Below is an article published in UWeekly.com featuring coverage about PSL member and candidate for 22nd Ohio House District, Corey Ansel (far right in photo).
On Nov. 2nd, millions of Ohioans will flock to the polls and countless numbers of these voters will glide through the voting process, selecting candidates with the known words “Republican” or “Democrat” beside their name. Yet while some more independently minded voters will take the time to consider multiple options, third party candidates will most likely be overlooked.
Whether it be lack of knowledge, loyalty to a major political party or a misguided belief that third-party candidates harbor “fringe” views, these oft ignored candidates seem to make little, if any, impact on election day. UWeekly is giving three the opportunity to explain why a vote for them is not such a wasted vote after all.
Dan La Botz, Socialist Party
(candidate for United States Senate)
Dan La Botz, a resident of Cincinnati, is running on a platform that focuses on four main points: the current economic crises, the “looming environmental catastrophe,” the wars in the Middle East and equal rights for all Americans.
“We must create good jobs for all at living wages – and do it now,” said La Botz. “When private enterprise fails, the government must act.”
La Botz would propose putting idle factories to work that will produce for the green economy and employ jobless workers.
“The Republican and Democratic parties serve the big corporations – the banks, the insurance companies, the oil companies and the manufacturing companies,” said La Botz. “We cannot deal with our economic, environmental or foreign policy issues while they hold power for the corporations. Working people in our society … need their own political party. I see my Socialist Party campaign as contributing to building that working people’s party.”
La Botz argues that he is the one that can deliver on Obama’s failed promises.
“Obama excited millions of voters – and then disappointed them,” he said. “Obama and the Democratic Party have failed to live up to the idealism of those that voted for him. People who want progressive social change – an end to the wars, a healthy environment, jobs for all, single-payer healthcare – have learned that they can’t get it through the Democrats. And, of course, they already knew they couldn’t get it through the Republicans.”
David Ryon, Constitution Party
(candidate for U.S. Congress, 15th District)
A Republican congressional candidate in 2008, David Ryon will now seek office in the 15th district as a member of the Constitution Party in 2010. Ryon lost the Republican primary in 2008 to incumbent Pat Tiberi, as Ryon only gained 9.5% of the vote to Tiberi’s 90.5%.
“I finally decided to leave the Republican Party due to a comment made by GOP Chairman Michael Steele,” said Ryon, who is now an active member within the Constitution Party on both a local and national scale.
Ryon cites an article written by Joe Hallet in which the chairman was asked if there was any room for a pro-choice candidate, such as Steve Stivers, within the GOP. Steele responded by saying that there “absolutely is,” proving to be the final straw for a pro-lifer like Ryon.
“That was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Ryon. “I cannot be a member of a political party that is wishy-washy when it comes to preserving life. I will not be a member of a party that puts politics ahead of their principles.”
The main focus of Ryon’s platform will be to limit government, protect life and liberty, the elimination of unconstitutional spending, and taxes.
“We have to roll back spending in order to start paying off our $13 trillion dollar debt,” said Ryon. “We need to balance our budget by ending deficit spending with a Balanced Budget Amendment. We cannot allow the federal government to draft our young people into unconstitutional wars. We must defend the lives of the unborn. I advocate protecting our national sovereignty by protecting our borders. I support the creation of tax credits for education costs for those who attend public institutions, private institutions, or are homeschooled.”
Ryon argues that the Republican and Democratic leadership only care about winning elections, and says the party leaders do not necessarily care about what their candidates believe just as long as they win.
Corey Ansel, Green Party
(Candidate for Ohio State Representative, 22nd District)
As a 19-year-old college student, Corey Ansel is easily the youngest candidate for office. Although he is on the Green Party ballot, Ansel makes it very clear that he is campaigning as a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. His platform, which may look a little different than the platform of an actual Green Party candidate, demands socialized medicine and quality education made available for every citizen of the country.
“My campaign provides an alternative to the parties of Wall Street, war and corporations,” argued Ansel. “We realize that the system of capitalism is criminal and we fight for reforms to end oppression, exploitation and bigotry. However, the elections are not enough. What is needed is a struggle of workers and oppressed people in the streets, demanding liberation.”
Ansel believes that his age plays an important part in his election, as he has an easier time relating to young people, college students in particular.
“As a college student, I feel other students’ pain when we see tuition rise,” Ansel said. “We watch as the price of quality education rises dramatically and politicians do nothing to stop it. The youth of this nation are generally forced to work minimum wage jobs, which makes it impossible to sustain these rising costs. My campaign stands with youth in demanding the voting age be lowered to 16, the minimum wage be raised to $15 an hour and a free, quality education be made available.”
Generally, the mainstream views a vote for a third-party candidate as a wasted one. However, Ansel differs quite dramatically from this widely held belief and he claims that it is a vote for a “first-party” that is a waste.
“It’s obvious that republicans in office bring about destruction of social services and other things working people need to survive,” Ansel argues. “However, the Democratic Party is hardly to the left of the republicans. Both parties serve the interest of capitalism and the Democratic Party, which is in power, continues to break promises it made to the American people.”
For more information on Corey Ansel’s campaign, visit his Facebook page “Corey Ansel for Ohio State Representative (District 22)”
Editor’s note: Two candidates for the Libertarian Party were contacted for this story, though neither responded.
