As a non-partisan news source, Wikinews has impartially reached out to these candidates, who are looking to become the 43rd person elected to serve their nation from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Wikinews' own Patrick Mannion corresponded with the Socialist Party USA nominee and candidate, Brian Moore via e-mail. Have you ever run for political office before? Moore: Yes, I ran for city council and mayor in Washington in the 1980's and 1990's; and I ran for the  U.S. Congress and the U.S. Senate in Florida in 2002, 2004 and 2006 respectively. Have you ever been a member of a political party, other than the one you're currently in? Moore: Yes, I was a member of the Democratic Party , the Citizens Party, the Reform Party and the Socialist Party . I also was an Independent for a long period of time. What skills or ideas do or previous positions, you bring from this position that will benefit the Oval Office? Moore: Not sure your question is clear. I have worked in the private and public sector, for-profit and non-profit sectors, domestically and internationally, as an administrator, project director, fundraiser and in sales. I have worked with the poor and solicited funds from corporations and governments as well. I speak Spanish and some Portuguese , and have traveled and lived in South America for almost eight years. I have been involved civically and politically and professionally for forty years, I play sports and attend cultural events, and feel I am well-rounded. I speak out forthrightly on the issues, take strong and clear stands, take the initiative a lot and leader and/or start causes and projects in a leadership capacity. Freedom and Privacy Rights: Abolish the Patriot Act, the Military Tribunal bill ,  all executive orders that water down people's rights, and abolish all intelligence agencies overseas and the Homeland Security Agency at home. Can any third party or independent candidate ever win? Moore: Yes, per the rationale mentioned in answer #11; or from an attractive third party candidate and an even split from the other two major party candidates. Remember, Bill Clinton won the 1992 presidency with 39\% of the vote, George Bush with 37\%, Ross Perot with 20\% (he was up to 40\% in the early part of the campaign and won up to 28\% in some states). Plus, the country is getting tired of holding its nose and voting for the lesser of two evils, plus the number of Independent and minor party candidates is growing and about to surpass one or both of the two major parties in percentage registered. Why do you believe socialism or even democratic socialism has never really "taken off" in America? Moore: Socialism had taken off in America. It is just that the "Red Scare" and the Espionage Act and the Sedition Act between 1917 and 1924 by the U.S. government, Stalinism and McCarthyism from 1945 to 1955; and the Cold War in the second half of the 20th century all undermined a wonderful and rich heritage of our country that thrived from 1900 thru 1925 and beyond. There were 1200 officeholders in America who were registered and public candidates as Socialists in America around 1920. Close to one million Americans voted for Eugene Debs in 1912 and 1920, gaining 9\% and 11\% of the popular vote. Remember, Teddy Roosevelt ran in 1912 as a third party candidate and garnered the second highest vote totals (20\%) and still Gene Debs also gained around 11\%. Can you imagine if Teddy Roosevelt had not been a candidate in that election! Secondly, the Socialists were against World World I , plus there was a split in the party with over half going to Communism, thus both suffering the consequences of Woodrow Wilson's Sedition Act and Red Scare tactics accusing them of being traitors. Membership in the Socialist Party of America grew from 13,000 to 118,000 by 1912, and circulation of its journal, Appeal to Reason , reached a circulation of over 760,000. Keep in mind supporters of Socialism then and into the 1930's and 1940's, in addition to Eugene V. Debs were Upton Sinclair, Helen Keller, Einstein, Sinclair Lewis, A. Philip Randolph, Walter Reuther, Margaret Sanger, Jack London, William DuBois, Kate Richards O'Hare, Frank Zeidler, Rose Pastor Stokes, Victor Berger, Bayard Rustin and Michael Harrington . The growth of the left worried President Woodrow Wilson and his administration so much that America entered what became known as the "Red Scare" period. In 1919, U.S. Attorney General Alexander Mitchell Palmer , at the order of President Wilson, arrested over 10,000 suspected communists and anarchists. These people were charged with "advocating force, violence and unlawful means to overthrow the Government." J. Edgar Hoover was part of the effort at that time. Large number of these "suspects" were held without trial for a long time, and some were expelled to Russia. The Socialist party took a terrible hit and its membership suffered a severe drop due to the governmental intimidation and false claims against it. If you can't make it into the Oval Office, who would you prefer seeing taking the presidency? Moore: No one else, other than Ralph Nader . All, including Ralph Nader, are part of the capitalistic system, and accept its premises that competition, profit, ambition, taking the initiative, winning, exploitation, and survival of the fittest philosophy win over the socialist's features of cooperation, democracy, communal responsibility, fairness, equity, egalitarianism, mutual respect, helping one another, etc. Even Ralph Nader would have a terrible time under capitalism, but I think down deep he really is a socialist at heart, but does not have the gumption or is too practical to believe that it can emerge or survive.
As a non-partisan news source, Wikinews has impartially reached out to these candidates, who are looking to become the 43rd person elected to serve their nation from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Wikinews' own Patrick Mannion corresponded with the Socialist Party USA nominee and candidate, via e-mail. Have you ever run for political office before? Moore: Yes, I ran for city council and mayor in in the 1980's and 1990's; and I ran for the | U.S. Congress and the in Florida in 2002, 2004 and 2006 respectively. Have you ever been a member of a political party, other than the one you're currently in? Moore: Yes, I was a member of the , the Citizens Party, the and the . I also was an for a long period of time. What skills or ideas do or previous positions, you bring from this position that will benefit the Oval Office? Moore: Not sure your question is clear. I have worked in the private and public sector, for-profit and non-profit sectors, domestically and internationally, as an administrator, project director, fundraiser and in sales. I have worked with the poor and solicited funds from corporations and governments as well. I speak and some , and have traveled and lived in South America for almost eight years. I have been involved civically and politically and professionally for forty years, I play sports and attend cultural events, and feel I am well-rounded. I speak out forthrightly on the issues, take strong and clear stands, take the initiative a lot and leader and/or start causes and projects in a leadership capacity. Freedom and Privacy Rights: Abolish the , the , all executive orders that water down people's rights, and abolish all intelligence agencies overseas and the Homeland Security Agency at home. Can any third party or independent candidate ever win? Moore: Yes, per the rationale mentioned in answer #11; or from an attractive third party candidate and an even split from the other two major party candidates. Remember, won the 1992 presidency with 39\% of the vote, with 37\%, with 20\% (he was up to 40\% in the early part of the campaign and won up to 28\% in some states). Plus, the country is getting tired of holding its nose and voting for the lesser of two evils, plus the number of Independent and minor party candidates is growing and about to surpass one or both of the two major parties in percentage registered. Why do you believe socialism or even democratic socialism has never really "taken off" in America? Moore: Socialism had taken off in America. It is just that the and the and the between 1917 and 1924 by the U.S. government, and from 1945 to 1955; and the Cold War in the second half of the 20th century all undermined a wonderful and rich heritage of our country that thrived from 1900 thru 1925 and beyond. There were 1200 officeholders in America who were registered and public candidates as Socialists in America around 1920. Close to one million Americans voted for in 1912 and 1920, gaining 9\% and 11\% of the popular vote. Remember, ran in 1912 as a third party candidate and garnered the second highest vote totals (20\%) and still Gene Debs also gained around 11\%. Can you imagine if Teddy Roosevelt had not been a candidate in that election! Secondly, the Socialists were against , plus there was a split in the party with over half going to Communism, thus both suffering the consequences of Woodrow Wilson's Sedition Act and Red Scare tactics accusing them of being traitors. Membership in the grew from 13,000 to 118,000 by 1912, and circulation of its journal, , reached a circulation of over 760,000. Keep in mind supporters of Socialism then and into the 1930's and 1940's, in addition to Eugene V. Debs were , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . The growth of the left worried President and his administration so much that America entered what became known as the "Red Scare" period. In 1919, U.S. Attorney General , at the order of President Wilson, arrested over 10,000 suspected communists and anarchists. These people were charged with "advocating force, violence and unlawful means to overthrow the Government." was part of the effort at that time. Large number of these "suspects" were held without trial for a long time, and some were expelled to Russia. The Socialist party took a terrible hit and its membership suffered a severe drop due to the governmental intimidation and false claims against it. If you can't make it into the Oval Office, who would you prefer seeing taking the presidency? Moore: No one else, other than . All, including Ralph Nader, are part of the capitalistic system, and accept its premises that competition, profit, ambition, taking the initiative, winning, exploitation, and survival of the fittest philosophy win over the socialist's features of cooperation, democracy, communal responsibility, fairness, equity, egalitarianism, mutual respect, helping one another, etc. Even Ralph Nader would have a terrible time under capitalism, but I think down deep he really is a socialist at heart, but does not have the gumption or is too practical to believe that it can emerge or survive.
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Brian Moore
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Washington
A
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and the U.S. Senate
and the
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Democratic Party
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Reform Party and the Socialist Party
and the
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Independent
R
Spanish and some Portuguese
and some
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Patriot Act, the Military Tribunal bill
A
the ,
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Bill Clinton
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George Bush
D
Ross Perot
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"Red Scare" and the Espionage Act and the Sedition Act
and the and the
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Stalinism and McCarthyism
and
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Eugene Debs
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Teddy Roosevelt
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World World I
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Socialist Party of America
D
Appeal to Reason
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Upton Sinclair, Helen Keller, Einstein, Sinclair Lewis, A. Philip Randolph, Walter Reuther, Margaret Sanger, Jack London, William DuBois, Kate Richards O'Hare, Frank Zeidler, Rose Pastor Stokes, Victor Berger, Bayard Rustin and Michael Harrington
, , , , , , , , , , , , , and
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Woodrow Wilson
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Alexander Mitchell Palmer
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J. Edgar Hoover
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Ralph Nader