Ohio DVM running for president

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO — He may not have the name recognition of John McCain or Barack Obama, or even Ron Paul for that matter, but he has a belief that America can do better.

Presidential potential: Ohio DVM Donald K. Allen hopes to change his address to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Donald K. Allen, DVM, MS, a veterinarian of 28 years, is running as an independent in this year's presidential election.

After years of dissatisfaction with elected officials, Allen finally decided to do something about it, recalling the quote "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

"I was never interested in politics," the Northeast Ohio resident says. "But I decided if there was going to be change, it was going to take people like myself."

At 61, Allen didn't want to waste time going through the regular channels of running for local and then state office, instead deciding to "go for the gold."

He admits he has an uphill battle.

Each state has different requirements for getting on the ballot. Some don't allow write-in candidates. Those that do require valid signatures on petitions, but it costs a lot to circulate petitions and gather enough signatures.

In addition, Allen finds the national media has little time for third-party candidates, although he has received air time in and around Youngstown.

The biggest struggle is raising the funds to compete even modestly with the Republican and Democratic candidates.

"The Republicans own the bat and the Democrats own the ball and you can't play," he says of the two-party sysem. "I didn't realize when I set out on this endeavor that it would be so incredibly difficult."

Still, Allen says he has found support when he has been out campaigning. He's traveled to New Hampshire, Atlanta, and throughout Ohio.

"Of all the people I've talked to, 98 percent are very pro-independent candidate," he says. "They are very much in favor of voting independent and I've run into only a handful who say I'm wasting my time."

But there are naysayers, too.

"If I'd have listened to my junior high school advisor, I wouldn't be where I am today," Allen says. "He told me to think of something else because I'd never make it to vet school. Sometimes you have to go against other people's opinions."

Allen graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1980 and served in the Army and Air Force Reserves. He holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and has 19 years of military service.

"Let's face it, we have an elite ruling class of politicians who tend to stay in office 30, 40, 50 years," Allen says. "It's sad we don't have more turnover. The only way we can make change is to vote for someone different. We've had Republicans and Democrats in power for 150 years. I don't care how much the word change is touted in both campaigns, I don't expect any change with McCain or Obama."

For more information on Allen's platform, visit donaldkallenforpresident.com.