Don't Waste Your Vote on Bush in New York
By William Francis Mangieri

The likelihood of President Bush achieving the winner-take-all electoral vote in the State of New York is less than hopeful at best. A recent Marist College poll suggested the race in New York is a bit closer since the April presidential poll was conducted, but among our state's registered voters Kerry receives 48% of the vote compared with 40% for President Bush.

Interest in this presidential campaign is strong in New York. About 79% of register voters in New York express an interest in the election; this is 13 points higher than it was this time four years ago. The Democrats outnumber Republicans five to three in this state and seem to be more energized to get the vote out on Election Day. The Democratic Party nominated an international socialist, who dishonored his country after his service in the Vietnam War and has supported every tenet of the left-wing agenda ever since. The liberal philosophy is based on emotion not reason --- and for this reason we have a highly charged, well organized segment of our state's electorate bent on unseating the incumbent by any means necessary.

Once again many of us feel we are presented with the "lesser of two evils." Do we support a President who has lead a destructive neo-conservative agenda remarkably resembling big-government liberal ideals? Or do we accept that in New York State at this present time we can make a principled decision without worrying that we are helping the worst of the two evils succeed?

Remember folks, it's a winner-take-all electoral system. Bush may win some counties in this state, but the heavily populated urban centers will predominately vote for their fellow emotional basket-case. The numbers for the lesser evil are simply not there.

There are two third-party candidates on the New York State ballot that are worth our principled support. Michael Peroutka, www.peroutka2004.com , the Constitution Party candidate and Michael Badnarik, http://badnarik.org , the Libertarian Party nominee are on the ballot in New York. Both parties worked hard to get the necessary independent nominating petitions signed in order to qualify to be on the state ballot. Both parties convened their own conventions without any taxpayer dollars. Their prospective grassroots activists pounded the pavement in order to field their candidates in as many states as possible knowing full well that they would be a mere blip on the political radar screen amongst the congested Republican and Democratic mafia duopoly.

People I know ask me my opinion about the election. I tell them, "I'm not going to vote for him but I hope George W. Bush wins." Yes, I'm again stuck in the middle of the two evils. I know my third-party choice cannot win right now, won't even come close. But I'm comfortable with my decision to vote on principle because I live in a state that will almost certainly vote for more evil. I guess I would have a different opinion if I lived in Florida or Ohio.

So if you're an old right conservative or a classical libertarian like me struggling with the "lesser of the two evils" dilemma during this election season, remember a principled vote will always be the right vote even when we know evil will prevail, because evil has no real power and the good and just will ultimately be victorious.