I couldn’t wait to take part in my first election. Growing up, I often accompanied dad to the voting booth and even occasionally pushed the lever.

My time to vote finally arrived and I thought I was well acquainted with my role in the booth. Yet, I had no clue about the people for whom I was voting. Needless to say, I don’t remember who got my first votes in 1994.

In 1996 I covered the election for my college television show, ASU-TV. I got the opportunity to wait with the candidates as votes were counted at the courthouse and then join them afterward for the watch parties at the hotel for the state and national elections.

Most everybody I knew, except for one goof, was a Democrat so naturally I voted mostly Democrat, except for President and I voted for some third party guy named Phillips.

After realizing the perilous danger spending was putting our nation in, I became captivated by the contract with America. I voted Republican in 1998, 2000, 2002 believing that GOP control of Congress and the White House would result in decreased spending. Newt and Dubya were good at selling, but bad at delivery!

Disenchanted with the spending Republicans and socialist Democrats I voted for the lesser of two evils in 2004, 2006, and 2008. However, something changed in 2004. I met a man named Jim Holt who ran as a Republican, but had the support of a group called the Constitution Party.

Admittedly I had a scant memory of the little public school education I had received on the Constitution, so I began to study. I comprehended the fact that the Federal government I saw in the news was nothing like what the Constitution described.

Our founding fathers gave us a Republic. Our Federal government has been prostituted for political benefit. Republicans spent like crazy when they controlled Congress. The Democrats use that as an excuse to spend even more now that they are in control. Very little of this spending is constitutionally authorized!

Americans deserve the Republic their fathers left them. Not the Oligarchy the Republicrats are building for the financial elite.

In this way Political parties are a lot like Christian denominations. They divide us on issues that aren’t essential. Non-essentials seem to keep the full power of the Christian church divided while Satan runs amok in our world.

Non-essentials likewise keep the full power of the American people divided while sinister forces are dismantling the nation we love. By non-essentials I mean non-Constitutional…those things that the Federal government does outside of the authority of the constitution.

On this note, a preacher was talking about Christian denominations. He said that when Christians get together they first have to identify themselves as Baptist, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, etc. He then asked, why can’t we say, “I’m just a Christian, a Christ follower”?

Have you noticed the latest poll numbers on party identification? I’ll use Rasmussen Reports April 2009 polling because it shows the highest number for both parties. Rasmussen’s polling shows 38.7% Democrat and 32.6% Republican. Do you happen to notice that these don’t add up to 100%?

Nearly one-third of the national viewpoint goes unrepresented in the beltway. And they wonder why voter turnout is so low? When voters can’t identify with the candidates, they will stay home.

Who are the other 28.7% that claim no identification with Democrats or Republicans?

As one of them, I’ll say that, “I’m just an American, a Constitution follower!”

So we must ask the honest question: How do we get the ‘just Americans’ involved in the election process?

I believe the main issue for them is choice. Our illegitimate two-party system disenfranchises them. It isn’t for lack of common thought, but rather for lack of opportunity. Restrictive laws prevent Americans from getting to honestly evaluate other viewpoints on how Federal government should operate.

Let’s remove the restrictive laws and see what happens when people have the choice. The Republicrats inhibit the ability of third parties and independents to organize through the unnecessary laws they’ve passed to prevent them from doing so.

Of course, the Republicrats would argue that the laws protect the legitimacy of the ballot. Unfortunately, they don’t tell you that they didn’t have to clear the same hurdles when they organized. As usual, those in power keep their power by passing laws to prevent others from encroaching on their power.

Third parties and independents are a threat to the Republicrat establishment. Republicans know this all too well, themselves being a third party response to the failures of the Whig Party in the mid-to-late 1800’s. Have you ever heard of Abraham Lincoln?

Republicans have the most to loose today. Rush Limbaugh is pleading with his listeners to avoid the temptation of joining third parties. He knows, as well as do Republicans, the fear of replacement. The same circumstances that lead to their power will now take them from power.

If you really want a choice this election then support a third party. We know that at least a third of the country wants something different. So why don’t say it with me?

“I am not a Republican or a Democrat, I am just an American!”

Restoring the Republic

Mark “True Patriot” West