Letter: Dump the two-party system

Considering Congress has the lowest approval rating ever and the number of registered independent/decline to state is accelerating, why would anyone keep voting for major party candidates?

Both the Tea Party and Occupy movements express overwhelming disgust at the political establishment. So why aren't alterative party candidates emerging as viable?

As Richard Winger documents at Ballot Access News, unfair election laws hinder alternative parties. For instance, California's new "top two" general election will likely eliminate alternative parties' chances to win.

Additionally, both mainstream media and independent media do not report on alternative parties much. Whenever alternatives are mentioned it's usually in a derogatory context with labels like "underdog," "spoiler," and "long-shot," conditioning people to fear them.

Republican and Democrat friends express "throw the election to the worse candidate" fears when I ask why they keep voting for them. This is a demented abuser-victim mentality where the victim (the voter) is too afraid to leave unaware of better options.

If you're a liberal, why not vote for the Green or Peace & Freedom parties? If libertarian, why not the Libertarian Party? If conservative, why not the Constitution Party or American Independent Party (not to be confused with being an independent voter)?

Now is a great time to harness Tea Party and Occupy energy to create a movement focused on the advancement of all alterative parties by combating unfair election laws and media blackout.

It's time to dump the two-party system.

Jeff Girard

Olivehurst