Wasted Votes

One of the standard objections raised by the apologists for the old parties is that voting Libertarian is wasting your vote.

History continues to prove such arguments increasingly flimsy, and this last election cycle is another example of the argument getting weaker.

While it is patently obvious that voting for Bob Barr in the 2008 election would not have secured him a single electoral vote, it did accomplish other very important goals.

The Libertarian party had its strongest showing of force in the 2008 election, and that has the old parties taking notice. They may not be losing sleep, yet, but they will. The constant erosion of their bases that they have taken for granted and abused over the years, more so in recent years, will eventually put them on notice. Once on notice they will react by changing their platforms and putting forth more freedom minded candidates. That is ultimately the goal of the Libertarian party, to influence the politics of America directly or indirectly. While it may not lead to electoral victories in which Libertarian candidates achieve the highest office, it will still be an important victory.

However, I believe if you look down the road even farther you will find that the old parties are in fact doomed to failure, and the Libertarian party stands as the best able to capitalize on their losses. I believe the old parties have nearly run their course. They offer either old cliches where original thought is needed, or compromise away all value should they stumble upon it. The old parties continue to show their loyalty to special interests, and have converging platforms. The party of principle does not have such weakness, and it continues to attract new supporters. New supporters from the old parties ranks. Angry and perhaps even desperate supporters. Activist supporters. The ones the old parties need the most. Eventually there is a critical mass, an no amount of fast talk will save them.

This is the critical component of our future success. The old parties are screaming louder and louder and in turn make their supporters more and more def. The party of principle does not need slick ads and fancy gimmicks because it has unshakable values grounded in principles that have stood the test of time. All we need do now is get the word out. People are hungry for a new message, our message. People want to be free of government intrusion, and neither old party offers that. People want fiscal sanity, and neither old party offers that. People want what we have, and neither old party offers that.

All we have to do now is stay the course. Time will show our continued growth. And soon silly arguments like the wasted vote will be obvious to all, and then the migration will happen.

Make no mistake, the old parties will fight to the death to retain their power. They may try to buy us off for a while with token efforts at reform, but ultimately their true character will assert itself and they will revert to their old ways and find themselves out of step with the people who will be coming to our party en mass. The old parties will do every conceivable thing to destroy us, and we shall have to stand strong.

Thankfully we have an excellent example, the statue of liberty herself. Our very image stands against the injustice and sheds light on the world. We have to but close our eyes and remember who we are and what we represent, and then standing against the attacks of the old parties in the midst of their death throws will be doable.

The future is ours, if only we have the tenacity to take it.