"You'll Split The Vote"

"If you vote for a third party, you'll split the vote!" How many times have you heard this line or maybe even said it yourself? Who's to say which of the two parties are the "only" ones needed to represent us and on what authority? This is one of the problems we face in America today. Both Democrats and Republicans agree that we need the two-party system. Neither one wants to lose their power and control. The system is set up to favor candidates in either party. This angers many Americans because now they are forced to vote for the lesser of two evils.

The Tea Party movement proves that people are sick and tired of government. This movement isn't just about all of the progressive Democrats and their quest to destroy the Constitution. It is also anger towards the Republicans who claim to be conservatives, but their voting recording shows otherwise. However, I'm hearing and seeing more and more Republicans taking over these Tea Party groups to push their agenda. I've seen Tea Party groups fold because Republicans tried to take them over and people in the group said, "No way!" This has to end!

I've personally seen an Independent attacked relentlessly by Republican operatives. This individual is more conservative than any of the Republicans running for this particular race. He has chosen not to run as a Republican because of the mess the party is in at this time. Furthermore, if elected, he doesn't want to fall lock-step in with the party for fear of suffering recourse if he doesn't go along with their agenda even though he disagrees with it. I've been told by many of them that if he's as conservative as he says he is, then he needs to run as a Republican and he'll win the nomination. Here in lies the problem: The GOP is a train wreck all the way from Michael Steele down to your local city offices. Unanimously folks have told me the GOP needs to be fixed and I agree with them. They say the only way to do this is to vote for good conservative Republicans. What I want to know is who are they? John McCain? Lindsey Graham? Scott Brown? Olympia Snowe? Are these the conservatives we're talking about?

We need to start looking to vote in the most conservative candidate that's on the ticket. Whether they are Democrat, Republican or Independent, it doesn't matter. The biggest problem I have with people are the ones who will throw aside their principles and values and compromise their integrity to stay loyal to a particular party. Logic and common sense will tell you that if you know in heart and your mind that an Independent is the right one for the job but you vote for the Republican, you my friend are the one splitting the vote. For if everyone would vote their conscience instead of compromising their integrity, the right person will get elected every time.

Because I've asked you on what authority that we need the two-party system, I'm going to give you on what authority we do not need a party system. It comes from a pretty significant man in our past. As a matter of fact, he was one of our Founders. He happened to be the first President of the United States of America, George Washington. Below is his words, not mine, warning us about the party system in his Farewell Address in 1796. Funny how he had this vision to see what our country would become if we didn't heed his warning.

"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

The spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having it's root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in it's greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns the disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent it's bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming it should consume.

It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with it's administration, to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart, is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position. The necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power, by dividing and distributing it into different depositaries, and constituting each the guardian of the public weal against invasions by the others, has been evinced by experiments ancient and modern; some of them in our country and under our own eyes. To preserve them must be as necessary as to institute them. If, in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed. The precedent must always greatly overbalance in permanent evil any partial or transient benefit, which the use can at any time yield."

George Washington was a brilliant man. He foresaw how a party system would destroy this country. Looks like he was right. Those who vote for someone only because they have an (R) or a (D) behind a candidate's name will be guilty of compromising their priciples, values and integrity and contribute to the continual downfall of our great Republic. Don't compromise your integrity. Vote your conscience and your values no matter what letter the person has behind their name. Even if it's no letter at all. If you do that, you cannot be held responsible for splitting the vote.