It’s become common in today’s political climate to simply choose between the two major parties and vote for the “lesser of two evils.” However, it’s important to recognize that the ongoing civil strife in our country has been fueled by wealthy politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties, who have prioritized their own financial gain over the needs of everyday citizens. To break free from this duopoly, we must shift our focus to fresh and independent candidates, who often demonstrate greater practicality and genuine concern for the welfare of the general public. Falling into the trap of voting for the “lesser evil” in fear of third parties “splitting the vote” or “giving the other side more votes” only plays into the hands of party bosses and their wealthy donors.

Many independent or third-party candidates fund their campaigns on their own. Take, for instance, Mike Ter Maat, a Libertarian candidate running for president. He has attended almost every Libertarian state convention. It is highly unlikely that Ter Maat received a huge donation from corporations such as Raytheon or Lockheed to pay for his campaign. Instead, he most likely paid for his airfare and expenses out of his own pocket.

I acknowledge and appreciate the passion of both progressives and conservatives, but it is important to remember that what unites us is our shared identity as Americans. In our country, we have the freedom to debate and disagree without fear of violence or persecution. For instance, during the Rage Against the War Machine Rally in Washington, D.C., I witnessed individuals from various political backgrounds, including Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Anarchists, Communists, and Trump Supporters, come together to voice their concerns. Unfortunately, the corporate media and party bosses attempted to misrepresent the event as a pro-Putin, anti-Ukraine rally. Despite their efforts, our voices could not be silenced, thanks to social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Rumble, and Tucker Carlson. We must remember that our forefathers fought to give us the right to speak freely and openly express our opinions.

We have a responsibility to our forefathers to support candidates who pledge to enact laws that would ban corporations and lobbyists from gifting money to politicians and political candidates, as well as laws that would prevent individuals from working on campaigns if they have previously worked for or interned at lobbying firms within the last five years. In addition, we must pass legislation to eliminate super PACs. It’s time to put an end to the practice of corporations using their vast resources to buy influence with elected officials. We need to clean up our political system in Washington, D.C. and state capitals across the country. This will not happen if we continue to vote for candidates selected by the Republican and Democratic party bosses.

Finally, we need to elect officials who prioritize the needs of the American people over the interests of their biggest donors. It’s time to focus on critical issues like education, infrastructure, healthcare, and stabilizing the American economy instead of passing bills packed with pork that only benefit wealthy donors. We must ensure that the people’s voices are heard and represented in our democratic republic, rather than the interests of a few powerful individuals or corporations. This is the United States of America, not the United States of Soros or Lockheed.

The opinions shared here do not necessarily represent the official position of the Libertarian Party. These editorial articles have been submitted by Libertarians across the country, and featuring these topics does not represent an endorsement of the content therein.

The opinions shared here do not necessarily represent the official position of the Libertarian Party. These editorial articles have been submitted by Libertarians across the country, and featuring these topics does not represent an endorsement of the content therein.