As a lifelong libertarian, I am not content with the presidential choices left by the two parties. I am not the only one; neither are the usual “political misfits” who constitute the membership of the various third parties.
However, while many grow more frustrated with the current bipartisan system, many cling to dead ideologies that maintain status quo. If you suggest a third-party candidate to a Republican, it is a vote for Obama; if you suggest a third-party candidate to a Democrat, it is a vote for McCain.
There are two types of truths: There is what is real because it exists by a virtue that is completely independent of an outside will; and there are those things that are real because we make them to be so. People often confuse the two in political discussion.
The United States has failed to learn the true lessons of history. The populace is again duped—by the same class of stage magicians and clowns who seek their servitude—into believing that there is actually some difference between the two parties. They cling to outmoded ideas because illusions are comforting.
[Despite] a vast diversity of political thought, the current system fails to provide an adequate voice for each individual. More importantly, individuals deprive themselves of their right to properly exercise their voice out of the fear that standing up for their personal philosophy will be of little consequence. For this reason, it is more important to vote for individuals than it is to vote for parties.
It is in the best interest of the people to begin supporting and voting for candidates based purely on principle. If everyone began to do that, I believe the country would begin to move in the right—or at least a much more utilitarian—direction.
Such a critical approach to politics requires the ability to think for yourself and the courage to act with conviction. Choosing between two is a lot easier than choosing between multiples. But out of this simplistic mentality we end up with false and purely idiotic notions like the “wasted vote syndrome” and the “lesser of two evils” approach. A vote cast to keep/get the other guy out is truly a wasted vote.
The chances of third parties or independents actually winning the presidential bid are small; however, the chances of my vote determining the outcome for one of the two main presidential candidates are so small that I would have a better chance of getting struck by lightning thrice in one day and surviving. My vote is not going to influence another individual’s vote; the masses will vote how they desire regardless. [But] if any third party at least makes a decent showing at the polls this November, we may open a door for some real change in this country. Therefore, I feel that I have everything to gain by voting third party, and everything to lose in voting for the one of two with whom I disagree the least.
— Riston Denaux
Asheville
I found it interesting and telling to see how much media coverage was given to Ron Paul, in comparison to his interest on the internet. Despite being widely popular amongst us commoners, the media still continued to force-feed us the Hillary/Obama show. To me, this is obvious proof that the so-called ‘two party” system is deeply and irreversably entrenched in American Capitalism.