When people tell me that this is a two-party system, and that a vote for somebody besides Barack Obama or Mitt Romney is wasted, I now have to ask when is the Republican Party going to get that memo?
The latest front in the GOPs war against democracy--a war you will not find covered on right-wing libertarian sites--is to challenge in Virginia the 13,000 signatures turned in by the Green Party, the 16,000 signatures turned in by the Libertarian Party, and the 19,000 signature turned in by the Constitution Party to put (respectively), Dr. Jill Stein, Governor Gary Johnson, and Congressman Virgil Goode on the general election ballot.
Think about this from two directions:
1. This year's crop of third-party candidates (regardless of which ideology you prefer) features the most-qualified group to run outside the Demopublican system since . . . ever. Dr. Stein is a well-known physician and academic. Governor Johnson is a successful businessman and two-term governor of New Mexico. Representative Goode is a veteran Congressman. Something has to be creaking at the seams when people with this level of expertise and experience are abandoning the two-party ship.
2. With all their privileges and protections the two "major" parties have been historically able to keep all but a handful of third-party candidates off the ballots, but time and again substantial numbers of voters keep insisting on an alternative--and keep tipping the balance in elections. Bob Barr tipped North Carolina toward Barack Obama in 2008. Ralph Nader pushed Florida into the GW Bush column in 2000. Ross Perot almost singlehandedly gave Bill Clinton two terms. Third-party candidates matter.
But so does the idea of a level playing field.
When you watch the second major national convention this week, remember that Americans have been shelling out tens of millions of dollars each year of their tax money to pay for these extravaganzas. Remember that the Libertarians, the Greens, and the Constitution Party have to spend millions of dollars each year just to get on the ballot--millions of dollars that therefore are not available for campaigning. Why? Because Democrats and Republicans talk about voter suppression efforts against minorities or the military while joining together to keep third party members from having any voice.
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Just once I'd like to see Delaware Libertarian, an otherwise fine blog that I'm proud to link too at Libertarian Republican (1,200 visitors a day), talk about the massive voter fraud that the Democrats are engaging in nationwide.
Within the last two weeks, it's been uncovered by mainstream news organizations, that 300,000 voters have just magically dissapeared off the rolls in Black neighborhoods in Milwaukee. As if they ever even existed.
In North Carolina, tens of thousands of dead people on the voter rolls. No doubt voted for Obama in 2008. (And you wonder why 'O won NC by a small margin.)
And in Jacksonville, Florida, the Times-Union reported three days ago, on a similar voter fraud with tens of thousands of "faux voters" on the rolls, in mostly Black precincts.
Why the constant Republican bashing Stephen?
Recall the Libertarian Party tried to throw Mitt Romney off the ballot a few weeks ago in Washington State. Did you see Republicans yelling and screaming about that?
The Democrat Party is the enemy of all friends of Liberty: Republicans and Libertarians. We are a team, against the evil Democrats. Get with the program. Stop bashing your teammates.
BTW, we didn't cover the attempt by the Washington State Libertarian Party to kick the Republicans off the ballot, because we're about unity at Libertarian Republican, not about beating up on your teammates.
Do I have to point out this very uncomfortable (for Libertarian Party members) facts:
1. Every single Libertarian Party presidential candidate in the history of the Party, save one (Harry Browne), was or is a Republican. That's Hospers, MacBride, Clark, Bergland, Paul, Marrou, Badnarik, Barr and Johnson.
2. 1980 Libertarian Party vice-presidential candidate David Koch is now a Republican, who attended the recent Republican National Convention in Tampa as a delegate.
3. 2008 Libertarian Party vice-presidential candidate Wayne Root endorsed Republican Sharron Angle for US Senate over Harry Reid in 2010.
4. David Nolan, founder of the Libertarian Party was the Colorado Young Republicans State Chairman at the time of the Party's founding.
5. Just about every single Libertarian ever elected to a State Legislature caucused with the GOP once in office, including Andre Marrou, and the LP's current only elected Libertarian State Legislator Daniel Gordon of Rhode Island.
6. Ron Paul, the Libertarian Party's only sitting congressman (He is a lifetime Member of the LP), is a member of the Republican Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives.
7. Senator Rand Paul, Ron Paul's son, and an active campaign worker in his Dad's 1988 Libertarian Party presidential campaign is a Republican.
You don't bash your teammates. Doing so, only causes our enemies to gain even further. And that my friends, is how and why the Democrat Party nationwide and in Delaware dominate. Libertarians and Republicans just can't seem to work together. (Mostly in my view, because it's the Libertarian side that's makes it so hard to get along.)
This is outrageous. I can see why the rules are in place, to make sure someone doesn't sit down in their kitchen and make up 10,000 people, but anyone who has ever gotten a petition, knows that in the real world, some people don't dot an "i" or cross a "t", or put a different address just in case someone comes looking for them...
Whether this goes through or not, I can not see how in good conscious anyone who cares about third parties, anyone who cares about democracy, can ever vote for any Republican...
It is like giving someone the knife they will use to kill you.
Libertarians, the Democratic party welcomes your vote in elections where no third party candidate is running....
How in good conscious, can ANY libertarian support a Romney republican?
And Eric, one Democrat has far more ethics than the entire Republican party... Sorry, but it's true.
Kavips, would you say the same thing about a Republican supporting Libertarian Gary Johnson?
Two weeks ago, the Libertarian Party of Washington State tried desperately to kick Mitt Romney off of the ballot.
Do you think Republicans should be thrown off the ballot?
Hey, here's an idea. Why don't we just allow Democrats to run everything. We can be a one party Nation. Democrat this, Democrat that.
You can have all the flavors you want, so long as it's Vanilla.
Kavips, I guess if you believe Nazis, have ethics, than yeah, Democrats are ethical.
The Democrat Party in North Carolina, Florida, and Wisconsin in the last couple years have used Nazi-like tactics to win elections, inventing voters, like Hitler did, to overcome the Republicans.
I guess you should start wearing a Swastika on your arm there Kavips, and saluting "Seig Heil."
Kavips, it was the liberal-leaning FLORIDA TIMES UNION in Jacksonville, that uncovered the voter fraud.
In Wisconsin, it was the Milwaukee Times-Sentinell that uncovered the voter fraud.
These were NOT Republican efforts.
It's probably just the tip of the iceberg. No doubt, such fraud exists in heavy 'D' precincts in Wilmington.
But who's gonna call them on it? If you criticize Democrats in tiny Delaware, you may lose a sweet government contract, or a nice cushy government job. The whole friggin' State revolves around government.
So, the 'D's continue to get away with murder in Delaware elections.
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