http://www.voidnow.org/staff_editorials/

One Voter's Perspective
It past time to start taking major action to wrest our government from the hands of the two parties most likely to do it harm: the Democrats and the Republicans. In fact, if we don't do something right now, it will be too late. A major portion of the incumbents for a third of the Senate seats and a great many of the House of Representatives seats coming up for vote in November are corrupted candidates who have already done us harm.

Many states will elect new Governors. Many local elections will be held as well. Some of these will be primary elections in March. In a few days, it will be time to vote in those Primaries.

Each state's election laws differ. People need to become acquainted with the election laws of their respective state. For example, I currently live in Texas. I am allowed to vote in the primaries for any candidate I choose. But I can only vote in ONE party's primary. Not all. Therefore, if I go vote in any primary election for any candidate from Governor to dog catcher, I have negated my right to sign a petition supporting a third party candidate. I can vote for whoever I want to in November but if I can't sign a petition to put the Independent candidates I want to vote for on the ballot, I have done myself, as well as my state, an injustice.

I firmly believe third party candidates are our only hope. Many of them are in tune with my ideas for what is right for this country. Any incumbent or any candidate chosen by the two major parties has demonstrated, merely by being chosen, his/her ability to adapt to the manipulations of the puppeteer. I've been around too many years and seen too much harm befall this nation to believe any differently.

Do NOT vote in the primaries unless you are absolutely certain there is no other way for your favorite guy to have the office. Also consider the importance of the office your candidate wants. Are you willing to sacrifice a Senatorial vote for a circuit court judge or a city councilman? We have got to show the government that we are going to take this country back. We cannot do that by playing into their hands. Don't forget, you can still vote for your candidate in the November election if he/she wins the primary.

Do NOT give so much as one penny in donations to either the Democrats or the Republicans or any candidate they support unless you are absolutely certain that person will do the job you want done if he or she is elected. They have money. The Independent candidates need that twenty or twenty-five bucks I have to spare a whole lot more than the multi-millionaires who currently hold way too many offices. However, if you know a Democrat or a Republican you like (for example, I have the utmost respect for Tom Tancredo) go to their web page or go to their headquarters and donate to that individual. Giving the respective parties money only gives them a pot full of money to distribute amongst candidates you may not like so well.

In some states, the Constitution Party and the Libertarian Party are recognized as major parties these days. This is a good sign. Hopefully other parties will be recognized soon, in all states. Affiliation with a recognized party makes a great difference in the number of signatures a candidate must obtain to get on a ballot and it also makes a difference in the amount of recognition a candidate receives nationwide. Party recognition by a state election board means that a candidate doesn't have to PAY to get on the ballot. When it applies to presidential candidates, an independent would have to buy a place on the ballot for all fifty states. That isn't fair!

Forcing the federal and state governments to recognize third parties is no easy task. It takes persistence and aggressive advertising. It takes a large bloc of voters. And that isn't the end of the struggle.

Once a party is recognized, it needs candidates. It needs candidates every year, not just once in awhile when people are angry. I read somewhere just recently that without candidates a political party is nothing but a club. That is certainly true.

It is too late to start searching for candidates today. We needed to do that last year, last month. Now the primaries are upon us. If you don't have the petitions in hand to start getting them signed for your independent candidates, go to your state election board's page and print out petitions as well as the information about the candidate you wish to support.

In Texas, this is the link: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/a2-7.pdf . Remember, this link is for the state of Texas only. Each state has its own form as well as its own election laws. Google your state election board and go to that page. Or contact your independent candidate and ask them where the petition is located. If they don't know that, you don't need to be voting for them anyway.

Other elections are on the way. We need to find candidates--now--not five days before the election. When we find those candidates, we have to support them not only with whatever limited monetary resources we can spare but with our time, our word of mouth and word of pen advertisement of their qualities, and our allegiance. Too many good potential candidates back out when they feel that they have no support.

Without major changes, the United States of America is, may indeed be doomed to revolution or obscurity. Are you going to be one of the people who makes the sweeping changes this country needs or are you going to sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to do it? Are you willing to take the chance that nothing will change because nobody took action? I'm not.

Posted by Abbe Allen on February 21, 2006 03:17 PM
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