Of course, if you want to still live in the past and talk about Florida in 2000 and how third parties “rob” votes from one of the two parties–it’s a free country: go ahead and lament. I’m sure that you’ll get plenty of support for your efforts from Obama and the leadership of the Democratic Party and from those on the right side of the aisle as well. That has been the standard line from both of the parties: ”Don’t throw away your vote on a Third party or Independent Candidate.”
That’s a bunch of BS. The more parties and Independents represented in the halls of government the stronger the government. Examples of nations with multi-party systems include Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and Taiwan.
Single-party systems or dominant-party systems happen in nations where opposing parties are outlawed or restricted by the dominant party which wields power. Examples include rule by the Communist party of China and People’s Action Party of Singapore. A one-party system is the next step up from a two-party system, and that is the direction that the USA has been moving with the leadership of the Democrat and Republican parties ever since 1987 when the leadership of the Democrat and Republican parties formed a corporation. The corporation is called “The Commission on Presidential Debates” but it is much more than that. Walter Cronkite referred to the formation of this corporation as the “greatest fraud ever pulled on the American voters.”
Moving into a “Party of One” has been the goal of the leadership of BOTH parties for the past 25 years. If you don’t realize this, then you have not been paying attention. They call it “bipartisanship”. It should be called something else. It should be called the “Party of the 1%” In 2012, any American who gives a damn about democracy should give serious thought to voting for Independents and Third Party candidates. We need to make our democracy stronger–not weaker.
I would like nothing better than to see at least four Presidential candidates in 2012: Obama, Romney, Ron Paul and Jill Stein. If this were to happen, we might actually see a few real debates that deal with real issues such as war and the declining conditions of the environment and human life on this planet. These are all topics that you will never hear discussed in any depths in debates between Democrats and Republicans. In fact, to please those who sponsor their corporation, the leadership of the Democrat and Republican parties have agreed not to. Instead, on the waves of corporate sponsored TV we get to watch debates about flag pins, what the minister of a candidate says, and “he said/she said/I meant” quarrels among the candidates that rival those of contestants now featured in other insipid corporation programming such as the Kardashians.
Ron Paul may run as a Third Party candidate in 2012. Perhaps he has avoided it in the past for three two reasons: 1) because he knew he didn’t have enough votes 2) Paul knew that it would be the final kiss of death from the Republican Party (3) Now, although not a given, because of his age, it is likely that this will be Paul’s last crack at the presidency. He may be willing to risk all in 2012–even the “love” of the Republican Party.
On January 25, the day after President Obama delivers his state of the Union address, at 8:30 [PM] Eastern, you can participate in The People’s State of the Union.
You’ll hear a realism about America’s situation –and the ways to overcome it– that Wall Street an the Washington establishment don’t want you talking about. We can have an economy that provides jobs for everyone without depressing wages or destroying the environment. We can get Wall Street off our backs and win control of our lives and common future.
Through this special online broadcast, you will hear presidential candidate Jill Stein describe the Green New Deal that can reclaim our future and fulfill the promise of America. Lines will be open for your questions and ideas. All you need is an internet connection and a computer. MORE




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NOTE:
Since Ms. Stein and Ron Paul (if he ran as an Independent) would not be beholding to the Commission on Presidential Debates, they would most likely take liberties with the formats of the debates and discuss topics that matter.
The topics for our presidential debates are directed by the corporations who contribute to the support of the Commission on Presidential Debates. This is why people like Chuck Todd of GE-owned MSNBC have the power to impose arbitrary corporate biased rules on presidential candidates like Mike Gravel that they cannot participate in the presidential debate because he had not raised $1million by November of 2007. The leaders of BOTH parties have agreed to such corporate direction. And that is why no candidate, not even Kucinich said boo when Todd kicked Gravel out.
[on this note, Karma played out quickly for Kucinich. The Gannett Corporation, owners of the Des Moines Register kicked Kucinch out of the Iowa debates on the flimsy lie that it was a requirement that candidate have a store front established on Oct 7 in Iowa–coincidentally Oct 7 was the date that the last of the other Democrat candidates (Dodd) had established a store front in Iowa
Like “Fusion Centers” and although the corporation known as the Commission on Presidential Debates has been in existence for 25 years, few Americans are aware of the existence of either.
That’s FIRST Party (like we’re In LABOR) with Anderson/Stein on the Peace Ticket and JUSTICE Platform (if they’ll Go For IT)!
There ain’t no way I would ever vote for a libertarian. Their whole platform puts property over people.
In other words, libertarians want to be able to dump whatever deadly crap they choose where ever they damn well please and it people die because of it – TS.
And it people get cheated out of their money – TS.
A world sans responsibility and consequences. That’s a libertarians view of liberty.
Lefties may find Jill or Rocky on their ballot. Libertarians will likely nominate Gary Johnson. Ron Paul will retire after the Convention.
Democrats and Republicans will have psycho killers Romney and Obama.
There is also justice party candidate Rocky Anderson.
cmaukonen, you might be interested in Glenn Greenwald’s latest article, here:
http://www.salon.com/2012/01/08/the_evils_of_indefinite_detention_and_those_wanting_to_de_prioritze_them/
People are dying right now from our bombs, our pollution, and our police state. We need to find a way to work together to turn our country around before it really is too late.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/jan/06/ron-paul-useful-idiots-on-the-left Mainly pale males.
Rocky or Jill will be my choice come November. There are better chances of snowballs in Hades though then my ever voting for Ron Paul. Worst case scenario I write in Bernie Sanders. I reject the duopoly and the idea that I must choose between bad or worse.
Or maybe this one.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/jan/06/why-libertarians-must-deny-climage-change?intcmp=122
‘Nough said !
Pollution and global warming will eliminate us. Libertarians trust the goodness of the corporations to provide clean air and water. What a disaster in the making!!!
Global warming deniers are killers too!!
I will likely be voting Green in this election.
If Paul did get the nomination, I might consider voting for him, because I do think that the civil liberties and anti-war issues are very important.
However, that seems pretty unlikely that Paul will be the republican candidate, and also I disagree with him on a number of key issues.
So Green is probably the way to go.
I will be voting for Rocky Anderson. I’m not enamored of the Green party.
A good third party candidate might be able to do what a primary challenger to Obama would have done — force him to explain his rationale for breaking so many promises and side with the Republicans so often. Obama’s gotten off easy.
Without a third party candidate, I just can’t see the GOP nominee forcing any debate on Obama’s actions because they’ve been exactly in line with what the Republicans want, although you won’t hear them saying that because they’re still trying to push him further to the right.