Public domain image of Jim Hedges from the Partisan Prohibition Historical Society website U.S. Prohibition Party presidential candidate Jim Hedges of Thompson Township , Pennsylvania took some time to answer a few questions about the Prohibition Party and his 2012 presidential campaign. The Prohibition Party is the third oldest existing political party in the United States, having been established in 1869. It reached its height of popularity during the late 19th century. The party heavily supported the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution , which banned the sale of alcohol, and resulted in the US period known as Prohibition (1919–33). It was repealed in 1933. The party has declined since this period, but has continued to nominate candidates for the presidential election. In 2003, the party split into two factions. Preacher Gene Amondson and perennial candidate Earl Dodge were nominated for the presidency by their respective factions. After Dodge's death in 2007, the party reunified and named Amondson as its sole presidential nominee for 2008. During the election, Amondson was interviewed by Wikinews. He died in 2009, leaving an opening in the party for 2012. Jim Hedges is a longtime Prohibition activist, who holds the distinction of the first individual of the 21st century (and the first since 1959) to be elected to a political office under the Prohibition Party banner. In 2001, he was elected as the Thompson Township tax assessor , and was re-elected to the post in 2005. He served until his term expired in 2010. Hedges declared his intent to run for the Prohibition Party presidential nomination on February 18, 2010. This marks his first run for the presidency. According to the New York Times, you were heavily involved in the 2004 split of the party that centered around five-time presidential nominee Earl Dodge . What exactly caused the split, and has the party since healed? The late Gene Amondson , the 2004 & 2008 presidential nominee of the Prohibition Party was the national face of the party for a number of years. How well did you know Mr. Amondson, and what is the current state of the party with his absence? Amondson was a congenial person, warm and approachable. He was recommended to us by one of our supporters. He had an act, a re-creation of Rev. Billy Sunday ’s sermon on booze, which he performed at conservative churches and other sympathetic venues. We hoped that his name recognition and the audience appeal of his act would enhance the Party’s appeal. I have a BA in musical performance ( Iowa , 1960) and served 20 years in one of our nation’s most elite military units, The United States Marine Band . I have a family-farm background, plus 20 years of life in the Washington, DC metropolitan area . I understand both rural and urban communities. I have an MA in Geography ( Maryland , 1972), have published research in refereed journals both here and abroad, and for 11 years edited a journal. I have done volunteer work with and served as an officer of community organizations ranging from The Salvation Army to friends of the library to recycling programs to historical and literary clubs. Cullman, Alabama, in June. See the National Committee's website for details. Do you agree with the decision to allow prominent Libertarian Stephen P. Gordon to speak at the convention, despite his support for the sale of alcohol? Yes. First of all, the Prohibition Party and the Libertarian Party share some common interests, such as small government, balanced budgets, and personal freedoms. Secondly, we should all take time to listen to those who disagree with us, in order to sharpen our debating skills. Thirdly, we shouldn’t be complacent, because... we might actually be wrong! The platform most likely will address a lot of other things, but, let’s face it: The Prohibition Party today is an exercise in living history. We’re like the weekend warriors who put on costumes and re-enact the Civil War . The South is not going to rise again. Neither is national prohibition going to come back (not, at least, in our lifetimes). But in both cases, we think there are important historical lessons which ought not be forgotten. And so, we soldier on against all odds. According to Weekend America, Vice-Presidential nominee Leroy Pletten was incapacitated following a stroke during the 2008 campaign. Have you chosen a running mate , and if not, will health be a factor in the decision? Health should enter into it. We don’t need another Reagan ! Three weekly newsmagazines: The Economist, The Nation, and Science . In the next 10 years, eliminating governmental deficits, primarily in the United States and in Europe. In the next 100 years, dealing with the social and economic consequences of the rise in sea level due to climatic warming . Bush the Younger was unquestionably the most damaging president since FDR , perhaps the most damaging of all time: His " Patriot Act " and other security measures trashed the Constitution , our Constitution. His deficits have never been equaled. His foreign military adventures are the longest wars ever fought by our country. Obama was dealt a miserable hand, but even so, I’m becoming disappointed. We still have Bush‘s deficit spending . We still have Bush’s wars . We still have Bush’s failure to secure the border with Mexico . We still have Bush’s exporting American jobs overseas . What is there to like? Obama did end Bush’s " global gag rule ," which attempted to prevent family planning agencies all over the world from even discussing abortion. And he did make a stab at improving medical care. Palin was given a job for four years by the voters of Alaska. When she got bored with it, she handed the office key to her lieutenant governor and walked away. That’s not responsible behavior. What is your take on the the health care bill ? Obamacare is a step in the right direction, but it leaves intact the private insurance industry, which is a major source of waste. We need a public health service , like the one in England. America first! Our unqualified support for Israel is doing us a great deal of damage elsewhere in the world. We need to stop all aid, both civilian and military, to Israel until Israel abides by the Oslo Accords . We need to stop being the world’s bully and, instead, lead by example: ratify Kyoto, ratify CEDAW ,  rein in the international corporations. You know, I think it would be appropriate to name Jimmy Carter . I didn’t always agree with what he did, but I could sympathize with why he did it. To the extent that any president can be, he was an honest, well-meaning person.
Public domain image of Jim Hedges from the Partisan Prohibition Historical Society website U.S. presidential candidate Jim Hedges of , Pennsylvania took some time to answer a few questions about the Prohibition Party and his 2012 presidential campaign. The Prohibition Party is the third oldest existing political party in the United States, having been established in 1869. It reached its height of popularity during the late 19th century. The party heavily supported the , which banned the sale of alcohol, and resulted in the US period known as (1919–33). It was repealed in 1933. The party has declined since this period, but has continued to nominate candidates for the presidential election. In 2003, the party split into two factions. Preacher and perennial candidate were nominated for the presidency by their respective factions. After Dodge's death in 2007, the party reunified and named Amondson as its sole presidential nominee for 2008. During the election, Amondson was interviewed by Wikinews. He died in 2009, leaving an opening in the party for 2012. Jim Hedges is a longtime activist, who holds the distinction of the first individual of the 21st century (and the first since 1959) to be elected to a political office under the Prohibition Party banner. In 2001, he was elected as the Thompson Township , and was re-elected to the post in 2005. He served until his term expired in 2010. Hedges declared his intent to run for the Prohibition Party presidential nomination on February 18, 2010. This marks his first run for the presidency. According to the New York Times, you were heavily involved in the 2004 split of the party that centered around five-time presidential nominee . What exactly caused the split, and has the party since healed? The late , the 2004 & 2008 presidential nominee of the Prohibition Party was the national face of the party for a number of years. How well did you know Mr. Amondson, and what is the current state of the party with his absence? Amondson was a congenial person, warm and approachable. He was recommended to us by one of our supporters. He had an act, a re-creation of Rev. ’s sermon on booze, which he performed at conservative churches and other sympathetic venues. We hoped that his name recognition and the audience appeal of his act would enhance the Party’s appeal. I have a in musical performance ( , 1960) and served 20 years in one of our nation’s most elite military units, The . I have a family-farm background, plus 20 years of life in the . I understand both rural and urban communities. I have an in Geography ( , 1972), have published research in refereed journals both here and abroad, and for 11 years edited a journal. I have done volunteer work with and served as an officer of community organizations ranging from The to friends of the library to recycling programs to historical and literary clubs. , in June. See the National Committee's website for details. Do you agree with the decision to allow prominent to speak at the convention, despite his support for the sale of alcohol? Yes. First of all, the Prohibition Party and the share some common interests, such as small government, balanced budgets, and personal freedoms. Secondly, we should all take time to listen to those who disagree with us, in order to sharpen our debating skills. Thirdly, we shouldn’t be complacent, because... we might actually be wrong! The platform most likely will address a lot of other things, but, let’s face it: The Prohibition Party today is an exercise in living history. We’re like the weekend warriors who put on costumes and . The South is not going to rise again. Neither is national prohibition going to come back (not, at least, in our lifetimes). But in both cases, we think there are important historical lessons which ought not be forgotten. And so, we soldier on against all odds. According to Weekend America, Vice-Presidential nominee Leroy Pletten was incapacitated following a stroke during the 2008 campaign. Have you chosen a , and if not, will health be a factor in the decision? Health should enter into it. We don’t need another ! Three weekly newsmagazines: , , and . In the next 10 years, eliminating governmental deficits, primarily in the United States and in Europe. In the next 100 years, dealing with the social and economic consequences of the rise in sea level due to . Bush the Younger was unquestionably the most damaging president since , perhaps the most damaging of all time: His " " and other security measures trashed the , our Constitution. His deficits have never been equaled. His foreign military adventures are the longest wars ever fought by our country. Obama was dealt a miserable hand, but even so, I’m becoming disappointed. We still have Bush‘s . We still have . We still have Bush’s failure to secure . We still have Bush’s . What is there to like? Obama did end Bush’s " ," which attempted to prevent family planning agencies all over the world from even discussing abortion. And he did make a stab at improving medical care. Palin was for four years by the voters of Alaska. When she got bored with it, to and walked away. That’s not responsible behavior. What is your take on the the ? Obamacare is a step in the right direction, but it leaves intact the private insurance industry, which is a major source of waste. We need a , like the one in England. America first! Our unqualified is doing us a great deal of damage elsewhere in the world. We need to stop all aid, both civilian and military, to Israel until Israel abides by the . We need to stop being the world’s bully and, instead, lead by example: ratify , ratify , rein in the international corporations. You know, I think it would be appropriate to name . I didn’t always agree with what he did, but I could sympathize with why he did it. To the extent that any president can be, he was an honest, well-meaning person.
D
Prohibition Party
D
Thompson Township
D
Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
D
Prohibition
D
Gene Amondson
D
Earl Dodge
D
Prohibition
D
tax assessor
D
Earl Dodge
D
Gene Amondson
D
Billy Sunday
D
BA
D
Iowa
D
United States Marine Band
D
Washington, DC metropolitan area
D
MA
D
Maryland
D
Salvation Army
R
Cullman, Alabama,
,
D
Libertarian Stephen P. Gordon
D
Libertarian Party
D
re-enact the Civil War
D
running mate
D
Reagan
R
The Economist, The Nation, and Science
, , and
D
climatic warming
D
FDR
D
Patriot Act
D
Constitution
D
deficit spending
D
Bush’s wars
D
the border with Mexico
D
exporting American jobs overseas
D
global gag rule
D
given a job
R
she handed the office key to her lieutenant governor
to
D
health care bill
D
public health service
D
support for Israel
D
Oslo Accords
D
Kyoto, ratify CEDAW
A
ratify ,
D
Jimmy Carter