Category: myThoughts

Its been a long time since I’ve actively used this blog. But I’m still here. Most of my non-work related online time is spent on facebook. I’ve changed a lot of my views over the years and there is a tendency to remove old content that I’ve created that I no longer believe or agree with. I’ve decided not to do that.

We don’t get to erase our past. We don’t get to undo our actions. Even if I could remove the posts and facebook updates and emails and IMs and  text messages that I’ve sent over the years, I can’t undo the impact I’ve had on people with those communications. I’m not suggesting that any of my prior communications require apologizes however I have changed and evolved my thinking on politics, social issues, and even my faith (still Christian).

I believe those changes are typical of the human experience. As we age, we find ourselves examining our assumptions and our thoughts from our youth. The one reflection I have been rolling over in my mind lately is how the digital age has made the documentation of those changes common place for many more people than ever before.

I believe more people interact on social sites like facebook than previously kept journals or diaries. And having those thoughts made public, interactive even – impacts the content creator’s thoughts in a way a personal diary never could have. What impact does that have on us?

Its been said that youth is wasted on the young. Anyone my age certainly begins to understand that phrase in ways we never could in our twenty’s. Our experiences shape us and now due to social media, our inner thoughts are no longer alone, but joined with hundreds, thousands, even millions of others. Can social media have a disruptive effect on the natural process of acquiring wisdom through time and experience?

And when I say disruptive – I don’t mean it negatively (or positively). If you change the course of a river, that is disruptive to the natural order, but depending on that change, the results could be fantastic or tragic.

Has social media changed you? Have you ever deleted content you created because you no longer think as you did when you created it?

The country is ready for a third party and I believe that is the Libertarian Party – but if they don’t stop the current course, they aren’t going to be the party they can be!

My strategy is simple – Give up the short game for a longer term plan. Stop trying to win an election that you know you won’t win. Instead win over significant portions of the popular vote in a manner that clearly doesn’t change the current election results.

GET OUT OF THE SWING STATES!

Get out NOW! Look, people want a third party but simply don’t believe a third party can win. So when Ross Perot takes enough votes from George H. W. Bush to cost him the election and Ralph Nadar takes enough to cost Al Gore the same spot  – people get angry.

If the Libertarian Party is going to be America’s preferred 3rd option – they have to win the public first, then they can win elections

Every year I hear people tell me that I’m throwing my vote away because I’m voting third party. Every year someone gets actually upset at me because “people like me” are going to “give” the election to the other guy.

If the Libertarian Party is going to be America’s preferred 3rd option – they have to win the public first, then they can win elections. There are so many states where pulling a significant amount of votes won’t change the presidential election results but would change the public’s opinion on the ability of a Libertarian to win.

As long as people feel like voting 3rd party will put the greater of two evils in office, 3rd party candidates cannot win.

Go BIG in BIG states other candidates have secured

States like California, New York, Texas have large populations and the goal is to gain enough of the popular vote to get the nations attention.

In a Red state, I would run ads that talk about issues that matter to the Blue voters (and vice versa for Blue states and Red voters). Use what’s already in the mind of the population anyway by running slogans like “If you vote Blue in this Red state, you are throwing away your vote! Vote Libertarian instead!” and “Sick of the two party system?  Then opt out, vote Libertarian!”. My personal favorite, “Voting for the lessor of two evils, is still voting for evil! Vote Libertarian instead!”

Go BIGGER in SMALL states other candidates have ignored

We won’t win the next election cycle – but we could win a few states. States like Alaska and North Dakota, South Dakota, and New Hampshire don’t get the attention of the other two because even in a swing state, these places just don’t have enough electoral votes to matter. But winning a few states would matter a great deal to the Libertarian party.

Ok guys – This is it! I’m proud of what I did here – but feel free to call my baby ugly if you disagree. I can’t get better without constructive and valid criticism!

The recording starts about 15 seconds into the set – you only miss me telling them that Sackrider is my real last name and that I got called a lot of names growing up…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZC8tU796zs