The So-called Spoiler Issue: Democrats have only themselves to blame if they lose votes to other parties

author : Aaron Dixon topic : Aaron Dixon | Green Party

by Aaron Dixon

It's been suggested by supporters of my opponents that a vote for me is either pointless or amounts to a vote for another candidate, and that voting for anyone who isn't a Democrat or a Republican is immoral. I disagree.

Neither of my opponents represents our interests. Both support continuing the war and occupation of Iraq, even though 64 percent of Washingtonians agree with my call for an end to the war. Both of my opponents agree on issue after issue, whether it is support for the destructive and racist war on drugs, or support for a Patriot Act that shreds our civil liberties. The simple fact is that neither candidate represents the interests of the American people.

Voting for them sends the message that they can keep taking your votes for granted, and you won't hold them responsible for their constant betrayals. "Lesser evil" voting has gotten us to where we are at today. Politicians don't listen to voters because we've taught them that they don't need to. The question is, how bad will we allow them to get?

When anti-war voters fell for the "anybody but Bush" arguments of 2004, the Democratic Party felt safe to nominate John Kerry, a pro-war hawk. Every vote that anti-war voters gave to Kerry weakened the effectiveness of the peace movement, at a cost we continue to bear today. A vote for me sends the message that Washington won't tolerate candidates that support a continuation of this senseless and bloody war. The thousands who vote for my candidacy will send a clear message that the Democratic Party cannot afford to continue to ignore the anti-war movement.

But more importantly, a vote for my candidacy is about building a movement and a political party powered and led by working people for the benefit of working people. No matter what the final vote count in this race is, it will be the launching point for bigger and better progressive Green campaigns in the future.

It's important and telling to realize that most social justice advances that we now consider the bare minimum for a decent society were introduced by third parties. Whether it was women getting the right to vote, the abolition of slavery, ending child labor, the establishment of social security or the minimum wage, it was the third parties like the Liberty Party, the Populist Party, the Socialist Party and the Progressive Party that led the charge for these reforms. When these parties won thousands of votes for their principles and positions, the Democrats and Republicans were forced to adopt their agendas.

All we are asking for is a fair playing field. If Republicans and Democrats want to beat us, or eliminate our influence, then they have to offer candidates that voters can support, and take stands that voters agree with. They have only themselves to blame if they lose votes to other parties. I challenge Sen. Cantwell and Mike McGavick to take positions that the people of Washington support.

Losing in slow motion is still losing. The real wasted vote is the one you cast for someone you don't believe in.