(From the October 18th  edition of the Las Vegas Penny Press)

Republicans these days must feel like Rodney Dangerfield. But it’s their
own fault.
The party of Lincoln sure has gone far afield of it’s founders. So much
so that even the most faithful question what their party stands for.
Big government, limited government, lower taxes, higher taxes, balanced
budget, interventionist, non-interventionist...
The answer depends on the day.
Republicans who in the past made a great deal of inroads in the body
politic by focusing on the inconsistency of the Democrat’s positions are
themselves spending more and more time in the “Waffle House”.
The electability of candidates these days should be focused on their
ability to be consistent on the issues. This immediately eliminates most of
the front runners of both parties. Sorry Hillary, Rudy, Mitt, Barack, John,
but even though you may win your party’s nomination, the chances of your
election are slim to none. An effectively run campaign could knock any of
you out.
Consistency is the key. Here is where a third party could actually have
a chance to win, given the way the 2008 election is set to play out.
Here’s what we know for sure:
All of the states are maneuvering for their primaries to be up front
in 2008. This virtually assures that there will be a nominee in both the
Republican and Democratic primaries by February 2008. Everyone in the
Republican and Democratic parties believe this to be a good thing, as it will
give them plenty of time to heal and consolidate their power bases in time
for the November election. They believe that time is their friend.
There will be huge media pushes from both sides to promote their party
as the American people’s “last best hope”.
There will be massive pushes on Talk Radio and the mainstream media
to tear down both candidates as ineffective and spotlight their failures, all
in an attempt to create a disinterested public and as dismal a turnout as in
2000.
We’re already seeing discrediting campaigns against the major candidates
(the Giuliani/McCain tag team assaults against Mitt Romney and the
questioning of why Ron Paul is even a candidate in the Republican Party)
with more to come in the next 13 months.
Here’s what I believe:
That long time between the primaries and the “anointing” of the candidates
will totally work to their disadvantage. There will be more character
destruction than positive image building. And if you loved the Swift Boat
scandal and the National Guard mess, you’ll truly love what the spinmeisters
have in store for 2008.
If we really do see a Giuliani/McCain and Clinton/Obama race in 2008,
rest assured, that election is a choice between Cyanide and Anti-freeze.
Both will kill you, given enough time.
The real answer is in the candidates that “don’t have a chance”. The best
of the lot is one of the most effective in raising small amounts of money, and
has a solid core of grass roots support.
Ron Paul.
I know, some of you are upset in hearing about Paul, because you keep
getting told that he’s “unelectable”.
Guess what, so are the majority of the candidates in the race, including
most of the top tier candidates.
Some of you are buying the line that he’s “out of step” with the mainstream
Republican party.
I would argue that both the Republican and Democratic parties are out
of touch with their constituencies.
Republicans as long as I can remember were for smaller government,
lower taxes, minimal interventionism in international affairs, and a strong
national defense.
Democrats were always for cradle-to-grave hand holding, higher taxes
on the wealthy, handouts to foreign governments and a minimal national
defense.
Now honestly, the lines are so blurred on the truly important issues that
there is no significant difference.
Both are offering significant handouts to the American people in
attempts to buy their votes. Both parties are straying far from the constitution
to keep their constituencies in their camps.
Paul is the exception.
A “Fair Tax” supporter, Paul is walking the walk and talking the talk of
a Libertarian, which I think we sure could use about now. Getting the sucklers
off the government teat would go a long way toward re-establishing a
brand more important than the Democratic or Republican parties.
It’s called America.
A land of opportunity, where anyone could be elected to high office, not
just the “anointed” favorites of the media and political elite. A land where
the constitution is the rule of law, not the “Golden” rule (He who has the
most gold, rules).
A land where people have the opportunity to succeed based on their
desires and ability, not on their political connections or ethnic background.
A land where “Equal Opportunity” isn’t just a buzzword for racial favoritism
based on past inequities, real or perceived, but a land where all Americans
are truly equal.
For Americans to have all their freedoms, they must exercise that right
regularly. They cannot shirk their responsibilities at the polls.
But more importantly, they cannot listen to the mainstream on one very
important point.
They are told that if they vote for anyone other than the “anointed” front
runners, they are wasting their votes.
The only wasted votes in any campaign are those cast for someone other
than who you think is the best candidate.
The mainstream media sunk the campaigns of Perot, Nader, and
Buchanan. They will try to sink the campaigns of anyone not fully “anointed”
by the “Gods” of the Republican or Democratic parties.
Don’t believe them.
Do the research, then vote your conscience.
Take your country back, one vote at a time.
WYATT COX
Respond to Wyatt at rant.wyattcox.net and cast your ballot for a true
America.