Robert E Rasmussen.com

Michael Maturen, the Presidential candidate for the ASP is described in wikipedia and this article in Alitea magazine. He is Roman Catholic, which explains his conservative stance on social issues such as abortion and euthanasia. His pro-life posture extends to opposing capital punishment. While I am not impressed by what I have read about Maturen in terms of political qualifications, I have not learned anything about him that causes me concern in terms of character. A major concern is that Maturen lacks the kind of experience required for the Presidency of the USA. He is, as far as I know, untested in such a leadership role.

Having read the platform of the ASP on their website, I do not claim to comprehend all of the issues nor agree with everything there, but on many points it resonates with those of us who desire to honor God and see Him honored in our country.

The ASP is a minor third-party, most popular in California and Texas. It will not be on the ballot in many or most states (in which case a write-in of “Michael Maturen” will be needed).

I am undecided as to whether or not I will use a vote for the Presidential race, or focus on these expressions as my “voice.” I will not vote for either Hillary or Trump, so Maturen is the only viable voting option I see at this point.

I welcome your input!

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Summary from wikipedia (accessed 9/20/2016):

The American Solidarity Party (ASP) is a Christian Democratic political party in the United States. Its motto is “Common Good, Common Ground, Common Sense.” The political position of the American Solidarity Party is socially conservative and economically distributist. Therefore, the ASP holds to socially conservative views such as adhering to a pro-life position with regard to abortion, capital punishment and euthanasia, as well as opposition to same-sex marriage and opposition to pornography. With regard to economics, labor issues and foreign policy, the American Solidarity Party is liberal, seeing the “moderate welfare state as the public expression of every citizen’s responsibility for his poor brother or sister.” As such, the American Solidarity Party notably opposes conscription, and favors “equal access to the polls, the courts, housing, education, and credit”.In addition, it supports “amnesty and a path to citizenship” for immigrants currently residing in the United States and “oppose[s] the militarization and fortification of our national borders”. With regard to healthcare, the ASP advocates the creation of a decentralized ‘single-payer’ system. It supports the dignity of work, as well as stewardship for creation, advocating for “generous funding for research in safe and renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind-power.”