Terry Jones, a controversial pastor who has made national headlines for publicly burning the Quran, is mounting a campaign for president of the United States.
Jones isn't starting small either, and it seems he's going straight for the big leagues. The campaign, named "Stand Up America Now," aims to propel him to the White House largely on a seven-point platform which includes deporting all "illegals" and immediately bringing all of the troops home, according to ABC Action News.
The pastor's message appears to remain anti-Muslim. A statement from Jones announcing his campaign goes as far as to solicit donations in order to specifically oppose radical Islam according to Fox News. "Please financially support us as we continue our stand against radical Islam," it reads.
Jones gained a level of infamy after President Barack Obama was forced to request he not burn a copy of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11 in 2010. Though he cancelled his initial plans, he ultimately followed through on his word and burned the religious text in March. The act sparked widespread protests in Afghanistan, some of which turned deadly.
Below, a look at the Jones campaign platform.
Our campaign promises or agenda:
1. Stop overspending immediately.
We are now overspending by 4 billion dollars a day.
2. Balance the budget.
If this is not done, then we will experience a total collapse of our economy and way of life.
3. Reduce military spending.
All military on foreign soil should be brought back immediately and all future involvement of
military on foreign soil should not be engaged until our country has become economically
strong again. The security of our nation must be reexamined and our military spending must
be cut by several billion dollars.
4. Deport all illegals.
We must immediately begin the deportation of the 20 million illegal aliens living in our country.
This would be an operation similar to what Eisenhower did to provide jobs for the soldiers
who were coming home after the war.
5. Also saving us 400 billion dollars per year.
6. Reduce corporate taxes.
Our corporate taxes are the highest in the world. Corporate taxes must be reduced
immediately in order to encourage people to start new businesses and existing corporations
to expand, thus producing the jobs that are needed.
7. Reduce bureaucracy. We must reexamine the bureaucracy of our government and
businesses. We are dying and drowning in bureaucracy, rules and regulations. Companies
must be held accountable for the consumer's protection, but the over-control and overkill
that we have is destroying our companies.