Voting Against Libertarians is a Wasted Vote!
Voting Against Libertarians is a Wasted Vote!
http://www.libertyforall.net/libertysfriend.html
A letter has been circulating among Libertarians advocating supporting the Democrat in order to oust George W Bush from office. If you haven't seen it yet, you will. I'm not sure whether the author is a saboteur or just misguided, but no matter-he is wrong. Voting for or supporting Democrats is a sure-fire way to lose the freedom effort. There is no way a Libertarian should ever make that mistake. Both Republican and Democrat candidates will take our country in the wrong direction, neither being much better or worse than the other.
I've heard many respected Libertarian leaders say they are certain a Democrat, whoever that may be, will be a far worse President than Bush. There are many who feel the opposite. As for me, I'm convinced that I don't have much control over who'll get elected next November-that is, unless I vote Libertarian.
Make no mistake; unless it's a Libertarian in the White House, we won't have much progress in the right direction. Every time someone buys into the 'wasted vote' theory, they lose any chance of making their vote count. Me, I always vote for the Libertarian.
Libertarian presidential candidates are deserving of my vote. As is anyone with an L after their name and not D or R. When Libertarians across the country vote as I will those votes will matter. Certainly wasting your vote on an unnamed Democrat, who might or might not be "'less worse" than President Bush, is a waste.
When you vote Libertarian, wonderful things happen:
1. The press notice, and are more likely to list us in post-election vote tallies.
2. The Democrats and Republicans notice, and will change their policies.
3. Other candidates on the same slate will get more coverage.
4. At the next election, we will get more coverage and respect.
5. At the next election, more Libertarians will vote with you.
But, the very best reason to vote Libertarian is this: You won't feel like taking a shower every time you consider voting for the less evil of two.
Most Libertarians thought George W. Bush was 'less bad' than Al Gore. Now, many have changed their minds. In California, most Libertarians voted for Arnold Schwarzenegger or Tom McClintock. Would their vote have been better used supporting the Libertarian? It's clear this is so, in retrospect. Libertarians voting off our ticket didn't change the results one bit. Don't fall into a trap distracting you from our goal. Voting for anyone other than the Libertarian will never get anyone elected. Not anyone good, I guarantee you. Certainly, the chance of a Florida-style dead heat is unlikely to happen again in our lifetime. In the over elections that are close enough to call, you're throwing your vote away if you vote for the clear winner, or the second place non-Libertarian. In races that are close, if you choose to vote against the Libertarian, ask yourself this: one, five, and ten years later, what will have made the most positive impact, voting for or against the Libertarian?
Bruce Cohen is a Realtor specializing in residential property. He's been a small business owner and since his youth, a top fundraiser for charitable and political groups. Cohen is a long-time firearms enthusiast and safety advocate, and is running in 2004 for U.S. Congress, District 48. You can visit his campaign at www.GetBruce.com.
