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Why I’ve decided to vote for Chuck Baldwin

November 2nd, 2008 political

Since the GOP, by the nomination of John Sidney McCain III, has betrayed its conservative traditions of small government, fiscal responsibility, and non-interventionism, my intention has been to stay true to principle and write-in Ron Paul as my preferred Republican Presidential selection.

Looking into the specific details of a Ron Paul write-in, I’ve come to the conclusion that despite allegiance to the man and the camaraderie I feel with the 1.2 million others who voted for him in the primary, a write-in vote for him in Virginia would be counterproductive to the cause of liberty. My voting allegiance is first and foremost to the Constitutional principals he espouses and secondarily to the actual person who has been living them out in public service for the last 20+ years.

Although he is actually on the ballot in California, Montana, and Louisiana, most states, including VA, do not count write-in votes for candidates who have not filed with the state board of elections. Dr. Paul has not filed in VA, so a write-in vote will not register in any tally and will essentially be the same as a non-vote.

Though I can’t imagine CNN recognizing any result beyond Obama, McCain, and “other”, it will feel good to make the third column one vote larger. My prediction is 46%, 44%, and 10% respectively. Before accusing me of being a spoiler for McCain, please be sure to look up the number of registered Republicans who will be voting for Obama directly—I guarantee it will outweigh the spread!

So what’s a voter to actually do?

If I can’t vote for Ron Paul as my president, the next best option is to vote for the candidate Ron Paul endorses: Chuck Baldwin. He’s on a 100% Paul platform, has a decent rational faculty, and a reputable character. The only fault I can find with him is poor website design, a deficiency I’m not quick to overlook. In a recent debate with Ralph Nader, Chuck mentioned the Constitution party claims the highest number of registered voters outside of the two major parties, a number the Ron Paul contingency could triple.

Again, why not McCain or Obama?

There are four critical areas where McCain and Obama have essentially the same errant philosophy. On September 10, 2008, Ron Paul called a press conference of 3rd party candidates to present the following statement of contrast with the status quo provided by the two major candidates.

The Republican/Democrat duopoly has, for far too long, ignored the most important issues facing our nation. However, alternate candidates Chuck Baldwin, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader agree with Ron Paul on four key principles central to the health of our nation:

1. Foreign Policy

The Iraq War must end as quickly as possible with removal of all our soldiers from the region. We must initiate the return of our soldiers from around the world, including Korea, Japan, Europe and the entire Middle East. We must cease the war propaganda, threats of a blockade and plans for attacks on Iran, nor should we re-ignite the cold war with Russia over Georgia. We must be willing to talk to all countries and offer friendship and trade and travel to all who are willing. We must take off the table the threat of a nuclear first strike against all nations.

2. Privacy

We must protect the privacy and civil liberties of all persons under US jurisdiction. We must repeal or radically change the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the FISA legislation. We must reject the notion and practice of torture, eliminations of habeas corpus, secret tribunals, and secret prisons. We must deny immunity for corporations that spy willingly on the people for the benefit of the government. We must reject the unitary presidency, the illegal use of signing statements and excessive use of executive orders.

3. The National Debt

We believe that there should be no increase in the national debt. The burden of debt placed on the next generation is unjust and already threatening our economy and the value of our dollar. We must pay our bills as we go along and not unfairly place this burden on a future generation.

4. The Federal Reserve

We seek a thorough investigation, evaluation and audit of the Federal Reserve System and its cozy relationships with the banking, corporate, and other financial institutions. The arbitrary power to create money and credit out of thin air behind closed doors for the benefit of commercial interests must be ended. There should be no taxpayer bailouts of corporations and no corporate subsidies. Corporations should be aggressively prosecuted for their crimes and frauds.

May God grant us all wisdom this Tuesday as we participate in the grand experiment of democracy. I’ll close my short treatise with some helpful quotations from a few interesting characters:

“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in peoples’ minds.”
Samuel Adams

“A powerful national government may encroach considerably upon the liberty of individuals as well as of the different States (by following an imperial policy), if only every citizen recognizes such measures as means for making his nation greater.”
Adolph Hitler

“In questions of power, then, let no more be said of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.”

“I am for a government rigorously frugal and simple. Were we directed from Washington when to sow, when to reap, we should soon have no bread.”

“If the American people ever allow the banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them, will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”
Thomas Jefferson

“Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.”
George Washington

“You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”
Abraham Lincoln

“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides.”
Thomas Paine