Wednesday, December 27, 2000

Is a third political party viable in this day and age? Can it make a difference? More importantly, is it worth the time, effort, hassle and expense?

Those questions and more are facing members of the fledgling Georgia Freedom Party these days. No doubt, we are at a crossroads.

Do we continue down this path in pursuit of a true conservative party, a home for the politically homeless, as Reform Party presidential candidate Pat Buchanan said in Long Beach, Calif., during his acceptance speech? Or do we abandon the field to the Democrats and Republicans, the two major parties with not a dime's worth of difference between them, as old George Wallace was fond of saying?

Something is happening in politics today. Change is in the offing. People are longing for leaders with courage and vision. You saw it with Ross Perot and Jesse Ventura. It didn't materialize during the last presidential race, although Ralph Nader appeared to be on the verge of something big.

Nonetheless, people are searching for alternatives. They are longing for them. It is our challenge to deliver these refreshing candidates and their revolutionary ideas to voters.

The undercurrent is already in place. Much like the geological phenomenon known as plate tectonics that causes earthquakes, we are on the verge of something similar in politics. Call it state tectonics.

The Democrats have abandoned their left flank by moving so far to the center. The Green Party and Ralph Nader are poised to fill that vacuum.

The same on the right. Republicans have abandoned conservatives and we must grab them. How?

First, we must run candidates for local offices city council, county commission, state representative. Wins on this level lets people know we're serious when we run for state and national offices.

Second, we must grow the party, particularly at the city and county level. Our goal by this time next year is to have a chairman in each of the 159 counties in the state.

Last, we must identify and promote issues that put America First. This litany of unconstitutional moves that sacrifices our national sovereignty for some far-fetched idea of a global utopia must be halted. The line is drawn.

We won't stand for any more international trade deals that penalize hard-working Americans and benefit multi-national corporations whose only allegiance is to the bottom line of their financial ledger.

No longer will we allow our borders to remain unguarded, permitting millions of illegal immigrants to pour into our country, sapping our social and educational resources and threatening our way of life.

No longer will we send our precious sons and daughters to far-flung areas around the world to settle age-old, regional disputes and in the process cause ill will toward America and foster terrorist retaliations.

As Pat Buchanan said, and I attempt to paraphrase, I am not a citizen of the world. I am an American, and I want my state and national leaders to put America First.

I watched each of the presidential debates closely and I didn't hear any mention of these issues. Instead, I heard big-government solutions advocated for every real and imagined ill in America. Heck, big government can't do well what it has taken on already. Why would we want it to do more?

Here in Georgia, a grass-roots movement is afoot. The Georgia Freedom Party was formed last March to promote issues such as these, to run like-minded candidates for local, state and national offices, and to give Georgians a true conservative alternative to the traditional two political parties that have marched lockstep together toward this New World Order.

I ask you to join our cause, become active in our party and help us bring this New World Order crashing down.

Steve Corrigan

Georgia Freedom Party

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