LETTER: No one should be forced to choose

Alexander Pikelis

Creston

In my studious perusal of June Bower’s latest screed (re: third parties) I discover that she tends to be rather selective of facts and even altering some as well.

Third parties essentially divide into three categories: 1. the great man, (Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party of 1912.) 2. the great cause such as prohibition, Socialism and especially anti-slavery movement (the Republican Party of 1856 actually begas as a third-party drawing equal support away from the Whigs and Democrats) 3. the needed protest in which the pertinent issues of the day were blatantly ignored by the major parties (Perot’s deficit mantra of 1992).

Speaking of 2000, Al Gore lost the election primarily due to his abject failure to win his home state of Tennessee which would have then, if won, made Florida irrelevant. His personal pomposity also precluded an earnest meeting with Ralph Nader who wanted to resolve differences and to avoid an independent candidacy. (see Nader’s book “Crashing the Party”)

I should mention, as June failed to do, that Joe Biden’s narrow margins in three critical states, Wisconsin, Arizona and Georgia, was due to Libertarian Jo Jorgensen drawing votes away from Donald Trump (not wishing here to nickel and dime details which can be readily found in the FEC official 2020 tabulations). The important point being that the impact of third parties works either way - good or worse according to one’s inclinations.

For quite some time I have personally advocated for alternative choices as a citizen’s inherent right to vote for their particular desired agenda whenever it is ignored or not addressed. It is truly a matter of honest and heartfelt principle. Their fault of omission lies with the major parties and they have suffered for their callous apathy.

Closing in a lighter vein, no one should be forced to choose only between Coke or Pepsi.