Steve Forbes For President- WHY DIDN'T WE LISTEN?, page 1

Steve Forbes combined the best of Democrat and Republican policies. Forbes would have saved the USA. But people don't listen to candidates, they listen to the media, and create bias on appearances.

Steve Forbes was a Republican candidate in the U.S. Presidential primaries in 1996 and 2000. Forbes advocated a flat income tax. He also supported the ideas of re-introducing 4 1/2% mortgages and term limits in 1996, but dropped both in 2000, after it was clear that the powers-that-be would never allow that to happen. I voted for Forbes, and had Forbes won, this would be a different country today.

If Forbes had a failing, it was that he lacked the 'look' of a US president. He didn't have much swagger, but what he spoke, was the way for America to become a superior nation again.

When Forbes ran for president in 1996 and 2000, he sold some of his Forbes Inc. voting shares to other family members to help finance his run. He did not come close to securing the Republican nomination, despite winning the Arizona and Delaware Primaries in 1996 and getting some significant shares of the vote in other primaries.

His rather clumsy campaigning style was an issue, and he wasn't Hollywood attractive; Time Magazine called his stumping a "comedy-club impression of what would happen if some mad scientist decided to construct a dork robot." The media tore him apart. Forbes dropped out early in the 2000 primary season, he returned to heading the magazine and company.

Major issues Forbes supported included free trade, health savings accounts, and allowing people to opt out 75% of Social Security payroll taxes into Personal Retirement Accounts (PRAs). He supports traditional Republican Party policies such as downsizing government agencies to balance the budget, tough crime laws and support for the death penalty, and school vouchers, opposition to gun control and most government regulation of the environment, as well as drug legalization and same-sex marriage.

In terms of foreign policy, he called for a "US not UN foreign policy" (which is composed of anti-IMF sentiments, pro-Israeli sentiment, opposition to Most Favored Nation status for the People's Republic of China, and anti-UN sentiment.)

His flat tax plan has changed slightly. In 1996 he supported a flat tax of 17% on all personal and corporate earned income (unearned income such as capital gains, pensions, inheritance, and savings would be exempt.) However, he supported keeping the first $33,000 of income exempt. In 2000 he maintained the same plan, but instead of each person receiving an exemption of $33,000, it more closely resembled the Armey Plan (Forbes's version called for a $13,000 per adult and $5,000 per dependent deduction).

Forbes himself is quite wealthy, with an admitted net worth in 1996 of $430 million. Although Forbes publishes the list of the 400 wealthiest men and women in the U.S., Forbes conspicuously exempts himself from such disclosure.In response to this criticism, Forbes promised in his 2000 campaign to exempt himself from the benefits of the flat tax, although he did support the repeal of the 16th Amendment in a debate with Alan Keyes the previous year.

In his 2000 campaign, Forbes professed his support for social conservatism along with his supply-side economics. Despite holding opposite positions in 1996, for the 2000 campaign, Forbes announced he was adamantly opposed to abortion and supported prayer in public schools. Prayer is a personal choice that should be tolerated, but Forbes stance on abortion turned off the Democrats and women (had he claimed that abortion is a personal choice, not a political issue- he may have done better).

If you look at the policies that Forbes advocated ten years ago, we would not be in the mess we are in. We need a bonafide business man to run for office, not another career politician. Another go Forbes? You have my vote.