Ron Paul got it right again. Today, he gave his supporters his advice for the election this year. It will be disappointing to some of them, possibly confusing to others, but it is, for the election which is now fifty-five days away, the right advice([link edited for length]). It is important advice if there is to be hope in the future, and it is good advice for any election. What we need to do is act on it and encourage others to do so.
Ever since he ended his campaign, Ron Paul has been watched to see whom he endorses. John McCain and his supporters apparently continued to seek the endorsement through the Republican conventiion, although their treatment of Representative Paul and his supporters at that convention made it clear that they did not really expect it. Bob Barr supporters began announcing Paul's support even before he ended his own campaign ([link edited for length]). Some of the other candidates indicated their admiration of Paul, even though their own policy positions were quite different.
Representative Paul, who always said that he did not expect his supporters to vote for anyone just on his say-so, today announced his position, and he focused on the system rather than individual candidates. He said that the two parties, however they might try to hide it, present no real choice on the overall direction of the government. The answer for voters who want change, he said, was not to fall into the trap of voting for the "lesser of two evils" between the two candidates running for a continuation of the anti-liberty, imperialistic policies of the last twenty years, but to vote for what they want. Listen to the alternate candidates, in other words, and then VOTE for the candidate whose policies most clearly represent your own views. The first step in changing American politics is to break the two party monopoly on government, and the sham contests between the two branches of the oligarchy. Or, as Gene Debs said, "It is better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you want and get it."
Both candidates of the two major parties like to talk about change. But while Obama talks change in public, he is busy seeking guidance from former President Clinton. Clinton is directly responsible not only for the spin and slease and stonewalling of his own administration, but is largely responsible for the electoral success of George W. Bush. And while McCain clings to the "maverick" title given him by the media, he is also recanting all of his opposition to the Bush policies which won him that title.
Only the third party candidates are talking about real change. Some of them are talking about changes which Paul supporters would not like to see, others are relative close to the program for liberty which Paul represents. But for change to succeed, the voters have to break the habit of regarding the Democrats and the Republicans as their only choices. A record vote for all of the third party candidates this year would be a step in the direction of real change.
Paul supporters in Montana and Louisiana can still follow Representative Paul's advice by voting for him, unless he petitions to have his name removed from the ballot. In other states, a write in vote for Representative Paul is not advisable, since without candidates for electors pledged to vote for him in December, the vote would be considered a spoiled ballot and not reported. Paul supporters, like all citizens, have the right to sit out the election, but I think it would be more profitable to find the third party candidate you can support without activating your gag reflex and vote for that candidate. Beyond your own vote, you should talk about the election with people you do ot agree with. If their own opinions match Nader's or McKinney's more closely than either of the two major party candidates, encourage them to vote for hope rather than despair and vote for what they really want.
A massive vote for the third party candidates this year would send a clear message that the American voters have had enough, that they want real change, and the first stage in the overthrow of the oligarchy would have been taken.
For the Campaign for Liberty, the real campaign should begin the day after the election. The campaign should continue spreading the message of liberty and recruit candidates and workers to start bringing about a change in the the Congress, and, in four years, a real change in the executive branch. The road ahead is still a long one, but the first step can be taken today and the march should create the first fissures in the machinery of oligarchy on election day.
©2008 rtbohan, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Last modified: Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The views expressed in this article are those of rtbohan only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. rtbohan is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
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Reader Comments:
Posted By: Jonathan
Date: 2008-09-10 14:51:36
Vote Barr or Nader for President