Constitution Party Presidential Candidate Talks Issues at Breakfast Meeting

By Gia Throndsen
The Salt Lake Tribune
Copyright July 10, 2000

Presidential politics came to Utah on Friday.

Howard Phillips, the conservative Constitution Party's [and IAP's - ed] presidential nominee, railed against abortion rights, the federal government and taxes during a breakfast meeting of scrambled eggs and hot cocoa at Denny's Restaurant in Salt Lake City.

"We are the only national party that is 100 percent pro-life," Phillips said, accusing the national Republican Party of touting pro-life values while subsidizing abortion with government funds.

Phillips was a presidential candidate in 1996 on the U.S. Taxpayers ticket.  This year, he has the support of many Utahns from the Independent American Party.

The Virginia father of 6 said he advocates more home schooling and less government control of education subsidies.  "We need to get the federal government out of education," he said

Phillips also focused on income and sales taxes.

"You [taxpayers] shouldn't be required to subsidize my political beliers," said the candidate, who touts the fact he is not accepting any federal money to run his campaign.  He criticized the Democratic and Republican parties for funding campaigns by "putting their hands in the federal cookie jar."

Phillip's commitment as a "defender" of Second Amendment gun rights also drew support from the Utahns attending Friday's meeting.