Richard Edward Caligiuri
Candidate for the Office of President of the United States
Party: Democrat
A major step forward, a minor step back
Democratic candidate looks out for the people
Richard Edward Caligiuri, a democrat and life-long resident of Pittsburgh, PA drove all the way to New Hampshire to run in the New Hampshire primary.
Just a small town guy
Caligiuri fund raised $1,000 to be placed on the ballot as a minor candidate. He is only looking for one vote and to even be placed on a ballot is an achievement, he says.
“There has to be one crazy enough person to vote for me,” Caligiuri says.
Being born in a small town in Pittsburgh, Caligiuri is looking to put his opinions out there, even if he does not go as far as New Hampshire.
Caligiuri is single with no children and lives at home with his mother, with which they own an ice cream and hamburger stand in western Penn. He assists his mother in the operation that has been run for 37 years and the business is well-known in the Pennsylvania area. He has one brother and the family was very surprised when he told them he was running.
“My mother was surprised because I didn’t say anything to her and I just came up there [New Hampshire] filed it and she found out afterwards, so she was very surprised,” Caligiuiri says.
Every vote counts
With a Bachelors degree in political science at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, he has spent most of his adult life studying politics.
Back in the 1980’s and 1990’s he ran for congress in Pennsylvania and unfortunately lost. He says it has become difficult for a third party, independent candidate to run because of the signatures required and the funds to run for an election, he says.
“Unless you’re a well oiled machine, collecting those types of signatures are extremely difficult,” Caligiuri says.
He knows that Hilary, Obama, and Giuliani have the money and the machines to run for the United States. New Hampshire is one of the only states that a candidate can get on the ballot without receiving any signatures and just paying for the filing fee.
“I feel that I am expressing my opinions and ideas by being on [the ballot] there,” he says.
Citizens have rights
One issue Caligiuri is most concerned about is individual rights among citizens. He wants to see more of a citizen's democracy and for the citizens to be able to decide on important issue like projects or budgets.
“What citizen’s democracy means to me is the citizens make the laws and decide on the budget,” he says.
Caligiuri believes he would rather contribute money to campaigns and politicians that have strong issues that are in the best interest of the people. He says politicians should voice opinions on laws that matter to the citizens.
Caliguiri was just informed of a lesser known candidate debate that will be played on C-SPAN and he hopes to be a part of this debate.
“I feel like it has been and honor just to do this, by filing a $1,000 fee and being considered by the state of New Hampshire whish is more that I can say for my own state of Pennsylvania, which is very restrictive,” Caligiuri says.