The talks swirling around the 2016 presidential campaign have already begun, with Republican probables being tossed into the ring. However, buzz has begun to build about a third party candidate: Chardon’s very own Ron Cole. The AP US history teacher from Chardon High School recently made the decision, saying, “There are not too many places to move up from APUSH teacher, but I figure President is one of those places.”
Cole’s platform, called a “game changer” by many top political analysts, consists of a 12% flat tax, two years of mandatory service for 18-22 year olds either in the military or conservation projects (think Great Deal CCC projects) and a decrease of half to the size of the federal government, including getting rid of the IRS, which Cole says “would make everyone happy.” Cole commented on the flat tax, perhaps his biggest and most extreme policy, saying, “A flat tax makes sense. The more you spend, the more you pay in taxes. It’s fair for everyone.” However, Cole has much more to bring than just these headliners. He also hopes to implement a one six-year term for the president, which will allow him/her to do his/her job the entire time he/she is in office, make the 2nd amendment unamendable and give a 10% raise across the board to teachers, firefighters and police officers. Senior and gun enthusiast Kristen Novotney really seemed to gravitate towards making the 2nd amendment unamendable, saying, “Between all the time I spend hunting and shooting at the range, I don’t know what I would do if there were more restrictions on my guns.” Junior Trevor Marthe excitedly talked about the raise for public servants; “Since my dad is a firefighter and my mom is a principal, the raises would mean we can finally spring for that fourth PS3!”
The 2012 campaign cost over $2 billion dollars, so how does Cole plan to fund his campaign? In addition to the countless donors already lining up, including Podiums, Inc, Cole commented, “I have been investing all of my money in gold and burying it in my backyard. Let’s just say it’s quite a sizable amount. Plus, I’ve saved so much money over the years from walking to school.” Students also seemed to be willing to help the cause, doing whatever necessary to raise the money. Junior Bobby Bukovec enthusiastically added, “If Mr. Cole does run for president, I’ll donate my lunch money for the rest of my high school career to help the cause!”
So what chance does Cole truly have of winning the President’s seat? Top CNN political analyst Mark Jackson believes he has a great shot, commenting, “People are looking for a fresh face with some new ideas. They’re sick of the same old, out of touch politicians. Ron Cole has everything you look for in a presidential candidate: dashing good looks, a powerful ability to publicly speak and is a source of endless quotable material.”