Gary Johnson 2012: Vote For a Presidential Candidate You Actually Believe In

In reading article after article about Gary Johnson and his run for presidency, it never fails that someone will leave the standard "a vote for X is a vote for Y" comment. Either that, or "a vote for X is a wasted vote." Well, I see it the other way around. Comments such as these are simply scare tactics to keep a 3rd party candidate from garnering support.

If I wanted to waste a vote, I would vote for someone I didn't fully believe in. For me (and many others), that would mean voting for someone who doesn't want to make any real changes to the way this country is run. Two candidates fall under this category in this election: Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. A large majority of people seem to think that Obama and Romney are the only candidates in the race this year, and that's exactly what you're supposed to think.

It should be no secret that the entire political system in this country is rigged to not actually work for the people or offer opportunity for change. It's been this way for a long time, but more and more people are realizing it. Especially after the shenanigans at the Republic National Convention last month. (This also happened at the DNC but the RNC move actually had a direct effect on the candidacy.) People are starting to see this two party system for the sham that it is. The people really have no control over who is elected. Sure, we cast our votes, but in the end we're usually voting for about the same thing no matter which box we check on the ballot.

Free-thinking Americans are starting to get fed up with the system and it's about time we start to move toward change. Or should we wait until the economy completely folds as the deficit gets larger and larger? I hope that people will take a fresh look at their options this election and really vote for whom they feel best fits with their stance on the issues. (You can find the answer to that question by taking a quiz; you may be surprised by the outcome.)

Talk about the issues with your friends and family, and talk about who you think will actually try to fix the country's problems. Your political views don't have to be private. The point is, instead of wasting your vote on the lesser of two evils (who would vote for evil?), vote for the man who has an actual plan to fix the deficit and return actual freedom to Americans.

I hope you'll join me in supporting and voting for Gary Johnson in November, or you can vote for the same-old-same-old and we can remain the laughing stock of the world.

For more information:

- Take the Presidential Election Quiz at I Side With

- Learn more about Gary Johnson and his stances at his campaign website.