Wow, this article is flagrantly biased against emerging-party candidates.

Nobody owns a vote except the voter. Nader and McKinney don’t take votes from Obama any more than Obama takes votes from them. They all have an equal right to run for office as citizens of this country. Ditto for McCain/Barr/Baldwin.

Many people are fed up with the dominant parties. They want to vote for someone they can believe in.

If the dominant parties had the guts to debate emerging party and independent candidates we’d have a much stronger, more vibrant democracy on our hands.

Five’s a crowd?  Yeah, it’s true.  And further, our supermarket shelves should only be stocked with the following:

-Pepsi-D and Coke-R (No root beer or lime soda, please.  It’s just too confusing.)
-Colgate-D and Crest-R. (Original flavors only, for sure.)
-Wonder Bread-D and Weber’s-R. (Pumpernickel and Rye provide too many options, obviously.)
-Cheerios-D and Corn Flakes-R.

Too much brain power is expended while your average shopper is overwhelmed looking at boxes of Grape Nuts, Wheat Chex, Lucky Charms.  And then, there’s the nutritional information on the sides of boxes that Ralph Nader had to put on there!  Doesn’t he know that we don’t want to know how much sugar is in our processed foods? 

We Americans just want to get fatter and die slow deaths, drizzled in the swill of a two-party political system that is run by corporate puppets who can crack a good joke and hold people’s babies. 

Don’t confuse us with the facts.  Keep it simple for us naive, mainstream media-believing Americans.  I, personally, need people to make my decisions for me; so, hold up two things, point with excitment in your eyes at the one on the left (or right if you’re Fox News), and ask me which one I want.  Then I’ll feel proud that I voted. 

Newsflash: Vote for the candidate of any emerging party, closest to your personal values.  We can be more aware than we have been, guys.  Seriously.  So much is at stake.

I agree with DJB, this article is heavily slanted against third parties, debasing them as merely “spoilers.”  If you know your U.S. history, third parties are the ones who channel their dissent with injustice and funnel that into assent.  The suffrage movement, civil rights movement, worker’s rights movement, and so many others were founded by third parties or only a hand full of courageous, dedicated, and visionary people.  Looking back, weren’t those 6 women in Saratoga Springs, NY who founded what we know today as the women’s rights movement terrible spoilers!  They spoiled the sexist and elitist abuse of women that men held over them!  Darn spoilers!

This would be hard to prove on paper, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama’s recipe for his presidential campaign came from Nader’s various ideas on grassroots democracy, the power of change, and the hope of our country for a better future.  I’m a registered Independent in Massachusetts (where, oddly, they are called “Unenrolled” voters, lol) and usually vote on the left side, but I would never vote for Obama.  Reasons why?  There are numerous, but, for starters: he voted for FISA, he flip-flops regularly on important issues (such as offshore drilling and Iraq War timetables), he takes corporate and tycoon cash, and he’s a hopelessly inexperienced candidate ridding on a bunch of glitz&glam;.  He held his birthday “party” in Boston back in early August where couples could attend, as long as they paid the meager $28K entrance fee.  Yes, quite the man of the ordinary people!  Rather, quite the Empty Suit.

The reasons why I support Nader?  These are numerous, as well.  I would suggest visiting http://www.VoteNader.org/About to learn about the incredible legislative legacy Nader has erected to protect us—the American citizen—against the fouls of dirty air, toxic water, hazardous work codes, corporate rip-offs, and inaccessible information.  I’ve worked for his 2004 campaign and am currently working on the present one, and I must say he is a very positive, tenacious, genuine person.  Any prattle of “ego” is a vacuous assertion because he’s a fearless crusader for what’s right, and doesn’t want any coronation or adoration.  He visits all 50 states at least once in his campaign to listen to the needs of all American people (unlike Obama and McCain, who have tens of millions of dollars and only focus on a few swing states).  He is fluent in 5 different languages, he went to Princeton and Harvard Law School, and he is a master lecturer on U.S. history, contemporary culture, and cannon law. 

Oh, yes, and like most Nader supporters, if his name wasn’t on the ballot, I’d write it in.  If that was illegal (as it is in only ONE state—Oklahoma), I would vote for McKinney, the Green Party candidate.  If I couldn’t vote for her, then I’d vote for Barr, and then, if not for him, for Baldwin.  So you see, there’s no reason to support a candidate like Obama who doesn’t support you.  There are plenty of other viable 3rd party candidates who may not have the millions of dollars in dirty money and sparkly lights, but are just as qualified to win.  And once Nader gets into the debates, it’ll be a 3-way race, and then he’ll put it off, the first in history.  Nader/Gonzalez is burgeoning between 6-8% according to a new TIME magazine/CNN poll in the key swing states of Nevada, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico.  Check it out: http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1836770,00.html

So jump aboard for a wild ride.  For democracy, for America, for justice: Nader/Gonzalez ‘08.

Best,
Nigel

check out this article and give it a thumbs up after reading:
http://www.nolanchart.com/article4687.html

Bob Barr ‘08!!!

“A vote for Barr certainly helps Obama,” Lopach said.

A vote for Barr helps Barr.  It don’t help Obama for ####.  This douchelord obviously believes that the major party candidates are somehow entitled to our votes. 

What makes Lopach think civil libertarians frustrated with Republicans might not go Barr instead of Obama?  What makes Lopach think that real Libertarians who generally abstain from voting for any major party candidates won’t make a special trip to the polls just to vote for this special someone who shares their point of view? 

No one is entitled to my vote.  All are welcome to compete for it.  If the major parties were seriously concerned about this they’d pass instant run-off or ranked choice voting.  As it is they play up our fear of the greater evil to try to trap us into voting a lesser evil.  The duopoly is certainly in the best interest of both parties, but not us.

Vote Nader.

Please check your facts. Ron Paul did not endorse anyone for president. In fact, he stated that he would not be endorsing anyone, but liked both Barr and Baldwin.

Spreading erroneous data only harms your readers and your credibility.

As far as I know Paul hasn’t endorsed Baldwin or Barr. I haven’t seen the video of the Montana Republican convention, but it’s on youtube I think. David Hart is always calling Ron Paul a conservative but Paul is really a libertarian.

I had listened to Ron Paul’s speech at the Montana Republican Convention and heard no mention of Baldwin. When Paul supporters fabricate lies, it hurts Ron Paul and the movement.