Mikayla Runs For President - 2008

The 3rd grade at school this year is having a mock election on Tuesday to help the kids learn about our election process. Mikayla was telling us that she could choose to either vote for John McCain or Barack Obama. She said she was going to vote for John McCain because he seems like a nice man. Bryce was listening and he said he was going to vote for BOrack BObama because he likes his name.

I asked Mikayla if there were any other choices to choose from. She said that there weren't. Mikayla asked who I was going to vote for and I told her that I was voting for Bob Barr. I told her to let her teacher know that they left people off of the ballot. They forgot about Bob Barr. I said this jokingly but I guess Mikayla took me serious so she told her teacher about it the next day.

By the end of the day her teacher asked her if she would represent Bob Barr in the 3rd Grade election. She now has to give a speech in front of everyone along with two kids who get to pretend to be McCain and Obama. She's pretty nervous but we've been practicing on her speech and she is going to do just fine.

Here's the speech she will give tomorrow:

Bob Barr for President 2008 by Mikayla Dodge
Liberty for America

My fellow 3rd Graders. I am Bob Barr and I would like to present to you a better alternative for President of the United States. I am running for President as the Libertarian Party nominee.

Let me first start out by telling you briefly what the Libertarian Party believes in. The Libertarian Party believes in smaller government, lower taxes, and more freedom. We want a system in which people can choose what they want from life and that will allow them to live, love, work, play, and dream in their own way. Each of you is unique. The Libertarian system will allow you to develop to your full potential.

As your President I would do several things to make this country great. First we need to reduce and limit federal spending. This will allow us to become more competitive in a global marketplace. I would also like to set a firm withdrawal plan for our troops in Iraq. Each day that we are in Iraq we loose American lives and it is costing us $400 million a day.

One of the biggest things that touch each of our lives is paying taxes. The United States is in great need of tax reform. I want to reduce this tax burden on each of you. We need to change our tax code to make it fairer and easier for everyone to understand. A flat tax will do this immediately. This will also start with cutting back our government spending.

I also am a big supporter of our 2nd Amendment. I have been a board member of the National Rifle Association since 1977. I am against any law that will restrict ownership of firearms to law abiding citizens.

All men are created equal. Our government should not make laws that discriminate based on race, religion, or other personal characteristics. We are individuals and should be treated equally. A vote for me would ensure that you each retain your individual rights to choose for your self.

Each of you faces a choice today. You can vote for the same old parties that will limit your freedoms and increase the role of government in your life or you can vote for Bob Barr. A vote for me is a vote for freedom.

Thank you.