Interview with Eric Bodenstab Unity Party candidate for Vice President
Eric Bodenstab,as VP candidate. Tell people about yourself.
Thank you for taking the time to our Unity Party Campaign of 2020.
We are not #Unity2020, but I would like to think we are on the same
page.
I grew up in San Diego and
then lived on the East Coast while in college for 3 years. I found my
way to Colorado in 2002 and pursued two masters degrees, one in
Structural Engineering and one in Buddhist Studies. I am no doubt
over-educated, as I practically use only one of my degrees. I had
originally wanted to be President or Vice-President as far back as age
16 or before. Many people cherish this dream, but few are put into the
position of acting it out as I am today.
What made you go into politics?
I
was lucky to meet Bill Hammons in 2005 and begin to develop the Unity
Party, beginning as a Boulder City Council candidate in 2007 for a
special election. I was first "Unity" candidate in a non-partisan
contest, where I came in 14th out of 14 candidates. It took me over a
decade to find myself fully back in the organization and back into
electoral politics. In the meantime, I met my wife and we had our first
child, while getting that useful degree.
What story do you wish everyone would know about you?
Bill
and I shared the ticket in 2018 for Colorado Governor, and after our 1%
showing, I knew that we had to take the party nationally, because one
eye is always on Washington. We are candidates on the ballot in three
states: Colorado, Louisiana and New Jersey. Tennessee is our first
major heartbreak; we secured 400 signatures, thinking that would be
sufficient to attain 275 valid ones. But the Secretary (probably
rightly) found that we did not qualify and gave us credit for no more
than 204. We will be back in 2024 to correct that shortage, perhaps
ourselves again (likely for the benefit of another candidate.)
What are you happiest you have accomplished in your life?
Seeing my two children being born is the happiest I have ever been.
While you are a VP candidate, the policies stated online are there. What policy outside those stated do you think will help the most people? And how would you do it? And how will you support say another president in doing so?
I
think preserving the Electoral College is worthwhile. For me it makes
sense to have the States poll as winner-take-all and then tally up the
relative size of each prize to 270 for the next President of the
States. Nebraska and Maine are of course slight exceptions. Many
people think that each vote does not count the same, but they count
the same at the state level. I am somewhat of a traditionalist;
citizens can always vote with their feet. Each of our 50 States is
unique and should offer each of our citizens a good fit. If voting for
president is the most important issue in your life, then you are free to
move to maximize the effect of that. But I doubt a liberal urbanite
would be that thrilled to live in Wyoming just to enjoy the lowest
population per elector that state offers.
What one thing can you say you have done that has helped people?
In
terms of helping most people, I think we are doing it as a rising third
party offering a middle-way. Here I present the view that we are The
Fourth Party: https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/04/eric-bodenstab-2020-vp-unity-party-of.html?m=1. 95%
of us are exhausted by the two-party system. Even people that are
staunchly conservative or crazy liberal are still saying that the
two-party system is failing them. I would like to help both the parties
bring their best selves to the table, and get some real work done - like
balancing the federal budget and eliminating cronyism.
What outside of politics are you doing during the lockdown?
Attaining
ballot access last month in Louisiana was big. Despite not having a
party established there yet, we were able to go down to The Pelican
State and find 8 Electors to support our candidacy. We did this with
limited personal resources and a small amount of fundraising. We
brought along two commissioned notaries, who needed to witness the
electors’ signing, and got it done in all of their congressional
districts. See also https://en.m.wikinews.org/wiki/On_the_campaign_trail_in_the_USA,_July_2020
Louisiana
was one of 9 states that I was in this summer. Bill Hammons was in New
Jersey in June petitioning on the Boardwalk. I was North Dakota for
work, as well as Alabama for vacation. I also passed through
Mississippi, Florida, Minnesota and Illinois, spending part of the day
in each. I did not let the lockdown get me down, but I followed all
statewide mandates and airline rules at the same time.
What long-term goal other than winning the vice presidency are you looking to accomplish?
As
a bridge engineer, I would like to build one that is at least a mile
long and has a suspended span of at least 2000 feet. It might be a
major overwater bridge like the New Tappan Zee - Cuomo Bridge or over a
large chasm like the Aizhai in China.
What question do you wish I had to ask? And what is that answer?
Finally
to answer one more question: What is in store for the Unity Party and
our Uniters? The Unity Party will become the Party of Presidents; our
next President should have a unifying effect on the Nation. Don’t you
think?
Thank you and God Bless!
Eric Bodenstab
Candidate for Vice President of the United States
Unity Party of America
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