Public Discourse Statement: New Mexico - Considering Gary Johnson One of the first things I was taught growing

up was to never compromise my principles I learned about the slippery slope, to stand my ground when pressured by peers to act or think a certain way Fast forward to the 2000 Presidential election friends insisting Id wasted my vote on Ralph Nader I tell em - he was the only candidate I felt had anything worthwhile to say To make matters worse folks like me got blamed for costing Al Gore the election My response is always, The race was his to win or lose. He never said or did anything to win my vote Fast forward to the 2012 Presidential election, a friend scolds me for not voting Obama I tell her I wont compromise my principles she was pissed, I was in her house, I got up to get my coat Heading home that night I thought of my friend & understood her frustration, fear of Romney fueling her raised voice Heading home from the polls the next day I knew my candidate wouldnt win; but still knew for me - Id made the right choice The first good choice I made was to vote, a week before election day I hadnt even planned to do that I couldnt vote for the Republican or Democrat ticket Four more years of bailing out banks, Wall Street, the military trickle down policies keeping the fat cat fat Then I happened to stay in a motel in Santa Rosa, California Im the guy who doesnt have or watch t.v. so, of course, the first thing I do is turn on the cable There happened to be a 3rd-party presidential debate in progress Larry King at the moderators table I heard Jill Stein of the Green Party, Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson & 2-term New Mexican Governor Gary Johnson None of whom Id ever heard speak before Hearing them all agree that money is not speech and corporations are not people The race for president was no longer something I could, with a clean conscience, ignore As I listened to the debate I heard solutions for America I believed in, and absolutely no bullshit political spin The cherry on top - Gary Johnson declaring with conviction wasting your vote is voting for someone you dont believe in Although the candidates differed in style and policy They all opposed bank bailouts, drone strikes, the war on drugs, and National Defense Authorization Act 22 Politicians challenging government power to hold U.S. citizens indefinitely without charge Supporting one of these candidates with my vote, was something I knew was my responsibility as an American to do Over the next week I researched the candidates, it became a tough decision, but one that was mine to make I never felt I was choosing the lesser of two evils - any one of these folks as President was something I could take Most important I felt a shift in perspective - I used to consider my 3rd-party vote as a protest, voting against politicians who didnt represent my principles or point of view But by voting for someone I actually believe in - I participated in the process as its intended Sounds simple, but for the tens of millions of Americans who still dont vote, and who likely never heard a 3rd party candidate speak this concept may be something new The 2012 election is over, Obama in the Oval Office, Americans on their I-phones, Gary Johnson back home in Taos He got one million votes for 1% of the electorate Id like to see those million people form a human chain around the Capital Building in Washington Chanting we voted 3rd party on Inauguration Day - Obama would hear it his entire way home to the big White House Because the difference between mainstream politicians was only 2-percent And if the millions of Americans too cynical to vote support a 3rd party candidate instead Political Platforms will shift in favor of public health and safety - Wasted Votes will be viewed by history as votes well spent

So next time I talk politics with family & friends, Ill tell them about the 3rd party candidates I considered Ill try not to be defensive or respond in haste Then, just for fun, Ill say that unless you support bank bailouts, war, loss of civil liberties Your vote for Obama or Romney was a friggin waste C PDS-MCM 2012