The Fallacy of the “Wasted” Vote Theory

Many a Libertarian has no doubt heard the “wasted vote theory” when talking to those still invested in the two party system about the Libertarian Party and third parties in general. Despite being a completely absurd and fallacious argument, it appears to hold weight among those who so often use it against anyone who doesn’t identify themselves as either an “R” or a “D”. For those of you who do not know what I am speaking about, the wasted vote theory, of course, is the idea that by voting for a third party, you are “throwing your vote away”, or, as many conservatives would have you believe, that “a vote for a third party is a vote for the Democrats”.

Neither of those two absurd assertions are true, regardless of how many times they are repeated through the mainstream media or echo throughout the solemn halls of Congress. Voting for a third party is the only way to free America from the two party system that is strangling our country to death, burdening us with an utterly impossible national debt to pay off, skyrocketing crime and illegal immigration, and military adventurism across the globe. The fact is, the men behind the curtain pulling the strings of our political duopoly do not want you to break free from the chains of the two party system and find true freedom.

There are more than two parties in America. In fact, there are several dozen, ranging from the Communist Party USA to the Pot Party to the Patriot Party. Now, if the two major parties, the Republican and Democrat Parties, who have held power for about two centuries, are failing to do their duties to the American people as the parties in charge of this country, it is only logical that the American people would start to look elsewhere for new ideals and political leadership. It is wholly illogical to continue to choose the two same options over and over, hoping for a different outcome, when history has shown that you will only continue to get the same mediocre leadership over and over again.  Indeed, many people would say that that fits the definition of insanity.

Therefore, the only “wasted vote” is one cast for either of the two major parties. A vote cast for a third party would neither be wasted nor foolish. Instead, it would be one more vote towards freedom – true freedom, free of the left-right paradigm and the two-party system. But even if it were a wasted vote, which it is not, would voting for a different party for once in your life really be that big of a deal? Would the sky fall because you cast a vote for the LP? No, of course not. After all, as they say, you can’t knock it if you haven’t tried it. We do know this much – neither the Democrats or Republicans are working for the American people anymore. So why not give another party a chance? If they fail, we can simply kick them out of office in four years. But can’t we at least give them a chance to prove whether they can lead or not? We’ll never know if they can lead effectively or not if we don’t give them a chance to. God knows the D’s and R’s have had their chances.

So next time you are confronted with the ballot, why not check off the box next to the Libertarian candidate? Really, what have you got to lose? Nothing. Yet, if the Libertarian wins, you have the world to gain. You have only your shackles to lose. The only wasted vote is the one that is not cast for Liberty.

-Alexander J. Massa, Columnist – Project Shining City (ProjectShiningCity.org)

Liberty & The Non-Aggression Principle

Not many of us have heard of the non-aggression principle, but it is fairly straightforward and self-explanatory. The non-aggression principle is a principle held by most, if not all Libertarians, and it is an essential element of contemporary Libertarian thought and doctrine. What, exactly, does non-aggression mean? Other than the obvious physical aspects of non-aggression, Libertarians believe in civil rights and liberties (non-aggression against individuals and their rights), Capitalism and economic rights (non-aggression against property), and a Jeffersonian foreign policy (friendship with all nations; non-aggression against other sovereign nations without due cause). These three beliefs come together to form the non-aggression principle, an essential pillar of Libertarian ideology.

No free society can exist if the liberties of its people are not vigilantly guarded and kept secure. When liberty falls, democracy falls with it, ushering in totalitarianism and thuggery. We as Libertarians support non-aggression against the rights of the people. No government truly representative of the people would ever attack it’s own constituents and strip them of their liberties. Doing so would be a betrayal of the people, the rightful employers of the government, and the backbone of this nation. Besides the moral and ethical argument for non-aggression, there are real economic benefits to it.

For example, if the disastrous War on Drugs were called off today, we would save untold millions, enabling the government to lower taxes and streamline itself, thus eliminating at least some corruption and waste. This, clearly, is a desirable situation. The people would be free to, in the privacy of their own homes, smoke marijuana, which many people do already in defiance of the law, and the American people would not be forced to spend millions, if not billions of dollars, to stop them. This would also end the paramilitary style SWAT drug raids on residential homes with small children inside, which are downright wrong and shameful.

We as Libertarians also believe in the sanctity and inviolability of private property and the economic rights of the people to enjoy a free market and take part in a Capitalist economy. Governmental aggression against the property of the people is tantamount to murdering them. Unjust actions that destroy the livelihood of the people should be treated as treason; actions such as eminent domain fit the description quite nicely. Government theft from the people, be it through confiscation or collectivization of property, or undue taxation, cannot and must not be tolerated. It is a crime against the people and is no better than physical violence against them. It is just as violent as murder, it is simply veiled. Such actions against the people cannot be tolerated. As citizens of a free society, they have a right to private property and to do with their property what they see fit.

Also, the non-aggression principle extends to our relations with foreign powers. We should not act militarily aggressive towards other nations unless we have express reason to do so: we are under attack or are on the verge of being attacked. America is a Republic, not an Empire. We do not wage bloody wars of conquest. Rather, we wage wars to defend our sacred Republic from foreign invaders. America, as Jefferson so eloquently stated, should “[have] commerce with all nations, alliance[s] with none”. America should be a friend to all nations, and not get involved in the age old bloody quarrels of the Old World. And for those who bemoan “isolationism”, they should read a history book. Isolationism (non-interventionism, really) worked well for America up until the Spanish-American War. For those who says that it does not work, history would show the opposite to be true.

The non-aggression principle would work well in government, and it did in this country for quite a long time, until the Progressives dismantled it. Let us bring it back to Washington, and restore peace and prosperity to this great nation of ours. America was never meant to be bogged down in imperial wars or to shred the Constitution and do away with the rights of it’s citizens. Let’s work together, young and old, to make America the “shining city upon a hill” once more. It can be done, and with your help, we can make that dream a reality. The non-aggression principle would be the perfect vehicle to bring us to such a reality.

-Alexander J. Massa, Columnist – Project Shining City (ProjectShiningCity.org)

Rob McNealy Speaking to Liberty on the Rocks

I was recently invited to speak at Liberty on the Rocks in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was a great group of liberty minded folks and I really had a great time.