The politicians have become so accustomed to your tax dollars year after year that they also believe your vote belongs to them too. Politicians claim that you’re “stealing” votes from Democrats or Republicans if you vote for an alternative party. How can someone actually steal your vote? Your vote belongs to you. No politician owns your vote. Your vote is one of the most critical decisions you make. Your decision belongs to you.
But truthfully, can alternative parties take away votes? In some cases they do compete. For example, the Green Party tends to pull from the Democrats in many elections because they consider themselves “liberal” or “progressive.” Republicans might lose votes to the Constitution Party because they describe themselves as “ultra conservative.”
The only exception is the Libertarian Party. Libertarians are neither conservative nor liberal. Libertarians believe in liberty on all the issues. They believe in personal freedoms/civil liberties and economic freedoms, whereas the Republicans want to control many social freedoms, and Democrats want to control many economic freedoms.
Libertarians take the best issues from the old parties. For example, Democrats and Libertarians may agree on free speech, civil liberties, war, personal choices and privacy. Republicans and Libertarians may agree on free trade, choice in education and cutting taxes. So it is clear Libertarians do not “steal” from either party.
Even then, Republicans vote for more spending, fewer choices. Democrats vote for more war, less privacy and fewer personal freedoms. It’s difficult to decipher their differences in some elections. Their principle is power, re-election and special interests. Libertarians believe people should be our “special interest,” and that power should not be in the hands of politicians, but rather, families, communities and individuals.
Are you satisfied with the status quo? Or do you want real change? What voters should ask is “am I wasting my vote on the old parties?” The answer is YES. If you keep voting for the “lesser of two evils,” you still are getting “evil.” Your vote encourages them to do more of the same. Don’t encourage or endorse their behavior. In order to change the status quo, we can no longer vote the status quo.
So make a statement this election. Vote Libertarian. Vote for Sue Jeffers for governor. If Sue loses, you at least have the satisfaction of being able to tell the politicians that they don’t own your vote and that you want change.
Fortunately, in many cases, Libertarians are winning elections. In fact, there are more Libertarian Party members in office than all other third parties combined with more than 600 across America. Libertarians are making great progress getting elected, and finally representing you in states like Texas, Georgia, Oregon, California, Indiana and others. If there is an alternative party for freedom to compete on the same degree, it is the Libertarian Party.
In some cases, a Libertarian in the race means they will address issues typically not discussed in a two-sided debate. We select one Miss America from 52 women, and one American Idol from 24 contestants. We should at least have three or four options when selecting our representatives. Is this too much to ask?
Fortunately, Americans are waking up. According to a 2005 Gallup Poll survey, 20 percent of people call themselves libertarian and can see past the left versus right wing masquerade. We hope you can too! Vote for Sue Jeffers. Vote Libertarian!
Corey Stern is a Minnesota resident. Please send comments to [email protected].
