Voting Libertarian

When I voted this morning, I decided to do something that I normally don't do. I decided to use my vote as a protest against the two party system. Now had I been in a swing state, you can be sure I would have cast my ballot for McCain/Palin. But since I live in California which Obama is going to win handily, I decided to vote for the Libertarian candidate, Bob Barr. I do not expect him to win.

I'm going to be hoping and praying for McCain to win tonight. The last thing I want is a liberal Democratic Congress with no checks on them from the White House. Yes, the economy might restrain their spending in the short term but there is plenty of other things they can screw up - like card check for unions, judicial appointments where the judges don't feel bound by the limits of the Constitution, unilaterally withdrawing from Iraq or simply cutting off the funding, etc. You get the picture.

However, I feel that the Republican party has forgotten its small government principles over the last 8 years. And it seems that they never met a spending bill that they didn't like during the time they controlled Congress and the White House. On the other hand, it seems that the Democrats have forgotten their foreign policy credentials since the Jimmy Carter administration. I have a theory that since the Vietnam War occurred under a Democratic Administration and it basically caused the downfall of that administration, the Democratic Party as a whole is fearful of becoming militarily involved in any conflict. In fact, what was President Clinton's policy in Bosnia? No troops, only bombs.

So, given the fact that I think the two party system is in need of repair, I voted Libertarian. Will the politicians get the message? Only time will tell.