Update on the Realities of the democratic process in a two party system.

As most of my readers know I recently embarked on the task of collecting the signatures of registered electors ("voters") on "Nomination Papers"; a process required by the Commonwealth in order for minor parties to gain 'ballot access' for their nominees in the November, 2004 election. The party for which I am collecting the signatures is the Constitution Party. The Constitution Party offers Pennsylvanians, and our nation, a slate of Constitutionally correct candidates who will be held accountable to their oath of office: Not their political affiliation!

I'm posting this blog to let you know what I have observed during this signature gathering process.

- The phenomena of "peer pressure" is just as prevalent in adults as it is in children.

- Many (not all) "pro-choice" abortion advocates choose (by not signing the petition) to withhold candidate choice from "pro-life" advocates.

- Most (again, not all) self-identified "Capitalists" reject the
Constitutional principles of Life, Liberty, Property and Happiness for themselves, and others who choose to engage in Capitalistic activities without liens and license.

- Gun Control advocates seem to sincerely believe that disarming sane, law abiding people, and hiring (sometimes unionized) others to protect them will somehow make their community safer. (I wonder where they think those hirelings will be if it's the hireling's own family that's being threatened?)

- Most (almost all) people think that Federal Reserve "bills" are Constitutionally sound units of currency.

- Although people are upset with taxes and IRS collection tactics, most have never questioned whether it is them, or foreign corporations that are lawfully liable to pay the tax.

- Concerned conservationists really believe that responsible resource management cannot take place within their local communities unless tenets of the United Nations' "Biodiversity Treaty" and "Agenda 21" are implemented by statutes, liens and penalties.

- Education, media, and government employees - at all levels of employment - appear to fear reprisal if they were to sign a petition that would allow Constitutionally correct candidates to be on a ballot. Some even seem uncomfortable to be seen talking with me.

Nevertheless, I will continue to collect signatures for ballot access for the Constitution Party's slate of nominees - including myself for Congressional District 10 - from now until July.

If you are a registered voter whose behavior doesn't fit any of the above observations, your signature is needed. Your willingness to assist in the preservation of what is left of the democratic process of our lawful Constitutional "republic" will most likely be appreciated by future generations. Look for me at local gatherings in the 10th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, and check out the party's platform and candidates at www.constitutionparty.com.

Additionally, I'd like to extend a warm "Thank you!" to all who wrote in my name for the Democratic ballot position for Congressional District 10 during the recent Pennsylvania Primaries. I would also like to thank the employees at the Lackawanna Election Bureau for investigating why two of those write-in's were not recorded at the poll location, and for someone at the Department of State in Harrisburg for posting Nomination Papers to me on May 19, 2004.

Veronica "Niki" Hannevig
Simpson, Pennsylvania
570-407-8060