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Governor Gary Johnson

I’m not much of a political person. Like much of this great country of ours, I’ve found myself more and more disillusioned with the candidates I’ve been able to choose from over the past… um, number of years (let’s just leave it at that, shall we?). I’ve had to look at two candidates and choose the lesser of two evils for so long… well, forever, really. As long as I’ve been eligible to vote, there hasn’t been a single candidate who I’ve actually been fully in favor of, and I don’t know that there ever will be.

The reason for this is simple: it is highly unlikely – indeed, it’s in the realm of near-impossibility – that any candidate for President will be one that I or anyone else completely and totally wholeheartedly agrees with. It’s just not going to happen. No one will agree with everything a candidate says or promises, because we’re all too different. The trick is to pick the candidate you like/believe in the most and go with them. You may not get everything you want, but you’ll certainly be better off with someone you agree with 98% of the time than someone you detest.

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Judge Jim Gray

I’m not a Libertarian at heart, either, though I find myself agreeing with them more often than not. I believe humans should be allowed to make as many choices for themselves as possible, without any interference from outside sources, especially governmental interference. That sounds like the Libertarian credo, doesn’t it? As long as your choices don’t materially affect my choices, health, or safety, then do, sir, as you will.

The problem with this is that the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, the Constitution Party, the Justice Party – all of them have different and equally valid views to the Democrats and Republicans, but because of this artificially maintained duopoly that exists in the US today, they’re not given equal opportunities to secure votes.

I don’t mean to say that every guy with a sign and a flag should get to be on the ballot. That’s just silly. But when a statistically significant percentage of the country is represented by a so-called “third-party candidate”, then they should have the same opportunities as the others. They should be allowed to take part in the national debates (which are NOT run by the government, but by a for-profit corporation), they should be given the same amount of funding subsidies, and they should be afforded the same amount of air-time as the two major political parties.

This election, for the first time ever, the Libertarian Party is very close to that goal. With just 5% of the vote, they will secure that government funding, to the tune of $90,000,000. To put that in perspective, the Libertarian presidential campaign has, thus far, raised less than $1,000,000 (roughly). What would this 8900% increase do for the Libs, and for the system in general?

It would end the two-party system. Forever. Not because the Libs are better than the Dems or Reps, but because it would prove that it was possible. That a third-party candidate can put up just as good of a show as the other two, and it would force the others to take stands that actually meant something. How much of a difference is there, really, between the two parties? Not very damn much. It’s a matter of tenths of a degree. But throw in a third party that actually gives a damn, and suddenly it’s a whole new ballgame.

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Johnson and Gray

But that won’t happen unless people get out and vote. Governor Johnson said: “Wasting your vote is voting for somebody that you don’t believe in.” I’ll add that you can also waste your vote by not voting at all. Don’t give in to the idea that there’s no point in voting if you don’t like the two candidates the Dems and Reps give you. That’s why there’s only two major parties in this race.Because people have been suckered into believing that their vote only counts if they vote Dem or Rep.

Be the change in the system. Be a part of the 5%. Be a Libertarian ONCE. And show the Democans/Republicrats that we’re not all simpering idiots willing to be strung along by their lies, sleight-of-hand and slick campaigns. Show them that Americans still believe in our country, and we’re tired of being forced to choose between idiots.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]