Upset 2020: Our Nation's First Third Party President

By Stan Pollack

The Electoral College system for selecting the president of the United States may prevent third party candidates from winning but it does not prevent them from forming. The hope of taking enough electoral votes away from the two major parties to force the election into the House of Representatives was a misguided strategy of a band of individuals called the dreamers. They were not a Motown group, but rather third party presidential candidates. Namely, Eugene Debs, Robert Lafollett, Norman Thomas, Strum Thurmond, The Wallaces George and Henry, John Anderson, Lester Maddox, Jesse Jackson, Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, and lets not forget, Roseanne Barr. With fifteen minutes of fame each, they became footnotes in American political history (except Barr).
This book appropriately titled UPSET 2020 is laced with humor to enrich the readers enjoyment of what would otherwise be just another historical novel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493157655

Stan Pollack

In retirement, author Stan Pollack discovered a prolific tendency to write and publish a half dozen books covering several genres in a short time. "The Golden Age of Tongue Kissing" is a semi-autobiographical story weaving a memorable and humorous accounting of a growing-up experience in Brooklyn, New York. Two novels followed, each inspired by actual past events. "Specific Intent" is a fast-moving detective versus fugitive chase placing the main characters in exotic locations around the world. "Does God Have a Sense of Humor" allows the reader to decide. Inspired by current political events, "Upset 2020" fictionalizes the election of our nation’s first third-party president. "Suddenly 80: Finally Single and Lovin’ It" is a laugh-out-loud portrayal of discovering new freedom and liberty in the Golden years.

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Copyright © 2014 by Stan Pollack.

Cover: George Washington by Gilbert Stuart 1776, given as a gift to the Nation by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 01/10/14

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

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www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

PREFACE

PART I

CHAPTER 1     LIMITED GOVERNMENT TO PRESERVE DEMOCRACY

CHAPTER 2     GOVERNMENT POLICIES

CHAPTER 3     VOTING

CHAPTER 4     PUBLIC OPINION

CHAPTER 5     FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

CHAPTER 6     ENTITLEMENTS – RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES

PART II

CHAPTER 7     REASSESSING THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND A NOT SO PERFECT CONSTITUTION

CHAPTER 8     RILEY ADDRESSES A CONSTITUTIONAL FORUM THEN GO FIGHT CITY HALL

CHAPTER 9     RILEY WRITES A WHITE PAPER REASSESSING CHECKS AND BALANCES

PART III

CHAPTER 10   SEARCHING FOR A POLITICAL HOME

CHAPTER 11   EXAMINING THIRD PARTY HISTORY

CHAPTER 12   CONTEMPLATING A SUCCESSFUL THIRD PARTY BID IN 2020

CHAPTER 13   EXCERPTS FROM CAMPAIGN SPEECHES

PART IV

CHAPTER 14   HOW THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WORKS

CHAPTER 15   THE 2020 ELECTION

CHAPTER 16   2020 ELECTION RESULTS

CHAPTER 17   EXCERPTS FROM THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

CHAPTER 18   DR. FEELGOOD

POSTSCRIPT   TO MY READERS

BOOKS BY STAN POLLACK

THE GOLDEN AGE OF TONGUE KISSING

Weaves a memorable story of growing-up experiences spiced with laugh-out-loud humor.

SPECIFIC INTENT

A fast-moving detective vs. fugitive story, placing the characters in ports of call around the world.

THE GRAVESEND CONNECTION

With a masterful grasp of what was at stake in WWII, the author effectively produces a historical novel of the time when nations of the world reluctantly descended into a tumultuous war.

DOES GOD HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR?

The reader gets to decide.

THANKS TO MY WIFE, MARSHA NEWMAN POLLACK,

FOR EDITING MY BOOKS

AND

THANKS TO WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD DICTIONARY,

SECOND EDITION,

FOR HELPING ME TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME

PREFACE

THE EARLY YEARS

OF ALL THE ANIMALS, THE BOY IS THE MOST UNMANAGEABLE

-PLATO

I N ALL OTHER ways Riley was a respectful little boy, particularly towards his doting parents, family and playmates. Outside of this special circle, at about the age of ten, a social problem developed pitting him against much of the other people on the planet. Simply put, Riley did not appreciate being told what to do or say. This was particularly true for those with some degree of power. Obviously, he was too young to label himself but by later standards he would be considered an ultra-conservative, a right-winger, a strict constitutionalist and if the situation called for it, a denying racist. All of these wonderful attributes festering in him were not helter-skelter but primarily directed against big government. However, we are getting away too quickly from the story. First there is the need to examine some of the early seeds which would grow to fruition. Innocent as they may have appeared, they foretold his life’s mindset.

Riley developed as a late talker. At four years of age the best of doctors examined him but none could find a reason for his silence. One day he put down a glass of milk and said quite clearly, This milk is sour! You can speak! exclaimed his ecstatic parents. Why haven’t you spoken until now? Up to now, said Riley, everything has been ok!

It seems like only yesterday when my son Riley spoke for the second time. We were eating dinner in the dining room and Riley was glued to the television set in the den, three rooms away. We heard him scream at the top of his lungs. I’m not your fucking neighbor, Mr. Rogers! It must have been building up in him.

RILEY’S MOTHER TO FATHER: I worry about the future and our son. What if I dedicate my life to him and he grows up to hate me? What if he blames everything wrong in his life on me? What if he finally just ignores me?

FATHER: WHAT DO YOU MEAN IF?

Riley began his education in the New York City school system. Interviews with his teachers brought back memorable moments. They all agreed that Riley had a penchant for mathematics. While his classmates cringed in their seats at the very thought of being called upon by the teacher for a correct answer, Riley was usually on his feet. This was not to say that he always had the required reply. What he had was a quick strategy to change the subject. Here are a few examples brought back to mind.

TEACHER: Riley, if meat costs three dollars a pound and you gave the butcher twelve dollars, how much meat did you buy?

RILEY: A little over three pounds.

TEACHER: That’s not right!

RILEY: I KNOW IT AIN’T RIGHT, BUT THOSE GUYS DO IT ANYWAY!

TEACHER: Riley, what’s 2%?

RILEY: (shaking his head) YOU’RE RIGHT! YOU’RE RIGHT! WHAT’S 2%?

TEACHER: Riley, if I laid two eggs over here and five eggs over there, how many eggs would I have?

RILEY: I DON’T KNOW! LET’S SEE YOU DO IT FIRST!

TEACHER: Riley, if you added 3,659 and 12,897 and divided the sum by 14 and then multiplied by 9, what number would you wind up with?

RILEY: I DON’T KNOW. DEFINITELY THE WRONG NUMBER!

TEACHER: If I gave you two rabbits, then two more, and two after that, how many rabbits did you receive?

RILEY: Seven.

TEACHER: That’s not right. If I gave you two apples, then two more, and two more after that, how many apples do you have?

RILEY: Six.

TEACHER: Correct! Let’s try again. If I gave you two rabbits, then two more, and two more after that, how many rabbits do you have now?

RILEY: Seven.

TEACHER: (frustrated) Seven! How do you get to seven?

RILEY: BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE ONE RABBIT AT HOME!

TEACHER: Riley, if you reached into your pocket and found a $100 bill and you reached into another pocket and found another $100 bill, what would you have?

RILEY: SOMEONE ELSE’S PANTS!

TEACHER: Riley, if you had one dollar and asked your father for another, how many dollars would you have?

RILEY: One dollar.

TEACHER: You don’t know your arithmetic.

RILEY: YOU DON’T KNOW MY FATHER!

These kinds of manipulations of his math teachers became his specialty, which he later took into the world of business.

It was during Riley’s high school years when he began to