Mad” Max Rieske and he is running for president.

He likes Clearance Thomas and would promote him to Chief Justice if given the opportunity. He says, “I will appoint to that high office judges who know & believe in the United States Constitution; and its limits put on the Federal Government; States Rights; and the emphasis in the Bill of Rights on Individual American Rights.”

He believes that the Federal government should not get involved in abortion legislation, right to die cases, or embryonic stem cell research legislation. “Keep mich law on abortion as they are now,” he said on the project vote smart survey. He did not check the box next to the statement “Abortions should always be illegal.” He also did not check the box next to the question: “Legalize physician-assisted suicide in Michigan” on the same survey. He believes that anyone who commits suicide is going to hell. He would legalize marijuana.

As a lifelong member of the NRA, he supports the right to bear arms. He says, “I will do away with 85% of our Federal gun laws.” (Why not all?)

Here is what he says about gays in the military:

“It’s up to Congress to change ‘it’s’ current ‘gay’ policy through Congressional legislation. The President only enforces what Congress legislates; Having said that, I will see to it that they are not pro-actively hunted down, and hounded out of military service as long as they are not open and offensive; and conduct themselves in a professional manner. They took an extraordinary, patriotic step to enlist and serve our country and should be treated with dignity and respect; once they have been identified as being guy in the military, I as Commander in Chief, will see to it that those leaving with 10 to 15 years of military service are treated properly, and receive some kind of reduced pension or buy out for their years of military service. This goes for ‘straights’ as well.”

While a resident of Michigan he said that his state should not recognize same sex civil unions and that Michigan should restrict marriage to a union only between a man and a woman.

He is in favor of repealing the 16th amendment and abolishing the IRS. Rieske also says we need to stop bailing out corporations and banks that make bad loans.

He says, “...reduce the Federal Department of Education by 80%.” (Why not abolish it entirely?) He supports displaying the Ten Commandments, teacher lead prayer in public schools, and abstinence only sexual education. He also says, “…teach more basic reading, math, and 'real' early American history; with the true hero George Washington; along with more on the Republic we have as per the US Constitution.”

He would put Social Security funds in a “lock box” not to be used for any other purpose. He would eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits.

He says that state governments should “press companies with 1,500 or more employees to provide their employees with quality family health insurance. Tax incentives, along with baulk drug buying power needs to be implemented at both the State & Federal level to help fascinate this vital need for American workers & families.”

Rieske thinks that canola oil and monosodium glutamate are unhealthy. He is calling for Federal oversight of “franken-foods”.

Rieske believes that global warming is a serious concern, but does not say exactly what he would do about it. He does say “Make those who [deleted expletive] all over our common environment pay for cleaning it up BEFORE use of tax dollars.”

Rieske believes that a 27.5% tariff on countries like China who use unfair currency manipulation (keeping the value of their currency artificially low to gain a price advantage over American goods), place high tariffs on American goods, engage in piracy, and violate their our labor laws. He would end “most favored nation” trade status with countries that have repressive governments.

He says:

I will normalize trade with Cuba in exchange for Cuba’s opening up its off shore oil fields to American companies and the return or re-imbursement dollar for dollar of all confiscated American & Cuban-American properties; and this includes our former American oil refinery that was confiscated by Cuba when the Communist took power. There will however be no so-called most favored trading status with Cuba until the Cuban people have free, fair & open elections.

A veteran of the Vietnam and Iraq wars, he believes that the Spanish American War, World Wars I & II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Kosovo, the Gulf War, and the War in Iraq were all wars that were set up by corrupt politicians to pay off their contributors in the Industrial/War Complex. Rieske is against the idea of going to war with Iran. He believes that both of the current wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) are unconstitutional because no official declaration of war was made. He is against the Patriot Act (both I and II).

He believes that children of immigrants should not automatically receive citizenship. He believes that illegal immigrants who break the law should be deported without any chance of appeal. He believes in ending dual citizenship. He believes that our borders should be secured by our military forces (instead of sending them to Iraq). He says that small zeppelin-type patrol balloons should be used to watch over our coasts and borders. He believes that the Mexico’s military is partly responsible for illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and assaults on U.S. border patrol agents. He would “eliminate all illegal aliens from the [public school] system.”

Rieske believes that American Indians have been cheated. He would put a stop to this, but would increase [state] taxes on Indian casinos.

He says, “I will appoint Richard Gere and Steven Seagal as special U.S. diplomats to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama of Tibet, and his government-in-exile.”

I don't see this candidate as being a Good Choice. He seems to take weak positions on issues that I care about. His exact position on abortion is uncertain to me. A vote for him would be Rieske…I mean risky.

Mad Max is unlikely to make it on the ballot in my home state. Since he was defeated in the American Independent Party (of California) primary, he probably won’t be the Constitution Party nominee. (The AIP of CA is the California’s Constitution Party affiliate.) But since the CP has been known to violate its own rules, nothing would surprise me. (The CP disaffiliated the Ohio Constitution Party after having passed a resolution to not allow such disaffiliations.)

Unlike the Libertarian Party, the CP seems secretive about who is really running for their presidential nominee. They have announced many candidates who I think are not really running like Jerome Corsi, Bob Smith, and Roy Moore. I think the CP keeps putting out these names even though they know they aren’t running just to attract attention. The Constitution Party convention is coming up in about two weeks.