meaningful political debate

Conspicuously absent from the U.S.A. political debates beginning on Wednesday are the many other candidates for president. The whole thing is framed as Obama-vs-Romney, and my opinion of the American political process sinks a little lower. I doubt that it helps at all, but I found it satisfying anyway, to sign the petition to have the Commission On Presidential Debates include other candidates.

I encourage everyone to consider third-party candidates. While the Republocrats broadcast their entertainment on Wednesday night, Democracy Now will simultaneously broadcast a debate between two other candidates. That's the only one that I will be hearing. Political Compass published their opinion of the 2012 election which matches my own. Basically, the U.S.A. has become a plutocracy, and meaningful democratic process has nearly ended.

I had intended to write a long blog post detailing why I will not be voting for Obama or Romney in this election, but the Miami Herald (on Obama) and Fareed Zakaria (on Romney) point out why some of my biggest complaints about these candidates are more complicated than I want them to be. The political parties themselves are organized to perpetuate their own existence, and democratic principles be damned.  For the record, I think that Republicans are much, much worse than Democrats in this problem.  The important point, though, is that I simply don't want the lesser of two evils.  I want a good option.

I want a new Constitutional Convention. Failing to get that level of change, I want renewed emphasis on actual political choices.

I'm nearly certain that I will vote for Jill Stein for president on November 6th. I hope that you will consider a third-party candidate too.