Libertarian Gubernatorial Candidate Comments on Tancredo’s Entry in the Race
July 29, 2010
(Centennial) – As a Libertarian candidate for governor in Colorado, I have watched with amusement and wonder at the hand wringing that Republicans have gone through over the past two weeks with the entry of Tom Tancredo in the governor’s race.
Republicans have come out of the woodwork to condemn Tancredo for “splitting the vote”, being a “spoiler” or “wasting your vote”. As a Libertarian, we are typically painted with those descriptions, whether it is the perceived taking of votes from Republicans or Democrats.
The old saying “if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got” applies here. People ought to vote for the best candidate, regardless of party affiliation.
To address this issue, Libertarians have been promoting awareness of “approval voting”. Approval voting allows you to vote for multiple candidates. The candidate with the most votes wins. Pretty simple. This method allows you to vote for your favorite candidate, but also vote for the other “lesser of the evils” if you think that you could prevent the worst candidates from winning.
The whole issue of Tancredo in this race would be a moot point for the Republicans, with approval voting. Plurality voting splits the vote of similar ideologies. Approval voting would encourage the nearly 50% of eligible voters who don’t bother voting because the two parties do not represent them.
For more information on approval voting, you can visit:
Tancredo can only raise the level of the Governor debate, which I welcome with open arms.
For folks wanting to concentrate on the issues, my campaign remains focused on the following:
End the fighting amongst ourselves and learn to grow. Colorado can become a top producer with hemp combined with ending the violation of civil liberty, state sovereignty and individual rights known as the Drug War. Colorado needs fewer laws, not more prisons. Coloradan’s have a Constitutional right to marijuana as medicine and therefore a US 10th Amendment right to create value through agriculture. We have tri-partisan support. Legalizing industrial hemp is a no-brainer. Creating jobs and innovation begins with production. Land, Labor, Capital…Environment, Energy, Enterprise. Our own policies are standing in our way.
I favor a balanced budget funded only through sales tax.
Victimless Crimes; lowest priority
Force and Fraud; highest priority
Solve Immigration
End Income Taxation
and the Drug War Invasion
Accountability, Credibility, Transparency
For more information on Jaimes Brown, visit his web site at:
www.JaimesBrown.com