Bob Ely

This is the second time around Bob Ely is running for president. In 2012, Bob Ely ran on the Democratic ballot when Former President Barack Obama was running for reelection. Ely is a 61-year-old Yale Alumni investment banker working for Merrill Lynch and other companies. In 2012, He ran on  the democratic ballot, and this time around, he is running as a Republican.. 

Based on his interview with The Portsmouth Herald, he comes off as a carefree person who could not care less about what other people think of him. He plans to be a hard politician that gets things done; no matter what the public thinks of him he cares more about the greater good of the American people. The moment  Ely decided to run was when he realized he was tired of the current situation of American Politics. Ely saw himself as the only person who could potentially turn this economy around. In the interview, Ely said he’s “a private person who shuns the limelight,” but is spending his own money to run for president because “He is tired of (complaining) and moaning .” He doesn’t grant a lot of interviews , and this student reporter’s emails to him went unanswered . He called himself a jerk; he is not going to be a people pleaser by going to soup kitchens and going to community events to reach out to the people to vote for him. He is funding his campaign by himself and hopes to win without going under the limelight. 

In the interview, he goes on to talk about his campaign and what type of policies he plans to implement. He started by saying that he is “A jerk who will put people to work, raise taxes, slashed spending, pounding our economy back into shape.”He doesn’t plan to play nice with Congress or anyone else in his way of implementing the policies that would make him, in his opinion, a successful president and prosperous economy. 

This interview was from his 2012 platform I wonder if raising taxes is still apart of his plan as a presidential hopeful. In the interview, Ely talks about taxes between the rich and the poor and whether or not he wants to tax the rich more or do the opposite and make the middle class and the poor pay more in taxes. Ely says, I would not impose taxes on minimum-wage workers earning up to $15,000 a year and would tax those who earn between $15,001 and $200,000 at a rate of 20 percent”.  Ely also talks about how the healthcare system should be changed. He wants to modernize the healthcare system that would help those who are uninsured health insurance through the government. “I will find a way to give all those under 65 basics (read — not great) health insurance,” Ely says . He said Americans pay more to live shorter lives than many other countries, so he suggests “copy their system.” “Want better insurance?” he asks. “Buy it. ” He talks about how we are behind in trying to make sure that every American has health insurance. He thinks that should be a right and not have to pay for something essential to living. He explains how Americans don’t live long, and yet we spend the most on healthcare. 

Appendix 

Bob Ely. (2019, November 20). Retrieved January 31, 2020, from https://www.citizenscount.org/candidate/bob-ely

Dinan, E. (2012, January 8). ‘Jerk’ running for president. Retrieved January 31, 2020, from https://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20120108/NEWS/120109768