Thus saieth columnist Lane Filler July 4:

You can only change the Democrats and Republicans by defeating them.

 

The game is rigged.

 

Third parties must pursue guerrilla politics. The major parties, private organizations that by rights should be treated like the Greens, Libertarians, or even the Rent is Too Damn High Party in New York City, for that matter, have made themselves departments of the government, and gotten that government to pay a lot of their bills…

 

If everyone who abhors the coziness of politicians and big-money contributors and the shared corruptions of the Republicans and Democrats refused to vote for a major party, the total numbers would shock. And in the following election, when people saw the way the tide was pulling, they’d be even higher.

 

If change is what you want, you can’t keep voting for the status quo when November rolls around.

 

As things stand right now, the third-party votes — no matter which off-brand ticket they go to — are the only ballots that won’t be wasted.

Couldn’t have said it better myself, though, Lord knows, I’ve tried — many times: March 7, 2012; July 20, 2010; May 21, 2010; for starters. Hate to be a nag, but the message needs to get through. A vote for either major party is a vote for tyranny.