The Best You Can Do in This Election
By Donna J. Warren

When a system fails at every turn, the best you can do is tear the system down and build it again. Government auditors give this advice to defense contractors making billion dollar weapon systems for the United States government, and this is the advice this former DoD (Department of Defense) auditor gives to the American people -

Tear down the U.S. electoral system which limits elections to two parties and build a multi-party system to allow electoral institutions and electoral forms to follow the one-person one-vote rule.

The current two party system opposes free elections and forces people to vote for the candidate of the Republican Party's or the Democratic Party's choice. This elitist system continues to deny independent and third party candidates a place on the ballot, and betrays youth, communities of color, and the world who overwhelmingly oppose Bush and would support Independent Candidate Ralph Nader, the only proven candidate for civil liberties and against the war in Iraq, if they could.

How can the American people tear the system down in this election year? Simple, vote for Nader and watch the malfunctioning U.S. electoral system tumble down.

When I reviewed contractor systems for multi-billion dollar government contracts, my customer, the contracting officer (CO) understood that a broken system negatively impacted government contracts, delivering inferior products at overpriced prices. It was therefore my job to ensure that the system was adequate to reasonably assure proper pricing, administration, and settlement of Government contracts in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Our electoral system is like that broken contractor system but this time the customer is the voter who pays for inferior democracy with our liberty.

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch" Benjamin Franklin told us while "Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the voteĻ

My job as an auditor was to ensure that the "system" was adequate so the Government wouldn't be screwed; it is our jobs as citizens to ensure the system of democracy is adequate so the people don't get screwed.

"But if I vote for Nader", many terrified of another four years of Bush ask, "won't I elect George Bush?"

No, I don't think so! Bush will be elected with or without your vote because he will steal the election or declare Martial Law if you don't willingly give him your vote. George W. Bush is a thief!

But a thief, you may argue, can't steal when he's being watched.

I'm sorry but the Democrats must keep their promises to their corporate paymasters and keep a broken system going. In the election of 2000, the Democrats stood idly by while 90,000 Floridian voters were denied their right to vote. With very few exceptions, the Democrats will not protect your vote.

The Democrats made the monster George Bush! If not, how else could he destroy our lives while the Democrats stand and applaud as Bush delivers lie after lie after lie.

Like the liberals in Germany who opened the door and formally let Adolph Hitler into power, the Democrats welcome fascism by condemning Ralph Nader and third parties, telling the people not to vote for the only voices who oppose fascism.

The Democrats voted overwhelmingly for the Patriot Act, NAFTA, the invasion of Iraq, the bombing of Afghanistan, the bombing of a Sudanese pharmaceutical plant, and the right-wing government of Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon. And the Democrats have yet to call for the impeachment of George W. Bush for the forced removal of democratically elected Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide.

NAFTA is destroying the American labor force and dumping environmental hazards and slave conditions on the World. Senator John Kerry, the man Democrats want us to rally behind, voted for NAFTA. Kerry pushed for most-favored nation trading status for China, despite China's repression of unions and pro-democracy activists. And despite its ability to overrule national legislation to protect consumers and the environment, Kerry voted to bring the United States into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Kerry supported the current Bush Administration's invasion of Iraq and in 1998, called on the Clinton Administration to launch air and missile strikes against Iraq in order to "end Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs". That Iraq had already ended such programs some years earlier was irrelevant.

Kerry supports the right-wing government of Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, sending billions of dollars to support the convicted murderer's occupation and colonization of Palestinian lands and backing Sharon's policies of utilizing death squads against suspected Palestinian militants while opposing the Palestinians' very right to statehood.

In the eyes of many peace and human rights advocates, Kerry's contempt for human rights, international law, arms control, and the United Nations is unforgivable.

The Democrats believe however that the nomination of Kerry will increase their party's chances of capturing the White House. But in all likelihood, it will do the opposite - for every hawk who might now consider voting for the Democratic ticket, there will be at least one dove who will now be more likely to vote for Ralph Nader.

Thomas Paine said in the 1700's "If there must be trouble let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." Nader and the Green Party are voices taking on the trouble of our day so that we and future generations may have peace.

And this is the best we can hope for, not four more years of Bush but the people tearing down the U.S. electoral system and building it again but this time without the racist electoral college, this time without privilege for rich white men, this time with one-person one-vote for everybody.

Donna J. Warren, is a director with the national board of Pacifica Radio, a certified government financial manager, a former Department of Defense auditor, and a former Green Party candidate for Lt. Governor of California. She may be reached at cottry@sbcglobal.net.