At a time when the attention of the world was on the North Carolina Primary between Obama and Clinton and people comment about the lack of real leaders in America, a lone voice in the wilderness and a real leader has been crying for recognition in a state where the laws governing ballot access is among the most rigid in the United States of America. The lone voice and real leader is that of Michael Munger and he is running for Governor of North Carolina under the banner of the Libertarian Party of his state.

Michael Munger is a Professor of Political Science at Duke University who was born in Florida and has lived in North Carolina since his youth. He has also worked as an Assistant Professor of Political Science in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Assistant Professor at the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin, and Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics at Dartmouth College. Dr. Munger has also worked as a Staff Economist with the Federal Trade Commission and as a member of the Wake County, North Carolina Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Citizens’ Liaison Committee.

Michael Munger is of the belief that North Carolina has been suffering from the shackles of the Republicans and Democrats for a very long time especially in the areas of Education, Municipal Aggression, and Electoral Reform.

In the areas of Education, Dr. Munger is a believer in Individual Choice and programs that would place Individual Choice in Education in the hands of Parents and Students. Dr. Munger also believes that an overextended bureaucracy such as exists in North Carolina hampers education and that the process to certify teachers and schools should be based on common sense instead of politics or laws that border on the ridiculous.

Before discussing Dr. Munger’s programme about municipal aggression, we must define what municipal aggression is. Municipal Aggression is practiced in many areas of the United States of America and consists of one city taking over an unincorporated area around the city using archaic rules and without the consent of the voters. One of the promises by Dr. Munger is to stop Municipal Aggression without the consent of the people who are on the receiving end of it.

Electoral Reform lies in the heart of Dr. Munger’s campaign. For those who think a vote for the alternative parties is a wasted vote, I have a question. Why do the Republicans and Democrats waste the time and effort to block other political parties from campaigning on an equal basis if they think a vote for them is a wasted vote? Why do the Republicans and Democrats talk about exporting democracy to the world but do not practice it at home when it comes to alternative political parties? The reason is that the Republicans and Democrats are no longer interested in the will of the people; they are beholden to themselves and to special interests. Dr. Munger promises transparency and innovation of a state government with new voices and new concepts as a response to a status quo that no longer is in contact with the people except for sound bites. I do not know what will happen in the long run but I hope that the people of North Carolina and the United States of America would find a way to reject the three choices that they have and understand that other alternative parties exists.

REFERENCE:
Mike Munger Profile WRAL.com Jan.14, 2008
http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/2272104/