By Bob Anderson

I find it a sad state of affairs that we tend to judge candidates on how much donor gifts they cash and spend rather than the candidate’s vision and character. Minnesota has many well qualified citizens from all walks of life who would like to serve, but are discouraged to because of the money they feel they will need. The professional political establishment will dismiss you as a serious candidate unless they deem you worthy of millions of their east coast money. Citizens tend to forget that when candidates cash and spend money from these special interests they do demand, and get, something (a much bigger something) in return. I feel that if you truly want to represent your constituents you should be free to go to Washington D.C. with no strings attached. We need to strip away the façade of the talking fish commercials and fund raising numbers and concentrate on the candidates for who they are and what they stand for. Cashing and spending $3-$4 million dollars from Washington D.C. on a Minnesota campaign for a two-year job in congress is absolutely ridiculous. We are all concerned about how to cover the costs of health care and education yet we don't even blink at that outrageous waste and largess in our elections.

In our most recent senate race over $42 million dollars was handed over to the Democrat and Republican Party candidates. It doesn’t have to be this way. The use of open forums, debates, internet, local media, and cable access is the best and most cost efficient way for the public to get to know the candidates. There is a stark contrast between the liberal and conservative ideologies, but when it comes to money, power, and corruption they are one in the same. More and more citizens are looking for candidates serving centrist, independent solutions. The status quo is status no.

The Independence Party is in a unique situation having earned ballot access and major party status—one of the hardest things to do in America. The Independence Party has established itself as the party to facilitate true, lasting change. It is a party that attracts candidates that live and work in the real world and don’t make politics a profession, but are activist citizens who want to serve. Working class citizens that hold a career in the private sector gain valuable experience to the challenges of everyday people. They have experienced for themselves the good things and the difficulties of life that their constituents face every day. Independence Party candidates had strong showings in the 2008 elections. And the stronger Independence Party candidates become, the more they are dismissed by the professional political class as sideshows and interlopers--because the IP is a growing threat. The Independence Party is poised to take advantage of the momentum created in 2008 and push forward on a new path by building an identifiable independent, centrist ideology to attract voters, volunteers, and candidates that align to those principles (there are many of us out there).

Bob Anderson, 2008 Independence Party Congressional Candidate, 6th District