Campaign For Liberty — A Realistic Look at the Presidential Election

A Realistic Look at the Presidential Election

Posted by Becky on 10/28/08 10:53 AM
Last updated 10/28/08 11:26 AM

Every election cycle, Americans go through the same routine. Presidential candidates deliver powerful speeches making extraordinary promises and criticizing their opponents; all the while spending colossal amounts of money and raising hope, fear and anger throughout the country. They all say they will bring much needed change, but will they?

If one were to research the results of candidates' promises throughout the years, they would undoubtedly be disappointed in what they would find. Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and the current president all promised to end America's dependence on foreign energy sources, yet the problem remains for the next president to solve. When running for president in 2000, Bush tapped America's concern for her aggressive reputation in the world by criticizing Clinton's foreign policy saying, "Somalia started off as a humanitarian mission and changed into a nation-building mission and that's where the mission went wrong. The mission changed. And as a result, our nation paid a price. And so I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called 'nation building.'" But now that he's in power, isn't that what Bush is having his troops do in Iraq? Many people are outraged by Bush's Patriot Act which weakened American's civil liberties, but few know that it was Bill Clinton who first introduced this legislation under a different name.

Many Americans have already chosen their favorite candidate, but unfortunately the enthusiasm for their candidate is fueled mostly by disdain for that candidate's opponent. Many people don't really like either of their choices, but will end up voting for what they consider to be the lesser of two evils. Polls have been taken that supposedly show who the people want, but it could be argued that they also reflect what the people don't want. For instance, many voters that are planning to vote for Obama are doing so to keep McCain out of office and vice versa. It's a common effect in American politics, and the unfortunate cause of the destructive path America is on. Albert Einstein defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results", yet that is what Americans do by electing the same parties into power time after time. If American's would look at the platforms of other candidates, they might be pleasantly surprised to find a plan that better represents their vision for America. If these people then voted for candidates they really wanted regardless of whom the major parties say is electable, the entire world would get a more accurate assessment of the wants and character of the American people.

These campaigns will end on November 4, but a more important campaign will continue. It's the timeless campaign for liberty that has inspired revolutions around the world in which people resist the corruption, waste, and interference of government in their lives. In this great nation, the government is said to be of, for, and by the people. If the people want the government cleaned up, they must join the campaign by holding their representatives to the oath they took to support and defend the Constitution and vote them out if they don't. If Congress listens to its constituents, there will be far less to fear from the president.

Categories: Campaign For Liberty, Presidential Race, 3rd Parties, Voting
Tags: letters to the editor

Showing comments 1—1 of 1

Posted 10/28/08 2:22 PM

Elaine
Prairie City, OR

Very well said! A vote for the lesser of two evils, is still evil, IMO.
Elaine

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