From: Technotranscendence (neptune@mars.superlink.net)
Date: Mon Apr 17 2000 - 18:28:53 MDT
It's BROWNE not BROWN!
On Monday, April 17, 2000 10:36 AM Lee Daniel Crocker lee@piclab.com wrote:
> Jesus, this is frustrating. What do you think we've been doing for
> 20 years? Do you think we haven't been trying like hell to be
> _allowed_ in the debates? Do you think we haven't been sending
> releases to the press every week for years? Do you think we haven't
> been using paper, the web, and every other medium available to get
> the message out?
True, though one thing that Libertarians do all too often is run for Federal
offices without having candidates for local offices. A lot of people I talk
to vote not so much for who they want, but for who they think can win and is
closer to their views. (I.e., they already narrow it down to two choices.)
Now, various LPs around the country are running for local offices and this
is good, but it needs to be done more and more, especially since it would be
easier to spend, say, $10K on a city council race and win or get a good %age
of the vote as opposed to spending that same amount on a Congressional race
and getting 1% or less of the vote.
> It doesn't matter that nearly every radio talk show host in the
> country hs called or including the LP in debates. It doesn't matter
> that most newspapers have as well. It doesn't matter that the
> league of women voters (who used to sponsor the big debate) called
> for inclusion. The Ds & Rs took over the process and created the
> "non-partisan" commission on debates specifically for the partisan
> purpose of keeping out the LP, and as long as the television network
> media let them get away with it, it will work.
One can complain, but it just shows that the current system is not stupid or
dead. It has to be outwitted -- not just bemoaned -- if you wish to win.
Adrian Tymes in another post makes some good points on this.
Building up relationships with journalists is important too. A lot of
Libertarians just expect to get covered, but it takes a lot more than that
and an LP candidate is always going to start with this handicap. One can
complain and continue to lose or do something about it.
> The existing system does everything in its power to supress third
> parties and keep them out of the process. We have to spend most of
> our money just getting ballot access--the major parties talk about
> the democratic process, but when it threatens their power structure
> they are quick to subvert it and create barriers to entry, and
> they get away with it--because ignorant voters just assume that
> the process is working and the third parties just aren't trying
> hard enough.
I agree, but the two major parties can't win everywhere at all times. After
all, Libertarians have gotten elected into city councils and state
legislatures. It has been done. It can done again.
That said, I don't think it will be easy and I don't devote a heck of a lot
of time to this. (Though I've thrown a few $$$ into my friend Dave's
campaign.:)
Daniel Ust
http://mars.superlink.net/neptune/
and check out Dave's site at
http://www.euchner2000.org/
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