Kyle Robisch missed the very point of voting in a constitutional republic in his Tuesday editorial titled "Libertarian candidate has no chance."
Deep in the throes of his logical fallacies, he manages to provide insight into the dysfunctional two-party system that has most Americans feeling frustrated and disgusted with politics.
Politics is not gambling - it is not about picking the winner. It is about finding and supporting the candidate who best represents your views.
The "no chance" argument fails to explain why voting for someone who shares none of your convictions is a valid choice while, conversely, voting for a third-party candidate who shares most of your values is not a valid choice.
As Jesse Ventura recently said at Rep. Ron Paul's Rally for the Republic, "Voting is voting your heart and voting your conscience. And when you do that, don't ever, ever let a Democrat or a Republican tell you you've wasted your vote. In fact, the fact is, if you don't vote your heart and conscience, then you have wasted your vote."
Robisch's analysis fails to compute many significant variables that distinguish this election year from every other.
The most significant of these was the dark horse candidacy of Paul - a Republican - whose libertarian views have fractured the GOP to the extent that he even held his Rally for the Republic opposite the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn.
Paul received a massive wave of support during his run, and it continues to grow.
The 1.2 million patriots who voted for Paul are looking for a pro-liberty candidate to support, and they won't find one in McCain or Obama. Not to mention the 67 percent of Americans who, according to a Zogby poll, are "dissatisfied with the Democrat-versus-Republican dominated system." In the 2008 presidential race, those of us who find the idea of voting for McCain or Obama equally deplorable can find solace in the idea that we will not sanction either of these two agents of the status quo with our votes.
As much as they speak of change, all we can expect from a "McBama" administration is more war, more destruction of our civil liberties, more inflation, more debt, more executive tyranny and an utter disregard of the Constitution they are sworn to uphold.
In vivid contrast, Bob Barr stands for true change.
He fights for the restoration of our civil liberties, limited government, an end to the war, sound fiscal policy, the end of corporate subsidies, real national defense - not imperialism - and a return to the constitutional values and Bill of Rights that make our country great. Barr has the necessary principles, leadership and understanding of the Constitution for the office of the presidency and has earned my vote. He may win, or he may not, but on election day, we should be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and know that we stood for what is right.
The liberty movement does not rise and fall with one candidate. It is a revolution that fans the flames of freedom in the hearts and minds of Americans. The UF College Libertarians exist to spark those flames.
Neal Conner is President of UF College Libertarians.
