The following was in response to a request of an undergraduate student and midshipman at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
(from the student) Please answer the following in as much detail as you would like:
How long have you (Kelly Gneiting) been a member of the Independent American Party?
Three Years
As Chairman, what do you see your role within the party to be?
I see my role as one of leading by example, living and breathing a cause which is as urgent now as it was during the 1776 era. Leading by example means immersing myself in conf. calls, projects, campaigns, writing articles for our website, maintaining our Facebook & IAP Community presence, etc.
How many presidential campaigns have you worked with?
Only Will Christensen since he has been the only person worthy of the office since my being active in politics.
In what positions?
NA
As a party official, how closely do you work with the campaign strategists?
Our campaign strategy is that of any other organization who desires a national presence, but has little money to fund such a presence (at this stage). I would consider myself a campaign strategist in Will’s campaign, along with the rest of the Exec. Committee (14 others). Our campaign strategy manual is each other’s experience, and the Holy Bible.
Would you say that the party runs the campaign, or the candidate? Why?
In this Party, we have a committee which meets Thursday nights that we’ve named the Independent American Movement (IAM) Committee. In the IAM, which we’ve been developing for several months now, our goals is to get the public involved in electing representatives, instead of continually voting for “the lesser of two evils” or as we say, “the evil of two lesser.”
Under what we envision, the party, and those who put forth the name of the candidate, will run the campaign, NOT the candidate. Fortunately, our current candidates don’t mind being involved in their campaign, but when the IAM is fully up and running, it will be promoted otherwise.
How would you rate the success of the IAP over the past 20 years?
That depends on how you would define success. In the eyes of those who view us on the outside, we haven’t been successful as of yet, but from my vantage point, God has let the wheat and the tares grow together, and throughout the last 20 years, the tares have dropped off, leaving the wheat—or God’s elect—to run this Party. When the economy collapses, and people start REALLY hurting all around America, Americans will begin to repent, and will then remember the words of our Founding Fathers, and the ingredients which won their ancestor’s Independence. An independent America is all we wish to have. Our greatest success lies ahead.
What are the major hurdles to success that your party faces?
Upon asking that very question to the Exec. Committee several months ago, it was decided that our major hurdles are, first, the personal worthiness of those who lead this party; followed by sincere prayer and fasting. Following these is to obey the guidance the Holy Spirit gives each person in each position. But underlining all of these is to recruit elect patriots. We must pray, then petition (or ask) the elect to come into our Party if we are to expect the elect to do so.
At this stage in our Party’s growth we want to minimize leadership which begs, pleads, and continually follows up with rank-and-file members. Instead we seek those who will light a fire under themselves—the leaders of leaders so to speak. These will be those who don’t need to be commanded in all things, but will let the fuel of their sense of duty inspire those around them, leading themselves and others in various party positions.
Where do you, as a party official, set the strategic goals of the IAP moving forward?
One of our primary goals is to recruit. Recruiting cannot be done without asking people to join, and work with us. It is our experience that good people will join this cause—the glorious cause of America—when asked. But if there is no initial request, good people will remain uninvolved.
In this way and through the mechanism of seeking and asking good patriots to involve themselves in our efforts, one of our goals is to get the IAP on the ballot in Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah, minimally, by 2014’s election. (We are on the ballot in New Mexico)
More importantly, we desire to implement the Independent American Movement (IAM) into our elective system beginning with local areas in Utah. The IAM is a way of electing public representatives by “We the People” instead of by the coercive, and dependent, control of party politics—including that of our Party.
We have many other strategic goals, which are broken down into Primary and Secondary Issues. Primary Issues are indicated by a “1” below, and Secondary Issues by a “2.” There are others.
(1 – Independent American Movement (IAM) progress)
1 – Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming’s Affiliation into the National IAP
1 – Will Christensen’s, Jon Barrie’s, Michael McDermott’s, and Others’ Campaigns (short term)
1 – Voter Education
1 – IAP’s Prayer Mission
2 – Encouraging people to run for office, via Mitchell Colver’s “Power of a Third Party”
2 – Recruiting people to our current Philosophy/Platform
2 – Internet presence: Website stories/articles and our Facebook & Community presence
2 – Town Hall Testimonials
2 – Popularizing IAP’s Declaration of Freedom Documents
2 – Involving/Recruiting more Native American into the IAP
2 – Opening Correspondence with other Patriot Groups/Parties
2 – Generating a Speaker’s Bureau for the IAP
2 – Supporting CSPOA, and other organizations in which local control is priority (over Federal)
2 – Expanding into YouTube Videos
2 – Fundraising
2 – Editing the IAP Platform
2 – Bills, Resolutions and suggestions sent to our current representatives
2 – Restoring Constitutional State Militias (or Defense Forces)
2 – Going to Liberty-Related Conferences
2 – Contacting/Recruiting a Chuck Baldwin or Alex Jones
What do you feel is the major weakness of minor parties in American politics?
Laws and “policies” of states and the federal government which prioritize the Republican and Democrat Parties. Parties are NOT supposed to be a part of government, yet dozens of millions of dollars are given to each of these two parties by the government each year (i.e. to run their national conventions). This is legalized plunder as Frederick Bastiat would say.
We are fighting an uphill battle in coming to the table with free and equal representation of candidates for the public’s consideration. The two-party system is a duopoly, functioning the same way as an (illegal) monopoly. The dependence of a two-party system was not the wishes of our Founders.
From John Adams:
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.” John Adams ~ October 2, 1780
Are you willing to recommend that other officials or strategists aligned with your party participate in this research?
Yes, as long as the good isn’t compromised.
Thank you for your participation in this interview. I appreciate your cooperation and look forward to reading your answers.
No problem.
IAP’s Response to Questions Concerning our Growth and Strategy, by Kelly Gneiting
The following was in response to a request of an undergraduate student and midshipman at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
(from the student) Please answer the following in as much detail as you would like:
How long have you (Kelly Gneiting) been a member of the Independent American Party?
Three Years
As Chairman, what do you see your role within the party to be?
I see my role as one of leading by example, living and breathing a cause which is as urgent now as it was during the 1776 era. Leading by example means immersing myself in conf. calls, projects, campaigns, writing articles for our website, maintaining our Facebook & IAP Community presence, etc.
How many presidential campaigns have you worked with?
Only Will Christensen since he has been the only person worthy of the office since my being active in politics.
In what positions?
NA
As a party official, how closely do you work with the campaign strategists?
Our campaign strategy is that of any other organization who desires a national presence, but has little money to fund such a presence (at this stage). I would consider myself a campaign strategist in Will’s campaign, along with the rest of the Exec. Committee (14 others). Our campaign strategy manual is each other’s experience, and the Holy Bible.
Would you say that the party runs the campaign, or the candidate? Why?
In this Party, we have a committee which meets Thursday nights that we’ve named the Independent American Movement (IAM) Committee. In the IAM, which we’ve been developing for several months now, our goals is to get the public involved in electing representatives, instead of continually voting for “the lesser of two evils” or as we say, “the evil of two lesser.”
Under what we envision, the party, and those who put forth the name of the candidate, will run the campaign, NOT the candidate. Fortunately, our current candidates don’t mind being involved in their campaign, but when the IAM is fully up and running, it will be promoted otherwise.
How would you rate the success of the IAP over the past 20 years?
That depends on how you would define success. In the eyes of those who view us on the outside, we haven’t been successful as of yet, but from my vantage point, God has let the wheat and the tares grow together, and throughout the last 20 years, the tares have dropped off, leaving the wheat—or God’s elect—to run this Party. When the economy collapses, and people start REALLY hurting all around America, Americans will begin to repent, and will then remember the words of our Founding Fathers, and the ingredients which won their ancestor’s Independence. An independent America is all we wish to have. Our greatest success lies ahead.
What are the major hurdles to success that your party faces?
Upon asking that very question to the Exec. Committee several months ago, it was decided that our major hurdles are, first, the personal worthiness of those who lead this party; followed by sincere prayer and fasting. Following these is to obey the guidance the Holy Spirit gives each person in each position. But underlining all of these is to recruit elect patriots. We must pray, then petition (or ask) the elect to come into our Party if we are to expect the elect to do so.
At this stage in our Party’s growth we want to minimize leadership which begs, pleads, and continually follows up with rank-and-file members. Instead we seek those who will light a fire under themselves—the leaders of leaders so to speak. These will be those who don’t need to be commanded in all things, but will let the fuel of their sense of duty inspire those around them, leading themselves and others in various party positions.
Where do you, as a party official, set the strategic goals of the IAP moving forward?
One of our primary goals is to recruit. Recruiting cannot be done without asking people to join, and work with us. It is our experience that good people will join this cause—the glorious cause of America—when asked. But if there is no initial request, good people will remain uninvolved.
In this way and through the mechanism of seeking and asking good patriots to involve themselves in our efforts, one of our goals is to get the IAP on the ballot in Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah, minimally, by 2014’s election. (We are on the ballot in New Mexico)
More importantly, we desire to implement the Independent American Movement (IAM) into our elective system beginning with local areas in Utah. The IAM is a way of electing public representatives by “We the People” instead of by the coercive, and dependent, control of party politics—including that of our Party.
We have many other strategic goals, which are broken down into Primary and Secondary Issues. Primary Issues are indicated by a “1” below, and Secondary Issues by a “2.” There are others.
(1 – Independent American Movement (IAM) progress)
1 – Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming’s Affiliation into the National IAP
1 – Will Christensen’s, Jon Barrie’s, Michael McDermott’s, and Others’ Campaigns (short term)
1 – Voter Education
1 – IAP’s Prayer Mission
2 – Encouraging people to run for office, via Mitchell Colver’s “Power of a Third Party”
2 – Recruiting people to our current Philosophy/Platform
2 – Internet presence: Website stories/articles and our Facebook & Community presence
2 – Town Hall Testimonials
2 – Popularizing IAP’s Declaration of Freedom Documents
2 – Involving/Recruiting more Native American into the IAP
2 – Opening Correspondence with other Patriot Groups/Parties
2 – Generating a Speaker’s Bureau for the IAP
2 – Supporting CSPOA, and other organizations in which local control is priority (over Federal)
2 – Expanding into YouTube Videos
2 – Fundraising
2 – Editing the IAP Platform
2 – Bills, Resolutions and suggestions sent to our current representatives
2 – Restoring Constitutional State Militias (or Defense Forces)
2 – Going to Liberty-Related Conferences
2 – Contacting/Recruiting a Chuck Baldwin or Alex Jones
Laws and “policies” of states and the federal government which prioritize the Republican and Democrat Parties. Parties are NOT supposed to be a part of government, yet dozens of millions of dollars are given to each of these two parties by the government each year (i.e. to run their national conventions). This is legalized plunder as Frederick Bastiat would say.
We are fighting an uphill battle in coming to the table with free and equal representation of candidates for the public’s consideration. The two-party system is a duopoly, functioning the same way as an (illegal) monopoly. The dependence of a two-party system was not the wishes of our Founders.
From John Adams:
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.” John Adams ~ October 2, 1780
Are you willing to recommend that other officials or strategists aligned with your party participate in this research?
Yes, as long as the good isn’t compromised.
Thank you for your participation in this interview. I appreciate your cooperation and look forward to reading your answers.
No problem.
.