This year's pretenders include most notably the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Peter Buttigieg. That's pronounced: Boot-Edge-Edge. There is no denying the mayor's eloquence or intellectual prowess. He's a Rhodes scholar and a Harvard graduate. He is also the only openly gay candidate in the Democratic field. I applaud his candidacy. His rebuttal to the openly bigoted views of vice president Mike Pence is brilliant and refreshing.
He is also smart enough to know that a mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is not qualified for the highest office in the land. He lacks experience in foreign policy. He has no practical knowledge of the inside workings of Washington D.C. Still, his candidacy forces the Democratic field to embrace the civil rights of the gay and transsexual communities. He has a powerful voice and will be heard at the Democratic National Convention and beyond.
CEO HOWARD SCHULTZ
With apologies to Joe DiMaggio, Mr. Coffee stepped into the race with the same argument that former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg trots out every four years. He is convinced that America is yearning for a middle-of-the-road moderate and that both major parties have drifted to ideological extremes. He is wrong on both accounts. What really concerns the CEO of Starbucks is protecting his own interests. He is a proud member of the one percent club and he doesn't want to pay proportionately higher taxes. Sorry, Howard, wrong party.
BILLIONAIRE TOM STEYER
To his credit, Steyer jumped on the impeachment wagon before it had wheels. To those who agree with him that alone is an admirable resume. The fact that he amassed his fortune as the manager of a hedge fund is an effective antidote. A San Francisco Democrat with liberal credentials and deep pockets, Steyer threatened to run for US Senator before backing out and he has done the same with the presidency - twice. Let's take him at his word: He's not running "at this time." Translation: His impeachment campaign has not made a mark in the polls.
Here's an idea for all those billionaire progressives: Fund green communities and industries in Montana, Wyoming, Arizona and throughout the Midwest. Establish residency there and run for Governor or the US Senate. We have reached a point where two or three senate seats could have a greater impact than winning the White House.
HIGH TECH ENTREPRENEUR ANDREW YANG
A big brain with a big idea, Andrew Yang epitomizes the candidate who runs to publicize and gather support for a concept. That concept is a universal basic income. Yang read Martin Ford's Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future. It is a poignant warning of a not-so-distant future where robots and robotics take the bulk of jobs from industrial workers to white-collar professionals. For years advocates of Fair Trade have opposed the inevitable job exportation of Free Trade policies. For decades opponents of Fair Trade have fallen back on the argument that technology will take those middle class jobs in any case. Now that time has finally arrived and Yang proposes an answer: a basic universal income by right of birth and citizenship. Here's another solution: the government as an employer of last resort. Shades of socialism? Sure. Why not? Would you prefer mass unemployment? The Mother of all Depressions? It's coming and like global warming it's coming fast. And it doesn't care if you believe it or not.
AUTHOR MARIANNE WILLIAMSON
An adherent of the spiritual teachings of A Course in Miracles, Williamson is the best-selling author of inspirational books. She wishes to awaken the spiritual culture of America to the realities of the democratic process. Williamson is a true believer and a genuine good deed doer so I will not doubt her intentions or cast aspersions on her character. She is not running for president but if she can awaken a segment of the non-voting majority to engage the political process, she deserves our heartfelt appreciation.
MAYOR WAYNE MESSAM
The black mayor of Miramar, Florida, Mr. Messam is the first member of his family born in the United States. He is the son of Jamaican immigrants. His father worked in the sugar cane fields of Glades, Florida. He is running to highlight the plight of immigrants in Trump's America. He advocates gun control, expanded healthcare, a woman's right to choose, progressive taxation and climate change initiatives. He knows the issues and would make a solid candidate for congress.
FORMER SENATOR MIKE GRAVEL
At age 88 and technically qualified for the presidency, former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel is voluntarily being used by a trio of young tech-savvy libertarians to shake up the race. Gravel stands against imperialism and demands democratic reform, both discussions worth having and ones that may or may not come up in his absence. The campaign is refreshingly candid about his chances. They don't want the White House. They want a place on the stage. To attain that goal they must gain a one percent mark in three national polls or donations from 65,000 individuals with at least 200 donors in twenty different states. If they make it the DNC will raise the stakes.
This completes the current crop of presidential pretenders who have managed to gain some notice because of their status and/or financial resources. In some ways they represent the best of American democracy. They bring sincere and pressing issues to light. They double down when more traditional candidates would back off. Some may well go on to great accomplishments in the political arena. Others will boost sales and attendance on upcoming book tours. But none will be president in this cycle.
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