So now what for Colorado?

[-DJ-]

This quote from a RMN Editorial by Mike Rosen sums it up well for me (the Party Trumps Person piece can be found in the link below):

"That's the way the process works. Does this mean that in our two-party system it comes down to choosing between the lesser of evils? Exactly! If we had 300 million custom-tailored minor parties, everyone could find his perfect match. But that's not practical. You can be a purist and cast your vote symbolically with a fringe party, or be a player and settle for the least imperfect of the Republican or Democrat alternatives."

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/new...trumps-person/

[Milt]

'The lesser of two evils' is still evil; why on earth would anyone choose evil?

The 'party trumps person' idea only makes a difference if that party is guided by firmly held principles; lacking that condition, the 'right wing' Republican Party remains simply one wing of a predatory bird - and we are the prey. We need to stop cooperating with the predators' plans for our demise.

I am not about to 'settle' for more evil being rammed down my throat by a 'less imperfect' political whore. I can think of perhaps one or two politicians that I would trust to be alone in my house for five minutes - why the hell would I be stupid enough to trust any of the others to protect my Liberty?

We are losing our Liberty precisely because we accept unprincipled 'leaders' and lack the courage of our own convictions. We continue to vote for a party that has a history of 'compromise' and outright sell-out, deluding ourselves into thinking that such cowardice will make any positive difference. Hint: you only have the rights you are willing to defend, by ANY principled (zero aggression, but NOT zero force) means required. 'Compromise' is just another way to say, 'defeat.'

[-DJ-]

'The lesser of two evils' is still evil; why on earth would anyone choose evil?

The 'party trumps person' idea only makes a difference if that party is guided by firmly held principles; lacking that condition, the 'right wing' Republican Party remains simply one wing of a predatory bird - and we are the prey. We need to stop cooperating with the predators' plans for our demise.

I am not about to 'settle' for more evil being rammed down my throat by a 'less imperfect' political whore. I can think of perhaps one or two politicians that I would trust to be alone in my house for five minutes - why the hell would I be stupid enough to trust any of the others to protect my Liberty?

We are losing our Liberty precisely because we accept unprincipled 'leaders' and lack the courage of our own convictions. We continue to vote for a party that has a history of 'compromise' and outright sell-out, deluding ourselves into thinking that such cowardice will make any positive difference. Hint: you only have the rights you are willing to defend, by ANY principled (zero aggression, but NOT zero force) means required. 'Compromise' is just another way to say, 'defeat.'

Milt,

I believe you have an idealized view of how politics works in the execution of policy and legislation. Evil is not a literal word here, it just means no one of the two parties are perfect in their embodiment of ideals and values for all members. What your idea of perfect is, is most likely not what my idea of perfect is. We live in an imperfect system because it attempts to corral all views into two parties that are ideologically different.

The reality is the system works within the limits of the two parties. If you want to see an agenda advanced, the only way to do so effectively is to work within that system. I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying it's the way it is.

I was very involved with assisting the Republicans in our legislature this year when it came to the gun bills. I left disappointed, but feeling that my party represented me and gun owning citizens in this state to the best of their numbers and ability. Had their numbers been different, the result would have been different. The way to accomplish this is to vote in to power the party that has a chance to do something. This party is the Republican party.

Many gun owners have turned into single issue voters. That singular view means that they must vote Republican if they want to put into power the people least likely to take their rights away.

If voting L makes me feel good when I cast my ballot, but gets my guns restricted by taking votes away from a pro gun Republican; what have I accomplished?

[Milt]

"(T)he execution of policy and legislation" usually (nearly always) involves the large-scale violation of rights by those doing the execution. Naturally, being an idealistic fellow, I do not take an idealistic view of how politics 'works' - I am instead revolted by the whole corrupt process.

"Evil is not a literal word here..." Actually, the evil is literal, in my considered opinion. You are the sole owner of yourself and of the fruits of your labor/creativity. NO ONE has a legitimate claim on you or yours outside of legitimate tort (you harmed another person against their will) or voluntarily accepted contractual obligations (you received value according to a mutual agreement and are now obligated to perform your part of said agreement). To execute/enforce a claim outside of those relationships is a form of evil; we commonly call it theft or robbery. To forcibly deprive a person of the means by which they might protect themselves from 'official' thuggery or from the free-lance variety is also evil. Your precious Republicans enthusiastically participate in both of those clearly evil endeavors.

"The way to accomplish this is to vote in to power the party that has a chance to do something." Even if the Republicans were not evil, the majority of the electorate now benefits in some tangible way from government theft and transfer programs. They most assuredly will not vote themselves off the dole and dependency. The victim-disarmament stuff is simply part of the overall program of dependency. It really makes NO difference, in the long run, whether you vote D or R. Remember that your rights are inherent in your nature as a human being - they most assuredly are NOT subject to a vote.

"If voting L makes me feel good when I cast my ballot, but gets my guns restricted by taking votes away from a pro gun Republican; what have I accomplished?"

You don't, "get my guns restricted" by voting for or against any political scumbag. You allow your guns (or any other right) to be restricted/infringed by failing to defend those rights through integrity-driven action - "Come and take them." Until Liberty (the government fears the citizens) replaces tyranny (the citizens fear the government), this crap will only get worse. The people must, once again, teach our would-be masters to fear us. At this late juncture, civil disobedience (with teeth) is the only way to deliver that lesson. Unfortunately, I find that the great majority of my 'fellow travelers' lack the courage of their so-called convictions. If you are not willing to risk 'conviction', you can make no real contribution to winning this fight.

[Goodburbon]

Milt,

I believe you have an idealized view of how politics works in the execution of policy and legislation. Evil is not a literal word here, it just means no one of the two parties are perfect in their embodiment of ideals and values for all members. What your idea of perfect is, is most likely not what my idea of perfect is. We live in an imperfect system because it attempts to corral all views into two parties that are ideologically different.

The reality is the system works within the limits of the two parties. If you want to see an agenda advanced, the only way to do so effectively is to work within that system. I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying it's the way it is.

I was very involved with assisting the Republicans in our legislature this year when it came to the gun bills. I left disappointed, but feeling that my party represented me and gun owning citizens in this state to the best of their numbers and ability. Had their numbers been different, the result would have been different. The way to accomplish this is to vote in to power the party that has a chance to do something. This party is the Republican party.

Many gun owners have turned into single issue voters. That singular view means that they must vote Republican if they want to put into power the people least likely to take their rights away.

If voting L makes me feel good when I cast my ballot, but gets my guns restricted by taking votes away from a pro gun Republican; what have I accomplished?

The problem lies in the fact that the two parties are not ideologically different. Both believe they can legislate their values onto you. They may have differing views on which value to legislate, and which way they may force the decision. i.e. gay marriage, environmental requirements for your car, guns, abortions...Make no mistake, they are two heads of the same snake, and both evil.

[Goodburbon]

People who have decided that there is no way out, that we can ONLY CHOOSE A OR B and convince all their friends of the same are why and how this system is perpetuated

There are turds in the bowl that everyone clings to because people insist that turds are the only things that float..