AWC forum gives voice to multiparty system

  With the aim of increasing voter turnout, Arizona Western College is hosting a forum to allow the electorate to learn more about third-party candidates.

  The second part of Voice Your Vote, a program co-sponsored by AWC's political science department and the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, takes place today from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. at the AWC Theater.

   The forum is intended to broaden public knowledge about the Nov. 4 election.

  "A lot of people are now independents or affiliated with a third political party," said Mohammad Bahramzadeh, AWC political science department head. "The problem is, the quota system requires every candidate to poll at least 15 percent to qualify for the presidential debates. If you notice, Ralph Nader, the Libertarian Party, Constitutional Party, Independent Party or the Green Party did not participate in their presidential debate." 

  Voice Your Vote features Howard Blitz, chairman of the Yuma County Libertarian Party, and independent Steve Phlegar. The forum is not a debate but provides Blitz the opportunity to explain the Libertarian Party platform and Phlegar to elaborate on his independent perspective.

  Blitz said the more political representatives voters hear, the more information they have to make a critical decision at the ballot box. He added that his objective is to provide a philosophy about a political party, whether or not people agree with it.

  "The debates last Friday would have been better served if people could have heard from more people than just the two parties," Blitz said. "People could make a better choice and choice is the key."

  Phlegar is a U.S. Navy veteran and a home designer who will return to graduate school to obtain a master's degree in communications. Phlegar said he would like to see more influence on public policy decisions by individuals. He added that in presidential elections, there are really only two viable choices, which he said just validates the major parties' platforms.

  "It's necessary we put pressure on government officials to deal with issues they find uncomfortable - climate change, wasteful use of energy resources, peak oil, any issues that threatens their political well-being and they avoid," Phlegar said.

  The media essentially perform the service of a fourth branch of government and need to provide a continuous flow of reliable information, he said, or else it is impossible for citizens to make judgments to steer their political representatives.

  "Stop thinking your only choice is voting partisan," Phlegar said. "Voting is just a beginning and we need a greater exchange of ideas. People should vacation in Washington, D.C., and visit their representatives and let them know your concerns and (that) they work for you."

  Sonny Bergqvist, 21, an AWC automotive applied science major who is a naturalized citizen from Sweden, said that elections in his homeland always include five to seven parties. A party needs only 5 percent of the vote to be successfully elected, while it requires a majority vote for a candidate to be elected to the U.S. Congress.

  "If there's more political parties, more people would vote," Bergqvist said. "I always vote but I feel discouraged the party I prefer, the Greens, is not represented in the debates."

  Josh Bingman, 19, a political science major, said third-party candidates are an important part of the political process because they often raise issues the two major parties ignore.

  "The drug war is obviously not working and needs to be re-evaluated," Bingman said. "There should be more emphasis on rehabilitation instead of incarceration. And multiparty representation in government would help improve our standing as a world leader and image as a beacon of hope."

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William Roller can be reached at
wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.