Breaking free of defeatists and defeatism

"The victorious warrior wins first, and then goes to war; the defeated warrior goes to war first, and then seeks to win." -Sun Tzu, The Art of War

What Sun Tzu was trying to say is: The expectation of a loss encourages losing behavior.

The same holds true in politics, but with a significant difference: A candidate's confidence alone is not enough; the voters must also be confident. This is especially true today.

It's clear--even to many former ultra-partisans--that the two-party system in the United States of America is fatally flawed, and in dire need of revision. The "two major parties" have gravitated so far to the center that their boundaries are indistinguishable; making it very difficult to distinguish one from the other. There are, of course, certain wedge issues that are used to try and highlight their differences; but when it comes to the substance of a political party--how and in what manner to govern--the two may as well drop any pretense of being different and merge.

Throughout our nation's history new and important ideas have been presented by alternative political parties that sprang up to challenge the conventional wisdom of the day. For many years the same process has been recurring; but the establishment has taken steps to squelch opposing viewpoints via the debate commission, campaign finance regulation, obtuse ballot access requirements, and a general stranglehold on the minds of the citizenry. The politics of fear and the manipulation of team spirit has pitted Americans against themselves; transforming the political process into a spectacle reminiscent of the Super Bowl where only two teams are on the field. The public accepts this without understanding that, unlike the Super Bowl, no political playoffs justified the exclusion of other competitors; they were simply left unseen as a matter of course, and in a manner reminiscent of the divine right of kings doctrine. It's time for a change. It's time to vote based on ideals; based on substance; based on hope; and not based on pride, party, or personality.

I encourage everyone to study each and every candidate in the race with an open mind and vote only for the one you identify with the most. Look beyond mere rhetoric to the substance of policy positions and political maneuverings. Choose not based on what you're told, but based on what you believe. It's the only way, and it's how the system was intended to function.