Rep. Ron Paul, the libertarian-leaning congressman from Texas and recent candidate for the GOP presidential nomination, on Wednesday gave a boost to third parties and their candidates, providing them with a podium and a platform from which they could present their views which are generally ignored by the mainstream media.
At a crowded news conference at the National Press Club in D.C., -- a week after his stunning address at the Rally for the Republic in Minneapolis -- Paul called upon voters to reject Democrat Barak Obama and Republican John McCain and cast their ballots in November for one of the four third-party candidates instead.
"This (election) system is driven by the conviction that only a major party candidate can win," said Paul. "Voters become convinced that any other vote is a wasted vote. It's time for that conclusion to be challenged and to recognize that the only way not to waste one's vote is to reject the two establishment candidates and join the majority (of Americans), once called silent, and allow the voices of the people to be heard."
Paul reported that the day before, Tuesday, the McCain campaign had contacted him and asked if he would endorse McCain, now that the primaries and the conventions were over.
"The argument was that he [McCain] would do a little less harm than the other candidate," Paul said, adding, "We just don't need to do that any more."
With Paul were three of the four third party/independent candidates -- Constitution Party Chuck Baldwin, a Baptist minister; Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney, a former Congresswoman from Georgia; and Independent Ralph Nader -- united in agreement and support of a four-point platform on foreign policy, privacy, the national debt, and the Federal Reserve.
Specifically, the platform calls for an end to the Iraq War, an end to "war propaganda, threats of a blockade and plans for attacks on Iran," and a refusal to "re-ignite the cold war with Russia over Georgia."
Regarding privacy matters: "we must protect the privacy and civil liberties of all persons under US jurisdiction." Also, the PATRIOT ACT, FISA legislation, and the Military Commissions Act must be repealed or "radically" changed -- and there must be an end the practice of torture, secret tribunals and secret prisons -- and a restoration of habeas corpus.
There should be no increase in the national debt (some would argue it should be eliminated), and the Federal Reserve should be subject to "thorough investigation, evaluation, and an audit" -- with no further taxpayer bailouts of corporations and no further corporate subsidies.
In his remarks Paul quoted historian Carroll Quigley, author of "Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time" (and Bill Clinton's mentor), who wrote: The argument that the two parties should represent opposed ideals and policies, on, perhaps of the Right and the other of the Left, is a foolish idea acceptable only to the doctrinaire and academic thinkers. Instead the two parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can ?throw the rascals out" at any election without leading to any profound or extensive shifts in policy.
"That is a profound statement," said Paul. "It tells us what's going on and why things don't change."
"We here today are trying to say that we represent the majority, they [the third-party candidates] deserve to be heard; they deserve to be in the debates."
Each of the three candidates presented the views of their parties -- ranging from left to right on the political spectrum, and each brought different pieces of information.
Chuck Baldwin, standard bearer for the Constitution Party, said the election is not between Democrats and Republicans or between liberals and conservatives, but between constitutionalists and globalists -- with John McCain being a globalist.
He drew attention to McCain's proposal for a League of Democracies, which he plans to put in motion once he becomes president, "which is nothing but the United Nations on steroids."
McCain's essay -- "An Enduring Peace Built on Freedom" -- a pitch for his pitch for the proposed league, was published by the Council on Foreign Relations, in the Nov/Dec. 2007 issue of its journal Foreign Affairs.
Baldwin pointed out that both major parties are "helping construct" the New World Order -- but promised that if he becomes president "the New World Order will come crashing down."
Cynthia McKinney discussed the four pillars of the Green Party: peace, social justice, ecological wisdom and grass roots democracy. She raised the issue of what some have dubbed "votescam" -- the manipulation of election results by tampering with the vote-counting machines.
Independent Ralph Nader said the agreement of the candidates on the four-points represented a "beginning of a realignment of American politics." He said the issues raised indicated a "crisis in constitutional government" -- and that the U.S. Constitution has been degraded, violated, nullified, and twisted out of any semblance of its real meaning.
Not all third-party candidates took the opportunity of Paul's invitation to attend the press club. Noticeably absent was Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr -- a former CIA agent, who morphed into a Drug War prosecutor before winning a seat in Congress in 1994. He was voted out in 2003.
Barr had accepted Paul's invitation to appear, but changed his mind at the last minute -- though Paul was not informed of this and during his speech mentioned that Barr would be arriving.
That didn't happen. Instead, Barr booked the Press Club for a news conference that would follow Paul's. He said that like the other candidates he agreed with the four points of the platform, but that it would be a 'waste of time" to attend since Paul was not going to endorse anyone for president.
The Internet has been buzzing with commentary about this with Barr being called a mole and a "neocon diversion."
Don Rasmussen, Events Coordinator with the Campaign for Liberty, wrote a blistering statement slamming Barr's action -- noting that this was his [Rasmussen's] personal view and it had not been endorsed by Paul or the Campaign for Liberty.
In his words: "I am deeply disappointed by Bob Barr's decision not to participate in today's press conference just as I have been disappointed with the Barr campaign throughout this election cycle.
"The idea that he was busy is absurd. I am sitting in the National Press Club right now waiting for his hastily called press conference to begin. This is the same building where Dr. Paul's presser just ended. Barr committed to participate, but had his campaign manager call us minutes before it started to tell us that Bob thinks "it just isn't worth it." I look forward to hearing him explain how breaking a promise to Congressman Paul constitutes a wise campaign strategy.
"It is my great hope that the alternative parties will present the American people with quality candidates that offer a real option. Clearly the Libertarian Party has failed to do so. Bob Barr has repeatedly broken his promises to Dr. Paul, showed up uninvited at C4L events, and made statement contrary to Dr. Paul's beliefs while still claiming the mantle of heir to the R3VOLution.
"Hopefully, the LP will find a way to reject this candidate without rejecting the idea of engagement in practical politics."
Earlier Stories:
1, Observations from GOP Convention and Ron Paul Liberty Event (three parts): Devvy Kidd
2, Ron Paul Supporters During RNC Convention
3, Over 10,000 Ron Paul Supporters "Rally for the Republic" in Minneapolis
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