Interview with the Reform Party's Robert Steele

Robert Steele is a former U.S. Marine, former CIA clandestine officer, founder of the Marine Corps Intelligence Center, author and intelligence expert. He is now one of the Reform Party’s presidential nominees.

Below, he answers questions regarding the current political system, its corruption by the two-party system and why the Reform Party seeks to rectify the national ills that gave rise to the Occupy movement and are causing voters to flee from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

Sheldon Dance Please introduce yourself, the Reform Party and your involvement within the party.

Robert Steele I am one of three candidates for the Reform Party nomination for the presidential race in 2012.
The Reform Party is one of eight accredited national parties, dating back to its founding by Ross Perot. The other seven are Constitution, Democratic, Green, Natural Law, Reform, Republican and Socialist. Natural Law and Socialist are not active.

Within the party, the other two candidates are taking the traditional route to appear on the ballot by seeking signatures to qualify for the ballot one state at a time.

I am following a different route, seeking to join Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich in sponsoring a law that will allow third parties to have the same opportunities, exposure and access to ballots as do the Democrats and Republicans.

A similar law has been introduced six times before, but this year, for the first time, Occupy, veterans, the young and Independents might be inspired to force this through in time for 2012.

SD What are the defining features/beliefs of the Reform Party?

RS What is unique about We the People Reform Coalition is that it is the only campaign that does not put a name and face on the logo — America is too complicated to vote for one white guy who then pays off campaign contributors with cabinet positions.

Instead, we are crowd-sourcing the Coalition Cabinet and Balanced Budget, both to be presented in advance of the election (on July 4, 2012).

We also stand for electoral reform and true-cost economics.

In a nutshell, there is nothing wrong with America the beautiful that cannot be fixed by restoring the integrity of our electoral process, our government and then our economy and society. We are offering a light on a path to restoring transparency, truth and trust.

SD What is the greatest problem facing our country today? How did we get to this point? Is there a way out?

RS The one word answer is corruption — endemic corruption.

Occupy rejects both political parties and all forms of organization because they have all become corrupt. I include academic and nonprofit organizations.

I wrote a piece, “Paradigms of Failure,” some time ago and included it in my book, “Election 2008: Lipstick on the Pig,” a book inspired by my realization that Obama was a sell-out, represented Goldman Sachs et al and the two-party tyranny was our greatest enemy.

All three branches of government have been totally corrupted — the executive and Congress by the two parties shaking down Wall Street and others for 5-percent bribes, the Supreme Court by Louis Powell and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The Supreme Court decision against Citizens United is, in my view, the last nail in the coffin of democracy in the U.S.A.

There is a way out, as I pointed out in Concord, N.H., when I spoke immediately before Rick Santorum.

I reaped applause. He was booed off the stage.

We the People now outnumber the two-party tyranny extremists who have disenfranchised most of us via ballot access control, gerrymandering and other measures.

We are in the process of forming a coalition that can demand of Congress an Electoral Reform Act of 2012 in time to put all active national parties on all state ballots for all federal elections, apportion Electoral College votes by party instead of winner take all and include all national parties in the televised presidential debates.

SD What are your opinions concerning Obama’s first term as president and the current GOP candidates’ campaigns?

RS Obama is nothing more than the third term of Bush-Cheney, but much more outrageous is the manner in which Goldman Sachs has expanded their control.

Not only do they control the Federal Reserve and the Secretary of the Treasury, but their lobbyist is now the National Security Advisor to the president and a Goldman Sachs vice president has changed his name and been found to be working as a congressional staffer in charge of (I do not make this stuff up) banking oversight.

Obama has broken every promise he every made — the youth will not be fooled again. The Republicans, with the exception of Ron Paul, are money, money and corrupt to the core.

Mitt Romney is not only totally dirty in financial influence terms, but he off shores all his money to avoid paying taxes. In no way is he qualified to be president.

The others are beneath contempt, but I would welcome Jon Huntsman and Buddy Roemer to our cabinet.

The only seriously honest and committed candidates, in my view, are Ron Paul, Jill Stein and myself.

Ron and Jill have limitations that I can help correct, but a stronger solution in the coalition cabinet that integrates all of those adequate to the task of helping govern, but not themselves qualified to be the first 21st century president.

SD How does the Reform Party appeal to the ever growing number of registered independents within the country?

RS For myself and We the People Reform Coalition, I will tell you that I am in the middle of a full court press on all organizations representing Latinos, blacks and the disadvantaged.

People are fleeing both parties, more from the Democratic but also from the Republican party. 

Here is my bottom line: A third party will not beat Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. However, a third wave can.

I believe Ron Paul will not be given the nomination. His entire camp is ready to come over to our side if that happens.

The young, the veterans, Latinos, blacks and Independents can all force Congress to open up the November 2012 elections and pass a comprehensive Electoral Reform Act of 2012 such as we have developed in partnership with hundreds across the U.S.

One-hundred-million voters times $20 each is $2 billion a year. I know we can outthink, outspend and outfight big money and the two-party tyranny.

What I do not know is if we can get this message of salvation to all voters in time to pull in the money so as to restore a government that is of, by and for the People.

­— sdance@indiana.edu