Last Wednesday, presidential candidate Mitt Romney and incumbent president Barack Obama came head to head in Denver Colorado for the first of this year’s presidential debates.
Noticeably absent was Libertarian presidential candidate Governor Gary Johnson and other third party candidates. Johnson fired back with an anti-trust law suit claiming that the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention are conspiring together to suppress trade to exclude third party candidates in nationally televised debates. This means that the RNC and the DNC are working together to edge out third parties, limiting the American people to two choices for president.
Few people know about third party candidates, which isn’t completely advertising’s fault. However, the monopoly that the “main” parties hold over what gets displayed in the media does affect the greater masses of people who don’t take it upon themselves to do their own research.
If Romney’s four years as governor gives him a ticket to be a presidential debate dance why don’t Gary Johnson’s eight?
There are 387 options for something as petty as brands of cereal available in the Unites States. The average family will purchase at least 17 different brands. Why is something so important like the US political system dominated by only two parties?
Third party candidates should be able to represent themselves during the Presidential debates. Even though most people know who they will vote for, many would still like to know what the other candidates’ views are.
Americans welcome new ideas. Third parties are not getting their fair “shake” in advertising or publicity. Johnson’s law suit gives an equal chance and opportunity to publicly vocalize their views. The American people are not fools. They can handle more than two options for president. In this economy maybe another option is necessary.
