United Liberty

No other election day has held the level of significance for me than this one does. While I’ve always voted, this was the first election cycle in which I took an avid interest and actually became involved in the political scene. For nine months, I was an active supporter of my hero, Dr. Ron Paul. After Super Tuesday, and it became evident that Dr. Paul would not secure the Republican nomination, I turned my energies towards the Libertarian Party and it’s nominee, Bob Barr. Though no longer actively supporting Barr, I’ve stayed involved politically as assistant editor of United Liberty and Alabama’s Campaign for Liberty state coordinator. You might say that I’ve been bitten by the political bug.

This day is also significant because I also believe that it happens to be one of the most critical times in American history. Dr. Paul was fond of saying during the primary season that the Republican party has lost it’s way and strayed from it’s roots. I think that applies to all Americans, no matter the political persuasion. We were once a country founded on freedom- religious, political, and financial. We were a nation of rugged-individualism, with a pioneering spirit. We believed in lending a helping hand, but knew the dangers of being dependent on any person or any institution. We admired our leaders, but saw them as flawed humans that were to be restrained by the Constitution.

Today, our civil liberties are being eroded at an alarming rate. Our treasury coffers are not just empty, but in the negative. We’re headed towards bankruptcy, but there’s no talk from DC about the need to balance budgets, stop deficit spending and shrink the empire we’ve created- to the detriment of our global reputation. The very politicians that have led us into this wilderness are now claiming to know the way back. And because Americans have become dependent up on the advice of “experts” and largely negligent of independent thought, they are being duped into trusting in the same failed politicians and the philosophies they employ- nationalism, fascism, imperialism and socialism.

Fortunately, this also seems to be the year that the spirit of independence was again renewed and many eyes were opened. Whatever Dr. Paul’s goals may have been when he threw his hat into the ring, he inspired an awakening that will hopefully continue and be the driving force that steers our country back to the path of the Constitution and rule of law. Dr. Paul’s campaign drew together a coalition of freedom fighters and many liberty-oriented groups were borne of it- including United Liberty.

Admittedly, in this election, it’s questionable how much of an impact we’ll have. As ill-prepared, under-financed political novices, getting a Constitutionally-minded candidate on the ballot was not a successful endeavor in most cases. As we learn and become more politically savvy, I hope that exceptions like BJ Lawson and Tom McClintock may prove to be the rule in the coming years.

Today though, many of us will make our voices heard by voting for a third party candidate. Breaking the corrupt two-party stranglehold is imperative if we want to reclaim our country. However, not enough voters will take that step this time, for they are afraid. I find it sad that a spirit of fear pervades and rules the country, instigated by the radical presidential candidates representing the two major parties. This fear leads voters to vote for a candidate they neither like, nor agree with. But because they believe that he is still the lesser of two evils, they allow their fear to validate and perpetuate a broken system.

My hope is that Americans no longer allow fear to dictate their actions. It’s been said that courage is not a lack of fear, but deciding to do what’s right, despite the fear. Our lack of courage is the impetus of the draining of our civil liberties and destruction of our economy. We can’t blame the politicians. We put them there in the first place. Despite recently voting to pass the wildly unpopular TARP bailout bill, most of the representatives that voted for it (against the ardent and well-vocalized desires of their constituents) will be voted back into office today. What does that say about us as voters?

Folks, despite their claims, politicians really don’t know what’s best for us. They’re supposed to represent us, not think for us. If they vote against the will of the people who elected them, they are not doing their job and need to be fired. It’s time to clean house. You can start today by voting against any politician who is not truly representing you. You can continue by finding a candidate to run in the next election cycle who does. Whatever you do, don’t forget. Don’t become complacent. This country belongs to the people- not special interests, not corporations, not the “elite” in the Beltway.

Reclaim your Republic, America.