
U.S. Democratic Party presidential candidate Bob Ely of Illinois took some time to answer a few questions from Wikinews reporter William S. Saturn.
Ely, a graduate of Yale University, worked for 18 years as an investment banker in Chicago before leaving the industry in 2000 to become a full-time investor and entrepreneur. Last year, he opened a campaign website and filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) as a candidate challenging President Barack Obama for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. 
Thus far, Ely has appeared on the Democratic primary ballot in New Hampshire, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. His strongest showing occurred in Louisiana, where he won 6.57 percent of the vote, finishing in third place behind Obama and attorney John Wolfe, Jr.. Discussing the primary, he told Politico that despite being "a candidate who bought no ads and did exactly zero campaigning," he won 120 of Louisiana's 4,395 voting precincts, and defeated President Obama in 457. Overall, Ely has won a total of 15,502 primary votes. 
On Tuesday May 29, Ely will appear on the Texas primary ballot alongside Obama, Wolfe, and historian Darcy Richardson, who suspended his campaign last month. It will be Ely's last chance to qualify for Democratic National Convention delegates. Four of his fellow challengers have already done so: anti-abortion activist Randall Terry and perennial candidate Jim Rogers both qualified in Oklahoma, Wolfe qualified in Louisiana and Arkansas, and prison inmate Keith Russell Judd qualified in West Virginia. For various reasons, the Democratic Party stripped the delegates from each of these candidates.
On his campaign website, Ely outlines a plan for a "job's bank", which would use the existing organization for unemployment benefits to create a program where businesses can hire individuals to new positions with government salaries of minimum wage. He also wants to make it easier for businesses to terminate employees, and has proposed an increase in taxes and tariffs. He is concerned about the federal budget deficit and wishes to significantly reduce government spending. On other issues, Ely has proposed a plan for "basic health care" coverage, endorses "amnesty" for illegal immigrants in certain situations, and supports a strong, but frugal military used only to "protect America, Americans and America’s clear national interests"
With Wikinews, Ely discusses his personal background and views of President Obama, a few details about his campaign, and such political issues as jobs, energy, taxes, and nuclear proliferation.
((William S. Saturn)) What are some of your proudest accomplishments?
((WSS)) Have you previously been involved in any political campaigns or issues?
((WSS)) If you had been elected in 2008, what would you have done differently than Barack Obama?
((WSS)) Has Obama done any good things as president?
((WSS)) Do you expect to support the president in November?
((WSS)) Why did you choose to run for president as a Democrat?
((WSS)) On your campaign website you admit that you are "inexperienced". What qualifications do you have to be president?
((WSS)) What kind of activities do you take part in for the campaign?
((WSS)) Does your campaign end after the Texas primary?
((WSS)) What will constitute a success in this campaign?
((WSS)) To pass your jobs program, you must receive the consent of Congress, a group of individuals that, as you say, "need to be loved" for their political survival.  Based on this, is it even possible to cut entitlements or create a "Jobs Bank"?
((WSS)) You have proposed increased taxes on energy. Since businesses require energy to transport their goods to market, this likely would result in an increase in the cost of living. In such an environment, will people making minimum wage under your jobs plan, be able to afford basic necessities?
((WSS)) Most schools of economics agree that during a time of economic downturn, government should cut taxes to increase aggregate demand. You propose tax increases to help balance the budget. With that in mind, how can you prevent a continuation of the current economic downturn?
((WSS)) For your "easier to get fired" plan, which allows businesses to fire employees in the first 180 days of employment for any reason, must Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act be repealed since "any reason" could be construed to include the "race, color, religion, sex, or national origin" of an employee?
((WSS)) How should the U.S. president address the nuclear situation in Iran, or more broadly, the issue of nuclear proliferation?

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Wikinews interviews Bob Ely, Democratic Party presidential challenger to Barack Obama