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V I T A L  S T A T S

Maurice M. (Morry) Taylor Jr.


AGE ON INAUGURATION DAY 1997: 52
HOMETOWN: Gross Pointe, Mich.
EDUCATION: Attended Michigan Technological University
MILITARY SERVICE: U.S. Army Reserves
CURRENT JOB: President, chief executive officer, Titan Tire International, Inc.
PREVIOUS JOBS: Engineer, General Motors; marketing and engineering consultant for heavy equipment industries; sales representative for a Canadian wheel manufacturer
FAMILY: Married to Michelle Calahan; three children
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY: Fiscal conservative
PET ISSUE: Reduce size of federal government workforce by one-third
BIGGEST PLUS: Persona of savvy, common-sense business executive
BIGGEST MINUS: Morry who?
ODDS OF WINNING ELECTION: Nil
CAMPAIGN OFFICE: 2345 E. Market St., Des Moines, IA 50317 (515) 264-1996 FAX (515) 264-7510
WORLD-WIDE WEB SITE
E-MAIL ADDRESS: tpresident@aol.com


Q U I C K  T A K E

Taylor, born in Detroit, grew up in several small Michigan communities, finishing high school in Ellsworth in 1962. As a student, he lettered in four varsity sports. He later attended Michigan Technological University, where he majored in mechanical engineering and joined the U.S. Army Reserves. In 1969, Taylor accepted a position in the engineering department of General Motors. Later, he worked as a marketing and engineering consultant for several industrial firms. He has been president and chief executive officer of Titan Tire since 1983, when he and a partner purchased the company from Firestone. Based in Quincy, Ill., Taylor has transformed an old factory into an international company traded on the New York Stock Exchange, with more than 3,000 employees in North America and 1995 profits of $625 million. Taylor, who has no prior political experience, hopes to parlay his business acumen and personal fortune into a no-nonsense presidency. If he sounds like Ross Perot, it's no accident. His motto is, "If you voted for Ross Perot, you'll love Morry Taylor." Like Forbes in 1996 and Perot in 1992, Taylor is bankrolling his own campaign. He is refusing government matching funds and money from PACS, which he thinks should be eliminated. Taylor's platform is mainstream Republican with a few surprises. While Senate Republicans and President Clinton argue over whether the budget can be balanced in seven or 10 years, Taylor says he can balance it in 18 months by slashing the federal work force by one-third and eliminating or downsizing most federal programs. He would put most entitlement programs into the hands of the states through block grants. He would eliminate the Department of Education and let states manage public education. Taylor favors a modified flat tax for individuals and a simplified tax code for businesses. Taylor favors abortion rights, but he opposes using tax dollars to fund abortions. He favors the death penalty. He supports the right of Americans to bear arms but does not oppose a ban on assault weapons or screening to prohibit criminals and the mentally ill from buying guns.


H O W  H E  D I D

A millionaire tire magnate who modeled his campaign on Ross Perot¹s 1992 bid for the presidency, Morry Taylor announced his withdrawal from the race March 8 after failing to pick up a single delegate. With an approach likened to that of a grizzly bear, the 51-year-old owner of Illinois-based Titan Wheel International is known on Wall Street as "the Grizz" for his abrasive style. After announcing his withdrawal, Taylor said he supported Sen. Majority Leader Bob Dole¹s (R-Kan) candidacy.




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