There are a lot of things. A lot of things, A LOT of things, that bother me about this election. I could easily post blog after blog about my feelings on a great number of issues. I'll spare you though. I'll refrain from sharing my thoughts and feelings on all of those other topics, but I can't this one.

The topic I'm going to address in this blog, I cannot be quiet about it. I feel too strongly about it. Too passionate.

I hate being controlled by fear. I hate fear manipulating, controlling and owning its environment. I hate how weak and pathetic hope was in this election. I became utterly disgusted with the Republican party 10 years ago and while I'm not as disgusted with the Democratic party, I became pretty disgusted with them over the past two years. Avarice is God in a war for power wrapped up in disingenuous insincerity and lies.

I know people who voted for Trump and I know people who voted for Hillary. I know a lot more people who voted AGAINST Hillary or AGAINST Trump.

I watched friends and family who were passionate about Gary Johnson, had signs in their yards for Gary Johnson, posted meme after meme on their facebook/twitter in support of Gary Johnson, who would have loved Gary Johnson over Trump....Vote for Donald Trump because they feared a Hillary Clinton presidency that much.

I watched friends and family who were passionate about Jill Stein, had signs in their yards for Jill Stein, posted meme after meme on their facebook/twitter in support of Jill Stein, who would have loved Jill Stein over Hillary.....Vote for Hillary Clinton because they feared a Donald Trump presidency that much.

And I hate that.

I HATE IT.

It has turned me off from politics so much that I am done. I've been an avid follower, I've studied politics since I was old enough to vote. Even a little before then. I care about people. I care about issues. I care about liberty. I care about rights. I care about equality. I have not become apathetic to these issues.  However, I cannot waste precious time or energy if efforts are as much moot from the very beginning as they are they are in the finish. If the Miss America judges have already decided weeks in advance who will get the crown, and who will be the queen, then I see no point in the speech, the make up or even walking out their in the first place.

Only one thing is going to make me care about the 2020 election or any election after that.

Can a third party member, some one that may be sincere and genuine, or at least different from the manure we call Republicans and Democrats actually stand a chance?

Gary Johnson - Jill Stein - Why didn't they this time?

Fear? Without a doubt yes. I'd say that makes up 80% of it or more.

Apathy? This most certainly has a lot to do with it. Republicans would find that they have a lot in common with Johnson and other Libertarians. Yet, they have been voting Republican for years and they know where Republican candidates stand on the issues. It doesn't require any research or studying. Getting to know Johnson would take work and they're too lazy to do that.

Democrats would find that they have a lot in common with Stein and other Green Party members. Yet, they have been voting Democrat for years and they know where Democratic candidates stand on the issues. It doesn't require any research or studying. Getting to know Stein would take work and they're too lazy to do that.

Yet can fear and doubt solely take the blame for why a Johnson or Stein presidency stood no chance?

What do Republicans stand to lose by voting for Johnson? (Libertarian)

What do Democrats stand to lose by voting for Stein?  (Green Party)

Now I'm not saying that I cannot find fault in Libertarians. I do not view them as perfect or impeccable. I don't agree with where they stand on the retirement age, corporations, or their strong belief in the privatization of schools.

HOWEVER....

In many ways Libertarians are everything I like about conservatives and they are minus a lot of what I hate about conservatives.  Like conservatives they have similar ideas on balancing the budget, opening up the market, and staying out of your wallet and your bank account as much as possible. They believe in a person's right to own and bear arms and that healthcare is better controlled if not in the hands of the federal government. Their ideas on national security, more similar to conservative than they are to liberal.

So that's why a conservative might vote Libertarian.

And here's why they wouldn't...

Libertarians believe strongly in personal liberty. They do not favor Christianity over any other religions. To them a Muslim man who abides by the laws of the country and contributes, is as every bit as good as a Christian man who does the same. They believe in equality, rights and liberty for homosexuals. Gay marriage and gay adoption would remain and remain protected under a Libertarian administration. They oppose the death penalty and they think the war on drugs and the fact that marijuana is illegal to be even more asinine and ridiculous than many liberals do. While they oppose the government providing money for abortions, they do support a woman's right to choose.

So is it plausible to see conservatives become more and more libertarian as the years go by? The issue of abortion I think will be the biggest obstacle. However, young conservatives aren't nearly as staunch about religion as are the older ones. Younger conservatives resemble the paragraph I wrote earlier on comparisons to libertarians. They care about those issues and they aren't all hung up on being anti-anyone who isn't Christian, anti-homosexuals or the "let's demonize marijuana" band wagon.

So I'm not holding my breath, but I think that there may be hope.


As for the Green Party, I think it will take more education and exposure for Democrats step off the Donkey and into the grass.

Why would a Democrat vote Green Party?

Because the similarities are pretty big. They believe in a woman's right to choose an abortion. They're against the abuses distributed by Wall Street, Wal-Mart and other multi-billion dollar organizations. They oppose the power of the 1%. They are anti death penalty and they oppose the war on drugs. They believe strongly in education and the fight against poverty. They are friends of the LGBT community. They oppose NAFTA. They want to strengthen social security.

Why a Democrat would not vote Green Party?

They are not as strict on their gun control policies as Democrats. They opposed Obamacare and are proponents of single payer healthcare. And most of all, the Democratic party as much as they try and fool you into believing otherwise, loves money and power every bit as much as the Republicans do. And they'll do their best to convince you that Green Party ideas are Utopian, unrealistic and that there is no way a Green Party member could ever win.

So is their hope? Again not holding my breath but I think the possibility remains. It would require letting go of the security blanket that fear provides and taking a risk. It would require getting out of the comfort zone of what you already know, and having to go out and study and discover uncharted lands and unfamiliar territory.

Most likely in 2020, Libertarians, Green Party Members and other third party candidates will stand no more of a chance in the presidential election than they did last night.  However, as disengaged as I am at the moment, I can't help but be optimistic to at least hope.

Hoping for hope.

Now that's a slogan.