[Foss-cafe] QOTW: Third Parties

[Timothy R. Butler]

Ok, so political topics seem to be the only thing that wakes up you 
guys (and gals). How about this one: On Tuesday, who would you vote for 
if you couldn't vote for a Republican or Democrat for president? (if 
your not American but are familiar with American politics, join in if 
you want.)

That's a tough one for me. In a lot of ways, the Constitution Party's 
Michael Peroutka is most like myself, but he advocates some very 
destructive economic policies (elimination free trade for example) and 
he seems to go off the deep end in social areas (advocating appointing 
judges that -- apparently -- would legislate on the bench in favor of 
the Right, the same thing those of us on the Right are complaining 
about the Left doing right now). He also has Confederate flags on his 
site, which makes me nervous as to what he might be up to.

Ralph Nader, seems reasonable in some ways, and does in fact have some 
reasonable views, but he is mostly someone further Left than Kerry. I 
suspect he would make a better president than Kerry, but he doesn't fit 
my views very well.

That brings me to the party that actually seems to be the most 
reasonable of the third parties to me. The Libertarian Party. Michael 
Badnarick seems like the second best candidate, in my opinion, to 
President Bush. He gets all of the economic issues right, in my 
opinion. On social issues, I don't necessarily agree with him, but in 
an era of less government, like that which the Libertarian Party would 
bring forth, what exactly the Federal level government had to say on 
such matters would have sizably less impact on citizens either way.

Common sense views include:

	- Encouraging free trade. People should have a basic right to trade 
goods and services with minimal government interference. (Both Nadar 
and Peroutka would repeal NAFTA and oppose the WTO and the Free Trade 
Zone of the Americas)

	Peroutka would do what the GOP would like to do and eliminate the IRS, 
however he would replace it with an economically disastrous import 
tariff.

	- Provide dollar-for-dollar charity tax credits. The LP's policies 
would eliminate the welfare state in the U.S. In lieu of government 
forced wealth redistribution, people could opt to get a 1:1 tax credit 
for donating to private charities.

	- A consistent aim for small government throughout all policies. None 
of the other parties are so consistent across the board. No 
flip-flopping, that is.

I'm not "converting" to third partyism, if you are wondering. But 
that's my thoughts if I couldn't vote for No. 43.

	-Tim


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Timothy R. Butler       Universal Networks      www.uninet.info
==================== <tbutler at uninet.info> ====================
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