Carl Bunce

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Carl Bunce was a Republican candidate in the 2008 congressional elections for the 3rd Congressional District (map) of Nevada. He was seeking the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.). On August 12, 2008, Bunce placed third in the Nevada Republican primary, receiving 7% of the vote.

Positions, record and controversies
After being being taken to a Ron Paul rally on July 7, 2007 with his brother, Mr. Bunce became an activist against Government corruption and an advocate for a non-interventionist foreign policy.

During the 2008 Presidential Election cycle, he was hired as a Field Coordinator for the Ron Paul Campaign in Clark County, Nevada.

Nevada Republican Convention
On January 19, 2008, Nevada held it's first Presidential Caucuses. Ron Paul won 13.7% of the vote, coming in second behind Mitt Romney with 51%.

On April 26, 2008, Carl Bunce and a group of Ron Paul supporters changed the party rules as they had in the county conventions, to insure that Nevada's National Delegates were selected from the convention floor and not in a back room by party insiders at the Nevada Republican Party Convention in Reno, Nevada , and elect delegates for their candidate to the national GOP convention in September.

Because the Nevada State Party Leadership was completely unprepared for National Delegates to elected by the participants at the convention and they were also not in favor of the outcomes in several Congressional district elections that were allowed to take place, the party leadership began to derail the convention. The leadership of Nevada GOP, Sue Lowden and the convention chair Bob Beers conducted a recess without a vote from the delegates on the floor of the convention.

No National Delegates were decided on April 26th, even though nine of the National Delegates were elected in the three Congressional district elections. These results were not published or announce during the convention but recorded. It was well known that seven of the nine elected delegates with supporters of Ron Paul. Two of these district elections were honored at the 2008 Republican National Convention (RNC) after several disenfranchised state delegates challenged the slate of unelected delegates that state party leadership submitted to 2008 RNC. The RNC Committee on Contests issued a decision that allowed six of the elected delegates at the Nevada State Convention to be seated as National Delegates. Within the RNC Committee on Contest report, the leadership of the Nevada state party was called "inept" in its dealings and delegate selection. As a result, Carl Bunce and three other Ron Paul supporter were seated as National Delegates as a result of this ruling by the committee.

June 28 Rump Convention
Although Ron Paul officially dropped out of the Presidential race on June 12, 2008, Carl Bunce and a small group of Paul supporters continued to push for their slate of delegates to go to the national convention. Bunce helped organize a rump convention of the Nevada GOP on June 28, 2008.

Because the meeting was not called by the state central committee and fell several hundred attendees short of a quorum, the Republican National Committee refused to recognize the slate of delegates elected there. Instead, the RNC instructed the Nevada Republican Party to proceed with selecting its delegates for the national convention.

The Nevada GOP scheduled a reconvening on July 26, but not enough delegates responded. Chairwoman Sue Lowden announced the Executive Committee would then select Nevada's delegation.

Lawsuit Against the Nevada Republican Party
In July 2008, Mr. Bunce and a group of approximately two dozen Republican Delegates filed a lawsuit against the Nevada GOP to block the party from selecting delegates to the GOP National Convention. That case was dismissed, and on July 25, 2008 the Nevada Republican Party named 31 delegates to go to St. Paul. According to a statement released by the party, Presidential preference was not a consideration in selecting Nevada's delegates.

Positions
More on the candidate's "principles and platform" can be found on his campaign website.

Basic principles and platform

Bunce's website says: "I believe that our government is created solely to ensure and secure the life, liberty and property of the citizens of this country, that the Declaration of Independence defines the philosophical foundation of our country, and that the Constitution of the United States is the basic law governing the existence and operation of the U.S. Federal Government and the first ten amendments describe its limits."

Limited Government

Bunce's website says: "I support less government, less taxes, less regulation and more self-determination. I believe that all legislation, Federal Agencies, and public servants must adhere to a literal interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and as instructed by the Tenth Amendment, in conjunction with Article I, Section 8."

Taxes and Government Spending

Bunce's website says: "I support reform of Social Security, including establishment of private retirement accounts and prohibiting use of its funds for any other purpose. All citizens should have the right to opt out of the Social Security System, but the federal government must honor its commitments to those who have already paid, and are legally in the U.S and remain in the system. I oppose all forms of Nationalized Healthcare. I support balanced state, local and federal budgets. I oppose unfunded mandates, Riders, Earmarks and Set-asides at both the state and national level. I also support the permanent elimination of the Federal Death Tax."

Education

Bunce's website says: "I support a parent’s right to choice in education. I support the elimination of the central planning of the U.S. Department of Education. I oppose requiring licensure for parents who choose to home school their children. I strongly support the elimination of the No Child Left Behind law and want the State of Nevada to replace the No Child Left Behind concept altogether with more localized decision making."

Energy

Bunce's website says: "I strongly support initiatives to maximize the development of domestic oil, gas, coal, solar, wind, geothermal, and nuclear resources, and the development of alternative sources of energy to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. I believe all new energies should come from a free market solution and not from government subsidizes."

Legislation

Bunce's website says: "I want to repeal of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 and reaffirm the right of free political speech in this country. I support legislation to require full disclosure of all donations made to political candidates. I adamantly support the repeal of the Federal Reserve Act and the return of the power of minting and coining money to the Congress of the United States as designed in the Constitution by our founders. I absolutely demand that electronic voting only be allowed when uniquely numbered receipts are provided to the voter and results are made publicly available showing simultaneously all votes comprising the total by receipt number. I believe voting fraud is the biggest crime against our Republic."

Court Systems

Bunce's website says: "I believe in informing juries that it is their power and duty to decide on both the law and the facts as they apply to each case so that justice is the main priority. I strongly support Jury nullification and the right to nullify bad laws."

Immigration

"Bunce's website says: "I welcome legal immigrants from all nations, cultures and races. I want strict enforcement of all immigration laws by all levels of government. The federal government must secure our borders with troops as we do in other countries around the world. I do not support amnesty, government benefits or other special treatment for people who have or will enter the United States illegally."

National Defense and Veteran’s Affairs

Bunce's website says: "I support all of our men and women in the military. I support a strong National Defense program. Any enemy of the United States should have to think twice before approaching our borders or by land, sea, or air. There should be no greater desire in our federal government then to defend our borders. I support honoring veterans with education benefits, that are transferable to family members. I support a strong Veterans Administration Program to assure veterans and their families receive the care and support as promised when they take on the responsibility to defend our country."

Constitution, Bill of Rights and Protection of Rights

Bunce's website says: "I support repealing the Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act and F.I.S.A. legislation. I support repeal of the federal act requiring a national ID card or other required identity papers providing government with more “Big Brother” intrusion against our freedoms granted to us by our creator and described in the Constitution."

U.S. Sovereignty & Trade

Bunce's website says: "I strongly urge the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations. I oppose the North American Union (NAU), the Security & Prosperity Partnership (SPP), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and want Congress to resume their Constitutional duty of regulating Commerce with Foreign Nations."

Bio
Carl Bunce is a School District Administrator for the Clark County School District, he works in the Web Services Department and creates tools for students and teachers to make their daily tasks easier. His department maintains the web site and mail services for the entire school district. Carl is married and has one son.

Carl Bunce has lived in Nevada since July 4th, 2003.

2008 elections
Bunce is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.) in the 2008 congressional elections.

Committees
Bunce will be assigned committees if and when he is elected to Congress.

More background data
Attended Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and graduated in 2000 with a degree in Computer Information Systems. Face Book

Was a member of the EKU Track team from 1995 to 2000, he was a sprinter competing in the 55m, 60m, 100m, 200m, 400m and various relays. Source

Honorary Member of Lambda Chi Alpha for the work he did for the local chapter at EKU. Face Book

Contact
Website: http://www.carlbunce.com

Email: info@carlbunce.com

Related SourceWatch articles

 * 2008 U.S. congressional elections
 * 2008 U.S. congressional election dates
 * Portal:Nevada and the U.S. Congress

External resources

 * Bunce for Congress Campaign Website
 * 2008 Race Tracker page on Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District

External articles

 * Paultards Ruin GOP Convention Wonkette, April 28, 2008
 * Dave Nalle GOP In Crisis, Conflict or Common Ground Blogcritics, April 30, 2008
 * Mike Weber, Message from Mike Weber about the Nevada Republican Convention UNR College Libertarians, June 9, 2008.
 * Amanda Becker, "Nevada Ron Paul Supporters Stage Rogue GOP Convention," Huffington Post, June 23, 2008.
 * Carl Bunce Selected as Delegate at Nevada GOP Rump Convention NevadaGOPConvention.com, June 28, 2008.
 * Chuck Muth The Little Convention That Couldn't Muth's Truths, July 17, 2008.
 * Delegates at State Convention Sue Nevada Republican Party MSNBC, July 24, 2008.

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