Steve Laffey, former Cranston Mayor, turned cattle rancher, running for President – Ann Clanton

by Ann Clanton, contributing writer

In the image of Presidential candidates who think outside of the box — such as Ron Paul and Herman Cain — former Mayor of Cranston, Steven Laffey, returned to Rhode Island to announce his plans to run for President of the United States.

During a press conference held last week at the Chapel Grille restaurant in Cranston, the former Cranston Mayor laid out his economic plans, often referring to his good friend Herman Cain’s “999” plan.

Laffey hopes to make it to the primary debate stage to force other candidates to discuss Social
Security, which is a central theme of his campaign. “Issues like (social security) won’t be in the debate unless you watch me there … [and] I do what I do,” Laffey told the audience.

He calls Social Security reform “The Purple Fix” on his website, with a 13-point reform plan, including grandfathering in currently collecting Americans, and going on to create a “Personal Security System” – the outline and other issue platforms can be found at this website – here: “Laffey 2024”

Laffey expounded on his themes and plans included his video announcement last month, saying that the country needs to directly confront its problems, and that the Republican Party and our elected leaders, he says, refuse to do so.

Laffey is a long-shot for the Oval Office, given his relative lack of name recognition or state and national recognition. I also discovered Mr. Laffey has an inability to answer questions about whether there would be diversity in a Laffey administration or how he would bring the Republican Party back from the extreme.

“This next period in the United States calls for a financial expert. We do not need another lofty businessman, nor another career politician. We need someone to guide this country in the right direction. I believe that I am the only person running who has the financial background, the backbone, and the track record that proves that I will do exactly what I say,” he said.

He previously made a run for Senate in 2006 in Rhode Island, against Republican Lincoln Chafee, who was ultimately defeated by Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. Interestingly enough, Chafee also launched an effort to run for President.

“Our country has done the equivalent of using Band-Aids in place of major surgery. Somehow,
we have ‘gotten by,'” he said. “For the first time in a generation, we must directly confront our
problems.”

When not on the campaign trail, Mr. Laffey travels across the country for radio show appearances and public speeches. He currently resides in Fort Collins, Colorado, with his wife and children, raising Irish Dexter cattle and Irish Gypsy Cob horses.

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Ann-Allison Clanton was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. As principal of Ann Clanton Communications, Ann has more than two decades of experience as a communications and public affairs consultant. She has written features and profiles articles for the Providence American Newspaper and Ethnic Online Magazine.

Among the notable persons interviewed include former U. S. Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. Cornell West, former Florida Congressman Allen West (R-FL) and Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus first African American Ringmaster, Johnathan Lee Iverson.

Ann is the founder of the Rhode Island Black Film Festival and a founding member of the Southern New England Association of Black Journalists.