Working Outside the Two Party System
To those of you who think that that we have to work within the existing political system by joining the GOP and changing it from within, I offer the following alternative perspective.
Requiring citizens to register as either Republicans or Democrats to vote in state respective primaries is a means by which political parties maximize their membership base and maintain control over members. In my home state of Massachusetts, 'unenrolled' voters (those who play neither for the Red R team or the Blue D team) can vote in whichever primary elections they choose. By quitting the GOP, I have sacrificed nothing in terms of ability to cast my vote for candidates of either party. In Massachusetts, there are close to 4.1 million registered voters, as of October 2004. There were 1.5 million Democrats, half a million Republicans and 2 million unenrolled! Unenrolled voters, if they can be mobilized, can exercise a tremendous amount of power.
If you live in a state that requires citizens to be a member of a political party in order to cast primary votes, I invite and encourage you to start a citizens initiative in your state to change the law. Citizens initiatives are a powerful tool at our disposal. By taking direct action, we can use the initiative process to bypass our elected representatives to change the laws of our own communities.
Speaking of which, Massachusetts has two grassroots initiatives of great interest to freedom lovers everywhere.
A yes vote on Massachusetts Question 1 will end our state income tax.
A yes vote on Massachusetts Question 2 will decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, , removing the threat of jail time for possessing an ounce or less of marijuana for personal use.
It looks like Question 2 will pass fairly easily. According to NORML, 72% of state residents are in favor. Question 1 will have a bit of harder time. At the moment polls show voters evenly split. But considering the economic climate, it has a very good shot. I will be volunteering my time this weekend to help out with this initiative. If you would like to help out, please check out the website and donate to the cause. Spread the word to all your liberty loving friends in MA to vote yes on Question 1. This is the most aggressive initiative on the ballot in the country at this time, and if it passes, it could be a real inspiration to help open the floodgates for tax reform in states across the nation.
Both of these are grassroots, non-partisian initiatives, which is to say that neither political party is too excited about them. This just goes to show that it is not the government, not the political parties, but the people who always take the lead.
All of this is not to say that you can't be a member of the GOP and do grassroots work at the same time. The GOP is a useful tool, platform and stage for certain activities. Ron Paul has used it masterfully. Just remember that the party is simply a tool. Use it wisely, and take great care that it does not end up using you.
Great Analysis, Good Plan, One Quibble
Good luck on Question: Count on government employees and beneficiaries to go all out against it. I hope they do something really stupid and make voters mad, or you could have a turn-out problem. Carla Howell and those folks are heroes of mine. The LP membership is firmly behind them.
Michael, you are correct: you're basically saying we need to keep the goal (Freedom) in mind, and pick our battles and methods based on what works for us, now.
Several of us have pointed out the problem of allowing voters to vote in any party primary (see my comments re California court case). We are not a democracy and majority does not rule over a private organization. I know it's confusing when the parties use taxpayer dollars and public officials to conduct their private votes, but that's a different problem.
Other than that, excellent ideas, and I'm glad you found a way to stay involved in the process.
IMissLiberty
voter registration ?
GREAT post . I too could never see why a person needs party affilliation to register. For that matter Why anyone who is a U.S. citizen needs to register at all. JUST ahow a citizenship card or valid S.S.I.. card. THE primaries may be a different situation, but the General elections should be OPEN. Parties should be allowed closed doors , membership only.
says
These rules vary and can change at any time
You don't need a party affiliation to vote in the general election. But you're trusting the winning party to choose electors, and to influence that party, you have to be a member.
I don't know what membership requirements are, because each local, state and national party organization is different, but in the LP, you have to take the pledge, "I do not believe in or advocate the initiaton of force as a means of acheiving political or social goals."
Citizenship cards are unconstitutional, of course.
See my post in this thread about California and the court case that supports a party's freedom to make its own rules for candidate selection no matter how many voters outnumber them! We are a constitutional republic; not a democracy where the majority rules. Theoretically.
IMissLiberty
Suggestion
Can you change some of the wording? Not just "Yes", I just want to be cautious and remind everybody to read the ballots carefully. I just have a gut feeling they'll screw around with the wording, so voting "Yes" might not actually be what you intended it to be.
I'm sorry, I completely
I'm sorry, I completely disagree with the author's suggestion that a parties private business of choosing a candidate be open to non members. That is an awful policy. You might seem to like it because you are frustrated at your weakness in changing the national conversation, but it is against all principles of private property and personal freedom to eliminate the right to private assembly and membership.
Having said that, I think primary elections should be funded and operated by the parties like all of their internal positions are filled. Not paid for and operated by the state or local jurisdictions in which the office will be filled.
- a former Independent and new RP Republican
***************************
Please read the book "The 5000 Year Leap" which is all about the US Constitution and the founders 28 Great Ideas That Changed the World.
Highly recommended.
More than one way to skin an aardvark
There's nothing wrong with doing what works. Just be sure to keep asking yourself, "Is this working?" Look at the world the way it really is, not how it seems to you that it is. Stay inquisitive.
Remember the axiom about entangling alliances. It's the same in your personal life and political life. Don't claim a loyalty=alliance that forces you into doing something that isn't in your interest.
On Michael's decision to drop the GOP like a hot potato:
I understand and had the same or similar experiences he did.
I'm staying with the GOP because I can see opportunities. But this is just the battleground I've chosen. It's isn't my alliance. It's my battleground. This appears to be Ron Paul's battleground. It's clearly not his alliance.
So, whatever battleground you choose, understand. Pick the ground where the enemy can't pick you off easily. Fight there. The ground you pick is important because bad ground gives the enemy advantages you don't intend to give. Finally, disengage and pick better ground if you don't see any successes.
End the Income Tax, Polls schmolls!!! means nothing
"At the moment polls show voters evenly split."
That's the same polls that 4 years ago (it was question No. 1 then too) said it was supported by only 30% the day before the election and it got over 45%! It looks like it will pass this time as the politicians cry "the sky is falling!". Cut 'em off at the knees.
Sign Open Debate Petition !!!
"We, the undersigned, support Open Debates' campaign to reform the presidential debate process. We believe that the presidential debates should serve the American people first, not political parties. We support replacing the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates with the nonpartisan Citizens' Debate Commission, so that inspiring formats can be employed, pressing national issues can be addressed, and popular independent and third party candidates can be included."
sign at-
http://www.opendebates.or...
27,975 signatures so far
Just the point...
Just the point that I was going to make. It struck me during the Wolf Blitzer interview with RP and Nader that we have to change the Presidential Debate Commission. What a farce! Ron Paul (as usual) layed a reasonble rule change. paraphrasing here "They should allow any candidates into the debates that have gone through the extremely onerous process of getting on enough state ballots that if he/she won those states would have enough electoral votes to win the election" This one change would force the establishment candidates to answer some real questions. Is this really too much to ask for our "Democratic" Republic?
I am going to sign the petition referenced above.
By the way, is Wolf Blitzer really that clueless? He just could not grasp the point that Ron Paul and the third party candidates were trying to make. Unbelievable!
CPAforRP
Points
You make some excellent points in your post!
-John
http://www.voteubele.com
john@voteubele.com
Here's an idea. OK, Nader,
Here's an idea. OK, Nader, Barr and Baldwin were on Lou Dobbs for his "Independent Convention". If someone could burn CDs with the interviews, you never know.
Dr Paul said have fun...
... while spreading the message.
Here it is folks.
http://www.rense.com/Data...
Everyone that watched this video, was impatient to share it within their world.
BUMP THE FUN OUT OF IT.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend
california you cant
went all the way up to the high courts already. snuffed.
Correct - No, the Government/Voters Can't Use Force on Parties
In California, the LP sued to have its Constitutional right of free association upheld: meaning its right to decide what they believe, and how they choose nominees. We won. Obviously, since parties are private, not governmental, organizations, their rules, membership policies and methods of choosing candidates, are all their own business.
Small parties can be "taken over" by hostile outsiders if this were not so. We won, but the requirement to have a primary vote is still on the books. However, we can't be forced to do anything with the results of the vote. (This is how I could vote for Ron Paul by registering R, then switch and vote for myself to be a delegate to the LP convention and select a nominee, there.)
Because of LP of CA rules, we ignore the primary results, the delegates get together and elect delegates to national, all, mostly based on the character of the delegate themselves, and not based on who they support. It is possible that this may change at some point in the future when we have more potential delegates than there are positions available, but right now, it's pretty open to anyone who is a sincere member of the party and most of us have no idea who we'll nominate until we hear them debate at national (it took six ballots to nominate Barr).
The GOP in California is also scared of a takeover, so they have rules saying only Republicans can vote in their primary. The Democrats allow others to vote in their primary. Then both parties have a formula that allocates delegates bound to the top vote-getter(s). They choose to bind themselves to the public vote, whereas the CA Libertarians choose delegates based on people we know to be principled libertarians. There's no way we would nominate a John McCain or Obama, as a result. Not even if that's who the voters chose in a primary.
The result of this court case is that the only way to have your vote count to nominate a candidate in the CA LP is to join the CA LP. The Primaries are basically a huge taxpayer funded public opinion poll which the R's and D's use in their formula for delegates (and which they could change at any time).
For those working within the D or R party, this could be one thing to change: change the rules so that some criteria are applied to nominees, and if they don't meet the criteria, they can't be given any delegates, regardless of what voters say. Voters need to understand that if they want more or different choices, they need to get active, otherwise they are limited to what the parties choose for them.
IMissLiberty
Michael,
I was one of those who was hard on you. I didn't accuse you of doing something wrong, only that it didn't fit the program Ron Paul is promoting.
However, you must understand that I wrote from a Texas perspective. Differernt states have different ways of approaching party membership and primary elections. In Texas we do not "enroll" at all with the state government. We are free to vote in either (or any) party primary every two years. However, we are regarded as having affiliated with that party by participating in its primary and/or convention or caucus. So for us there is no escaping being affiliated with a party unless we completely forgo any primary voting.
I have been active in the Republican Party for over 40 years. I believe I have more influence in a group of 50 or so in my county than I do as a member of the general population in a county run by die-hard yellow-dog Democrats.
Thanks for your explanation though. It helped.
Washington State has no
Washington State has no state income tax but still funds one of the most restrictive, police and welfare state governments in the country. How do they do it? They tax the heck out of everything else and have run up a multi-billion debt. Be sure to not leave the state with the ability to do that. The last thing any of these government bureaucrats are willing to cut is the size and power of their own little bureaucracies.
"True (Peacefull) Revolution is
not just in the party or parties but in society"
Ron Paul,
Dale Legan
www.CycleSurfer.com
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." - Plato
Voting Yes on Question# in Mass
Mike,
I live in Massachusetts too. I would have thought considering the state of our economy, gas prices, and lets not forget the nightmare legislation Romney passed on Health Care care that question #1 would pass with flying colors. I cannot believe my ears when talking to people. Most middle class (whats left of us) don't want it because they are affraid their housing taxes will go through the roof. The other half are somehow benefiting from the taxes. They either have jobs like me in SW, being funded by welfare, or they are on it. I will gladly vote myself out of a job come this November. I have come to realize that most people live in a bubble of ignorance, and selfishness. They just can't see the big picture. I am scared to death for my grandchildren.
3rd Parties aren't going to save this country anymore than
anyone else.
It's going to be Americans who do it or no one at all.
You can't vote your way out of tyranny, debt, or enslavement.
The game is rigged and the ship is sinking.
Supporting 3rd parties is tantamount to grabbing a bucket, but the spiritual hole is still there and it's growing.
Toward that Effect...
If you live in Oklahoma, you have no choice. Write-in Ron Paul.
If you live in Montana or Louisiana, rejoice! You get to vote for Ron Paul!
If you live in New Hampshire, please vote for George Phillies (the other Libertarian).
If you live in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, The Dakotas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, or Wyoming vote for Chuck Baldwin.
If you live in Arizona, California, The District of Columbia, Kansas, or Maine, you have my condolences. You may as well vote for Cynthia McKinney or Bob Barr.
If you live in Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, or Texas, you have my deepest condolences. You’re stuck with Ralph Nader or Bob Barr. Sorry.
If you can’t abide my recommendations, then, your State permitting, you could write in Ron Paul, your mom, your dog, or even Bob Barr.
But never Never NEVER vote for McBama!
This decision is rather painful for me, as it will be the first Presidential election for me (since 1976) in which I will not be voting for the Libertarian. It looks as though the Barr Campaign has burned that bridge, and it likely won’t be rebuilt until at least 2010. But still I reach out, optimistic sentimental sot that I am, and hope Barr does well in Georgia
A word from Europe
As I see it from far away in Europe, Ron Paul is the father of a movement that embraces all shades of the political/cultural spectrum who firmly believe in peace and freedom, and who know that the tyrannical system needs radical changes.
Since the US political system is dominated by the RepDem Duopoly, the Third Party movement - spearheaded by the C4L, in turn triggered by the 'Ron Paul Revolution' presidential campaign - exists to destablise the system by the 2012 elections. 2012 is the target year! It could be Jesse, it could be anyone (yes, even shabby Jesse the ex-wrestler is better and good enough cos he clearly understands how freedom works). Hell, it could even be Adam Kokesh, for all I know :)
Now, the GOP, through Ron Paul's congressional representation, is ALSO partially within that Third Party movement, and it is represented by none other than Ron Paul and his supporters (who are not voting for McCain, but for Baldwin or Barr(?)). The more this faction grows within the GOP, the better are the chances for the GOP to be destabilised from within, especially if Obama wins.
As to the liberal supporters of Ron Paul, of which there seems to be many - especially since Obama rectified his speech to suit the establishment and was caught as a fake - these can vote within that Third Party movement for Nader, McKinney or any other who signs up to the 4-point declaration for peace and freedom.
As for those who wanted to see Ron Paul go the third way himself - true, that would have been nice, and it could have perhaps even stirred up more interest in Ron Paul's message, but then you need to balance it out with what would have been lost.
A third candidate is not going to win this 2008 race. The only way that could happen is with a successful revolution by November - it's not going to happen. I think Ron Paul followed his intuition. Let's just respect that intuition - it hasn't served him badly so far.
That's it folks. The rest is up to you. But remember, the whole world is watching and we freedom-lovers across the globe are with you all the way.
Kev in Brussels
(originally from the deep European Left)
Why wait til 2012?
If we all unite in solidarity, our third party (or fusionassembly or whatever we want to call it) starts out with 1.2 million Ron Paul supporters and the Campaign For Liberty, fuses in another 2 million closet Constitutionalists and Greens , attracts most of the Independents which could be another 6 million, and then begins to peel off millions from the Obamination and most peace-loving Republicans who can see McSame is no reformer. We can ignore the Bob and Russ dog and pony show until they decide to join too - and give 'em time because maybe they will, bringing in another 1/2 million Libertarians.
Ron, Cynthia, Ralph , and Chuck have already proposed a fine, simple FOUR point platform . Have you read it? THAT's what we need to put out there, not a lot of picky & petty bickering!
We could unite on a great name for this movement, on two simple signs and bumper stickers , and let the merchandisers run with that end of it.
" Campaign For Liberty" sounds good to me, and is already out there and on shirts, caps, stickers, etc. But, let's hear it from Constitution Party, Greens, Independants, and even Bob Barr and Russ Varney ( but no CIA stuff please, guys!)
And we need two candidates; Ron and Jesse? Chuck and Cynthia? Jesse and Cynthia? or Cynthia and Jesse? Well, lets get that decided because time is of the essence!
Then, it will be Write-In Time - The Mother of All Write In Elections, using only paper ballots, or absentee ballots which are paper, and Poll watchers insisting on a ballot count in every precinct at 8 PM immediately after the polls close, with the tally posted on the door and placed in the locked ballot box before it leaves the precinct voting station. Citizens' Grand Juries in every County could handle each accusation of voter fraud and vote counting fraud. Civil unrest, including mobs with pitchforks and torches, go after any violator, any officious official who refuses to hold an open, honest, reliable, and transparent election. Any "judge " who interferes will need protection because the mob goes after him too! In 2008 we play for keeps ! It's OUR playing field and either we get to play or they go!
Because of the "Ballot Access" problems in many states, consider this; Sarah Palin will be on all ballots in all states. Ron will be on several. What about Ron and Sarah? Or Sarah and Ron? Just depose McSame and dump McPain who can retire on his huge Senate pension. Call and ask Sarah . Either she's already been bought and paid for by the elitists, or she'll welcome the chance to be a reformer with 2 chances out of 3 .
Then, we'll all need to do some "community organizing"! We all need to be in a "Neighborhood Watch" anyway, so do that ( see www dotusaonwatch dot org ) , and start peeling neighbors off the Omabination and the McSame Train that will just bring more pain.
Unite! Learn about "Solidarity"! ( Poland in 1989) Study the "Velvet Revolution" ( Czechoslovakia in 1989 ) and "The Singing Revolution" ( Estonia in 1989 ) .
It can be done peacefully if we are 100 million strong, When you are singing "O O Say Can You See ---- ", they are standing at attention with their hands over their hearts, while you put a rose into the muzzle of their assault rifles and reassure them you won't let any one hurt them. THEY are the ones who are scared. We outnumber them 10 to one! C'mon guys, think it through! WE CAN DO THIS IN 2008 !
Deerely ( see www dot fusionassembly dot org )
True, it does not have to be 2012
But it should culminate nicely by 2012 - of course prior to that many events would have happened - and if it rolls faster, then it could happen before 2012, in some different way.
Changing stripes
"originally from the deep European Left" - I think a lot of people are tuning out of TV, tuning into the Internet, and finding that their old system of right and left doesn't make much sense anymore. The freedom belief is truly universal. I hope others in your part of the world will also start to think more about what freedom truly means. My big awakening is that freedom doesn't mean more taxation and more government programs. Freedom means you keep your mitts off the other guy, including his hard-earned wealth.
Better Late Than Never
I only wish that Ron Paul would have seen fit to abandon the GOP early on and run as a 3rd party candidate himself, either with the Constitution Party or the Libertarian Party. If he would have chosen that path at the height of his popularity, the support would be incredible by now, and he'd be a force to be reckoned with come November. I know that he might have lost his congressional seat, but in the long run, he could have accomplished so much more.
Had he done that
Had Ron done what you suggest, he wouldn't even be looking at continuing in Congress. The 14th district would be stuck with some neocon party hack (yes he had an opponent in the primary.)
Then where would we be now?
And no, Ron Paul has not abandoned the Republican Party. He is working to reform it. That is the mission of the Campaign for Liberty. The appeal to vote 3rd party is for the top of the ticket, to teach them a lesson, not necessarily to give up on them completely, at this time.
If Ron Paul would leave the Republican Party, Pat Gray would be ecstatic.
I do not know about the
I do not know about the Congressional seat, but I feel VERY strongly that RP has changed his mind. I believe when he saw all the shenanigans at the GOP convention, the apparent attempt to eliminate the Rally, etc., and whatever, he has inwardly decided that chances are SLIMMER to return the GOP to its roots by working within the party.
You're right, but...
I was just thinking that if Dr. Paul had run as an Independant/3rd Party candidate, it may have served as an even greater wake up call to the Republican Party.
Regarding his Congressional seat, he could've kept that as an Independant, just like Lieberman did.
I wish
those two initiatives where on the ballot across the country
great post.
http://www.votenader.org/...
http://www.flickr.com/pho...
I agree...I moved from
I agree...I moved from registered R to Independent party...1,000's have done so this year with the encouragement of Lou Dobbs..so very many millions of us have become disenchanted, disgusted, demoralized by the ONE party system which has managed to totally take over our voting process. We must disengage them from our votes, our support in any form.
I think more states will follow the lead of MA if y'all just happen to succeed...have a busy, productive weekend.
YES! Thank You!
Once people realize the power that we could command they will see just how many issues we can deliver and change...
...this is more than a Presidential Election!
Mike
"Fire Team for Freedom" and "Revolutionary Business"
visit www.mikeandjake.com
Thanks Michael! This is
Thanks Michael! This is good stuff! I'm all for breaking the back of one party system. We ARE the Majority!