America Now!

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Tom Ufert

AMERICA NOW!

By Tom Ufert

None Of The Above 2016 Candidate for President

America Now!

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Tom Ufert

Contents

1. Introduction

2. What is None Of The Ubove 2016 (#NOTU2016)?

3. What is the historic significance of #NOTU2016?

4. #NOTU2016 Campaign Positions Outline

5. #NOTU2016 Campaign Positions – Details & Explanations

6. Why should Americans vote for #NOTU2016?

7. Who is Tom Ufert & Why is he running?

8. Important links and how you can make a difference

America Now!

Introduction

WARNING: If you want easy answers or pandering partisan

rhetoric, STOP READING—THIS IS NOT FOR YOU!

America is at a historic crossroad and the 2016 presidential campaign will be a pivotal turning point. Americans are fed up with their

gridlocked dysfunctional government. Election after election, voters have flip-flopped between giving Democrats and Republicans a chance to steer this country into a prosperous future. Increased tensions over stagnate incomes; sluggish economic growth, crumbling infrastructure and societal friction over the nation’s rapidly transitioning diversity have created a public malaise. Coupling this apprehension over

America’s future, international crises arising from renewed Russian aggression, a seemingly uncontrollable War on Terror, uncertainty in Asia regarding Chinese and North Korean militarism have caused

Americans to seriously question our place in the 21st Century.

All in all, these circumstances have failed to generate a comprehensive vision by America’s leaders to address the People’s concerns. In fact partisan divisiveness between Democrats and Republicans has made

compromise for the sake of national unity nearly impossible. Both political entities have become corrupted by a political system that favors party over country. The unsavory reality is that our elected leaders are now more concerned with becoming career politicians than conscientious public servants. What was once an ad hoc environment of perceived corruptible influences on the leadership class has now become an acceptable systemic reality.

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The Supreme Court’s abominable Citizens United decision legalized unlimited campaign contributions. That single democratic tragedy

made the buying and selling of political candidates to the highest bidder a foregone conclusion. In one fell swoop the highest court in the land made average voters and their financial influence over the electoral process a pitiful footnote on the pages of American history.

Likewise, decades of partisan control in the redistricting process have gerrymandered the House of Representatives from being the People’s house to an elitist club of incumbent career politicians. In the 2014

midterm elections it was estimated that out of 435 congressional races only 35 were realistically considered competitive. That means only 8%

of your representatives were fairly elected. The rest were pre-

determined by a rigged system of voting districts drawn to guarantee that the majority party in your state legislature could pick and choose viable candidates in the primaries.

Where’s the democratic process that insures voters not political parties decide elections? It doesn’t exist anymore! As long as everyday

Americans abdicate their power to political party elites, campaign handlers and spin doctors who are bought and paid for by self-serving multi-millionaires a “nation of the people, by the people for the people”

will continue to fade away. I’m not saying that our political system is broken beyond repair. Nor am I advocating armed insurrection. What I am proposing is a revolutionary comprehensive grassroots reform

campaign that levels the playing field.

America Now!

[*What is NOTU2016? *]

Welcome to the None Of The Ubove 2016 *]([*#NOTU2016) Campaign.

Our campaign slogan is [*“Level the Field!” *] Here are the facts: 1) 44 states allow voters to write-in a presidential candidate

2) Only 1 state, Nevada, allows voters to select None Of The

Above on a presidential ballot

3) The NOTU2016 Campaign is the only campaign that limits

personal campaign contributions, refuses corporate or PAC

donations

4) The NOTU2016 Campaign is the only campaign that has

publicly promised to donate leftover campaign contributions to

charity

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5) Unlike the Democrats and Republicans, this campaign isn’t

beholding to partisan primary voters who tend to select

nominees based on their strict ideological litmus tests

The essence of NOTU2016 is that every voter who is frustrated,

dissatisfied or feels completely neglected by the two major parties has an alternative. For the first time in American history voters have a viable campaign they can truly claim as their own. Neither their

contributions nor their votes will be wasted on self-serving career politicians locked into the never ending campaign. Their votes will serve as a monumental protest that deprives the corrupted political parties of a victory. Furthermore, NOTU2016 supporters are

guaranteed that their personal contributions won’t break their wallets, are serving their agenda for change and in the end will go to helping their fellow citizens in need. No other presidential campaign can [*honestly make that claim! *]

America Now!

I . * [ *]What is the historical significance of NOTU2016?

America has flirted with third party “independent” presidential

campaigns throughout its history. They have never really amounted to much more than “spoiler” campaigns that attracted dissatisfied factions of voters from one party or the other. In the end they contributed to helping either the Democratic or Republican nominee into the White House.

[*#NOTU2016 *]IS DIFFERENT. This campaign intends to keep

both nominees from winning!

For the first time, American voters have the opportunity to demonstrate their total disgust with both major political parties by writing in the

#NOTU2016 presidential candidate, #TomUfert, who has publicly vowed to refuse the office! Yes, you read that right! Our presidential candidate has promised, when elected, to refuse to take office.

Naturally, that begs several questions. What would happen? Why vote for someone who has no intention of taking office? Why support a

campaign that has no hope of implementing its proposals? Sounds

crazy, looney, and just a plain waste of time, right? [*WRONG! *]Our political system has become so screwed up and shows no sign of

correcting itself from within that the People have to take a stand. So let’s address the immediate questions and then we’ll dispel the defeatist myths that argue against this somewhat radical approach.

First, [*what would happen? *] Considering that nothing like this has ever happened in American history, the answer to that question isn’t entirely 8

Tom Ufert

clear. However, we’ll have to rely on the U.S. Constitution and the historical precedents that have actually occurred elsewhere. The

Constitution doesn’t actually address the case of any president-elect refusing to take office. In theory, if he/she died before taking the oath of office then their Vice-President-elect would probably assume the responsibility. However, the #NOTU2016 campaign will have no Vice-Presidential candidate. Therefore, we must assume, barring any/all legal challenges to the electoral results that a constitutional crisis would occur. Theoretically speaking, the current administration would remain in power until a new election was conducted. This new election would, in theory, have to be swiftly pursued. Time for fundraising and

campaigning would be severely limited due to the urgency of installing a new president.

In reality, there are several countries that have NOTA on their national ballots and in the U.S. Nevada has it. India (the world’s largest democracy), Greece, Ukraine, Spain and Columbia all have NOTA on

national ballots; each of these has a parliamentary form of government.

Bangladesh, Pakistan and Russia have all attempted such measures but they were either held unconstitutional by the judiciary or were

disbanded. Russia’s parliament removed it in 2006 because of political pressure from the ruling party that was consistently losing elections due to voter dissatisfaction. In Nevada’s elections where NOTA won the majority or a plurality of votes in the election, then the next highest vote recipient has won the election.

Regardless, America’s corrupted and obviously insensitive political two party system needs to be shocked to its core. In recent years it has brought the nation nothing but dysfunction, polarization and gridlock.

SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE!

Second, [*why vote for someone who has no intention of taking office? *]

While this may be a naturally logical question, it doesn’t fully grasp the intent of this campaign. Partisan control of the electoral process by the Democrats and Republicans prohibits voters from having the NOTA

option as a protest vote in 49 out of 50 states. However, there is of America Now!

course an unanticipated loophole. While voters can’t cast a NOTA

ballot in protest to the two party cronies on the ballot, they can write in a candidate’s name in 44 states. If that candidate refuses to take office, like #TomUfert has vowed, then voters have essentially voted for None Of The Ubove!

Third, *why support a campaign that has no hope of implementing *

[*its proposals? *] This too is a very reasonable question. Our hope is that by vigorously focusing and promoting issues that are vital to the

American people the #NOTU2016 campaign will foster a national conversation that can’t be ignored, clouded or distracted by self-serving special interests. This assertion is further supported by the fact that

#NOTU2016 limits campaign contributions, promises to donate all left over funds to charity and has a candidate with no career aspirations. In other words, this campaign and its candidate can’t be bought, has no vested interest in an ideologically biased agenda and solely exists to shake things up!

Naturally some will scoff at the whole concept behind #NOTU2016.

That’s fine, but they can’t ignore it if all the disgusted, dissatisfied and totally pissed off voters in America join this “hopeless cause.” Just remember, “Hopeless causes are really the only causes worth fighting for!” Furthermore, if a majority of Americans who have declared

themselves as Independents support #NOTU2016 then this campaign is unstoppable!

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America Now!

I I. * [ *]NOTU2016 Campaign Positions

 Campaign Expenditure Limits

 Congressional Term Limits

 Expansion of “Revolving Door” Restrictions

 Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United

 “THROW OUT THE CRAP” Overhaul Plan for

Corporate/Personal Tax Code Reform

 “A DECENT PAYCHECK IN EVERY HOME” Job Creation

Plan – 2 Million New Jobs Per/Year

 “NEW AMERICAN RENAISSANCE” Economic Growth

Plan – 4-5% GDP Per/Year

 “HIGHWAY TO GROWTH” Infrastructure Re-Vitalization

Plan

 “RE-BUILD AMERICA” Public/Private Co-Op Investment in

Community Re-Development Plan

 “FAIR IMMIGRATE TO AMERICA” (FITA) Immigration

Overhaul Plan

 “YEARN TO LEARN” Education Reform Plan

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 “EVERY VOTE COUNTS” Independent Re-Districting

Commission Plan

 “SMART” SOPs Deployment to Combat ISIS & Support

Middle East Allies

 Full Scale SILICON VALLEY/CORNELL TECH SOCIAL

MEDIA CAMPAIGN To Combat Terrorist Extremists

 Energy Export “MARSHALL PLAN” to Stem Russian

Influence

 Real Equal Fair Trade (REFT) or Trade War Policy

*III. * NOTU2016 Campaign Positions –

Details & Explanations

The None Of The Ubove 2016 Presidential Campaign

Platform

READERS BEWARE: This is not for the faint of heart

or the voter who wants to be pandered to! This platform

is all about solutions and substance not bluster or

rhetoric. If you want al talk and a bunch of sound-bites

that are geared to make you feel better while insulting

your intelligence then vote for somebody else.

However, if you’re serious about making a difference,

America Now!

sending a clear message and rocking the political boat

then read on.

 Independent Write In Campaign

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Since both major political parties have become entrenched in

dogmatic political rhetoric that stresses party before country,

rebukes any reasonable compromise solutions that offer

answers rather than gridlock and seems compelled to

maintain a dynastic status quo of past mistakes, this *None *

Of The Ubove (#NOTU2016) Campaign offers an

alternative for Americans to vote in protest.

-

Both Republicans & Democrats are locked into a primary

electoral system that panders to fringe partisan special

interests in the pursuit of becoming the nominee, then flip

flop on vital national issues to slug it out in a general

election contest. The voters can’t trust either nominee to be

a President for ALL Americans or remain consistent in their

vision or message.

-

#NOTU2016 gives the independent, dissatisfied,

disenfranchised and frustrated majority of voters an avenue

to have their voices heard, their votes & contributions matter while sending a clear message to the whole corrupt broken

system that America is still a land of the People, by the

People and for the People. Enough Is Enough and We’re

Gonna Rock the Vote!

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This shall be a grass roots campaign of the People to write in

an alternative protest vote in all 44 states that allow write in

candidates.

-

#NOTU2016 supports public referendums in the remaining

6 states that prohibit write in ballots to give the People of

those states equal opportunity to vote in protest to the

corrupt two national political parties

 Campaign Finance Reform

-

To demonstrate our commitment to Campaign Finance

Reform, [*#NOTU2016 *]will not accept any PAC money,

corporate donations, establish a super-PAC and all personal

campaign contributions will be limited to $100. This

campaign will only be bought and paid for by the American

People.

-

At the end of the election, after all campaign expenses are

paid, the remaining campaign contributions collected by

#NOTU2016 will be charitably donated to feed the hungry,

house the homeless and care for the disabled. We challenge

every other presidential campaign to do the same.

-

#NOTU2016 supports a constitutional amendment to

overturn Citizens United. This will take time but until the Supreme Court reverses its position this is the only

alternative available to the American People.

-

#NOTU2016 supports an establishment of codified

campaign expenditure limits similar to those accepted in

other democracies like Great Britain.

America Now!

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#NOTU2016 supports legislation requiring an allocation of

33% of all left over campaign funds to a public financing

campaign fund to be administered by a non-partisan publicly

elected 9 members Board of Elections with rotating 3 year

terms.

-

#NOTU2016 calls for the elimination of all gifts &

donations from lobbyists.

-

[*#NOTU2016 *]seeks to expand the present “revolving door”

restriction of 2 years to a 10 year period on all former

government officials from becoming registered

lobbyists/consultants.

-

#NOTU2016 supports the idea of legally prohibiting the

length of political campaigning to 1 calendar year so as to

reverse the current “never ending campaign” cycle.

 *Advocacy for Citizen Legislators rather than *

Career Politicians

-

To fully demonstrate this campaign’s commitment to the

concept of citizen legislators as advocated by Thomas

Jefferson, I, Tom Ufert as the official presidential candidate

do solemnly swear to refuse office if and when elected. This

promise is to inspire my fellow countrymen to take up the

mantle of responsible and informed citizens, run for office

themselves and replace today’s Congress. Our present

leadership class has succumbed to the corruptive influences

of power as career politicians.

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-

Such a move to elect None Of The Ubove will send a clear

message that partisan influenced career aspirations

unashamedly funded by self-serving special interests and

wealthy donors can no longer be tolerated. The American

voters can be confident that my promise to refuse office only

serves the national interest by creating a constitutional crisis

that forces the re-evaluation of our corrupt electoral system.

A new election will be required that listen’s to the People

rather than takes them for granted.

-

Furthermore, since our present leadership class refuses to

curb their own insatiable career ambitions, the #NOTU2016

Campaign proposes establishing congressional term limits.

U.S. Representatives can serve no more than 6 consecutive

terms and U.S. Senators can serve no more than 3

consecutive terms. Furthermore, no Member of Congress

can serve more than a combined 40 years in Congress. This

will provide for a regular refreshing of federal legislative

leadership and allow for a routine rise of brighter minds to

meet the test of their times.

LGBTQ Issues

As the only openly gay presidential candidate, there are

certain issues that need to be given a Presidential voice

to. It must be clearly understood that while I am an

openly gay man, being gay is not all that I’m about.

I am not a Gay-American; I am an American with

all the same rights and freedoms as every American

citizen protected by the U.S. Constitution.

America Now!

 Redress & Reform of Life Insurance restrictions

for HIV survivors

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Outdated & prejudicial insurance industry standards

specifically regarding HIV survivors fails to adequately

address improved life expectancy or quality of life issues

that modern medicine has successfully achieved for HIV

patients. Continued denial of end of life equal protection

insurance benefits subjugates this protected disability class

to second hand citizenship.

 Marriage Equality

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Believing that Equal Protection under the U.S. Constitution

provides for all citizens in a committed relationship the right

to marry under the law and be afforded all the

rights/privileges therein, no state should be allowed to

prohibit or restrict individuals because of sexual identity.

-

Since issuances of marriage licenses are a strictly legally

binding codifier by government entities and governed by

judiciary review without regard of arbitrarily moral religious

distinctions but rather contractual modifiers, to further

prohibit same sex couples from having accepted legal

protections is by its nature unconstitutional and prejudicial

relegating these individuals to separate and unequal class

status.

-

Though my partner and I don’t feel that a state issued license

is required to certify our 15 year committed relationship as

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legitimate, we do feel that legal recognition of our

partnership for the purposes of inheritance, medical & legal

responsibility is a necessity to insure and guarantee our

rights.

-

These protections do not require particular religious

institutions, individuals and/or businesses to conduct

marriage ceremonies and the complimentary affairs that they

find morally objectionable. However, said moral objections

do not entitle certain religiously affiliated individuals or

entities to assert their beliefs as dominate over equal rights

and constitutionally protected freedoms.

 “ Every Vote Counts” Redistricting Reform

-

The [*#NOTU2016 *]Campaign supports allowing all states to

transform from majority partisan legislative controlled

redistricting commissions to independent redistricting

commissions (IRCs) by either judicial appointment or

popular election.

-

This electioneering overhaul is an essential reform to re-

affirm the democratic principles as established by the U.S.

Constitution & America’s Declaration of Independence.

-

Presently, only California & Arizona have IRCs and the

Supreme Court’s recent decision in _Arizona State _

_Legislature vs. Arizona Independent Redistricting _

Commission upholds the voters’ rights to determine for

themselves how voting districts should be drawn

(http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/arizona-state-

legislature-v-arizona-independent-redistricting-commission/)

America Now!

 [*“ Fair Immigrate To America” (FITA) *]

*Immigration Reform *

Let’s be frank…a wall no matter how grandiose will not curb

illegal immigration! The simple fact is that America’s broken

immigration system and lax enforcement of employer hiring

practices must be fixed through comprehensive policy

approaches.

-

Since Congress has failed to pass immigration reform and

has not addressed arbitrary immigration quotas in over 20

years primarily due to partisan pandering, *an independent *

immigration commission needs to be established.

-

*Enacting a 5 year incremental guest worker program *

similar to Germany’s successful program needs to be

established that recognizes specific industry labor market

needs, provides for annual visa quota re-evaluation and

[* simplifies the highly bureaucratic & cumbersome 60+ *]

visa classifications presently used.

-

Make the E-verify system permanent and mandatory with

significant fines for violators to make exploitation from

abuses unprofitable and criminally responsible for.

-

Eliminate the cap on non-agricultural H-2 visas and

allow unlimited visas for high skilled STEM workers.

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Enact a visa “pricing” system “…requiring employers to pay

a fee when they hire guest workers — which would provide an

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incentive for hiring the native-born and is a better way to allocate visas than the centrally planned and administered quotas in place

today.” (L.A. Times 10/20/2014)

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Allow for visa portability that would permit guest workers

to change employers and decrease exploitation.

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[*Increase funding by $1 billion to diminish and eliminate *]

America’s backlogged immigration system – this is

specifically directed at *doubling the number of *

*immigration court judges * to handle the 2+ years of

immigration hearings backlog – the present 243 judges deal

with an average of 1500 cases or busier districts with 2500-

6400 cases allowing an average of 7 mins per case to handle

a backlog of 350,000 cases (Economic Policy Institute

7/24/2014).

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*These reforms could potentially increase U.S. exports by *

[* a projected 51% and reduce the number of *]

[* undocumented immigrants from 71% to 12% within 5 *]

years.

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As for border security, partisan rhetoric and public outrage has seen increased funding for border security by the last

2 administrations and *numerous programs like *

[*Gatekeeper, Hold-the-Line as well as Catch and Release *]

have had mixed results. The additions of a *patchwork *

[*style border wall and hi-tech surveillance operations *]

have resulted in cost overruns and program inefficiencies

that have had marginal results at best. In many ways

these efforts combined with insertion of National Guard

support units *have only strained cooperative efforts with *

*Mexican counterparts, incensed domestic minority *

America Now!

*communities, heightened border state tensions and *

*essentially wasted hundreds of millions in tax payer *

dollars.

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While *immigration remains a constitutionally federal *

government responsibility, failure to effectively coordinate state and federal resources with on-the-ground local law

enforcement has severely snarled border security attempts to

police, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants.

Congressional partisan dysfunction has forced border states

to handle safety and security in their own provincial and

often inefficient ways. Massive and comprehensive re-

*evaluation is required throughout the entire *

governmental structure.

-

Propose *creation of 4 regional immigration processing *

[*centers at McAllen & El Paso TX, Tucson, AZ and *]

Tijuana, CA to act as “Ellis Island” style focal points for handling and coordinating flow of southern border migrants.

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[*#NOTU2016 *]endorses continued support of “Dreamers”

legislation & executive actions to address children brought

in the U.S. by illegally immigrating parents. This *support *

*depends on verification of education requirements, *

*English proficiency and naturalization civics *

accreditation.

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[*#NOTU2016 *]endorses funding & support for extensive

community outreach programs working in coordination with

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local minority advocacy groups aimed at appropriate societal

integration and pathway to citizenship requirements such as

legal background checks, fee & tax obligations and or

familial re-unification.

 “ Yearn To Learn” Education Reform Plan

While the basic tenets of Common Core do address the need for

national education standards, this program has fallen prey to a “one size fits all” approach that seriously undermines the locally specific needs of public school programs across the country. Teachers have become test monitors rather than educators.

-

Therefore, #NOTU2016 proposes an annual re-evaluation of

Common Core to assess its overall value Vis a Vis

federal/state/local applications. In other words, to *avoid a *

“one size fits all” approach from the federal DOE that

may not equitably apply to specific needs of local school

districts. A closer evaluation must be maintained to avoid a

general standardized testing criterion that potentially

overlooks[* the failure of students to acquire basic skills. *]

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Though #NOTU2016 supports the ideals and aspirations of

the NEA & AFT, these unions seem to be more focused on tenure rather than qualified teachers. Therefore, it is this campaign’s stand that regardless of years of experience all

teachers must meet regular evaluations of their educational

effectiveness. This revue must *not be judged by the *

*number of students they successfully advance but by the *

*ability of their students to meet basic educational *

standards and skills assessment.

America Now!

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Furthermore, the #NOTU2016 Campaign opposes the

arbitrary DOE allocation of federal funding based solely on

numbers of students rather than on needs based school

assessment.

-

Finally, #NOTU2016 supports [*a serious re-evaluation of *]

*local school funding based solely on property tax *

calculations. This fragmented approach has directly

contributed to the inequity in our schools. A better approach

must be found that equitably funds every school regardless

of property values.

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*Foreign Policy *

The realm of foreign policy is vast and constantly changing.

Therefore, it is extremely difficult to cover every aspect.

However, the present world stage presents some specific

challenges that must be addressed. Furthermore, a few basic

tenets of diplomacy and international relations should be

outlined.

ASIA – Recent & ongoing developments by China &

North Korea make this region of the world an arena of

growing concern. With China being the 2nd largest

economy in the world and both nations maintaining the

largest standing militaries as well as burgeoning

nuclear arsenals, it is only logical that increased

tensions with the United States are assured to occur.

Therefore, American leadership is essential to avoid

potentially global repercussions.

-

The 1st fact to remember is that [*China & North Korea are *]

virtually unshakable allies. In fact, China is North Korea’s primary benefactor & trading partner. *Understanding this *

*symbiotic relationship is vital to every *

[*economic/political/strategic foreign policy initiative in *]

Asia.

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While *China essentially considers North Korea to be a *

[*“buffer state” on its southern border, the Chinese also *]

America Now!

*count on the DPRK to be a reliable proxy state in their *

geo-political strategic calculations. This relationship in recent years has become a strained partnership primarily due

*to the volatile, provocative and highly unpredictable *

nature of Kim Jong-un’s regime in North Korea.

Therefore, *nothing is certain which makes the situation *

worrisome at best.

-

Recent tensions on the Korean peninsula & Chinese military

operations in the South China Sea have set the entire region

on edge. *This potential powder keg has the realistic *

*potential of being ignited by any number of *

miscalculations. The Obama Administration’s

announcement in 2010 of a reconfiguration of U.S. strategic

*focus on Asia rightly signifies the reality of this trouble *

spot in world affairs.

-

[*North Korea’s defiant pursuit of an aggressive nuclear *]

program that threatens our allies and even the United States itself *makes American military preparedness an essential *

part of our national security priorities. The United States [*Forces Korea (USFK) numbers approximately 28,500 *]

troops along the most fortified border in the world known as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the 38th Parallel. *This *

*fact alone assures that American soldiers will be at risk *

in the event of any conflict with North Korea.

-

*Chinese efforts to build naval facilities in the South *

*China Sea and overtly exert their military influence in *

vital sea lanes, is a direct threat to the flow of free trade.

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Furthermore, these actions have resulted in increased

regional tensions among our allies and potentially raise the

risks of accidental military provocation. This is evident

from recent Chinese warnings to U.S. surveillance aircraft

(http://thediplomat.com/2015/05/china-issues-8-warnings-

to-us-surveillance-plane-in-south-china-sea/).

-

Considering these dangerous developments, the

#NOTU2016 Campaign supports a renewed diplomatic

effort to curtail Chinese & North Korean military

adventurism. This diplomatic “full court press” should be

backed by increased economic & defense measures that

stress America’s commitments to our allies while making it

perfectly clear that our military stands fully prepared to

address any threats these acts of aggression may pose to the

region.

Europe – The efforts by Vladimir Putin to re-assert

Russian hegemony over the Ukraine & the Balkan

region, intimidate the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia &

Lithuania while blackmailing the European Union

through energy exports and re-instituting aggressive

Soviet style military posturing has given rise to a new

Cold War status in U.S./Russian relations. This

development combined with the European Union’s

ongoing economic /financial turmoil as seen by the

crisis in Greece *demonstrates the urgent need for *

America Now!

[*American leadership, not “from behind” but once *]

again as a first among equals.

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The [*#NOTU2016 *]Campaign supports *maintaining *

international economic sanctions against Russia for its

annexing of Crimea violating the national sovereignty of

Ukraine as a matter of international law. Furthermore,

Russian military incursions in eastern Ukraine & support for

the separatists undermine any attempts at a peaceful

resolution of this crisis. Therefore, we endorse increased

economic/financial sanctions against Russia to force them

back to the negotiating table & supplying Ukraine with the

anti-tank/anti-aircraft weaponry they’ve been requesting.

-

The #NOTU2016 Campaign publicly criticizes both the

Ukrainian regime in Kiev and the Russian separatists for

human rights violations in their ongoing internal civil

conflict. Neither side is immune from responsibility. We

support an international peace conference to help resolve

this dispute that recognizes previous international treaty

commitments by all parties concerned.

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The #NOTU2016 Campaign supports current efforts by

NATO to strengthen military defensive capabilities for our

allies in Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania. Furthermore,

American initiatives to *provide missile defense for eastern *

*European countries like Poland, the Czech Republic and *

[*the Baltic Republics *]should proceed with regular joint

military exercises that enhance NATO’s continued defensive

protection for all 28 member countries. Likewise, we agree

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Tom Ufert

with former NATO Supreme Commander Wesley Clark that

there should be a NATO base in Poland.

-

[*To assist Europe’s need for energy and to reduce their *]

*reliance on Russian exports the NOTU2016 Campaign *

*proposes a massive increase in American energy *

assistance on the scale of a Marshall Plan. This plan will be mutually beneficial economically. It solidifies America’s

commitment to our largest trading partner and reduces

Europe’s dangerous dependence on an energy supply line

that seriously impedes their ability to act independently in

the face of Russian threats to European security.

-

*These alliance building endeavors will provide our *

European allies with the long term security confidence

they require to address internal Union financial uneasiness.

An unstable European Union threatens global economic and

geo-political security. It is in America’s best interest to be a

reliable and stabilizing force on the

economic/political/strategic stage in European affairs.

LATIN AMERICA – Far too often the United States

has become distracted by events in other regions to

properly recognize that our neighbors in Latin America

hold the greatest potential for the world’s greatest

trading block. Furthermore, events below our southern

border have a direct impact on the security and

prosperity of the United States.

-

Without a doubt, Mexico as our closest southern neighbor is

a vital partner in western hemisphere relations. Some 2016

America Now!

campaign rhetoric has wrongly focused internal partisan

disputes on relations with Mexico for the purpose of

personal political gains. *Mexico and many of our Latin *

*American friends CANNOT be scapegoated for our own *

[*failures! *] American immigration problems have resulted

from decades of dysfunction and partisan gridlock here at

home.

-

NAFTA inequities, a seriously porous southern border,

congressional ineptitude to modernize the immigration

system or its quotas and the failure to enforce domestic

hiring restrictions have created an undocumented alien

nightmare. Despite political partisan campaign rhetoric, *we *

have brought this crisis upon ourselves.

-

[*No “impenetrable” giant wall, militarized southern *]

[*border, xenophobic repeal of the 14th Amendment’s *]

*natural birth clause or fairytale massive deportation will *

*ever succeed in substituting for the hard work that must *

*be done by our elected leaders on our broken *

immigration system!

-

The United States must vigorously engage in the diplomatic,

economic and law enforcement bilateral relations with all of

our Latin American neighbors that are required to create

vibrant democratic economies throughout the entire

hemisphere. America must reverse historic trends that have

characterized us as the overbearing big brother. The time is

long overdue for all the Americas to work together towards

30

Tom Ufert

prosperity & security as equal partners in a unified trade co-

op.

 Combating ISIS – Whatever name you wish to call

them — ISIS, ISIL, The Caliphate, Daesh, The Islamic

State, Islamists, religious extremists, Jihadists — the

fact is *THEY ARE COLD BLOODED *

[*TERRORISTS! *] As such they must be dealt with

accordingly. However, unlike most of their

predecessors they have unprecedented skills in

strategic planning, modern combat techniques, public

relations, cyber recruiting, nation-state administration

and guerilla warfare. They are unlike any terrorist

fighting group the modern world has ever seen. They

are suicidal in their fanaticism and cloak their crusade

against the civilized world in religious dogma. Make

no mistake…[*THEY CANNOT BE NEGOTIATED *]

*WITH. *

-

With these core realizations in mind, *the U.S. led *

*international coalition must radically alter its approach *

in order to defeat them.

-

The #NOTU2016 Campaign proposes the deployment of 8

Special Operations Units (SOPs). 2 shall be deployed to

Iraq; 1 to Turkey; 1 to Jordan; 1 to Egypt; 1 to Tunisia; 1 to

Saudi Arabia and 1 shall be kept attached to U.S. naval

deployments in the Middle East.

America Now!

-

Control & Command of this anti-terrorist guerilla attack

force shall be coordinated through the U.S. Central

Command. They will have a three-fold mission:

1. To insert, strike, and withdraw against ISIS

targets partnering with other SOPs in a

coordinated campaign to eliminate the terrorists

and their ability to function as a cohesive fighting

force

2. Assist, coordinate with & train host coalition

allies’ SOPs for the purpose of creating a

functioning effective counter terrorist fighting

force

3. As representatives of America’s commitment to

our allies in their efforts to eliminate ISIS and

restore regional security, these SOPs will help

regain the US’s respect and credibility in the

Middle East.

-

[*ISIS is a direct threat to both Sunnis & Shias as well as *]

*our friends the Israelis. Their crusade to establish a *

*modern Caliphate represents a Clear and Present *

*Danger to American interests, world peace and Middle *

Eastern regional security.

-

The #NOTU2016 Campaign *calls for an aggressive cyber *

public relations campaign utilizing the expertise of private IT entities from Silicon Valley and the newly established

Cornell Tech coordinating with the intelligence community.

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Tom Ufert

-

Furthermore, [*a full-fledged marketing campaign *]

*encompassing positive PR segments of faith based *

[*community leaders & images of U.S. humanitarian *]

efforts in the region must be initiated to combat negative

propaganda. ISIS’ social media stampede must end.

-

The #NOTU2016 Campaign *calls for an aggressive *

international banking/trade/arms regime to isolate

degrade and eliminate every avenue for ISIS to function as

the credible entity they have become. *Any member of the *

*international community that fails to cooperate with this *

*endeavor will be labeled by the U.S. as an ISIS ally and *

be considered a supporter of terrorism.

-

To foster this endeavor, #NOTU2016 calls for the U.S.

departments of State, Defense, Treasury and the entire

intelligence apparatus to be instructed that defeating ISIS

becomes their #1 PRIORITY IN INTERNATIONAL

AFFAIRS.

America Now!

-

 “ S

[* TRENGTH THROUGH SMART DEFENSE” *]-

Defense & National Security Plan – *Debacles like *

[*the U.S. wars in Iraq & Afghanistan clearly *]

*demonstrate that large scale military engagements *

are no longer the effective tools of strategic geo-

political international relations. The U.S. military

defense posture, while remaining modern & prepared,

can no longer conform to early 20th Century concepts

of massive troop deployments. [*America can’t afford *]

[*the sacrifice in lives & treasure to rashly insert *]

[*multi-divisional size expeditionary forces in this *]

modern era. Furthermore, terrorist organizations like

ISIS, AQAP, etc…, whose military strategies are more

accurately described as insurgent or guerilla

movements, are far too mobile, divergent and fractured

to be effectively combatted by large scale armies.

-

Therefore, * NOTU2016 supports* the ongoing DOD re-

evaluation of U.S. military strategies that stress [*a “smarter” *]

[*application of military power focusing on “situational *]

[*response.” *]

-

While maintain America’s military preparedness and

potential need for divisional engagements, it is vital that the 34

Tom Ufert

[*DOD increase Special Operations Force (SOPs) *]

[*capabilities, streamline R&D to match these new *]

*strategic requirements and annually review potentially *

wasteful weapons systems programs and/or procurement

schemes.

-

#NOTU2016 *supports a reversal of the congressionally *

[*agreed Sequester DOD cuts that threaten America’s *]

military preparedness. This is even more essential in light of Russian, Chinese, North Korean military expenditures &

adventurism as well as challenges brought on by ever

changing developments in the War on Terror.

-

Increasing fleet expansions by the Russian, Chinese, Indian

and North Korean navies *emphasize the need for U.S. *

forces to reverse trends and set long term goals for re-

establishing a 300 ship navy.

-

Modernization efforts as well as R&D by other nuclear

powers designed to create potentially zero-warning first

strike weapons systems like hyper-sonic ballistic missiles,

stealth aircraft & submarines *stresses the need for *

*American nuclear defense forces to be immediately *

[*evaluated for upgrade and/or modernization *]

*replacement. *

-

[*#NOTU2016 supports the ongoing military evaluation, *]

training & deployment of women in the nation’s frontline

combat forces. This is a long overdue advancement that

will bring American military preparedness in line with other

modern militaries.

America Now!

-

 [*Real Equal Fair Trade (REFT) or Trade War *]

Policy

-

The #NOTU2016 Campaign supports REAL fair trade.

*International trade agreements that do not require fair *

*labor standards, abide by the Kyoto Accords for clean *

[*air/water & carbon emissions or fail to comply with *]

*equitable currency agreements are unacceptable. *

-

*No bilateral or multilateral trade agreements will be *

*accepted that fail to adopt equal tariff free open markets *

for all signatory nations.

-

*Nations or trade blocks that reject these basic tenets of *

*open free international trade can expect high tariffs on *

their exports to the United States as economic measures for protecting Made in America products. Likewise, signatory

nations to binding trade agreements that breach those

agreements can expect similar retaliatory measures.

-

[*The days of American manufacturers & workers being *]

[*rolled over by unfair trade practices are over! *]

 “ Throw Out The Crap” Tax Reform Plan

-

To stimulate the national discussion on Tax Reform, an issue

whose solution is long overdue, the #NOTU2016 Campaign

[*proposes a total overhaul of America’s outdated and *]

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Tom Ufert

*highly corruptible tax code both for individuals and *

corporations/businesses.

-

Though the academic debate continues to wage on between

renowned economists over the viability and/or equitable

nature of a Value Added Tax (VAT) and a Flat Tax, the

NOTU2016 Campaign proposes Total overhaul of America’s

antiquated, burdensome and bureaucratic progressive tax

code is long overdue. [* A flat tax rate of 15% for all *]

*individuals earning above the poverty line would *

eliminate loopholes. For individuals earning under that

amount, present graduated tax rates based on poverty line

standards are fair and appropriate.

- Likewise, the #NOTU2016 Campaign *proposes Total *

[*overhaul of America’s antiquated, burdensome and *]

loophole ridden corporate tax code that rewards

investment and renovation here at home while punishing

profit hoarding and outsourcing abroad. *This should *

[*include 3 basic tax rates for businesses with 0-50, 51-250 *]

[* & 251+ employees; these rates should be 15%, 20% & *]

[* 25% respectively *]. These reductions from our present

39.1% would increase U.S. corporate competitiveness,

encourage repatriation of funds & facilities, decrease

outsourcing abroad and foster corporate/public partnerships

in essential infrastructure revitalization.

 [*“ REBUILDING AMERICA” & “HIGHWAY TO *]

GROWTH” Job Creation Plans – FACT: Many

jobs lost during the 2007-2009 economic recession will

never return. America is transitioning from an

America Now!

industrial based economy to an informational economy.

Likewise our population is transitioning generationally

from those who witnessed the growth of information

technology (IT) and were forced to adapt to others that

were born into this new technological revolution.

These technological advances are well within their

comfort zone, however they were not privy to the blue

collar mechanical skills of the previous era.

- Regardless of which generation one is born into, the

necessity for skills based training to best accommodate the

labor needs of America’s economy is essential.

Consequently public & private models must adapt to best

assist the labor market for the sake of international

competitiveness as well as the economic supply & demand.

- Recent years of American energy independence has given

the nation a sound footing from which to pursue an

aggressive domestic revitalization program. However, a

combination of internal partisan polarization, declining

educational effectiveness, corporate outsourcing, a

burdensome tax code and a corruptive special interest

lobbying regime have made pursuit of such a revitalization

program nearly impossible. Decades of neglecting all of

these problems seriously jeopardize the economic welfare

and national security of the United States.

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Tom Ufert

- #NOTU2016 *supports a legislative agenda for *

*educational assistance grants to aid with retraining for *

displaced unemployed citizens that enhances their ability

to find employment in the 21st century economy.

- #NOTU2016 *supports a legislative agenda to funnel *

[*public/private assistance funding into the rapidly *]

growing private sector IT trade school industry in a

similar manner to that of public college assistance grants.

- The #NOTU2016 Campaign *supports a vast increase of *

[*American natural gas/crude oil exports to our European *]

allies on the scale of an Energy Marshall Plan that will simultaneously stimulate American economic/labor gains

while alleviating Europe’s growing & dangerous dependence

on Russian energy.

- #NOTU2016 supports the proposed infrastructure bank

that unifies corporate/public investment, vital R & D to

develop/maintain/revitalize America’s seriously antiquated

rail, road, harbor, air and cyber infrastructure systems—-this

is a matter of economic & strategic security.

- According to a 2012 report by the Center for American

Progress, establishment of this bank to cohesively &

strategically pursue a national infrastructure revitalization

[*program would save commuters $100 billion a year in *]

[*time, expended fuel and related economic costs; 7 billion *]

[*gallons of clean drink water per day; rapidly reverse the *]

[*trend that has placed American infrastructure #27 in the *]

world and create literally millions of new jobs.

America Now!

(https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-

content/uploads/2012/09/InfrastructureBankReport.pdf)

- According to a 2009 report by the Political Economy

Research Institute (PERI), a high-end estimated projected

cost for this national infrastructure revitalization program

would be [*$148 billion p/yr. – $93 billion from the public *]

sector & $55 billion from the private sector. This report highlights that infrastructure investment had an almost 100%

equivalent effect on economic growth and increased job

creation – i.e. [* a 4 .0% increase in investment resulted in a *]

[* comparable 4.1% rise in GDP *]! This same report shows

that such an investment in *infrastructure revitalization *

[*would put an additional $260 in the pocket of every U.S. *]

citizen while creating 2.6 million new jobs per year.

(http://www.peri.umass.edu/fileadmin/pdf/other_publication

_types/green_economics/PERI_Infrastructure_Investments)

- Additionally, a 2012 U.S. Treasury Dept. report indicates

that [*“Middle-class Americans would benefit *]

disproportionately from this investment through both the

[*creation of middle-class jobs and by lowering *]

[*transportation costs for American households.” *]

(http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/economic-

policy/Documents/20120323InfrastructureReport.pdf)

- [*#NOTU2016 supports an incremental 4 year increase of *]

the national minimum wage [*to $15.00 p/hr. *] This will meet present day Cost Of Living Adjustments (COLAs) that

will give workers a livable wage while assisting businesses

40

Tom Ufert

with increased overhead expenses that an immediate raise

might force some businesses to go under. According to a

report by the Hamilton Project *this would increase the *

[* wages of 34 million wage earners or 29.4% of the U.S. *]

labor force. This report demonstrates a “ripple effect” for minimum wage employees and those making a wage within

the 150% range just above minimum wage. These facts

dispel critics’ assertions that increasing the minimum wage

would affect only an insignificant number of American

workers.

(http://www.hamiltonproject.org/papers/the_ripple_effect_of

_the_minimum_wage_on_american_workers/)

- Combined with the national infrastructure revitalization

plan, the #NOTU2016 Campaign *proposes the creation of *

[*a joint co-op venture between public & private *]

investments in our crumbling inner cities. This would

generate job creation, growth of local economies, improved

educational infrastructure & long term benefits for

struggling inner city youths. This project would seek to re-

invigorate inner cities through strategic planning to curb

crime, address drug addiction via rehabilitation rather than

incarceration, stimulate small business creation and thereby

improve the ability for vast numbers of citizens to once

again have access to a new middle class.

- A report by renowned Harvard Business School Professor

Michael Porter illustrates that *creating a competitive *

*bidding model for corporate investment partnered with *

*public funding has the greatest potential for sustained *

*job creation, local economic growth and increased *

America Now!

*contribution to the overall health of the national *

economy. (http://www.isc.hbs.edu/competitiveness-

economic-development/research-and-

applications/Pages/economic-development-in-inner-

cities.aspx)

- *Guaranteed paid leave makes the U.S. labor force *

competitive to foreign workers who already have this

benefit. *The U.S. is the only country out of 22 developed *

nations that doesn’t have this employee benefit. 41

million American workers don’t have access to paid sick

leave. As of 2014, only 1 state (NY) and 7 cities had

guaranteed paid leave.

(http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/03/13/3400731/paid

-sick-days-benefits/{)

- *The issue of Paid Family Leave contrasts two distinct *

priorities…people versus profits. In America we must

decide which is more important as a national value. *What *

[*does America stand for…People or the Almighty Dollar? *]

The basic truth is that happy employees work longer, harder,

take fewer days off, and are dedicated/loyal contributors to a

company’s success. This leads to increased profits for all

concerned. The short term costs of guaranteed paid leave

*are dramatically outweighed by the long term benefits *

*that can be statistically verified in terms of corporate *

*profitability, employment security and community wide *

economic growth.

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Tom Ufert

- According to the report above, business owners’ concerns

over increased costs and employee abuse of the benefits

were unwarranted. In fact[*, the actual cost ratio resulted in *]

[* a mere 1-3% increases and the majority of employees *]

*viewed the guaranteed leave benefit as an insurance *

policy for possible future needs. As a result, in the first *year and half since instituting the policy, most employees *

had used less than 1/3 of their available paid leave days.

- After 8 years since passing a paid leave ordinance evidence

in San Francisco indicates great success. [*“Three years *]

[*after the law’s implementation, more than 70 percent of *]

[*employers reported no impact on profitability (another *]

[*15 percent said they didn’t know) and two-thirds of *]

*employers expressed support for the law. Although *

*workers can earn up to nine paid sick days, the typical *

*worker used only three, and reports of abuse were *

[*exceptionally rare.” *] The impact of San Francisco’s law on employers? “Minimal…. By and large, this has not been an

employer issue. San Francisco’s economy is booming.” —

Jim Lazarus, senior vice president for policy, San Francisco

Chamber of Commerce, New York Times (January 27, 2014)

(http://www.nationalpartnership.org/research-library/work-

family/psd/paid-sick-days-low-cost-high-reward.pdf)

- #NOTU2016 Supports equal pay regardless of gender for

*equal work with regards to comparative skill, experience *

& education. “Women are almost half of the workforce.

They are the equal, if not main, breadwinner in four out of

ten families. They receive more college and graduate

degrees than men. Yet, on average, women continue to earn

America Now!

considerably less than men. In 2013, female full-time

workers made only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men,

a gender wage gap of 22 percent.” – See more at:

http://www.iwpr.org/initiatives/pay-equity-and-

discrimination#sthash.xugSC5AO.dpuf

- The gender gap in pay inequity is un-American and in every

sense of the issue is a civil rights violation under the Equal

Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, the

#NOTU2016 Campaign wholeheartedly *supports the *

[*efforts of groups like IWPR/The Wage Project.inc in *]

*their efforts to utilize consent decree remedies on the *

local level as a comprehensive approach. “Consent

decrees are court approved settlements of law suits where

the defendant does not admit guilt but agrees to the

implementation of a set of measures to remedy and prevent

future occurrence of potentially unlawful practices.” – See

more at: http://www.iwpr.org/initiatives/pay-equity-and-

discrimination#sthash.xugSC5AO.dpuf

 The “A-Team” Mental Health Plan – In light of the

recent shooting incident in Virginia, the [*#NOTU2016 *]

Campaign would like to pay tribute to the victims

Alison Parker & Adam Ward (the WDBJ “A-Team) as

well as highlight the urgency for a national priority on

mental health that unbiasedly addresses this issue.

Budget cuts that have increased the number of

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Tom Ufert

untreated citizens, civil liberties, the gun control debate

and ongoing disagreements within the mental health

medical community over treatment approaches have all

contributed to this dilemma.

FACT: “When violence does occur, it is most often a

result of having a history of child abuse, psychopathic

traits, and/or substance abuse problems” (Spidel et al.,

2010). “In fact, these are risk factors for criminal

behavior, generally, and not specific to the mentally ill

population. *Violence is not caused by mental illness, *

*nor is mental illness sufficient to explain incidents *

*of violence. Substance abuse, sociodemographic, *

and economic factors are the major determinants of

[*violence (Stuart, 2003). *] In the general population,

perceptions of unfair and unjust treatment by

authorities has been found to relate to increased

depression (Walker & Mann, 1987), anger (Montada &

Schneider), extreme emotionality (Van den Bos, 2001),

and decreased self-esteem (e.g., De Cremer & Tyler,

2005).”

FACT: “The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated in 2010 that the country had 156,300 mental health

counselors. *Access to mental health *

*professionals is worse than for other types *

of doctors: 89.3 million Americans live in

federally-designated Mental Health Professional

America Now!

Shortage Areas.”

(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/

wp/2012/12/17/seven-facts-about-americas-

mental-health-care-system/)

FACT: “[*Mental health care is pricey, with 45 *]

*percent of the untreated citing cost as a *

[*barrier.” *]The majority of those who did seek

outpatient treatment had out-of-pocket costs

between $100 and $5,000. “These findings suggest

that even though the majority of adults have some

form of health insurance coverage, there are

significant limitations on coverage for mental health

services,” federal researchers wrote in a July 2011

brief.

(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/

wp/2012/12/17/seven-facts-about-americas-

mental-health-care-system/)

Based upon these statistically verifiable conclusions,

the [*#NOTU2016 *]Campaign observes & proposes the

following:

- [*NOTU2016 *]publically [*opposes Rep. Tim Murphy’s H.R. *]

[*2646 *]- The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act.

While this legislation rightly draws public attention to

America’s mental health crisis, *its passage may do more *

harm than good. Furthermore, its primary “empirical”

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Tom Ufert

conclusions are biasedly influenced by special interests and

are based on questionable fallacy ridden data.

- Contrary to the media hyped & commonly held public

perceptions, serious mental health conditions as related to

*homicidal crime are influenced more by current *

[*treatment regimens & pharmaceutical drugs than any *]

other factors.

(http://www.madinamerica.com/2015/06/regarding-

representative-tim-murphys-helping-families-in-mental-

health-crisis-act-h-r-2646/).

- Agenda biased legislative proposals like H.R. 2646 pander

*to public fears and have seriously questionable ulterior *

*motives that are unduly influenced by pharmaceutical *

industry lobbying.

(http://www.madinamerica.com/2015/06/regarding-

representative-tim-murphys-helping-families-in-mental-

health-crisis-act-h-r-2646/)

- Furthermore, the two opposing partisan approaches to public

policy solutions have only succeeded in continued

dysfunctional gridlock. Meanwhile, the problem worsens,

public fears increase and the nation’s grasp for practical &

quantifiable solutions continues to wander astray.

- First, *Congress MUST reverse its budget cutting trend *

*and make increased mental healthcare funding a *

legislative priority.

- Second, the public must carefully oversee the legislative

process and actively advocate for policy solutions that are

America Now!

free from the corruptive influence of special interest

lobbying. THIS MUST BE FIRST & FOREMOST ABOUT

PEOPLE NOT THE ALMIGHY DOLLAR!

- #NOTU2016 observes the Obama administration’s 2015

budget requests for mental health funding & supportive

programs overall was a decrease with targeted increases to

specific programs.

- Furthermore, [*#NOTU2016 *]highlights the approved

Congressional budget that represents a decrease in funding

for mental health and continued state budget cuts that

represent a national per capita expense of $119.62. The

2013 budget expenditure for mental health programs was

$113 billion or only 5.6% of total health care spending.

- In light of the national concern about mental health & its

relationship to violence, the [*#NOTU2016 *]Campaign

[*proposes increasing federal funding & supplemental *]

[* state block grants to at least 8% of total health care *]

spending.

- [*#NOTU2016 *]supports the *drafting of criteria by mental *

*health experts that simultaneously protects civil liberties *

*while allowing mental health professionals the option to *

*share concerns over potentially dangerous patients with *

law enforcement professionals. This will help with public

safety by identifying potential dangers and bridge the divide

between law enforcement & mental health.

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Tom Ufert

- #NOTU2016 supports continuation of the Second Chance

Act that assists government agencies & community based

programs for improving the lives of individuals recently

released from legal detention facilities that are diagnosed

with at least 1 mental health or substance abuse illness.

- Likewise, #NOTU2016 supports increased support for the

49 Assertive Community Treatment (ACTs) programs so as

to assist them with acquiring greater numbers of mental

health staff and attempt to increase service hours for clients.

- Furthermore, [*#NOTU2016 *]calls for a the establishment of a national pilot program based on the Miami-Dade County’s

Judicial Criminal Mental Health Project (JCMHP) and

Maryland’s mental health crisis response programs to reverse

judiciary incarceration trends & concentrate more on

treatment/community integration models.

 Domestic Legislative Policy Proposals

- Make Election Day a National Holiday – This

will help generate greater voter participation.

- Enact common sense gun legislation –

Requiring the same waiting periods, verification

standards, background checks for all purchases

online and all gun shows. Furthermore, give law

enforcement professionals the tools & support they

need to enforce laws already on the books.

America Now!

- As the 2016 campaign advances the #NOTU2016

campaign will release additional proposals that

meet voter concerns about developing issues.

NOTE: This is a draft proposal of ideas to initiate a

national conversation as the 2016 Presidential

Campaign unfolds. These ideas are not written in

stone and I certainly do not claim to have all the

answers. As time goes by, further research is gathered

and emerging issues arise that the American People

feel are of primary concern, this platform will adapt to

address those subjects.

Tom Ufert – 2016 Presidential Candidate

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Tom Ufert

*I V. Why Should Americans Vote for *

[*NOTU2016? *]

After decades of flip-flopping between granting the Democrats & Republicans an opportunity to lead this country in the right direction, Americans must ask themselves a serious question. *Has the time *

finally come to reject the status quo? *]Election after election the voters have succumbed to the same old [*#PoliticalCraps! Years of a stagnate domination by the two major political parties has resulted in dysfunction and gridlock. The majority of Americans agree

#EnoughIsEnough! This is evident by recent public opinion polls that demonstrate two distinct facts:

1. Congressional approval ratings for both parties are the lowest in recorded history.

2. The majority of Americans consider themselves Independents.

America Now!

Unfortunately partisan control of the electoral process by the Democrats

& Republicans has prevented voters from voting their true conscience and selecting None Of The Above rather than choosing “the lesser of two evils.” [*#NOTU2016 *]finally gives the American people that opportunity. As a write-in campaign voters in 44 states can send a clear message and wipe the political slate clean. Our campaign slogan

“Level the Field” *] clearly states the core principle behind [*#NOTU2016!

“Establishment” critics & political pundits will claim that this reform campaign is a naïve pipe dream with no hope of success. What else would you expect from die hard supporters who are totally invested in maintaining the status quo? Their entire careers and reputations are embedded in the historically closed minded fallacy of “we’ve always done it that way.” If there is one clear picture that the 2016 presidential campaign has already demonstrated, this electoral cycle shatters every traditionally accepted model. From Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump, 17 different Republican candidates vying for the GOP nomination and a 52

Tom Ufert

radical rejection of a decade’s old concept that dynastic politics as represented by the Bushes & Clintons is a vision for the future 2016 is definitely a turning point in American politics.

Therefore, why not #NOTU2016 to rock the boat like never before?

The American voters have an opportunity to re-write the political

landscape. In a historic year of twists & turns the People can reclaim their power at the ballot box by casting a unanimous protest vote. Such a move would send a clear message to the world that America is still the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. Voting #NOTU2016 proves that a “Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.”

Putting the idealistic & philosophical allegories aside, practically speaking why should Americans vote for #NOTU2016? When the voters are constantly bombarded by pandering rhetoric and the

distracting disinformation of “Donald Trumpins’” “Great Wall of

Mexico” and “anchor babies” or Hillary Clinton’s Email fiasco they deserve a REAL vision of the future! One that puts destiny back in their own hands and not choked to death by partisan hacks, self-serving millionaires or corruptible career politicians. The [*#NOTU2016 *]

Campaign presents REAL solutions to address everyday Americans’

concerns. Even if this campaign’s proposals aren’t the right answers, at least we’re talking about the issues and not insulting the intelligence of the American People by pandering to their fears.

The #NOTU2016 Campaign speaks of hope, promise and prosperity.

Sure America has problems, but they are not insurmountable. To quote actor Michael Douglas in the popular movie The American President,

“We have serious problems and we need serious people to solve them!”

America Now!

Who better to decide which leaders are serious enough to offer a

realistic vision of peace & prosperity—the American People or the elitist leadership class that has given us the tragic state of affairs we face today?

I challenge voters to carefully review this detailed campaign platform and decide for themselves if #NOTU2016 offers the kind of vision that speaks to their concerns rather than playing “the blame game.”

For those issues that we don’t have the right solutions to, at least we’ve started the national conversation for the marketplace of ideas to find them! There is no war mongering, xenophobic ideological pandering here. What you see is what you get. From immigration reform to tax reform, from job creation to income inequality, from divisive political correctness to unifying principles of equal justice under the law & civil liberties for all Americans, this campaign seeks only to offer the voters issue based proposals. The [*#NOTU2016 *]Campaign only makes three promises:

1. Limiting contributions insures that this campaign is bought & paid for ONLY by the American People.

2. Despite partisan efforts to prohibit voters from having the option to choose None Of The Above on the ballot, #NOTU2016’s

write-in candidate #TomUfert has publicly sworn to refuse

office if elected thereby guaranteeing a new election and making

None Of The “Ubove” a viable reality.

3. Questions posed to the campaign and/or the candidate WILL BE

ANSWERED! If an answer can’t be given immediately,

research will be conducted and a satisfactory response will be

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Tom Ufert

posted PDQ. Side stepping the issues or political double talk are unacceptable avenues of communicating with the voters.

To quote a popular TV advertisement, “Sometimes a fearless choice is necessary to wake people up.” Launching the #NOTU2016 *]Campaign for President of the United States is just such a choice. Our goal is to wake up the nation from an incessant “dumbing down” of the American mind. Get Informed Get Involved ([*#GIGI)!

It’s our America and the world we live in—either accept it or

change it, but the choice is up to you!

America Now!

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[* . Who is Tom Ufert & Why is He Running? *]

My name is Tom Ufert and I am the presidential candidate for this

campaign. I am running as an Independent write-in candidate. I am the only presidential candidate that promises to refuse office if our

campaign wins! Yes, you read that correctly. The American people have my unequivocal promise that I will refuse to accept the presidency.

Immediately this begs the question of why should voters support a

seemingly futile campaign that refuses to take office. The answer is simple. Since Democrats & Republicans have systematically insured voters can’t vote None Of The Above in 49 states, an official candidate is required to run. The unexpected loophole is that if an Independent candidate wins and refuses to take office this will force a new election.

Such a constitutional crisis will literally wipe the election slate clean and so shock the political system to its core that a new era in American politics will develop. For the first time in decades the will of the People will triumph over political parties and their wealthy benefactors! I know this sounds ludicrous and quite frankly crazy. However, anyone who knows me will confirm I am just that patriotic and loyal to the principles we all grew up believing in. Some will say I am naïve and idealistic. However, let my resume testify that neither of these is true.

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Tom Ufert

BIOGRAPHY

Tom Ufert received his bachelor of

arts in political science and history

as a scholarship recipient from

Centenary Col ege of Louisiana. Tom

is a former Rotary International

graduate Fel ow who attended

Australian National University in Canberra, ACT, specializing in East Asian political affairs[* *]and was a White House Fel ow nominee. He is a former Lyndon Baines Johnson Congressional Intern and constituency aid for two former United States Members of Congress. His past

services for 11 political campaigns on both sides of the aisle were highly valued by former Louisiana Governor Charles “Buddy” Roemer, Henson Moore the former assistant chief of staff to U.S. Vice President George H.W. Bush, and the recently retired U.S. Trade Ambassador, Ron Kirk.

At age 23 he was the youngest artistic Board Chairman in the United States as head of the Shreveport

Summer Music Festival. Mr. Ufert has

served as a member of two other

501© three charity boards including

his beloved fraternity Phi Mu Alpha

Sinfonia as wel as the community

advisory board for his former

rehabilitation hospital. Over the years

America Now!

he has acquired extensive customer service experience in the food and beverage, hotel, insurance, home security, and pharmaceutical

industries. His professional memberships include Phi Alpha Theta, Sigma Tau Delta, as wel as both the Worldwide Who’s Who and

Strathmore’s Who’s Who. In recent years he has worked tirelessly as a volunteer fundraiser for numerous AIDS charities in his community and served briefly as the community affairs liaison for Legacy Founders Cottage.

Tom Ufert, a native of Louisiana, now resides in Texas. He is an

Amazon Best Sel ing Author for his second book On The Rol Again, his first book, Adversity Builds Character received high acclaim with numerous 5 Star reviews, as has his newest release Political Craps. In fact al three books and several of his essay booklets have garnered distinction as Amazon’s Top 20 Best Sel ers. Perhaps Mr. Ufert’s

greatest claim to fame is that every book he sel s contributes directly to charity through his charitable book entity Stand Strong For Others.

Interested listeners can hear the distinguished author’s monthly

broadcast, Tom’s Take, about politics and current events

(http://www.apribroadcasting.org/tom-ufert-live.html).

Volunteer Vitae for Tom Ufert

Shreveport Summer Music Festival

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volunteer (1979-1987), Chairman of the Board of Directors

(1988)

Centenary College of Louisiana

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Tom Ufert

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Centenary Conglomerate – Editor-in-Chief (1984-85)

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Alumni Board student representative (1985-86)

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Student Government Association (SGA) Forums Chairman

(1986)

Phi Mu Alpha SINFONIA

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Eta Upsilon Chapter President (1985), Province 14 CPR (1986-

88), Committeeman-at-Large to the National Executive

Committee (1996-2002)

Louisiana College Republicans & Louisiana Young Republicans

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Centenary College Chapter co-founder & President (1984-

1988), LA YR State Vice-Chairman (1987-88)

Reagan-Bush Re-Election Campaign

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Northwest Louisiana Youth Campaign Coordinator (1984)

Louisiana State Republican Party Central Committee

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Ex-officio College Republican Representative (1986-1988)

Henson Moore U.S. Senate Campaign

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North Louisiana Youth Campaign Coordinator (1986)

Buddy Roemer Louisiana Gubernatorial Campaign

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Youth Campaign State Coordinator (1987)

Plano Rehabilitation Community Advisory Board

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Member (1994-95)

America Now!

Ron Kirk for U.S. Senate

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Campaign H.Q. Staff Volunteer & Data Input Assistant (2002)

Legacy Founders Cottage

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Community Affairs Liaison & Volunteer Coordinator (2007-08)

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Tom Ufert

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Awards & Honors

Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award (1983)

FabSteel Centenary Quiz Bowl Scholarship Recipient (1983)

Loyola College Prep Flyer of the Year (1983)

Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) Congressional Intern (1986)

White House Fellow Nominee (1989)

Rotary International Graduate Fellow to Australian National University (ANU) (1989)

ANU Collegiate Debating Champion (1989)

UCLSE President’s Award Recipient (2006)

UCLSE Lifetime Title Award Recipient (2006)

Worldwide Who’s Who Honored Member (2012-2013)

ICAO Founder’s Award (2013)

Amazon Best Selling Author (2013)

Amazon Top Selling Author (2013 & 2014)

Strathmore’s Who’s Who (2015)

Titan Inkorp 2015 Non-fiction Author of the Year

As you can see from my lifetime of community affairs, education,

volunteerism and political involvement I am neither naïve nor a

foolhardy idealist. On the contrary, my extensive in the field campaign experience on both sides of the partisan aisle, educational background and multi-faceted interactions with business, charity and government America Now!

clearly demonstrates I am acutely aware of what a monumental

endeavor we are undertaking.

My candidacy and this campaign are no joke. The goals of NOTU2016

are simple. America and her people deserve better than the inept status quo we have today. This campaign does not arrogantly claim to have all the answers. As a candidate my personal integrity prohibits me from lying to the voters and asserting that I am perfect, without faults or haven’t made mistakes. However, the voters deserve an alternative at the ballot box that affords them the opportunity to voice their

dissatisfaction.

[*That’s why I’m running and why the NOTU2016 Campaign was *]

*created. *

The majority of Americans consider themselves Independent voters.

Two-thirds of registered voters don’t vote because they consider it an act of futility when they don’t see any change, aren’t offered any vision of progress or prosperity and feel marginalized by wealthy special interests. Simply put, they’ve lost faith in their government and its leaders.

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Tom Ufert

[*ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! *]

Tom Ufert “Stands”

For

I Stand for Freedom of

Speech

I Stand for Civil Liberties

I Stand for Ethics in

Politics

I Stand for “Straight Talk”

I Stand for Tax Code Reform

I Stand for Campaign Finance Reform

I Stand for Returning to Vocational Training in America’s

Schools

I Stand for fixing the Affordable Healthcare Act not nixing it

I Stand for Equal Rights under the law for all citizens

regardless of sexual orientation

I Stand for Securing the Boarder and Immigration Reform

I Stand for Eliminating ALL gifts to government officials

from lobbyists

America Now!

I Stand for Equal Public Financing of all political campaigns

I Stand for Political Campaign Contribution Limits

I Stand for stricter bans on high capacity weapons magazines,

universal background checks and registration of ALL gun

sales at gun shows

I Stand for fiscal responsibility that eradicates government

waste, erases corporate tax loopholes, rewards Made In

America manufacturing, and has two graduated income tax

brackets

I Stand for expanding and improving the Earned Income Tax

Credit (EITC)

I Stand for the concept of a livable minimum wage that is

comparable to 1994 wages with Costs of Living Adjustments

(COLAs) and applicable inflation allowances

I Stand for non-partisan electoral re-districting commissions

in every state

I Stand for national standards in voting procedures and

methods of voting tabulation

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Tom Ufert

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[* I. Important Links & How You Can Help*]

Make A Difference

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#NOTU2016 Website

http://www.tomufert.org

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Campaign Email [email protected]

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FB Landing Page

https://www.facebook.com/tom.ufert2016

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Twitter Acct https://twitter.com/TOM_UF

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[*TOM’S TAKE Radio Show *]

http://www.apribroadcasting.org/tom-ufert-

live.html

[*#NOTU2016 *]is a volunteer write-in campaign. Therefore,

you can help by organizing state ballot access petition

drives, forwarding media/volunteer contacts, attending our

Google Hangout Town Halls, re-tweeting Tom’s Tweets,

participating on his weekly radio show and of course

SPREADING THE WORD!

America Now!

[*FYI: *]Campaign items like caps/t-shirts, brochures,

bumper stickers, signs and banners are available through

the website.

If you want to obtain any additional info about the

campaign, candidate or schedule an event please contact

us through the campaign email or website.

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