The American public isn’t happy with their options, 55 percent of Americans are unsatisfied with Hillary Clinton being the Democratic nominee, and 61 percent of voters are unhappy with Donald Trump being the nominee for the GOP. Over half the voters believe that the party nominees are unqualified to be the leader of this nation. Instead of voting for the “lesser of two evils,” former Governors Gary Johnson (New Mexico) and Bill Weld (Massachusetts) are giving the people another option. The Libertarian nominees believe that the country should have a voice, not be held hostage to a dual party system.
Governors Bill Weld and Gary Johnson at the Libertarian Convention in Orlando, FL. www.examiner.com
For many third party candidates, earning the nomination is only the first hurdle they face. The numerous third parties that exist in our political system (Libertarian, Green, Constitution, Independent, Communism, Justice, and Socialist Action parties just to name a few) are supported few and far between with most going unknown by the majority of Americans. Most third parties do not have ballot access in the general election, the reason being only a minuscule fraction of voters claim loyalty to a third party. However, the name Gary Johnson will be on every ballot in all 50 states this year.
In the general election, only two people are allowed to spar in presidential debates; the Democratic nominee, and the Republican nominee, however there is a loophole. If 15 percent of support is given to another party, that party then has the right to debate in the big leagues. According to recent polls by Fox News and NBC News, the Johnson-Weld ticket has already captured ten percent of the vote. All they need is five percent more to earn their stardom in the limelight.
The Never-Trump and Anti-Clinton movements are looking for any way to cut down their respective party's nominee, and the Libertarian ticket may just be the tool they are looking for. The voters don’t take third parties seriously, because they have such a small following that it feels like the voter is throwing away his or her vote, but if somehow Johnson manages to obtain the extra five percent he needs, a flood of voters could potentially come his way. Democrats who are pro-choice and for marijuana legalization as well as Republicans who are believers in smaller government and right to have firearms can all come together to vote for the Libertarian candidates.
If the Libertarians play their cards right, we could be seeing another race similar to that of 1992 Independent Ross Perot or 2000 Green Party nominee Ralph Nader. Neither of these men won their races, but the old saying says that the third time's the charm.
The party leaders and general public are very alike in this election, both are seeking another option for the highest office in the United States. They both are wondering how we got to this point, and why these are our only viable options. Johnson and Weld have challenged that logic and are bringing a new perspective to the 2016 election.
