Editor, Times-Union: If you can tell enough people lies they want to believe, you can become the president. It worked for Obama, and both Sanders and Clinton are pinning their hopes for success on this fact. And if you don’t know what you’re doing, make people think you do. Trump is depending on this fact to help him win. It also helps to have an opponent you can demonize. Johnson was able to demonize Goldwater and say he might cause a nuclear war, which gave the ’64 election to Johnson. If the election is between Trump and Clinton, expect a vicious war between demons. In 1980 I wrote “My Presidential Platform For 1992.” I was calling for a satellite defense system using charged particle beam weapons in orbit and a new economic system I call Applied Capitalism, which would involve Americans to make them successful and at the same time make America greater. The citizens and the government would become economic partners and not adversaries. In 1992, on June 1, Rush Limbaugh told me he thought it would be economic fascism. I believe it would be economic democracy. In my book in the Warsaw library, “Tales From Newgate,” one of the chapters dealt with the campaign manager for the president wanting to kill him since my system would make powerful people less powerful and influential. I would try to get as many people involved in making America greater to win the presidency. My suggestion contest, which would give tax-free money to those with ideas that would save or make money for the government, may be incentive enough to convince millions to vote for me. As JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” With the suggestion contest, you could get paid for your help. It wouldn’t matter where you live, or your race, or your sex, or your religion, or your social class. The success and strength of America depends on the success and strength of Americans. We won’t survive as a nation if the top 1 percent control the lives of the 99 percent below them. This is a republic and not a monarchy. We need to use the abilities of the best people, not the most connected, for the best results. If the majority of voters felt that their vote counted and their presidential candidate genuinely cared about them and their well-being, that candidate should win in a landslide. Rick Badman Warsaw
