Originally
posted by
Rook:
Elevating yourself above the two party system is a popular and fruitless effort. Yes, the two party system is non-ideal. Yes, it dilutes and conflates issues that might otherwise get fair forum. Yes, it fails to give us exactly the choice we want, when we want it. Sometimes we even get a whole two uninspiring choices. All two choices, completely uninspiring. Time for us to go cry in our tea.
But it is our political system, and we choose to make something of it. You want to tout yourself as a Gary Johnson devotee? Put a Galt Life sticker on your bumper? Enjoy the sidelines, and be sure to make frequent mention of how the prevailing political system doesn't suit your fancy so you can appear and feel to be above the entire structure of elected office in the United States. Ok buddy.
The two party system which is giving us worse and worse choices each election cycle only exists because people are afraid. Afraid that, as you said, their desires will be left "on the sidelines" if they don't pick between team red and team blue. The only thing that makes it impossible for someone from outside the two major parties to win, is the false belief that it is impossible. I believe that this year could be a banner year for people who hold liberty dear. The choices that the two "mainstream" parties are going to give us are SO terrible this time that while we may not see a win for the Libertarian party, we could at least see it gaining enough voters to blow this defeatist argument out of the water going forward. Or maybe we'll see team red or team blue realize that what the majority of Americans want is liberty.... and actually move in that direction. Either way, a vote for a third party candidate - especially this time around - is not a wasted vote.
Originally
posted by
Rook:
The reality of the situation is that ideas are in the field and progress is being made, whether you and your ego choose to participate or not. Setting up a false equivalency between the two political parties is worse than pointless, it is counterproductive, undermining the potential for constructive debate before it can even start. These two parties, all the microscale and interpersonal relationship intricacies notwithstanding, are at war with each other Scott. Do you not see billions of dollars in play? Do you see "no discernible difference" between the two opposing forces anywhere in the wide range of issues over which there is bitter disagreement and intransigence?
Progress is being made? I suppose that depends on your definition of progress.
For people like Scott and myself who hold liberty above all else in politics, the equivalency between the two current major parties is not false at all. Both parties love tyranny when it will gain them more votes. Yes, they're at war with each other, but what are they fighting over? They want power, plain and simple. They want to RULE - not represent - the American people.
The only progress I see being made lately is back towards feudalism. We've replaced the term "lord" with "senator", but we are moving closer to that failed system today and further from the constitutional republic this nation was set up to be. More and more over the last century, we've declared that the fruits of your labor do not belong to you. They belong to your lord, who will decide how they are best spent. Of course, he will let you keep some. He doesn't want you angry enough to turn your pitchfork on him. But ultimately, it is his choice, not yours, how you will live and what you will believe.