Mike Miles for Congress

If I bother to vote, it will be a) against all incumbents, for reasons stated here, and b) for peace candidates only.

In the absence of Libertarian candidates, it is tempting not to vote at all. But it may be worthwhile to register and show up at the polls to vote for someone like the Green Party's Mike Miles of Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District.

Yes, on some of the issues Miles isn't very good. Hey, he's a Green! But there are reasons to support him. The first is, Democrat Congressman David Obey needs a slap in the face and a kick in the groin. After Miles got 26,000 votes in the 2004 race, Obey retaliated by authoring a bill that would effectively ban third parties. Obey believes he is entitled to his office and takes incumbency for granted. He's part of the problem, not the solution.

Furthermore, Miles

- is anti-war.
- would repeal the Patriot Act and presumably other recent assaults on civil liberties.
- would legalize industrial hemp.
- wants to stop the U.S. printing of "counterfeit money;" i.e., he seems to understand the nature of our monetary fraud.
- would attack the Pentagon's budget.
- says he's for less government (aside from huge health and education entitlements, I suppose).

In any case, this years' election is a referendum on war, civil liberties, and the performance of Congress. I believe far-right paleo-conservative, Constitution Party types, far-left Greens, and Libertarians have much in common on these pressing issues. If your preferred third party isn't on the ballot, it is worth considering voting for another one. Although I'm rooting for the Democrats overall so that we get divided government, voting for a third party will send a stronger message. Especially if you live in a "safe" district, now's the best time to use your vote to protest the system.