Don't Just Vote - Vote 3rd Party

by Mark Greenstein

We lament that so few congressional seats are in play; third and fourth parties change that!

Your vote counts MORE if made for a 3rd party candidate. 4% of the vote in just ONE state makes a difference. It could put the U.S. Senate into one party or the other party's hands. Even if it doesn't, it gets the party NOTICED in two years.

Your vote counts MORE when it is used to punish wayward incumbents. Republicans in Congress who wouldn't stop Medicare Part D, McCain-Feingold, and "bridges to nowhere" DESERVE to be punished. Democrats in Congress who wouldn't stop The Patriot Act, Guantanamo, "Don't Ask Don't Tell", Wall Street bailouts, big-bank protections, Social Security theft, and NDA imprisonments DESERVE to be punished (and to have their heads examined). Third parties are here to MAKE wayward politicians lose.

Third party candidates are almost always more principled public servants than their Republican counterparts. Main party candidates almost always compromise their principles to get elected or stay elected. (In the last 12 years, every Republican Congressman except Ron Paul was a sell-out.) Just once, try someone who is not a proven compromiser.

In the last 24 years, every Republican presidential nominee has been a sell-out. That includes Mitt Romney, who is unprincipled on immigration, on health care, and on abortion. By contrast, Gary Johnson had the principle to govern New Mexico for 8 years using 750 vetoes. This is a man who can and will say "no" to special interests.

Obama isn't about to change things for the better. Romney's proposed changes are only incrementally better. WE need a RADICAL change.

Voting for the best candidate...gets us BETTER candidates in the future.

Lesser of two evils -- means you just voted for ..."evil."

Make this an election you don't have to say "I regretted my vote." Make this an election where you don't feel you are deciding between "Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-dum." This is at the state OR federal level. Yes, voting for a faceless, unaccomplished name on line C or D (Libertarian) is BETTER than voting for someone less moral, or more corrupt, or with a proven track record of BAD.

Romney -- will not attempt the radical steps we need. Either he doesn't get it, or (worse) he does but chooses to compromise to gain personal power. That means he's a "career compromiser," so America doesn't benefit.

Romney -- politically he deserves to lose. This electorate can't let "Romneycare" slide. He foisted on Massachusetts a freedom-denying regime for health coverage. He's not apologetic. Romney-care was not an accident. Third parties are there to MAKE wayward politicians lose.

Obama -- his collectivism is repugnant. Individual responsibility makes families better, makes students better, makes communities better, makes the economy better, and makes the nation better. Not even avowed socialist (5-time US Presidential candidate) Eugene Debs stood for dismantling some individual responsibility. And Debs was at least proud of America. Obama keeps apologizing for America. Debs wanted America to stand for something. Obama wants America to just "blend in" to a Euro-cracy.

To the extent you want to eradicate evil, third and fourth party viability DOES THAT.

Bad Republicans take half of us for granted. Keeping a two-party system means Republicans who are statist know you can't go elsewhere (McCain and now Romney are statist Republicans.) Bad Democrats take half of us for granted. Keeping a two-party system means Democrats who violate civil liberties know you can't go elsewhere (Obama has violated more civil liberties than any president of my lifetime, and the recently passed legislation regarding "disloyalty" portends even more.)

Look at the libertarian credentials. If Gary Johnson were the Republican nominee, conservatives would hail him as the best candidate since Ronald Reagan.

Look at the libertarian once again. If Gary Johnson were the Democrat nominee, civil libertarians would hail him as the best candidate since Eugene McCarthy.

Look at the libertarian a 3rd time. If Gary Johnson were the nominee of either party, the "99%ers," independents, and Ron Paul supporters would be ecstatic that they finally had an electable reformer.

Just ONCE, do something politically "wild." It's like the rave you were scared to attend, but this is safer.

Just once, help start something politically important.

Mr. Greenstein, the founder and principal instructor of Ivy Bound Test Prep & Academic Tutoring, is a former candidate for U.S. Senate.