Not Boxed In in the Ballot Box

Alfred J. Lang’s recommendation that Libertarians vote for Bob Dole (Orange County Voices, Oct. 13) flies in the face of the principles that are the foundation of democratic voting and reform-minded activism.

Lang blames himself for electing President Clinton, [saying] his third-party vote was a mistake when it wasn’t cast for Bush. Then, as repentance for his succumbing to the 1992 propaganda that votes against the status quo are wasted, he proclaims “a fact” that Clinton and Dole are the only possible products of this election’s political machine.

First, a single vote does not an election make. If millions of voters had not committed the collective mistake of validating the “wasted vote” propaganda and had instead voted for the presidential candidate they wanted, Ross Perot would have won the 1992 popular vote with a plurality of 36%.

Why should the two dinosaur parties and the careerists our system sustains ever reform if they can count on voters surrendering in despair in the last month of our servants’ terms.

The vote is supposed to be the people’s clearest communication to the government. An election at a time, the electorate should vote its conscience, reflecting on the government it received over the last term. When the big parties are successful in rigging debates, contributions and media reports in their favor, the electorate should use its primary tool, the ballot box, to eradicate that mistake. Elections should elevate the American way, not reduce the ballot to a $2 bet.

RAYMOND O. MILLS

Chairman, Reform Party

of Greater Orange County