Gray Rinehart -- The Anti-Candidate

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Featured Links:

Baen Books -- Gray is their "Slushmaster" in charge of paper submissions

Orson Scott Card's The Ornery American, which has published four of Gray's essays

Jim Baen's Universe

Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show

Who is the "GrayMan"? Gray Rinehart is the author of one book, Quality Education, and many articles, essays and papers. Check out The Legend of Gray's "alter ego" to find out more about the original "GrayMan" of Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

THE ANTI-CAMPAIGN: Politics as unusual.

Meet the anti-candidate: we're not on the ballot for President, Senator, Governor, Representative, County Council, City Council, School Board, or any elected office (so far as we know). You won't see our name on those irritating little signs in your neighborhood. You won't see any obnoxious "I approved this message" ads on television. In fact, if you're committed to one party or one issue and you find a candidate who will represent you adequately, we encourage you to vote for that person.

Then again, if you find you're not satisfied with the candidates already on the ballot -- and you can't pick one to vote against, as Robert A. Heinlein suggested -- just vote against all the candidates and write in "Gray Rinehart." It doesn't matter what office: put us down for any or all of them. (Be sure to spell the name right: we wouldn't want the election officials to get confused.) On the off chance that we win, we probably won't show up anyway, since we agree with Thomas Jefferson: "That government governs best which governs least."

Governing least ... we'd be happy to.

Since the Anti-Campaign started, we've had some folks volunteer to be our anti-running mate. One, a former boss, commented, "We couldn't do any worse than any of the yahoos running this go-round." Another wondered if she should be our anti-running mate since a woman anti-VP would be very PC; she promised, in case of our demise, "to continue ignoring any programs you haven't bothered to establish."

We make no promises, so as not to disappoint. As for some of the issues ... select whichever issue you care about and see what we have to say about it:

Abortion / Budget & Spending / Conservative or Liberal? / Death Penalty / Defense / Economy / Education / Energy / Environment / Faith / Family / Free Speech
Guns / Health Care / Patriotism / Rights / Role of Government / Taxes / Trade

Newest position pages: Economy and Environment

If your favorite issue isn't on the list, we can only say what our teacher Dave Haasl said: "For this I apologize, but this apology is in no way sincere." How's that for politics as UNusual? Anyway, if you're tired of politics as usual -- the constant drone of who did what and who said what and what do they really mean -- then maybe the "Anti-Campaign" is for you. No flyers clogging your mailbox, no billboards staring down at you, no pundits trying to tell you what we really meant or thought. Debates? The other candidates wouldn't want to face us.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE ANTI-CAMPAIGN. The Anti-Campaign needs money for all kinds of expenses: crayons and coloring books, groceries and gasoline, neckties and Net access. Send your non-tax-deductible donations with the full confidence that we will treat your money as our own and spend it on whatever we want -- like expensive dinners at which we will entertain only ourselves. It'll be just like the real government, only this time you gave your money voluntarily. In fact, be sure to write "gift" in the memo block of your check. Any contributions are not tax deductible; repeat, not tax deductible; I-tell-you-three-times, NOT tax deductible. We appreciate your money. (And you, too, of course ... but we really appreciate your money.)

Want more information on the Anti-Campaign? Want to be added to the list of potential anti-running mates? Want to be considered for a position in the anti-cabinet? Contact the GrayMan, but notice that the e-mail address is set up to avoid spammers; be sure to fix it so it's in the proper format. If we get your message, we'll be happy to answer your questions. (Maybe.) (Sometime.) And we'd be honored to address your club or organization or class to discuss the Anti-Campaign. (For a small honorarium, of course.) (And a meal.) (And maybe baked goods.)

Page last
updated on
August 1, 2008