Paul C. McKain for Congress (Florida, District 2)

In response to a number of recent questions I've received, I wanted to write again on the necessity of a third party at this time in America's history.

The Democratic Party, not the People, has been hijacked and taken to a place that I fear they may never be able to return from.  I say "I fear" - and not "I'm certain" - because a check and balance is necessary in any form of politics.  The path the Democratic Party has taken this country down more closely resembles the image of Cuba, Venezuela, and Russia than our Constitutional Republic.

The Democratic Party in Congress, under the leadership of our President, has taken over private enterprise, skirted the Constitution by appointing "czars" answering directly to the President (and of the unprecedented 38, only 8 have received Senate confirmation), taken control of the Census Bureau by putting it under Presidential control, and is now seeking to give the President power to shut down the Internet at his discretion - and I haven't even tapped the surface of bills that have been passed into law that are absolutely unconstitutional.

The Republican Party, on the other hand - not the People - has traded its sacred honor and principles for numbers - voting numbers and monetary numbers.

I was a strong supporter of Ronald Reagan.  He stepped in and took the reins of the limp-wristed Carted administration, and gave the country what it needed.  He lowered taxes, which increased public spending, which created jobs, and thereby naturally brought more money into government coffers.  Employment, which suffered under Carter, thrived under his successor Reagan.  

Carter's unemployment was [6.7%] and he also raised unemployment, although to a lesser degree than did Bush. Reagan had the second highest unemployment rate, but he also reduced unemployment more than any other president, 2.3 percentage points. ("An Economic Record of Presidential Performance," USPolicy.com)

The strength of our nation, which was diminished by Carter, was reestablished by Reagan.  The Republican Party has its playbook - but today, refuses to follow it.

Some people say we must save the Republican Party from within, by staying in the party and making it strong. I have not been happy with the party after Reagan but stayed on to try and bring it back from its degrading path.  I stayed in the party right up until they turned on Sarah Palin after the election.  It is too late to stay in the party to correct it.  The party absolutely needs to be strong again but it cannot be done from within - there must be enough pressure from without, that they have no choice but to fold, or go back to their roots.

Recently there has been an increase of politicians leaving their party and joining the opposing party. Sen. Arlen Specter (PA) switched to Democrat in April 2009, Rep. Parker Griffith (AL) switched to GOP just last month - things have certainly been stirred up in the legislative branch, but what does this mean?  Individual politicians are questioning their values as it relates to their political party - or that when it comes down to it, there's not much different between the two main political parties?

The reason this country is in dire need of a third party is to bring true conservative principles back to this nation. No one third party is necessary. Any number of third parties will do as long as the candidates stand firm on their principles, and return the government back to the American People, as designed by our founders. The two conventional parties need to see real Americans running for and attaining office on the principles each of the parties used to embrace at one time during their evolution.

I plan on doing just that! The government will be returned to the people here in Florida's panhandle, and then the rest of the country. We will lead by example and the country will respond in kind, then the GOP will sit up and see that the People demand a government by, for, and of the People...not the Party. This will be the saving grace of the Republican Party. This will be their wakeup call, and if not already too late, maybe even the Democratic Party's.