Jimmy McMillan is the founder of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, a New York based political party advocating lower housing costs for all Americans. Mr. McMillan is a Vietnam Veteran, former postal worker and six-time New York gubernatorial candidate. He is adamantly against federal bailouts for banks and corporations and believes that lowering housing costs will ease poverty and raise tax revenue. He sat down with us to go a little more in depth on his stances.
The name of your party is The Rent is too Damn High Party and you have stated that you are against higher costs of living for renters and homeowners. If elected, what would you do to lower housing costs for all americans?
The government bailed out General Motors with $49 billion in taxpayer money which made every taxpayer a 61% shareholder. So why are you paying a mortgage? Why was your car repo’d? Why are you repaying a student loan? This is an issue than none of the other candidates will talk about because they do not know what the government did. What about any type of protection for the people? The Rent is Too Damn High Party realizes that they are not doing anything to help the people. They are doing things for themselves to make them look good.
A lot has to be done in running for president of the United States. I will create programs to help people pay their mortgages and student loans. Your mortgage should be already paid for if your are a shareholder of the bank that you owe a mortgage too. The American people do not realize what being a shareholder means. I want to educate all Americans about what being a shareholder means. I have a lot of work to do and I want to get it done.
The Obama administration recently proposed requiring all health insurance companies to provide birth control to women free of charge. Do you agree with this?
Its already been paid for under the program I have proposed. The office of the president is supposed to be bi-partisan. Some people are for issues like birth control and abortion and some people are not. You can’t choose sides. When it comes to abortion and gay marriage this is a bi-partisan conversation. The president of the United States should not take a position on these issues.
So, as President, you would not take a position on any social issues?
As president you have to be focused on economic issues. You should be worried about the American people having a roof over their head, food on the table and money in their pockets. How are they going to survive when there are no jobs? How am I going to help create new businesses?
Jimmy McMillan is not a skit from Saturday Night Live or Comedy Central. I don’t have a lot of money. I am running this campaign with money I get from retirement, no one is giving me any money. I am speaking from a perspective no one else can see.
I was caught in a rainstorm last week. I was sitting in my car watching the rain fall on my windshield. I see rain different from you. I see the rain as the tears from the people who are suffering and I need to help them throughout these economic crises. I am here to help those who are hurting.
I love this guys view on the banks that we bailed them out so we are all shareholders so why are we paying mortgages to a company we own lol.
Corey Weaver
Shallow view. Even if you take out a loan from a company you own, it has to be repaid. You can't generate wealth by taking from an entity. Wealth is generated by production.
John Woods
The word shareholder might be a bad word for it, but his real point is that you can have a loan to a bank, and be dedicating yourself to paying it off, and yet your taxes are increased and your money is going to paying the bank - and yet you owe the bank not one penny less. Bailouts, no matter how you try to rationalize it, are just free money for corporations that do poorly on their own behalf - welfare in disguise.
Andrew Pometta
This man is a novel thinker.
Luta Moshe Belcher
I know it sounds Heinleinian, but I believe that All US veterns of War should find common ground and develop an independent party platform to enhance leadership and policy decisions based on their unique experience and selfless sacrifice. they have given so much, and have so much to offer in terms of social and human capital.
Luta Moshe Belcher
Now there is not a DAMN thing wrong with being Heinleinian. The way so many people either don't care to pay attention and/or vote and so many who do are so easily swayed or brow-beaten into making illogical voting choices... maybe we SHOULD have a society where there is a certain, attainable, but not free, requirement for "citizenship". The rest are "resident countrymen", until such time as they decide to work towards the requirements of citizenship. I'll tell you this. If this were the way our country were run, neither George Walker Bush NOR Barack Hussein Obama would have come CLOSE to becoming president...! kc
Corey Nofullname
Thanks Corey. The only draw back could be that good, reasonable people may or may not qualify for a degree of reasons, sort of like getting a driver's License, or finishing High School. I think all of us know of folks that 'fall through the cracks' of any particular system. But yeah, the way I see it, citizenship is more of a priveledge, not always a right, and sadly, the way the world is right now for the most part, to few of us (myself included) are not properly putting in to make things better. That to me will be the only way that our Economy, civil society, and environment will ever be improved-not relience on on an obtruse, expanded central governmental power. It has to start with the individual first. In all fairness to President Obama, his election in 2008 was empowering to many Americans, and that in and of itself is a good thing. Sadly, it was also a lot of hot air too, and many of his supporters quickly became dissilussioned. There must emerge a grass roots movement that impowers and inspires the people to do more for themselves for the betterment of their community, and their country. I feel that Veterans of the Armed sevices of the US are potentially one such group.
Luta Moshe Belcher
Running the country is about upholding the law, which is why it's generally bureaucrats, not vets, that do it. And vets are a common group because of the training, challenges and aversity they share, not because they share ideas on how to write legislation or their deep knowledge of the Constitution. A 'vets party' directly implies that all vets agree on political issues.
John Woods
he has my vote after this year when I become a citizen.
John Shepard
It took me quite a while before I believed this guy was for real. I thought it was a hoax. Seriously, "The Rent is Too Damn High Party"? That's straight out of a SNL skit (as are his videos). Love it.
Dane Bendixen
Being President is an influential position with a heavy responsibility. It would be impossible for a President to keep societal issues to him/herself when signing or vetoing measures and laws. Would also like to know more of his personal background, as well as how he views Presidential responsibilities on the world stage. There is no doubt in my mind that he would salute the American flag (had to throw that in). There is more to the Presidency than meets the eye.
Sue Williams
No, he's supposed to uphold the Constitution. Veto isn't supposed to be about opinion. The President isn't supposed to push his agena. He's supposed to push back when Congress gets out of line. Checks and balances. Two legislative branches, the Executive branch, and the second amendment. All meant to keep Government from getting too powerful.
John Woods
why isn't this guy on the candidate's list? I love this guy!
Eamon Alvine
he used to be on the list
Nick Sheydin
but hes not runnoing
Nick Sheydin
lol
Eamon Alvine
"Your mortgage should be already paid for if your are a shareholder of the bank...." Okay... so if everyone wants to quit paying their monthly mortgage payment they simply need to buy one share of stock in their bank. The real question here is, are the guys doing the interview even dumber than the guy being interviewed? Maybe they are trying to mix tongue-in-cheek humor with political journalism. If not, these journalists are simply morons.
Wow. On the plus side, he's a Vietnam Veteran and therefore has not received half the respect this nation owes him. As for his positions, I can't say that I'm on the bandwagon with him. I will say that I fully support his beard and the name of his party. Max cool points for both. Perhaps the other candidates could beard-up as well. Of course the other parties should follow suit and change their names to more descriptive ones; the Democrats could be the Government Take Care of Me party, the Republicans could be the Leave Me Alone & Stop Taxing Me So Much party, the Libertarians could be the Leave Me Alone, I'm Smoking Weed party, the Socialists could be the I'd Like to Get Away With Calling Myself Communist party, and the Greens could be the Huh? What? Pretty Tree, Let Me Hug It party, and so on.
Adam Hodge
Mr. McMillan, I'm not sure I agree with you on all points, but I love you brother. You sound like someone that I would be happy to count among my friends.
Mark Johnston
Russia solved that problem with government intervention on housing costs. Do you want to live in a bankrupt communist country just to have subsidies on everything from "so-called affordable health care" to food to lower rents? If so, go to Russia or China. If not, move out of New York and go somewhere that the rents are NOT "too damned high". Nobody's making you stay there. I'd love to live in Manhattan but I simply can't afford it! If I'm not going to pay for myself to live in New York, I certainly shouldn't be asked to subsidize YOUR New York housing costs. How can you be against government bailouts while standing there with your hand wide open? Seems pretty self-serving and hypocritical to me.
Donna Parker-Dunlap
Don't OVERlook this guy with the "Rent is Too Damn High" Party. Smart guy and totally in touch! Haha!
Whisper Faa'agi
tell it like it is!
Whisper Faa'agi
You can still write this candidate in! He is black and has a Birth Certificate with raised seal (I am pretty sure).
Frederick Rick Stralow