By Adam Allington, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – St. Louis entrepreneur and businessman Blake Ashby is tossing his hat in the ring as and independent candidate for the 2008 Presidential Election.
Ashby ran on the Republican ticket in 2004 protesting what he perceived as a widening gap between fiscal and social conservatism.
"There is almost nothing that can be quantified and measured that suggests this administration has done a good job, says Ashby.
"There is a difference between a tax cut and a tax deferral. All this president has done is defer taxes we still have to pay them."
Ashby is a millionaire former telecommunications executive who says that the Republican Party has strayed too far from it's fiscally conservative roots.
As fringe candidates go Ashby has got the outspoken part down here's what he has to say about President Bush.
"You would have to be a crack-smoker to think this president has done a good job with the economy."
Ashby won an insignificant number of votes in both the 2004 Missouri and New Hampshire primaries.
This time around he says his goal is simply to influence the debate and that a growing number of Americans share his distrust of the Republican Party.
"Republicans used to have a core set of beliefs and really a belief in reality This president will go down in history as the Republican president who most increased the tax burden on U.S. citizens."
Ashby says he's realistic about he chances to win votes in primary states, he aims instead have some impact on the debate.
Ashby says he would repeal the Bush tax cuts and implement a pay as you go system. He is also pro-choice and opposes the Republican handling of the Iraq War.