TLHines.com: Welcome to the worldwide corporate headquarters of TLHines.com, Mr. Snow. Sit down, make yourself comfortable, and let’s get started. First up: Why are you running for President?
Dan Snow: The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer ... that will eventually cause a revolution. Poor people have a perfect record of winning all revolutions in the past; I want to avoid this clash if possible.
TL: But for you, it’s not just about politics. You have a personal stake in this race as well, and it’s all about bassfishing. Tell us about it.
DS: I have been in a toe to toe, eyeball to eyeball, battle with the Bush family for more than 20 years. The details are on my web site at dansnow2004.com under "Snow v Bush Family.” Mostly my battles have been with the elder Bush over bass fishing in Cuba. Bush wanted that business for his crony Ray Scott; they tried to steal my business and did. As I say on my website, I have already forgiven them and told them so.
TL: So have you ever had any direct communication with the Bush family about this whole Cuban bass fishing issue?
DS: Yes: in US courts. There have been 17 court cases over travel to Cuba; I was the subject of 15 of those cases. As a result, I am the free world's only convicted "travel felon.” There have been no other such cases since 1988; does that tell you anything?
TL: Okay, so let’s say you get the chance to confront George W. Bush--say, in a debate. What would you say?
DS: I would ask him to resign. He has made most of the world hate us and pretty much destroyed everything that was once great about this country. I would tell him that I am suggesting a March on Washington DC of 10 million people and urge them to stay at the White House until he resigns or is impeached.
TL: What if it came to more than mere words? You’re a bass fisherman and an outdoorsy kinda guy--I bet you could take him. What do you think: you and George W. Bush, mano y mano?
DS: I am an old US Marine. I exceled in every sport I ever played. Over the years, a number of people have said they were going to kick my butt. None ever did. George Bush should go back to cheerleading; I have nothing kind to say about people like him. He is a "deserter,” an alcoholic and a druggie. He was a horrible governor and took Texas straight to the bottom in every measurable category. Why would anyone think it would be any other way if he became President? This man should never have been allowed to become President of this once-great country. He simply is not qualified in any way. He is little more than a lap dog for the rich.
TL: So what will be your first official act as President?
DS: Enroll all Americans (100%) on the very same health insurance and retirement programs that the White House and the Congress voted for themselves. Second, start the American troops home from Iraq on day two of my Administration. Iraqis would vote on day one.
TL: Wouldn’t such sudden and drastic changes lead to more instability in Iraq? Pulling the troops and instituting democratic elections in one fell swoop seems ambitious.
DS: The pull-out of Iraq might lead to some instability in the region. There is neither stability nor democracy in Iraq, and there never will be: this mess gets worse by the day. In one day recently, 47 Iraqis (were) killed. Another day, more than 50 killed. About a week before that more than 100 killed. Some 540 Americans have died and thousands have been seriously injured. About 300,000 Iraq civilians and troops are already dead ... they are people too! I wonder how GOD would judge this war.
The USA-sponsored sanctions killed more than 1.35 million Iraqis (500,000 were children under age 5). The families of these people hate us and always will. If one dies by a smart bomb that was not smart enough, and another dies because sanctions denied medicines and adequate food supplies, what’s the difference? George W. Bush and his flunkies should be on trial in the World Court for: 1) Crimes against Humanity; 2) War Crimes; and 3) Genocide. As President, I will make sure that happens.
TL: So what sets you apart from the traditional two-party candidates?
DS: If all these things listed here will not set me apart from Democrats and Republicans....nothing will:
Change everything in America (100%). I don't think anything is going right except life for the rich and powerful. I would end the IRS on day one, end all tax cuts for the rich, institute a national consumption tax, end the military as we know it today and go back to self-financed militias (just like the Constitution calls for), insure every American, give a retirement program that allows one to retire, institute a livable wage that will end all poverty in America, institute a 32 hour work week (4 weeks vacation), no more two family members having to work, end homelessness, tear down slums and barrios, make school teachers, nurses, police and firemen the best paying jobs, create 16 million jobs by fixing all highways, bridges, tunnels, etc., end sanctions on 75 nations, make Mom & Pop stores the most important businesses, require Wal-Mart types to finance those kinds of business, make life "Hell" for those in big business who outsource American jobs, end NAFTA, IMF, WTO and any other organization that supports the New World Order or Globalization, release all non-violent prisoners, legalize drugs less harmful than cigarettes and alcohol, end the CIA, end the FED, close most other government agencies, allow everyone over 16 to vote, end registration, end lobbyists, end the appointment of Federal Judges, institute campaign reform (no more "fat cats" and "lobbyist" buying the elections), make college free, teach all Americans to read and write and lots more. It’s all on my web site: dansnow2004.com.
TL: That’s an ambitious set of ideas. I do notice you talk about ending government agencies, returning to self-financed militias, and other themes. Those are the kinds of things we hear from those extreme right-wing whackos who hole up in places like Montana and Idaho. Any concerns about getting lumped in with them?
DS: The Constitution calls for a "militia," and not an army of aggression that can be sent halfway around the world to fight wars based on lies.....and hasn't just about every war since Vietnam and including Vietnam been a war of lies?
There is nothing in the Constitution that calls for an IRS...it is 17,000 pages of tax cuts and breaks for the rich and powerful--a document that no one understands. DUMP IT!
As I say on my website, I don't seek the votes of happy Democrats or Republicans. Anyone who doesn't like what he or she is reading should stop reading and vote for someone else.
TL: Since we’re talking about your web site, you mention qualifications. Are you qualified to be America’s next President?
DS: I think so. I have succeeded in everything I have ever done and been the leader of everything I have ever been involved in from the US Marines to sports to business. I have never been a politician, but then again, I have never lost any election for anything I have ever run for ... maybe I could even succeed in politics. Doesn't our Constitution suggest that this nation should be run by average people like you and me? It doesn't mention career politicians.
TL: Legalization of prostitution: discuss.
DS: I would legalize Prostitution because in places like some parts of Nevada and other parts of the world, violent crimes against women and children are down and so is sex related disease. The USA could use more of that.
TL: As I said before, you have som ambitious plans. The big question is: how are you going to pay for everything?
DS: We have an $11 trillion economy. Taxes bring in $2.4 trillion. War gets 20% of those taxes; I will end that part of the economy. Social Security gets 20%; 163 million people are on pay-roll deduction. It would be easy to add the others who do not currently pay that way. Everyone would still pay, only some would pay directly instead of payroll deduction. We are simply going to be distributing that money from a real trust fund, rather than spending it on other items. Medicare, Medicade and Veteran Benefits gets another 20% of the Federal budget. The 43 million Americans who are not currently covered by hospitalization can be insured for about $65 billion. It currently costs taxpayers about 169 billion to NOT cover them ... are we stupid or are we stupid?
Interest on the debt costs about $1 billion per day or $365 billion per year. I would sell enough military bases, military equipment and prisons to pay off most of that Federal debt. The US government owns 40% of the land in America; if the military bases, equpment and prisons won't pay off the debt, I would sell enough of that 40% of the land to pay the rest. That leaves only about 25% of the collected tax revenues to pay for everything else in the government. I would close down most of those useless government agencies, fire all the professional government employees and spend the money only on those things that most Americans think are essential to their well-being.
TL: As you mentioned, you propose dismantling the Department of Defense. In fact, you advocate replacing the Department of Defense with a “Department of Making Friends.” Does this have anything to do with Jennifer Aniston?
DS: A Department of making Friends as opposed to a Department of making Wars.....I don't know much about Jennifer Aniston, but if she prefers making friends over making wars, she might get my vote.
