This interview was conducted via e-mail. Mr. Deitz's answers were received on October 28th, 2007, and were posted exactly as they were received. NYSTP = New York State Third Party/DB = Burr Deitz
NYSTP: Please list your name, official title with the Constitution Party, how long you have held that position and any past duties with the party that you feel is relevant.
BD: I am Burr Deitz, Chairman of the Constitution Party of New York. I have gotten our web site established and am working to build the party. It is not known in the state.
NYSTP: In the last Presidential election, the nationwide aggregate vote total for third party candidates was one of the lowest ever recorded. Now that the polarizing effect of the George Bush Administration will be ending, do you see brighter days for the nation’s third parties, or, if she gets the Democratic nomination, will the polarizing effects of a Hillary Clinton candidacy continue to haunt them?
BD: We supported The CP candidate for president in '04.
NYSTP: Do you wish New York State would do away with its current policy of Fusion? Why, why not, or doesn’t it really matter to you? (Editor's Note: Fusion is the policy where a candidate may appear on multiple lines on the ballot and all of the votes on each line are added together for the final vote total. New York State is one of only three states in the country that allow some type of fusion. In all of the other states, candidates may appear on only one line on the ballot.)
BD: I just haven't thought about it but I think we should confirm with most of the states on this issue. However if a candidate has more than one line the votes should be added together ALL VOTES must be counted.
NYSTP: Tom Tancredo’s name keeps coming up as a possible Constitution Party Presidential nominee if he doesn’t receive the Republican endorsement. How do you think a Tancredo candidacy would play in New York State?
BD: Tom Tancredo would not do well in NY but Ron Paul is growing in recognition in NY
NYSTP: Are there any other declared candidates that you feel would do well in New York State?
BD: We are supporting several candidates this year, 6 for town offices in the town of Cohocton just south of Rochester. We have one person serving on a town board in Westport NY. And we have 4 candidates for the US Congress in 08.
NYSTP: Among third parties in New York State, the Constitution Party’s main competition for the votes of New Yorkers seems to be the Conservative Party. It would seem that the Constitution Party has a natural advantage over the Conservatives since you have an active national organization, whereas they do not. Has the Constitution Party done, or does it plan on doing, any recruiting among their party members, such as sending letters to their registered members, in order to try to get them to switch to the Constitution Party?
BD: We split from the national CP 2 years ago over an issue about Nevada's stand on abortion. We are just building a party based on town offices and getting the word out that we are a party, Name recognition is key.
NYSTP: Anyone who follows New York State’s election laws knows how difficult it is for a non-qualified party to get on the ballot in New York State. In fact, the Constitution Party didn’t make the ballot in New York in the last Presidential election. In anticipation that the Republicans will fight hard in order to keep you off of the ballot in 2008, what changes will you make in your petition gathering process in order to ensure that you make the ballot this time? Have you made any other new plans in terms of organizational structure to help you reach the number of signatures needed?
BD: We are concentrating on small towns but we need people to step forward and running for public office. It's a slow process but we are gaining.
NYSTP: If the Constitution Party is successful in getting your Presidential candidate on the ballot in New York, can we expect to see any statewide advertising in the form of tv/radio/print media ads or billboard postings?
BD: We are working with some radio spots now and hopefully direct mail for Ron Paul, we are also looking at inserts for newspapers. Money is the holding us back.
NYSTP: Assuming that the Constitution Party is shut out of the Presidential Debates once again, would you push your national organization to combine with the Libertarian and Green Parties to fund a series of Presidential Debates on, say, PBS? Do you think the publicity would be worth the cost?
BD: If Ron Paul does not get the republican nomination we will be looking at third parties joining together.
NYSTP: What does the Constitution Party think are the most pressing problems in New York State, as opposed to the nation, and, in general, how does the Constitution Party platform address them?
BD: The most pressing problems are a dysfunctional state and federal governments. Illegal immigrants, Iraq war, IRS fraud, Failing education system The issues are many, each candidate has their views and we try to include as many as we can.
NYSTP: If any of the Constitution Party candidates are elected, either nationally or on the state level, how do you feel they should work with the duopoly that exists in our federal and state government? Should they align themselves with one of the two major parties or become a consistent, alternate voice that is independent of the two?
BD: We are an independent party and not working with other parties at this time, we are stressing that good government comes only when we change the players.
NYSTP: How do you plan to increase the prestige/name recognition of the Constitution Party over the next several years?
BD: Talk radio is the one means that we use because of the lack of funds, Radio spots will help.
NYSTP: A party needs to reach the 50,000 vote level in the Governor’s race to change its status to a qualified party and have the automatic ballot access that would come with that designation. The New York State Constitution Party has never run a candidate for Governor. Do you plan to run a candidate for Governor in 2010? If so, do you see the Constitution Party going all out with an advertising campaign in high population areas, stressing both the candidate’s credentials, as well as the need for at least a 50,000 vote total? Do you believe advertising is the best way to increase both the name recognition of the Constitution Party, as well as the candidates it endorses, and that the name recognition would lead to more votes?
BD: The party needs 15,000 signatures for governor or president but only 5% for local races which is more doable . The governor has proposed to to change the number of signature to 2 1/2 % and to do a redistricting for voter districts as they have been gerrymandered out of State Constitutional guide lines. Letters to the editors is one why of informing the voters on the issues.
NYSTP: Would you be in favor of the New York State Constitution Party forming a subcommittee at the state level that would work with the subcommittees of other third parties in the state, to identify, promote and work toward passing legislation that would make it easier for third parties to gain ballot access?
BD: I believe any effort to improve our government is worth is worth the working with anyone. I think 3rd parties should work together for the better good however, each wants their own autonomy and are not willing to bend just a little.
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