We continue our coverage of the 2008 presidential election with an interview from Cris Ericson. She is a relative unknown from the state of Vermont. She is currently organizing the Marijuana Party so she can start getting campaign money. Her grassroots campaign (pun intended) is starting off small with the first goal of being on the ballot in her home state of Vermont. I have to say, I didn't know if I wanted to post this interview. We here at Arabian Monkey aren't fond of the stuff. What we are fond of is free speech. Voltaire once said "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." And that's what it's all about- everyone's message deserves to be heard and we think Cris Ericson is a great candidate. Check out the interview, pass it along, and help Cris Ericson make some noise.

What kind of changes do you want to make if elected president?

We have millions of homeless Americans and millions of unemployed Americans, so I'm all for packing up the illegal aliens and telling them to take a hike.

We can't compete on a global scale without more and more education for each person. We have to start with the basics, math and reading and communication skills. The No Child Left Behind Act isn't forceful enough: We must battle the teachers' union and fight them in court for fraud for failing to teach children the basics. Test scores in Vermont prove that too many children are not learning the basic necessities of math and reading skills. To allow a child to pass to the next higher grade who has not learned adequate skills for the grade the child is in, is fraud on the part of the teachers. We must charge the teachers and the teachers union with fraud in court. You wouldn't give someone a license to drive a car if they didn't pass the test.

The only way to compete with "out-sourcing" of jobs is to really educate people, all people, regardless of age. Education must be free for all grade levels, for college, for medical school, for law school, etc. The more educated people are, the more they will re-imburse the government for their education by higher earnings.

I have a lot of issues, but I won't go into them until October 2007 because right now I am concentrating on trying to form the Marijuana Party.

I want to make a point that in the past I have experienced some web sites to be very issue biased. For example, one website that allowed me to post on most issues, deleted all the posts I wrote about partial birth abortion because I was totally against partial birth abortion (it is murder).

What are some other areas of concern other than the legalization of marijuana?

Ask me in October 2007. Right now I am focused on one thing, trying to get the Marijuana Party legally organized in Vermont under state laws so that we can raise funds. Minor parties are allowed by federal law to receive donations up to $10,000 from each contributor, and out-of-state contributions are legal. If the Marijuana Party gets organized and certified by the Vermont Secretary of State this year,
then we can collect millions and millions of dollars.

Why are you only trying to get on the ballot in Vermont?

I live here. I'm a very poor candidate with hardly any funds at this point.

What would you say to your critics?

This is a free country and government is of the people and by the people and for the people. If only rich or famous people are elected to office, then the needs of poor people will not be adequately addressed. If someone tried to make a law that only people of a certain income could run for office, or only people with a certain amount of fame could run for office, then there would be a furious outcry.

I want equal protection under the law to not be prosecuted and punished for using or growing substances or products, including marijuana, which are equally dangerous or less dangerous than other legal products, cultivated crops and substances.

There is a negative stigma associated with those who smoke marijuana....what's wrong with that stigma?

Nothing, marijuana is addictive for some people just like alcoholic beverages and tobaccco products are addictive for some people. Just because something is dangerous is no reason to allow government to be our mommy and daddy and tell adults what to do with our own bodies and our own minds. For many people, marijuana is fun. We need to demand our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For some people, happiness is found by smoking marijuana.

I have heard ideas thrown around about legalizing marijuana, including the government selling it and regulating the prices of it...thoughts?

I want you to demand equal protection under the law to not be prosecuted or punished for using or growing substances or products, such as marijuana, that are equally dangerous or less dangerous than other legal products and substances, such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, hand guns and hunting rifles.

I once heard a statistic, something like 80% of the NBA smokes weed- do you believe it?

I don't know. Sports professionals are far more likely to suffer severe injuries and paralysis from sports accidents. Sports, by the number of injuries on the playing field, are far more dangerous than marijuana.

Any celebrities or interesting people backing you?

101 year old Phil Wheeler, born in Buck Hollow, Vermont.