By now you have probably heard of Al Gore, George W. Bush, Bill Bradley, John McCain and Steve Forbes.
But these New Hampshire frontrunners are hardly the only candidates who will be on the Democratic and Republican ballots on Feb. 1. More than 20 other presidential hopefuls -- advocating policies from legalized recreational marijuana to the use of swooping highway helicopters -- will appear as well.
Having referred to Al Gore as a "modern day Hitler" and a "woolen-headed fool," Democrat Lyndon H. LaRouche wants, according to promotional literature, "to reorganize the Democratic Party in the tradition of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., in order to rebuild the industrial economy and promote the General Welfare of the nation."
LaRouche feels that both major economic depression and world war are imminent and has proposed the implementation of a modern day "Balkan Marshall Plan" to assuage the recent troubles in Eastern Europe.
Democrat Caroline "The Hemp Lady" Killeen, a former Catholic nun and a many-time primary candidate, favors the legalization of drugs, especially marijuana. Killeen is against the use of nuclear weapons and is a proponent of both the environment and smokers' rights.
Taking a firm stand on measurement, she has suggested that the United States officially adopt the metric system. If elected, she would not work to further homosexuals' and women's rights but does hope to reform the electoral college system.
Republican Dorian Yeager describes herself as fiscally conservative and socially libertarian. Yeager says she is "pro-choice about nearly everything," including abortion.
In an animated response to the Clinton Administration's financial program, possibly aimed at voters who appreciate slang in election campaigns, Yeager wrote in promotional literature posted on the Internet, "There's no such thing as a surplus as long as there is a deficit. Duh."
One of Yeager's most emphatic campaign promises is a model of simplicity -- she pledges to answer all yes/no questions "with either a 'yes,' or a 'no.'"
Democrat Tom Koos supports the use of medical, and possibly recreational, marijuana. He is also a proponent of same-sex marriage, stricter gun control and the widespread availability of healthcare. Koos is pro-choice and feels that public funds should be made available for those women who want to obtain but cannot afford abortions.
In a novel approach to what he feels is an overdependence on foreign energy sources, Koos has proposed that the United States improve the quality and safety of bicycle routes for both recreational and commuter use.
"Conservative Democrat" and Dartmouth graduate Mark Greenstein '86 advocates the traditionally Republican views of smaller government, decreased taxes and states' rights. Going a bit more out on a limb on the issue of highway traffic jams, though, Greenstein hopes to implement an airborne road service in which helicopters would swoop down to remove broken-down cars from others' pathway.
Greenstein told The Dartmouth last month that, because "Bill Bradley and Al Gore are more like Lenin than Jefferson," he hopes to become the choice of "Independents and mainstream Democrats."
Greenstein supports the complete abolition of the Social Security system, claiming that the 60-year-old program is "stealing from younger workers." In keeping with his desire for smaller government, he also favors the elimination of the income tax and all other luxury and social taxes. He plans to procure the lost revenue from taxes on corporations and individual investments such as homes, cars and boats, which he deems good measures of personal wealth.
Greenstein is opposed to abortion and does not support the advancement of homosexual rights. One of his primary goals as president would be to strengthen the US military.
Heather Anne Harder, who got 371 votes in the 1996 primary and is running again this year, is for, among other things, full disclosure of information about alien landings in the United States, while Edward T. O'Donnell Jr. says his goal "is to put the two parties out of business and start the whole government over with a new constitution."
A source for much of the information in this story was the website www.newhampshireprimary.com
