If you are considering voting for Obama as the lesser of two evils then I respectfully suggest you reconsider exactly how bad the Democratic Party has to be before you abandon support. Please consider the areas below.

Civil Rights – http://newprogs.org/blog/2011/11/09/civil-rights-under-democraticrepublican-uni-party

Economy – http://newprogs.org/blog/2011/11/10/economy-under-democraticrepublican-uni-party

Economic Graphs – http://newprogs.org/blog/2012/03/02/economic-graphs

Education – http://newprogs.org/blog/2012/01/14/education-under-democraticrepublican-uni-party

Environment – http://newprogs.org/blog/2011/11/08/environment-under-democraticrepublican-uni-party

Health Care – http://newprogs.org/blog/2012/04/03/health-care-under-democraticrepublican-uniparty

Transparency – http://newprogs.org/blog/2012/02/27/transparency-under-democraticrepublican-uni-party

Unions –  http://newprogs.org/blog/2012/02/05/unions-under-democraticrepublican-uni-party

War – http://newprogs.org/blog/2011/11/11/wars-under-democraticrepublican-uni-party

Whistleblowers – http://newprogs.org/blog/2011/11/09/whistleblowers-under-democraticrepublican-uni-party

What does it take to win as a third party progressive? One does not have to occupy the White House to win, though the Democratic and Republican Party as well as the Canadian New Democratic Party started from scratch. When third parties start to win a substantial portion of the vote the main parties adopt out of necessity.

What percentage do we need to gain victories? Remember the attention Perot got when his support went from six to ten percent? The early Progressive Era never had more than 18% of the vote nationally, but look at the changes it caused. Third Parties were largely responsible for banking reform, labor laws, women’s suffrage, direct election of senators, the progressive income tax, and other advances we take for granted today. Further, one progressive does not have to get the total vote. If Stein, Anderson, and the Socialist Candidate together got a combined 5% of the vote, it would be a good basis for change. Ten percent would give us unquestioned power in elections which can be won with less than one percent of the vote.

What worries me is progressives are spending more time and passion destroying each other’s candidates than opposing the duopoly which got us into this mess. This only encourages others to rely on the two party system. I truly get that many – including myself – have had bad experiences with the Green Party. I get that there are reservations about Rocky Anderson’s timing, seeking of America Elects support, and support of a balanced budget. I get that there are reservations about a Socialist Party ever winning anything because of its name. All of those sins and shortcomings, however, fall far short of what the democratic-republican Uniparty has done. (See the above ten articles and 500 references for lots of examples.)

By all means let us discuss why we like our favorite Third Party candidate for president or any other office. Criticism of other third party candidates is certainly appropriate and justified, but please don’t lose perspective and view them as the enemy instead of the two party duopoly. After November 6, 2012, we need to all work together and use the total votes all candidates received as a basis for moving forward. Let us remember and convey the only wasted votes are those for the democratic-republican Uniparty.