SAN ANGELO, Texas I have voted in every election since I was old enough. I have served as precinct election judge for 20 some years. Now what I am suggesting may seem contrary, but do not vote in this primary! I wont. <\/p>\n
It is not I dont care. Bear with me here. I finally became sufficiently disgusted with the Republican Party I took off to the Libertarians. When you register to vote in Texas, you do not register by party. You only affiliate by the act of selecting the ballot of a party. <\/p>\n
If one votes in the primary, one effectively has affiliated for the next two years. I will not be voting so that I can be part of the Libertarian Convention process. <\/p>\n
Unlike the major parties, Libertarians nominate by convention. Were I to vote in the primary, I would be ineligible to participate in that convention. In that I am treasurer\/secretary of the local Libertarian Party and a member of its state rules committee, that would be embarrassing. <\/p>\n
If you find todays fighting over the scraps politics distasteful, and polling shows many of us do, consider the Libertarian alternative. <\/p>\n
Many people I talk with tell me, Yes I like the ideas, but you cant win. I am realist enough to know this. We Libertarians are not going to sweep into Congress this election, or the next, but it has to start somewhere. <\/p>\n
I remember when the Texas primary was effectively the election, and whoever won the Democratic Primary was assured election. That ended with Queen Ann, the Democrats last gasp; Lord a mercy she was a speaker Id put her up against William Jennings Bryan, but I digress. Not a bad governor, by the way. <\/p>\n
Republicans? Who cared, they didnt matter. <\/p>\n
I did not leave the Republican Party lightly. I had some clout there, enough that major players spoke to me with respect. It was not an easy decision, and I knew I was starting a long trail on untested ground. I will tell you this, I sleep better. I am supporting something I actually believe. <\/p>\n
The Libertarian precinct conventions will be at 7:30 p.m. on March 11 at Hildalgos Cafe on Sherwood Way. I can pretty much promise that anyone attending will become a delegate to our county convention, also at Hildalgos, at 7:30 p.m. on March 15. Pretty short step from there to the state convention in Temple, where the fun starts. <\/p>\n
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Here is the original post:<\/p>\n
JIM RYAN: If you're a Libertarian, skip the primaries<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" SAN ANGELO, Texas I have voted in every election since I was old enough. I have served as precinct election judge for 20 some years. Continue reading