Nevada’s caucuses, part 2

The minor parties will not caucus like the Republicans and Democrats, but they will still host nominating conventions and contests to select their presidential nominees.

The Libertarian Party national convention will be in Las Vegas, May 2-6. The presumed Libertarian nominee is Gary Johnson, www.garyjohnson2012.com, who initially entered the presidential race as a Republican. Johnson served as the 29th governor of New Mexico and is known for his low-tax, libertarian-leaning views. Johnson used his veto power more than 200 times during his first six months in office, earning him the nickname “Governor Veto.” His 1998 reelection bid found similar success, winning a second term with 55 percent of the vote. Johnson’s biggest issues during that term were school voucher reform and the decriminalization of marijuana. A staunch advocate for smaller government, Johnson’s anti-tax, anti-bureaucracy stances made him one of the most veto-happy governors in the nation.

The Green Party has two candidates who have declared candidacies: Massachusetts physician Jill Stein, www.jillstein.org, a former candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 and 2010, and Ken Mesplay, www.mesplay.org, who also sought the Green Party presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.

As always, there is much speculation as to whether some of the major-party candidates will run either on a third-party platform or as independents. Ron Paul instantly comes to mind, but at this juncture, he is still seeking the Republican nomination. Other people who may seek an independent bid for the presidency include billionaire real estate developer and television personality Donald Trump and actress Roseanne Barr, who endeavors to start her own political party called the Green Tea Party.

In other news, the latest flash in the pan seeking the Republican nomination is social conservative loudmouth D-lister Rick Santorum, carrying the mantle after fellow social conservatives Michelle Bachmann and Rick Perry also rose and fell. Judging by the fiery rhetoric of those who propelled Santorum into relevance, portions of the electorate want to return America to some sort of mythical greatness. Apparently, they want to protect what they feel is best by selecting someone who is a relentless complainer about the way things are done in non-flyover country, who barnstorms about a few wedge issues and wants to punish the rest of the civilized world for not returning to some straight-laced Victorian utopia where women have handmaidens to string their corsets, and men preach against hymnicide.

Personally, I don’t believe in big government in the name of Jesus. I happen to subscribe to the radical belief that the women and the gays are full-fledged American citizens, deserving all the rights afforded by the Constitution, and by the way, birth control is not a “license to do stuff.”

This is why the nomination process, however flawed, is so important. Everyone’s favorite contrarian, Ron Paul, still maintains a presence on the radar, and this cements the fact that many Republicans still want to win in November. Ideology doesn’t trump all, no matter how pure it may be. No matter what the party activists may tell you, beating President Obama in November is, by a smidge, still the goal.

From here, we see the conundrum—the Republican base wants an infallible conservative pedigree over anything else including the money, the infrastructure, the marketability or the cojones to win an election. The Republican pragmatists want to send President Obama, Democratic control of Washington, and their favorite boogeyman, Obamacare, off into historical oblivion. In case any of you are wondering on which side I fall, I will refer you to my previous writings about She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and her Hindenburg of a Senate campaign against Harry Reid.

Let’s put Nevada back on the map. The third parties have a place at the table, and it’s important to participate in their processes as well. Go to your caucus or nominating convention and make your voice heard.