Brian Moore (politician)
Encyclopedia
Brian Patrick Moore is an United States
politician and founder of antiwar organization Nature Coast Coalition for Peace & Justice. He was the presidential
nominee of the Socialist Party USA
for the 2008 United States presidential election. He waged several campaigns for mayor and city council in Washington, D.C.
and twice ran for the United States House of Representatives
from Florida's 5th congressional district
, winning none. He ran for the Democratic Party
nomination for Governor of Florida in 2010, but lost in the primary election
.
During his presidential campaign, Moore supported strengthening the working class
and pledged to withdraw troops from Iraq
and Afghanistan
, and reduce the budget for the Department of Defense
by 50%. During his presidential campaign he claimed that the current economic system was falling apart because of capitalism's "own greed".
in California, a Master's degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University
, and studied in a Franciscan
Catholic
seminary
before joining the Peace Corps
in 1969. As a Peace Corps volunteer and later working for a non-profit agency, Moore was involved in community development and infrastructure projects in impoverished neighborhoods of Bolivia
, Panama
and Peru
. He has worked almost 20 years in the HMO/Managed Care industry as an Executive Director, Project Administrator, and Consultant.
Internationally, Moore has been involved in community development, reconstruction and infrastructure rehabilitation projects (housing, water, electricity and sewage) in the developing and poverty-stricken countries of Panama, Peru, and Ecuador. For more than five years, Moore designed and implemented programs for public health projects (vaccination and health education) in Latin America (Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Mexico) and Tanzania, Africa, in coordination with and on behalf of private corporations, religious institutions and non-governmental organizations. Moore raised $3 million for a de-worming project that successfully protected more than one million children from parasitic infections in the poverty-stricken areas of Brazil
, Guatemala
and the Dominican Republic
.
coordinator for Terry Sanford
, who lost the nomination to Jimmy Carter
. The experience turned Moore off the Democrats to becoming independent because "the Democrats threw over this liberal, progressive guy." He volunteered for independents John B. Anderson
in 1980 presidential election
and Ralph Nader
in 2004 and supported Reform Party
candidate Pat Buchanan
in the 2000 presidential election
because Buchanan "was for fair trade over free trade
. He had some progressive positions that I thought would be helpful to the common man."
In the 1980s, Moore was elected to three terms on an Advisory Neighborhood Commission
in Washington, D.C.
Moore waged several unsuccessful bids for mayor and city council in Washington, D.C., and twice ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 5th congressional district
.
According to John P. Martin, Moore's highest election tally came during his run for city council in 1984, in which he drew 18,497 votes.
In 1994, he ran as a Republican and won 640 votes in the primary.
In 2006, running as a Green Party
-endorsed independent anti-war candidate against Sen. Bill Nelson
and Republican challenger Katherine Harris
, Moore polled 19,695 votes. During that campaign, he called for the impeachment
of President George W. Bush
and Vice President Dick Cheney
. Ralph Nader endorsed Moore in the race.
In 2007, he became a socialist and joined the Socialist Party USA as a presidential candidate for the 2008 election. Moore says being called a socialist by opponents opened him up to the movement. Although he was new to the party and socialism, his experience as a grassroots
candidate and an elected official as well as his media savvy may have been what helped him get the nomination over party veterans.
of California, were nominated on October 20, 2007 at the Socialist Party USA's National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, where their ticket won by four votes. Moore also was the only candidate to collect the 1,000 signatures required to participate in the Liberty Union Party
's presidential primary. He was on the ballot under the Socialist Party USA in Colorado
, Florida
, Iowa
, New Jersey
, Ohio
, Tennessee
, and Wisconsin
, and on the ballot under the Liberty Union Party in Vermont
. He was also available as a write-in candidate in several other states. On election day Moore received 6,528 votes nationally. His best showing was in Tennessee, where he received 1,326 votes out of 2,614,000 votes cast.
On October 28, 2008, Moore appeared on the Colbert Report and dismissed accusations from John McCain
that Barack Obama
is a Socialist.
. He is an advocate for democratic public control of the economy and society, participatory democracy
, universal health care
, greater employment, and housing for all.
Moore wants to "get rid of the for-profit system" and calls for Wall Street to be made into a "socially owned democratic authority of economists, experts and consumers who are not part of consumer America, to oversee these banks, to form credit unions, state banks." He proposes that under his system, the best-paid would make no more than 10 times what the lowest-paid worker receives.
. Moore lost to Florida's Chief Financial Officer, Democrat Alex Sink
in the primary.
He received 23.09% (199,247) of the vote while his opponent Alex Sink won with 76.91% (663,510) out of 862,757 total votes cast.
Brian Moore was endorsed by the American Socialist Party for which he is a local organizer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and founder of antiwar organization Nature Coast Coalition for Peace & Justice. He was the presidential
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
nominee of the Socialist Party USA
Socialist Party USA
The Socialist Party USA is a multi-tendency democratic-socialist party in the United States. The party states that it is the rightful continuation and successor to the tradition of the Socialist Party of America, which had lasted from 1901 to 1972.The party is officially committed to left-wing...
for the 2008 United States presidential election. He waged several campaigns for mayor and city council in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and twice ran for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Florida's 5th congressional district
Florida's 5th congressional district
Florida's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida that comprises all of Citrus, Hernando, and Sumter counties and most of Lake, Levy, and Pasco counties and portions of Marion and Polk counties...
, winning none. He ran for the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nomination for Governor of Florida in 2010, but lost in the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
.
During his presidential campaign, Moore supported strengthening the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
and pledged to withdraw troops from Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and reduce the budget for the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
by 50%. During his presidential campaign he claimed that the current economic system was falling apart because of capitalism's "own greed".
Background
Moore earned a bachelor's degree at San Luis Rey CollegeSan Luis Rey College
San Luis Rey College was a Franciscan seminary in Oceanside, California. It was located on the site of Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, one of the California missions originally founded by the Franciscans in 1798. The school had moved from Mission Santa Barbara, headquarters of the Franciscan...
in California, a Master's degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, and studied in a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
before joining the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
in 1969. As a Peace Corps volunteer and later working for a non-profit agency, Moore was involved in community development and infrastructure projects in impoverished neighborhoods of Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. He has worked almost 20 years in the HMO/Managed Care industry as an Executive Director, Project Administrator, and Consultant.
Internationally, Moore has been involved in community development, reconstruction and infrastructure rehabilitation projects (housing, water, electricity and sewage) in the developing and poverty-stricken countries of Panama, Peru, and Ecuador. For more than five years, Moore designed and implemented programs for public health projects (vaccination and health education) in Latin America (Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Mexico) and Tanzania, Africa, in coordination with and on behalf of private corporations, religious institutions and non-governmental organizations. Moore raised $3 million for a de-worming project that successfully protected more than one million children from parasitic infections in the poverty-stricken areas of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
Politics
Moore was a member of the Democratic Party and worked as the 1976 New MexicoNew Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
coordinator for Terry Sanford
Terry Sanford
James Terry Sanford was a United States politician and educator from North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, Sanford was the 65th Governor of North Carolina , a two-time U.S. Presidential candidate in the 1970s and a U.S. Senator...
, who lost the nomination to Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. The experience turned Moore off the Democrats to becoming independent because "the Democrats threw over this liberal, progressive guy." He volunteered for independents John B. Anderson
John B. Anderson
John Bayard Anderson is a former United States Congressman and Presidential candidate from Illinois. He was a U.S. Representative from the 16th Congressional District of Illinois for ten terms from 1961 through 1981 and an Independent candidate in the 1980 presidential election. He was previously...
in 1980 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1980
The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent...
and Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
in 2004 and supported Reform Party
Reform Party of the United States of America
The Reform Party of the United States of America is a political party in the United States, founded in 1995 by Ross Perot...
candidate Pat Buchanan
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
in the 2000 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
because Buchanan "was for fair trade over free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
. He had some progressive positions that I thought would be helpful to the common man."
In the 1980s, Moore was elected to three terms on an Advisory Neighborhood Commission
Advisory Neighborhood Commission
thumb|right|upright|The District of Columbia is divided into 8 wards, each of which is further divided into local ANCs.Advisory Neighborhood Commissions are bodies of local government in Washington, D.C...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Moore waged several unsuccessful bids for mayor and city council in Washington, D.C., and twice ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 5th congressional district
Florida's 5th congressional district
Florida's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida that comprises all of Citrus, Hernando, and Sumter counties and most of Lake, Levy, and Pasco counties and portions of Marion and Polk counties...
.
According to John P. Martin, Moore's highest election tally came during his run for city council in 1984, in which he drew 18,497 votes.
In 1994, he ran as a Republican and won 640 votes in the primary.
In 2006, running as a Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
-endorsed independent anti-war candidate against Sen. Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson
Clarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida...
and Republican challenger Katherine Harris
Katherine Harris
Katherine Harris is an American Republican politician, former Secretary of State of Florida, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She held that post...
, Moore polled 19,695 votes. During that campaign, he called for the impeachment
Impeachment in the United States
Impeachment in the United States is an expressed power of the legislature that allows for formal charges against a civil officer of government for crimes committed in office...
of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Vice President Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
. Ralph Nader endorsed Moore in the race.
In 2007, he became a socialist and joined the Socialist Party USA as a presidential candidate for the 2008 election. Moore says being called a socialist by opponents opened him up to the movement. Although he was new to the party and socialism, his experience as a grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
candidate and an elected official as well as his media savvy may have been what helped him get the nomination over party veterans.
2008 presidential campaign
Moore, of Florida, and vice-presidential nominee Stewart AlexanderStewart Alexander (politician)
Stewart Alexis Alexander is an American democratic socialist politician, presidential nominee for the Socialist Party USA in the 2012 election., and former SPUSA nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election....
of California, were nominated on October 20, 2007 at the Socialist Party USA's National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, where their ticket won by four votes. Moore also was the only candidate to collect the 1,000 signatures required to participate in the Liberty Union Party
Liberty Union Party
The Liberty Union Party of Vermont, founded in 1970 by former Congressman William H. Meyer, Peter Diamondstone and others, originated in the anti-war and People's Party movements of the late 1960s and defines itself as a nonviolent socialist party.-History:...
's presidential primary. He was on the ballot under the Socialist Party USA in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and on the ballot under the Liberty Union Party in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. He was also available as a write-in candidate in several other states. On election day Moore received 6,528 votes nationally. His best showing was in Tennessee, where he received 1,326 votes out of 2,614,000 votes cast.
On October 28, 2008, Moore appeared on the Colbert Report and dismissed accusations from John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
that Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
is a Socialist.
Political positions
A founder and chair of the Nature Coast Coalition for Peace & Justice, an anti-war group founded in 2002, Moore has been a persistent critic of U.S. military involvement in IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He is an advocate for democratic public control of the economy and society, participatory democracy
Participatory democracy
Participatory Democracy, also known as Deliberative Democracy, Direct Democracy and Real Democracy , is a process where political decisions are made directly by regular people...
, universal health care
Universal health care
Universal health care is a term referring to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.-History:...
, greater employment, and housing for all.
Moore wants to "get rid of the for-profit system" and calls for Wall Street to be made into a "socially owned democratic authority of economists, experts and consumers who are not part of consumer America, to oversee these banks, to form credit unions, state banks." He proposes that under his system, the best-paid would make no more than 10 times what the lowest-paid worker receives.
2010 Florida gubernatorial candidate
Moore unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic Party nomination for the 2010 Florida gubernatorial electionFlorida gubernatorial election, 2010
The 2010 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Charlie Crist chose not to run for a second term and instead ran for the Senate seat vacated by Mel Martinez. This resulted in an open race for Governor of Florida...
. Moore lost to Florida's Chief Financial Officer, Democrat Alex Sink
Alex Sink
Adelaide "Alex" Sink is an American politician of the Democratic Party. Sink was the Chief Financial Officer for the state of Florida and treasurer on the board of trustees of the Florida State Board of Administration...
in the primary.
He received 23.09% (199,247) of the vote while his opponent Alex Sink won with 76.91% (663,510) out of 862,757 total votes cast.
Brian Moore was endorsed by the American Socialist Party for which he is a local organizer.
External links
- Official gubernatorial campaign site
- OurCampaigns.com
- Candidate profile at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Interview with Brian Moore