I used to feel guilty about the infrequency of my blog entries. Then lately, with all the entries detailing the final stages of transforming four years of effort into a finished work, I felt I might be over-blogging (new term I invented). Today, I noticed that it has been nine days since the last entry. Nine days-- where did they go? I posted two entries that day. Maybe that's why it seemed the entries were closer together.
So today (another today), I began questioning thinking that anybody would be interested in reading these chronicles of my publication preparation. But (sorry Freddie), I plan to document the process in the bog, and some writers might benefit from the info, some others might find humor in the writing, as well as those who find it boring or egotistical. (Yeah, I know I said bog instead of blog. I started to correct it, but decided to leave it just for you. You . . . Yes, you! I'm talking to
you.)
This rather long entry will reduce the number of pointers I put in fB, twitter and Linkedin. That is, since I have got you here, I might as well try to take maximum advantage of it. The actual content of the post follows. A "Preface" is tentative. It might not make it into the book, in which case you can consider it one more blurb that's available for marketing material, another bit to familiarize the potential reader with what's inside.
Preface
All
political parties in the United States, except Republican and Democrat, are
designated third parties. Political
cynicism in the country would prompt citizens to support a third party
candidate for President, except for the fact that only Republican and Democrat
nominees can possibly win.
It
is extremely difficult for any other party to mount a credible challenge. The
Electoral College process, procedures for getting on the ballot, taking part in
debates and receiving government campaign funds, all favor the two major
parties. In addition, other parties rarely have large statewide organizations.
They have less expertise in running campaigns. They get less media coverage. Since they are not already in power and are less
well known, they find it harder to raise money and, because extraordinarily
large sums are needed to compete in U.S. nationwide races, they have to spend
more time fundraising than campaigning.
However,
third parties can produce dramatic results. Their candidates can be spoilers. In a close presidential
election, they can take away enough votes from a major-party candidate to cause
him to lose. It has happened several times in U.S. history.
The problems of
America in the early 21st century—the economy, unemployment,
national debt—were not caused by the President, nor were they the
responsibility of the electorate, although many blamed the President and many
blamed the citizenry, the voters who elected him. The problem was much deeper and far more serious than the
President, who is a mere symptom of what ails the country.
The
trouble is the politicians. The politicians are the Republicans and the
Democrats, from whose ranks will be selected the nominees for the Office of
President of the United States, one of whom will win and become President.
America will elect a President who is either a Republican or a Democrat. That
is the only choice, and will remain the only choice for as long as these two
parties are the only ones who can possibly win. Both parties will feed the
voters lies and deceit, and will promulgate the illusion that their party will
eliminate corruption, solve everybody’s problems and make all things better.
Wake
up, America! Only a revolution can
change the state of our federal government. Nothing short of revolution could
unseat the corruption of the entrenched two party system.
A
new party encourages such a revolution. As inconceivable as it may seem, RockParty proposes to show, as its
solitary purpose, that a third party
candidate can be elected President. The structure and platform of the new party
will allow the American people to believe, in this modern era, that they still
have the power to revolt.
