Stumping for independent aspirant Farid Khavari in Florida’s gubernatorial campaign, Brian P. Moore, a former Democratic candidate for governor, spared few adjectives in criticizing Republican Rick Scott’s plan to create a meager 700,000 jobs in the Sunshine State over the next seven years.

Describing Scott’s jobs program as “unachievable, insufficient and wrong-headed,” the 67-year-old Moore said that Scott’s much-touted “7-7-7 Plan” would do little to ease recession-ravaged Florida’s jobless crisis and even less to alleviate the state’s looming fiscal crisis.

Florida faces a $3 billion budget shortfall next year.

Moore was also the Socialist Party USA Presidential candidate in 2008. Richardson is Khavari’s running mate.

Brian P. Moore, the Socialist Party’s candidate for president in 2008, polled more than 200,000 votes in yesterday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary in Florida.

With approximately 92 percent of the statewide precincts reporting, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink was garnering 664,183 votes to 199,623 for Moore, who waged an under-funded and low-key campaign for the state’s highest office.

Moore was polling 23.1 percent of the vote.

More….

Brian Moore, the Socialist Party’s 2008 candidate for President, has filed to run for Governor of Florida as a Democrat.Moore has sought statewide office in Florida before, running as a “No Party” candidate for U.S. Senate in 2006.  He’s also made several runs for Congress in South Florida, both as an independent and also as a Democrat.

State CFO Alex Sink would have advanced directly to the general election as the Democratic nominee had Moore not filed paperwork this morning. Now she will have a primary on August 24.

Moore received 6,528 votes in his 2008 run for President.

On May 17, the U.S. Supreme Court said it won’t hear the Mississippi ballot access case, Moore v Hosemann, 09-982. Two other ballot access cert petitions are still pending, one from Alabama, and one from Louisiana.

The original issue in the Mississippi case was whether Brian Moore, Socialist Party presidential candidate, should have been on the November 2008 ballot. His presidential elector paperwork had been submitted ten minutes past 5 p.m. The chances of this case being heard in the U.S. Supreme Court were probably diminished when the Mississippi legislature this year passed a bill, saying such paperwork is due at 5 p.m. (previously, the law set a date for the deadline, but not a time).

The U.S. Supreme Court has said that ballot access lawsuits are not moot just because the election is over. But this case had a different type of mootness problem. This year, after Moore had filed his brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, the legislature had fixed the law that had been complained about. The Court had never before taken any election law case in which the legislature had already fixed the problem complained about while the case was pending.

On March 19, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour signed SB 3058. It sets a 5 p.m. deadline for presidential elector paperwork. The old law set the deadline date, but not an hour. This bill only came into existence because of the 2008 incident at which the Secretary of State’s office rejected the paperwork for Brian Moore, Socialist Party presidential candidate. Thanks to Brian Moore for this news.

Will the ‘Socialist’ Slam Swell Socialist Ranks?
by Berry Craig

http://www.laprogressive.com/

http://www.laprogressive.com/progressive-issues/socialist-slam-swell-socialist-ranks/#more-25856

I’m not sure what to make of the recent Esquire magazine poll that showed 78 percent of “Republican leaders” think President Barack Obama is a socialist.

My guess is the GOP brass is posturing for political gain. Brian P. Moore agrees.

“The Republicans really don’t believe he’s a socialist,” he said. “They just know calling him one gives them an edge and puts the Democrats on the defensive.”

The s-word doesn’t scare Moore . The 66-year-old Floridian ran for president on the Socialist Party USA ticket in 2008.

“Calling Obama a ‘socialist’ is an insult to socialists,” he said. “It’s more than an easy sound bite, it’s an outright lie. The fact that anybody can utter, with a straight face,‘ President Obama’ and ‘socialist’ in the same sentence is simply beyond my comprehension.”

Moore insists neither the president nor his party is even close to socialistic. “Obama and the Democrats support a free market economy and for-profit corporations,” said Moore who has stuck up for socialism on the Colbert Report and even Fox News. “They support capitalism, which rewards the few at the expense of the many.”

Obama and the Democrats doubtless would disagree that they favor rich people over poor people. But they probably would “amen” Moore’s charge that Republicans are guilty of Cold War-style “red-baiting” and “fear mongering” when they diss Democrats as “socialists.”

“Historically, socialism has been a working class movement. Thus, wealthy conservatives and their political allies try hard to convince working stiffs that socialism is the same thing as communism,” Moore said.

“The GOP’s entire appeal is aimed at the least informed segment of the American population — the kind of people that buy into that sort of name-calling nonsense,” added Moore, who lives in Spring Hill, near Tampa . “Calling Obama and the Democrats ‘socialists’ is another ‘civilized’ way for the accusers to get into the gutter without being seen as such.”

Moore also suspects the “Obama’s-a-socialist” slur is subtly racist. Most Republicans are conservative white folks, especially in the Red State South, a big part of the GOP’s base.

No doubt, the Republican brass would bristle at the racism charge. They’d be quick to point out that Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee chairman, is black.

But if Moore ’s right, there’s precedent for GOP bigwigs using “socialist” to mask racial prejudice. In the 1950s and 1960s, white supremacist Southern Democrats — ancestors of many Republicans in the old Confederacy – equated federally-mandated integration with socialism and even communism.

Segregationists skewered the Supreme Court as “socialist” and “communist” for outlawing school segregation. They similarly slammed Congress for passing sweeping civil rights bills that overturned Jim Crow laws and put ballots into black hands.

White supremacists claimed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders were “socialists” or “communist agitators.”

“Conservatives still consider ‘socialism’ to be an all-encompassing evil word,” Moore explained. Thus, tagging Obama a “socialist” enables covertly racist conservatives to “to get away with bigotry,” he added.

Anyway, millions of people in other democratic nations – including our North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies — don’t think “socialist” is a dirty word. They routinely vote democratic socialist or social democratic parties into power. (Such parties hold the most seats in the British, Greek, Norwegian, Portuguese and Spanish parliaments. All five countries are in NATO.)

America is the only industrial democracy without a mainstream democratic socialist or social democratic party. Elsewhere, the Democrats would be centrist or center-right. (Today’s Tea Bagger-friendly GOP would be far to the right of other conservative parties, even Britain ’s Tory Party.)

Meanwhile, Moore wonders if the Republicans who trash Obama as a “socialist” are helping the socialist cause, however unwittingly. “There is so much talk about socialism that efforts at educating people about what socialism really is may be easier now and in the future,” he said.

Moore looked into socialism after conservatives started calling him a socialist. He liked what he found and signed up for the Socialist Party USA.

A lot of Americans might not go for the socialism Moore preaches. But if they examine the record, they’ll discover it’s not totalitarian communism.

Most importantly, socialists like Moore seek change only through the ballot and the democratic process, not via the bullet, repression and bloody revolution. Communists used all three to gain and keep power in places like the old U.S.S.R, China and North Korea .

The Socialist Party USA, according to Moore , “seeks a classless society – one that is fairer and more egalitarian, one where the majority of citizens can benefit from a more democratic economic system, instead of a system that rewards only the select few at the top.”

Moore knows winning many stateside hearts and minds to socialism is a long slog up a steep hill. He only polled 6,528 votes for president. But he insists he’s in the fight for the duration.

He invites even skeptics to check out his Internet website. You can email him from the site.

http://www.votebrianmoore.com/

The December 28 issue of the Biloxi, Mississippi, Sun Herald, has this story about Brian Moore’s ongoing lawsuit to settle the exact deadline for candidates to file presidential elector paperwork to be on the ballot. The lawsuit is more than a year old, and is far from being settled. This is apparently the first time that any newspaper in Mississippi has mentioned the case.

Blaise Ingoglia’s guest column last week in Hernando Today, which was critical of third parties for undermining the two major parties’ future existence, was laughable.

The only threat to his Republican Party, and to the Democratic Party for that matter, is the ineffectual and destructive policies they advocate and legislate. Furthermore, they are also responsible for the dollars they allocate in such a wasteful fashion, which have caused our economic crisis, high unemployment, a broken health care system and the downward spiral of poverty that continues unabated now amongst the middle class, as well as the lower economic classes, unabated in America.

We go to war every other year, which is always supported by the bipartisan U.S. Congress as well. And the two major political parties have no one else to blame for the 9/11 attack. It was due to the failures of our intelligence agencies, but most importantly to the lack of oversight by the Congress. One could take it another step further to say that the economic and foreign policies, as set by the two-party congress, have caused anti-Americanism, hatred and revenge amongst many populations of the world, which led to 9/11and ongoing terrorism worldwide.

The next civil rights issue of the 21st century will be to enable better and easier ballot access for third parties, so that more Americans will have a choice in the political party and ideology they wish to choose and support, and to represent their interest and calls for real change.

Mr. Ingoglia’s perception that third party’s threaten the viability of his Republican Party is correct, in part, as it should be, but what one cannot buy is his belief that the Republican philosophy, just as the Democratic philosophy, are the vehicles to solve our nation’s problems.

To the contrary, the two parties are corrupted, dependent on corporate and special interest monies and should be held accountable for the state of affairs our nation is now finding itself in. Our only way out is through change, significant, bold change, not a slight tinkering or soft reform that Mr. Ingoglia of the Republicans and Mr. Obama of the Democrats, purport to offer as solutions.

Brian P. Moore

Spring Hill

The party’s only candidates for office in 2009, according to its website, are in New Jersey.  Gregory Pason is running for governor, and Tino Rizzo is running for Lt. Governor.

The Fifth Circuit will hear oral arguments in Moore v Hosemann in New Orleans, the week of November 2-6. The case concerns the Mississippi Secretary of State’s refusal to accept presidential elector paperwork for Brian Moore, the 2008 Socialist Party presidential candidate. The Secretary of State said the paperwork arrived ten minutes too late. However, the Mississippi law setting the deadline does not specify any particular hour for receiving such paperwork. Certain other election-related deadlines do specify 5 p.m. in the election law, but this deadline doesn’t.

Moore also argues that if the Secretary of State says he had administratively set the closing deadline at 5 p.m., that would have violated Article II of the U.S. Constitution, because that part of the Constitution, setting forth rules for presidential elector selection, says only state legislatures can set forth rules for that topic.

A somewhat similar case is pending in the 5th circuit against Louisiana, concerning the Libertarian Party, but no oral argument date has been set for that case, called Libertarian Party v Dardenne.

Public Support of Capitalism Dives; Signal for White House to Tax and Spend More

Jonathan Hoenig: Yeah, I mean Terry, the president already pushes this notion that capitalism has failed, right? That profit and self interest are bad, and that what we really need is this selfless government to allocate assets the right way. So hell yeah, you’re going to see higher taxes, higher spending and most frightening is bigger government ownership and control of almost every element of American life. I think it’s a major, major problem for this country.

Brian Moore: Well, no, this is not a green light for Washington. But it is a confirmation and a recognition that the free market system just doesn’t work. And a recognition that the wealthy benefit. And the tax cut by Bush back in 2001 provided about four trillion dollars to the wealthy elite at the expense of the average taxpayer.

Terry Keenan: The average taxpayer had a lot more jobs back then, a lot more jobs created during that period than we’re seeing now, that’s for sure.

Brian Moore: Well, you combine that with the bailout, and the six trillion dollars that the Federal Reserve has given to the financial industry, and we’re looking at system of capitalism that only benefits the wealthy at the expense of the little guy.

He also appeared on FOX in February to debate economics:

Wharton’s article is in part responsive to news from Feb 27th that Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, a prominent Republican with conservative credentials, called President Obama “the world’s best salesman of socialism.”

Indeed, some socialists, such as Brian Moore, the Socialist Party USA 2008 presidential candidate, have nearly teased that some of Obama’s proposals – such as a cap on executive pay – are a step towards socialism. (See post/press release here. ) Though, most socialists tend to disagree that Obama is a socialist, and disagree with Obama’s overall program for the country.

In a September 2008 article at the website Human Events, David Schaich, Socialist Party Campaign Clearinghouse Coordinator, said it quite bluntly, “The idea that Barack Obama is socialist, or quasi-socialist, or semi-socialist, or socialist-light, or anything of the sort, is far-right nonsense. Barack Obama, like John McCain, is very much a ‘politician as usual,’fully committed to the continuation of the capitalist system and the expansion of its empire.”

In the Washington Post, Billy Wharton says:

…A New York Times reporter recently pinned Obama down with the question, “Are you a socialist, as some people have suggested?” The normally unflappable politician stumbled through a response so unconvincing that it required a follow-up call in which Obama claimed impeccable free market credentials…

…The funny thing is, of course, that socialists know that Barack Obama is not one of us. Not only is he not a socialist, he may in fact not even be a liberal. Socialists understand him more as a hedge-fund Democrat — one of a generation of neoliberal politicians firmly committed to free-market policies.

The first clear indication that Obama is not, in fact, a socialist, is the way his administration is avoiding structural changes to the financial system…

…The same holds true for health care. A national health insurance system as embodied in the single-payer health plan reintroduced in legislation this year by Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), makes perfect sense to us [socialists.] That bill would provide comprehensive coverage, offer a full range of choice of doctors and services and eliminate the primary cause of personal bankruptcy — health-care bills. Obama’s plan would do the opposite…

[Obama would leave troops in Iraq and expand the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan.] A socialist foreign policy would call for the immediate removal of all troops…

…The president has, however, been assigned the unenviable task of salvaging a capitalist system intent on devouring itself. The question is whether he can do so without addressing the deep inequalities that have become fundamental features of American society…

Brian P. Moore (352) 686-9936 or cell (352) 585-2907

www.votebrianmoore.com

PRESIDENT OBAMA JOINS BRIAN MOORE IN CAPPING CEO AND SENIOR EXECUTIVE PAY

Socialist Presidential Candidate Advocated Executive Caps In 2008 Campaign; Says, “This is Good Start Toward Socialism”

TAMPA BAY (Spring Hill), FLORIDA, February 5, 2009 —President Barack Obama, who on Wednesday imposed $500,000 caps on senior executive pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving federal bailout money, saying Americans are upset with “executives being rewarded for failure,” has joined his 2008 minor party opponent who called for executive caps throughout the presidential election campaign.

Brian Moore, the Socialist Party USA presidential candidate in the 2008 presidential elections, stated on the “Issues” page of his presidential website (www.votebrianmoore.com) to “Cap and reduce corporate profits and excessive executive salary levels while fostering the transfer of corporate ownership and control to workers.”

Moore continually advocated in his radio and television interviews, and in debates and presidential forums throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, that there should be a “worker/CEO ratio of no more than 5 to 1.”

The Socialist Party platform also states in its “Economics” section that ” We call for …a maximum income [for executives] of no more than ten times the minimum.”

Moore does embrace Mr. Obama’s criticism of corporate executives when the President was recently quoted that such exorbitant pay is “exactly the kind of disregard for the costs and consequences of their [corporate and capitalistic] actions that brought about this crisis—a culture of narrow self-interest and short-term gain at the expense of everything else.”

Moore further added in point 32 of his website Issues page that “During transition to full worker control, [we should] require the private sector to implement a fairer economic system of consumer costs, profit-margins and regulation of services and products.”

The former Socialist candidate said that he disagrees with the President’s quote, as reported today in The New York Times (Thurs., Feb. 5, 2009) that “We don’t disparage wealth. We don’t begrudge anybody for achieving success. And we believe that success should be rewarded….but what upsets people are executives being rewarded for failure…”

Moore disagrees with President Obama’s mindset, arguing that that is the trouble with capitalism, it focuses on profit and individual success and wealth instead of focusing “on production for the needs of the community instead.” Moore contends that “success can also be rewarded under socialism, but not exorbitantly, or at the expense of the common good.” “That is where we differ from Mr. Obama and his capitalistic mindset, his capitalistic political party and the faltering capitalistic economic system which our country is presently burdened by,” the former socialist candidate stated.

Moore says that Socialism stands for “a fundamental transformation of the economy,” and that only a “global” transformation from capitalism to democratic socialism will provide the conditions for international peace, justice and economic cooperation.

Moore argues that Socialism is seeking a “classless society,” one that is fairer and more egalitarian, and where the majority of citizens can benefit from a more democratic economic system, instead of rewarding only the select few at the top. “An executive salary cap, as a bailout condition, is a good start, in our direction toward socialism,” Moore happily stated.

Posted to IPR by Paulie

U.S. Attorney General Nominee Opposed; Support and Rationale By Senators Of Candidate Is Weak–Claims Civic Critic

Access to Voice Dissent on Eric Holder Nomination Blocked at Almost Every Turn

SPRING HILL, FLORIDA, Friday, January 30, 2009 — A blistering letter of criticism for “unfair access to the nomination process” and “shaky support of the candidate by senators of both major parties” was faxed today from a civic activist in Florida to Democrat Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, regarding the nomination hearings of Eric H. Holder, Jr. for United States Attorney General.

The letter was sent after the Senate Judiciary Committee’s near unanimous vote (17-2) on Wednesday to recommend Eric H. Holder, Jr. as the United States Attorney General.

The letter was faxed and mailed by a civic activist, and former presidential candidate in the Socialist Party USA, Brian Moore, who resided in Washington, DC during 22 years of the 24 year- span of Eric Holder’s employment with the U.S. Justice Department in the District of Columbia (1976 to 2001). Moore is now a resident of Florida. The activist communicated his comments as a former citizen and a former local candidate in Washington, DC. Moore was careful to state that his comments were “not in the name of his minor political party nor any other individuals.”

On December 19, 2008, Moore sent a request to the Minority Office of the Senate Judiciary Committee to appear at the January 15th and 16th, 2009 hearings for U.S. Attorney General, in opposition to Mr. Holder’s candidacy.

Moore was not told until the day before the hearings, January 14th, by the Minority Office of the Committee, that Senator Arlen Specter’s request for 12 witnesses was relegated to only three persons by Chairman Leahy. Thus, Moore’s request to appear could not be considered. Statements “for the record” were initially ended by Chairman Leahy on January 16th, the second day of the hearings, but apparently that was rescinded allowing Moore’s statement to be posted on the Committee’s official website for the record—on the chronological list January 23, 2009 marker. See the following link:

http://judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/AttorneyGeneral-EricHolder-Letters.cfm

In Moore’s written four-page opposition statement, which he faxed and overnight mailed on Wednesday, January 21st, to both the Majority and Minority offices of the Senate Judiciary Committee (see attachment), Moore expressed concern that throughout Holder’s roles as a government lawyer in Washington, DC, for the U.S. Justice Department’s Public Integrity section (1978 through 1988), as a Superior Court Judge of DC (1988-1993), as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia (1993 to 1997) and as Deputy United States Attorney General (1997 to 2001) Mr. Holder “appears to have been either silent or low-key in his approach to malfeasance in the District.”

Moore contrasted his opposition to Holder’s inaction in local District of Columbia matters as a different area of criticism, while Republican members of the committee focused only on the national issues of Marc Rich and Puerto Rican FALN pardons made by President Bill Clinton.

Moore continued in his January 21st statement, which he addressed to both Senator Democratic Chair Patrick Leahy, and Republican Ranking Member Senator Arlen Specter, reminding them that the District of Columbia, from the “late 1970′s into the 1990′s, under the administrations of Mayor Marion Barry, and his other mayoral successors, descended into rampant political, criminal and financial corruption involving elected and appointed public officials.” Moore said this corruption included voter and financial fraud, bribe-taking, flagrant mismanagement by government officials and blatant cronyism. The former civic activist, and Independent candidate for D.C. City Council and D.C. Mayor, from 1984 thru 1998, further reminded the senators and their committee that the “nation’s capitol also turned into rampant lawlessness, high drug abuse…gang violence ….and record killings.” Moore said the shootings involved black-on-black crime, mostly among young adult blacks, even affecting public high schools.

Moore continued in his statement that the District actually became “the murder capital of the world” in the early 1990′s and one of the 10 most corrupt cities in America “while Mr. Holder was its United States Attorney for the District of Columbia in that period.”

Moore also took a swipe at the U.S. Congress for neglecting its oversight responsibilities by keeping a “hands off” policy toward the District, thus allowing the city to “teeter on the verge of bankruptcy.” Moore said his early advocacy of a DC Control Board, when Moore was an Independent mayoral candidate in DC in 1993 and 1994, became a reality through congressional legislative action in 1995.

Moore emphasized in his statement that Mr. Holder “demonstrated a lack of courage and/or independence to take on political leaders of his own Democratic Party.” Moore referred to a critical Washington City Paper article in March, 1997, by reporter Stephanie Mencimer, criticizing the D.C. government’s reputation as a “culture without consequence,” and of Mr. Holder’s inability or unwillingness to take prosecutorial action to hold those responsible for their criminal behavior. Moore further quoted Ms. Mencimer that Mr. Holder has a reputation, despite his popularity and “kid-glove treatment by the press,” that Holder “hasn’t produced many visible results” [for the District in his legal leadership capacity].

Moore went further in his statement echoing reporter’s emphasis of why did Mr. Holder “fear DC juries or [why] was he intimidated by its political officials.” The implication was not only partisan but appears to be racial as well (blacks holding their own race accountable).

Moore criticized Holder by stating that he “will not take forceful action unless it does not jeopardize his own political position, [or] and that it is a safe action [for Holder to take].” Moore ratcheted up his criticism further stating that “Mr. Holder’s lack of leadership, his inaction and ineffectiveness, and apparent lack of a moral barometer, especially against officials of his own political party and of his own African-American race, should raise serious concerns about his candidacy for United State Attorney General.”

Moore concluded his critique of Eric Holder’s leadership abilities and personal character by stating that he [Moore] is “raising a flag as to whether Mr. Holder has the strength of character to not only stand up to the President’s authority, if necessary, but also whether Eric Holder has the strength to stand up for the rule of law as well.” Moore added that Mr. Holder’s quiet and inactive history and unimpressive prosecutorial track record, other than his impressive academic and government credentials, “should raise serious concerns and worries for the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and the United States Senate as a whole.”

The former D.C. resident also included critical statements in his letter to Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy, of both Republican and Democratic Senators, on their various justifications and rationale in supporting Mr. Holder’s nomination to the full Senate. The full Senate vote is expected to be taken on Friday, January 30th, supposedly after three hours of “limited debate.”

Moore blasted many of the Senators for their stated need to “give deference” to President Obama to the extent that they were willing to overlook Mr. Holder’s lack of independence and serious character flaws. Moore was especially critical of Republican Arlen Specter, who acknowledged ex-FBI director Louie Freeh’s statement that the Marc Rich pardon was a “corrupt act” but that both Freeh and Specter “placed the blame on President Clinton, and not on his Deputy US Attorney General, who made the recommendation!”

Moore concluded his strongly worded letter to Chairman Leahy by criticizing the “justification or illogical reasoning” used by other U.S. Senator members of the Committee in voting for Mr. Holder’s nomination. Community activist Brian Moore blasted liberal Senator Russ Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, for his “euphoric” support of Eric Holder because he said that “Water boarding is torture,” and “No one is above the law,” both antithesis references to the Bush Administration. Moore said he too was pleased with those statements, but did not justify “as examples of his character or independence.” Feingold’s only reference to Holder’s so-called “Independence” was his pursuing several corrupt Democratic congressmen from Illinois and Texas—-from Holder’s own political party.

Moore went on the attack also of Alabama Republican Senator Sessions’ support of Holder despite Sen. Sessions’ criticism of Holder that he “Should have dug in his heels,” regarding the Rich and the FALM pardons, along with Holder’s silence when AG Janet Reno stopped President Clinton from bombing Osama Ben Laden in 1998.

Moore added, while he sympathized with Senator Feingold’s comments, and understood, although disagreed with Sessions’ comments, Moore said both senators appeared to be hypocritical in their support of Mr. Holder.

Moore concluded his letter to Chairman Leahy lambasting Republican Senator Orin Hatch’s vote for Eric Holder despite Hatch’s scathing criticism of Eric Holder in previous hearings in the 90′s over Mr. Holder’s endorsement of the Marc Rich and the Puerto Rican FALN pardons. Mr. Hatch’s “deference to the president” smacked of senate collegiality instead of accountability and serious candidate analysis. Moore did concur with Hatch’s opening comments that the hearing was conducted “in about half the time” that his own party held theirs, and “fewer witnesses against the candidate were invited,” supporting Moore’s contention that the hearings were “contrived and manipulated.”

Moore’s parting comments in his letter to Mr. Leahy were that he “endorses” the Christian Science Monitor’s editorial of January 29th by Nick Robinson, who stated that the “AG’s job [is] to enforce the law, so it’s a conflict of interest to have him [the AG] appointed by the president.”

Other candidates’ funds raised are available online. Among the notable third-party candidates, America’s Independent Party candidate Alan Keyes raised $465,765, Party for Socialism and Liberation nominee Gloria LaRiva $24,231, and Socialist Brian Moore $9,516.

Baldwin 287
McKinney 53
Calero 40
Moore 18

Baldwin got more than 2.5x the other register write-ins and about 18.6% of what Michael Peroutka got in 2004 as a ballot listed candidate. McKinney recieved only .55% of the votes ballot-listed David Cobb recieved in 2004. Roger Calero, running in 2004, got only 12 write-in votes, so he more than tripled his write-in votes. Michael Badnarik recieved 3367 votes in 2004 as the Libertarian Party candidate, but Bob Barr was neither ballot-listed, nor a qualified write-in candidate this year.

No, it is Stewart and I who wish to thank all of the SP members, friends, family and volunteers who worked so hard, and gave of themselves so generously in our 2008 campaign.

A special thanks goes out to Matt Erard, our National Ballot Access Coordinator, for his diligent, effective and smart efforts in helping us qualify on eight state ballots and 22 others as official “Write-In”
candidates. Matt was a real selfless workhorse, who could be depended upon day in and day out. We thank you immensely, Matt, for a job well done.

Another note of special thanks goes out to Darcy Richardson, our unofficial Campaign Manager, who used his knowledge, expertise, writing skills and political acumen to advise us with regard to strategy, publicity and stands on the issues. His selfless service and generosity was a priceless treasure for our campaign, and we could not have achieved the recognition and ballot successes without him. Thank you, Darcy.

Mark B. Brown, Esq., from Columbus, Ohio, and professor of Law at Capital University there, was our not-so-secret weapon in achieving court victories in Ohio several times, and almost being victorious as well in our legal efforts in Mississippi and Louisiana. Mark was always there for us, and worked tirelessly, long, long hours, for our party and our candidacies.
Thank you, Mark. We owe you a debt of gratitude.

And finally, a special word of thanks to Walt Brown, Esq, the party’s standard-bearer in 2004, who generously gave of his time, money (covering state fees in Colorado and Louisiana, to the tune of $500 each) and applying his experience in advising us in the various states for ballot access; along with setting strategy for increasing our number of states as well. His wife Beverley was an integral and instrumental force also in assisting Walt’s efforts.

Garrett Anderson, a young high school student, did a sparkling job in scheduling, posting, and uncovering radio and TV interviews and arranging of speeches and meetings, for that we thank you, Garrett. You were indispensable and came out of nowhere to add great luster to the campaign.
Congratulations and thank you, Garrett.

A special thanks to David Schaich for running the campaign website, and keeping members informed of our activities and efforts. David, you were always there, night and day, and diligent and a perfect oversight for our efforts. Great job.

The same can be said of our other members who helped us post and pass the word—-David McReynolds and Greg Pason. Greg was also instrumental in his home state as well as cooperating whenever we needed the support of the national SP office. Thank you, Greg. David kept everyone informed, plus, he added his important counsel when called upon.

Eric Chester was also a big help on the issues any time we asked. Eric was a rock of Gibraltar, especially in our efforts with the Peace and Freedom Party and efforts to convince them to go Socialist for their nominees.

Stewart and I also wish to applaud and express our sincere gratitude to those who coordinated efforts in individual states to help us gain ballot access or “write-In” status, or even to struggle unsuccessfully toward that goal. You are to be congratulated and recognized, along with key Electors who made concerted efforts in select state when necessary.

Please forgive us if we forget to acknowledge you, but we will attempt to recognize and say a special thank you to those who labored quietly and anonymously in their individual states (we will also send a follow up after this note if we leave anyone off who made significant contributions). The states follow. Thank you to:

Colorado: Walt Brown & Peter Hornbein (along with Daniel Conn, Zach Gompert, Brad Danforth and others); Louisiana: Dr. Coleman Pratt did an outstanding job of coordinating the state effort for Electors, along with Darryl Eschete, Brenda Connor, Will Harris, Paul Whetstone and more (Walt Brown from Oregon provided the initial $500 fee).

In Minnesota: Bill McGaughey was a life-saver on signature deadline day, plus the coordination by Stephanie Cholensky, and Brent Perry’s help outside the state as well (and others) Tennessee: Dr. Shela Van Ness (with help from Sally Joyner, Zack McAnally, Joe Eichler, Cecilia Miller and others)did a great job in succeeding to get us on the ballot; Mississippi: Ms. Linda Lee Bishop was a great help through her Natural Law Party; New Jersey: Greg Pason and Tino Rozzo made it look easy.

In Vermont: Peter Diamondstone and Mal Herbert and the many others there brought us on board in early January through the Liberty Union Party—great job!; Iowa: Grant Gray did an excellent job in coordinating with Matt Erard’s creative efforts to achieve ballot access; Ohio: Joe & Donna Murphy saved our day for the deadline, and Mark Brown, Esq. brought us home with his legal victory to get us on the ballot for the first time in 76 years;
Wisconsin: Sister Nan Pfefferle & Jerry Stastny and the many others did a herculean task in qualifying us in Wisconsin; Utah & Idaho: Rich Bergman helped us in both Idaho and Utah, Dennis Potter lead the way in Utah with Ruben Carter and Tom Brighton and Nick Gassoway helping also.

In the state of Washington: Henry Noble and Su Docekal of the Feminist Socialist Alliance in the state of Washington, and nationally, along with W.
Ivan King, were unwavering in their commitment and dedication and we thank you—Walt Brown had his hand in this state also financing petitioning efforts out of his own pocket of several people in our final days of efforts to qualify; New York: Samuel Rothenberg and Willy Wharton made efforts whenever we needed them, thank you; Massachusetts and Rhode Island: Matt Andrews and Chris Persampieri lead the way, along with Michael, Eric and Susan for Vermont petitioning, and others as well.

Connecticut: We wish to thank Todd Vachon, Cole Stangler (high school
student) and others for their fine efforts, while Todd campaigned for congress as well; Indiana: Ron Haldeman and Cain Toomey were steadfast and dependable, thank you; North Carolina: great job for “write-in” status, Paul Boyle; Texas: Eric Murillo and Raul Cano we also thank you for “write-in”
status; California: A big effort by Vice Presidential nominee Stewart Alexander, Tina Phillips, Cindy Henderson, Maggie Phair, Jack Gerson, and others for seeking convention delegates or electors for “write-in”
status—-great effort by all.

Edwin Laing was a terrific confidant on the issues, on socialism, and on targeting our various audiences and messages to convey. Thank you, Edwin, great job.

A special thanks also to Carol Zarek and Freda Radich in California, personal friends, who co-hosted our suite at the PFP convention in Sacramento, raised money and arranged for media interviews. Plus, Freda gave us some smart PR advise. Thank you, ladies.

Kudos to Linda Lee Bishop of Mississippi, the Chair of the Natural Law Party, who took it upon herself to give us the green light to see ballot access through her inactive party.

In Florida, Paul Werner was instrumental in overseeing many of the campaign efforts; Marc Luzietti oversaw the obtaining of voter registration rolls and names for the Elector preparation; Mark Harris was terrific in coordinating the collection of sufficient number of Electors from the Socialist Party to gain ballot access; and Professor Jay Jurie of Central Florida University arranged for a university speech, media coverage and issue advise. They were all outstanding.

From the Peace and Freedom Party in California, a special thanks to John Reiger, Norma Harrison and Marsha Feinland for your efforts to nominate us and speak on our behalf; and also to Debra Reiger and Kevin Aiken and Bill Callison, and many unnamed volunteers, supporters and party members who were helpful in our delegate efforts early on.

Philip Kirchner, Esq, in New Jersey, and Mark Brown, Esq., were a huge help to us in finding legal counsel in the states of Mississippi and Louisiana.
[a separate note will address this issue]

Richard Winger of Ballot Access News was fair and generous in reporting on our events and achievements throughout the campaign; likewise to Paul Canoli for his reporting of our efforts in Independent Political Report and to Austin Cassidy and Peter Orvetti in the Third Party Politics Journal.

Michael Sahm, a professional petitioner, gave us tons of information and advice on the laws and procedures for petitioning in various states, and a wise strategy in prioritizing the states.

And a special note of thanks to Quinn Brisben, our former presidential and vice-presidential candidate, who is seriously ill now, but continually provided us counsel and advise and strategy from the very beginning of the St. Louis convention, to almost the final month. We salute you, Quinn, thank you, for your generous spirit and heart, to you and your wife, Andrea.

We will send out a separate note listing the financial contributions made to our campaign, by the many party members, friends and colleagues. People were generous on a one-time basis, multiple times, and a handful were even gracious enough to contribute monthly during the duration of the campaign.

We thank you all. And we apologize to any who we inadvertantly left off.
Please know that your labor was not lost, nor ineffective, but a wonderful contribution to the ultimate embrace of Socialism in America and worldwide.

Thank you, colleagues, brothers and sisters, and friends.

Brian Moore and Stewart Alexander
November 10, 2008

Video found at tilzy.tv

Campaign 2008 has been a fierce fame-making machine, albeit for notoriety that can be most fleeting.

Yet Brian Moore, the Socialist candidate for president of the United States of America and the latest to bask in the media glow, has seen his 15 minutes stretch on for a couple of weeks. And he’s hoping for quite a bit more.

It all started a couple of weeks ago, when the Republican ticket began to paint Barack Obama as a “socialist” and the “redistributor in chief,” after the Democrat made his now famous remark to Joe “the Plumber” Wurzelbacher about “spreading the wealth around.”

That created an opening for Moore of Spring Hill, Fla., who finds the Republicans lacking in credibility and Obama badly wanting when it comes the true collectivist spirit. The former HMO executive and Socialist Party USA presidential nominee has been in nearly constant demand in recent days.

On Monday, he was giving yet another radio interview, this one to a station in St. Louis. He earlier had been featured by the Chicago Tribune, Fox News, St. Petersburg Times, the Nation and the New Republic, to name just a few.

The 65-year-old physical fitness fanatic’s biggest splash came last week on “The Colbert Report.” Host Stephen Colbert greeted him as “Comrade Moore,” and when the obscure candidate insisted Obama was not a socialist, Colbert retorted, “What do you mean, he wants to redistribute the wealth. That makes him a pinko, right?”

Moore . . ..

. . . . chuckled.

He explained in an interview with The Times that true socialism would require a more dramatic change, one that would not require big government but would put workers in charge of the nation’s wealth.

“Citizens can then share in the profits and redistribute the profits from a military economy into a social service and infrastructure economy,” Moore said.

The Socialists — Moore and running mate Stewart Alexander, a Riverside car dealer — said they will appear on the ballot in eight states, including Florida and Ohio, but not California.

Moore dropped out of seminary as a young man. He joined the Peace Corps. After working in the health industry he said he helped nonprofits bring healthcare to Latin America.

He said he regularly swims and plays pickup basketball and has never smoked, leading him to speculate that he is “healthier than Obama is.”

Moore described the Republicans and Democrats as being inextricably linked to corporate America, like “tweedledee and tweedledum,” and predicted that the economic crisis would finally open Americans to another way.

“To me it’s a watershed,” Moore said. “It’s opened up the eyes of America of the weaknesses of capitalism. There has never been so much publicity about socialism in the last 70 years.”

Additionally, including states where Moore is a registered write-in, he joins Obama, McCain, McKinney, Nader, Baldwin and Barr as candidates who have a mathematical chance of winning. Frank Moore, and independent candidate from Florida, is also on enough write-in ballots to win, but is not listed on the ballot in any state, has not received much coverage, and might only have the ability to win due to states that count unregistered write-ins.