An unexpected development happened today. You probably know that the Presidential Debates are tonight, and are taking place at Hofstra University right up the road in Hempstead. As usual, it's a two-party duel between the Republican and Democratic candidates. Well, as reported by The Raw Story, the Green Party's candidates Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala were in town for the event as they, along with Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, have been avidly protesting the two-party-duopoly on the debate system. Johnson has even sued to get change the debate commission's stance, as publicized by USNews and others.
Stein and Honkala have upped the ante on this one, however - as you've learned if you clicked the first link, the two were arrested tonight for "disorderly conduct." Long Island Report has the actual video of the ladies being removed from the area.
So that happened.
Now, here are my completely biased thoughts on this!
If there's one political tack I have taken with The Weekly Freeporter, besides the need for transparency and effective communication at any rate, it's that we are done a major disservice when offered only two candidates to choose from in any election. When it becomes a question of "Person One" or "Person Two," and there is no third or fourth person, then there is a problem. For starters, as evidenced by the Commission of Presidential Debates, it is far too easy for two political parties to agree, in light of however much they may "disagree" with one another on actual issues, to exclude the views of any other affiliation. From the Libertarian to the Green parties, from the Constitution to the Socialist and beyond; all are kept out due to easily manipulated rules and procedures. Some are clearly unable to win the election, simply due to the lack of ballots they are on, and that's fair enough.
But Stein and Johnson, in particular, are on far more than enough national ballots to win. When included in those polls (so rarely the ones that determine debate criterion, of course), they have significant followings. Yet here we stand, with the two strongest unique contenders effectively taken out of the #1 way to draw attention to their ideas.
Oh, the "other side" will tell you not to vote for that third party candidate, anyway. It's a waste of a vote, they'll never win! And on the other hand, your vote is so important that if you do vote third-party, you might just let that "other guy" win! After all, he's to blame for all of the problems with the country! That, or the other other guy is! So we can't let the "other guy" win! If we do, it'll be four (or more, or four more!) years of darkness! The "other guy" could be Obama as easily as it could Romney, I've heard both sides. But do you know what I hear every time someone presents me with that argument?
Terrorism.
I've heard people basically try to scare others into voting for whoever they feel is the lesser of two evils, because otherwise you'll get the greater. Using fear to coerce political results is the textbook definition of terrorism. "Vote Romney or else you'll drown in Obamacare!" "Vote Obama or else you'll watch Big Bird get big beheaded!" It's crap. Why vote for someone you don't like? Because of the or else?
Stein and Johnson should be in the debates. They should be considered serious contenders for the Presidency. They are fully capable of winning. And if they do upset "the system" by pulling a Ralph Nader, so what? "The system," in this case, isn't supposed to be one of only two choices. George Washington knew that, since he's our only President to this day who was not part of a major party.
So kudos to Stein and Honkala for standing up and demanding to be heard. Of course, kudos to the lawyers they're gonna hire to get sprung, but hey! Sometimes, when the voice of the people is rigidly controlled by a system that's out of whack, ya just need to insist that you get a fair shake; and the people who follow you need to advocate for you to those who are considering a third party vote, but are too worried about "the other guy." All together, there needs to be a statement that three hundred million Americans can't allow for only two choices (Pepsi and Coke) in determining their future. Otherwise, like I said, you're letting others control you with fear: You're letting terrorism win.
No comments:
Post a Comment