America's Independent Party
Encyclopedia
America's Party, originally known as America's Independent Party, is a conservative American
political party
formed in 2008 by supporters of Alan Keyes
as an alternative to the Republican
, Democratic
and other parties.
declared his candidacy for President seeking the Republican
nomination
on September 14, 2007. Just three days later, Keyes placed third in the Family Research Council
's Values Voter straw poll
, behind Mike Huckabee
and Ron Paul
, garnering 5% of support.
The Keyes campaign drew limited support in any of the caucuses or primaries that took place. In the Iowa caucuses
, Keyes claimed some of the state's ballots did not even list him as a candidate, and his campaign CEO, Stephen Stone, stated that the reason Keyes did not show up on most ballots was primarily because Keyes had decided to enter the election cycle so late. He also blamed the media
for not recognizing Keyes as a viable candidate, excluding him from debates and providing practically no campaign coverage.
Keyes was awarded four Republican Party convention delegates, more than he received in 1996 but less than in 2000. In early 2008, Keyes explored the possibility of allying himself with the Constitution Party
, marking this change away from his lifelong involvement in the GOP with a speech on April 15 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania
, a town which has been a battleground in the political fight over illegal immigration. However, due primarily to his fundamental disagreement with CP founder Howard Phillips over foreign policy, the party instead selected Chuck Baldwin
at the party's convention. Following the defeat, Keyes told a group of his supporters that he was "prayerfully considering" continuing his candidacy as an independent
, and refused to endorse Baldwin.
on August 21, 2008, making Keyes their Presidential nominee. A press release from the party said: "John McCain
has abandoned the principles of Ronald Reagan
– particularly the Reagan pro-life platform plank," and the party also opposed John McCain on other points, such as his opposition to a federal amendment outlawing marriage for same-sex couples, sponsoring McCain/Feingold legislation, which they said was "a direct attack on their First Amendment rights to political free speech and grassroots citizen activism;" they also opposed his support for immigration reform, deriding it as "amnesty" and his support for legislation intended to combat global warming
. The AIP gained ballot access in three states and became an officially recognized write-in candidate in several dozen others. A struggle within the American Independent Party
of California (the California affiliate of the Constitution Party
), between a pro-Keyes faction and Constitution Party supporters of the 2008 candidacy of Chuck Baldwin, led to the placement of Keyes and Wiley S. Drake on the ballot as the AIP-CA nominees, where they received 40,673 votes. Two lawsuits by the Baldwin forces to regain control of the California AIP, one before the election and one after, failed. Keyes also received 2545 votes on the AIP ticket in Florida, 3,051 votes in Colorado, and write-in votes in a few other states, for a nationwide total of 47,768 recorded votes.
, and despite the fact that many members support the FairTax
, the platform remains open on what to replace the Federal income tax
with.
being added to the U.S. Constitution. It is also pro-life
on abortion
and believes in establishing English as the nation's official language.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
formed in 2008 by supporters of Alan Keyes
Alan Keyes
Alan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author, former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. A doctoral graduate of Harvard University, Keyes began his diplomatic career in the U.S...
as an alternative to the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and other parties.
Alan Keyes 2008 candidacy before the AIP
Alan KeyesAlan Keyes
Alan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author, former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. A doctoral graduate of Harvard University, Keyes began his diplomatic career in the U.S...
declared his candidacy for President seeking the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
on September 14, 2007. Just three days later, Keyes placed third in the Family Research Council
Family Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
's Values Voter straw poll
Straw poll
A straw poll or straw vote is a vote with nonbinding results. Straw polls provide dialogue among movements within large groups, reflecting trends like organization and motivation...
, behind Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
and Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
, garnering 5% of support.
The Keyes campaign drew limited support in any of the caucuses or primaries that took place. In the Iowa caucuses
Iowa caucus
The Iowa caucuses are an electoral event in which residents of the U.S. state of Iowa meet in precinct caucuses in all of Iowa's 1784 precincts and elect delegates to the corresponding county conventions. There are 99 counties in Iowa and thus 99 conventions...
, Keyes claimed some of the state's ballots did not even list him as a candidate, and his campaign CEO, Stephen Stone, stated that the reason Keyes did not show up on most ballots was primarily because Keyes had decided to enter the election cycle so late. He also blamed the media
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
for not recognizing Keyes as a viable candidate, excluding him from debates and providing practically no campaign coverage.
Keyes was awarded four Republican Party convention delegates, more than he received in 1996 but less than in 2000. In early 2008, Keyes explored the possibility of allying himself with the Constitution Party
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
, marking this change away from his lifelong involvement in the GOP with a speech on April 15 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.6% from the 2000 census count .-Greater Hazleton:...
, a town which has been a battleground in the political fight over illegal immigration. However, due primarily to his fundamental disagreement with CP founder Howard Phillips over foreign policy, the party instead selected Chuck Baldwin
Chuck Baldwin
Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004...
at the party's convention. Following the defeat, Keyes told a group of his supporters that he was "prayerfully considering" continuing his candidacy as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
, and refused to endorse Baldwin.
AIP formation
Following the failure to come together with the Constitution Party, Keyes' supporters formed America's Independent Party, which held its convention in Fenton, MichiganFenton, Michigan
Fenton is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan that lies mostly in Genesee County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,756. The city was incorporated from Fenton Township in Genesee County, and the city and township are administratively autonomous.-History:In the 1970s, the city...
on August 21, 2008, making Keyes their Presidential nominee. A press release from the party said: "John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
has abandoned the principles of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
– particularly the Reagan pro-life platform plank," and the party also opposed John McCain on other points, such as his opposition to a federal amendment outlawing marriage for same-sex couples, sponsoring McCain/Feingold legislation, which they said was "a direct attack on their First Amendment rights to political free speech and grassroots citizen activism;" they also opposed his support for immigration reform, deriding it as "amnesty" and his support for legislation intended to combat global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. The AIP gained ballot access in three states and became an officially recognized write-in candidate in several dozen others. A struggle within the American Independent Party
American Independent Party
The American Independent Party is a right-wing political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill and Eileen Shearer. In 1968, the American Independent Party nominated George C. Wallace as its presidential candidate and retired Air Force General Curtis E. LeMay as the vice...
of California (the California affiliate of the Constitution Party
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
), between a pro-Keyes faction and Constitution Party supporters of the 2008 candidacy of Chuck Baldwin, led to the placement of Keyes and Wiley S. Drake on the ballot as the AIP-CA nominees, where they received 40,673 votes. Two lawsuits by the Baldwin forces to regain control of the California AIP, one before the election and one after, failed. Keyes also received 2545 votes on the AIP ticket in Florida, 3,051 votes in Colorado, and write-in votes in a few other states, for a nationwide total of 47,768 recorded votes.
Renaming and financing
According to the party's official website, it has renamed itself America's Party. The party's website announces that, "America's Party does not accept financial contributions... Instead, we're asking you to directly support fully-vetted, proven, principled candidates, so that 100% of your precious resources will go directly to the most important work." Instead, the party maintains a "Directory of Approved Candidates, State, County & Local Front Porch Caucuses" on its website, which also contains an announcement that "The next America's Party National Convention is scheduled for Tuesday, January 3, 2012 - Details to be announced." The website states that it is being paid for by Chairman Tom Hoefling.Tax reform
The party seeks to reform the tax structure by advocating the repeal of the 16th AmendmentSixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results...
, and despite the fact that many members support the FairTax
FairTax
The FairTax is a tax reform proposal for the federal government of the United States that would replace all federal taxes on personal and corporate income with a single broad national consumption tax on retail sales. The Fair Tax Act would apply a tax once at the point of purchase on all new goods...
, the platform remains open on what to replace the Federal income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
with.
Other issues
The party supports the Federal Marriage AmendmentFederal Marriage Amendment
The Federal Marriage Amendment H.J. Res. 56 was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution which would have limited marriage in the United States to unions of one man and one woman...
being added to the U.S. Constitution. It is also pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
on abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and believes in establishing English as the nation's official language.