An off the cuff email reply to a friend that ended up getting forwarded, then published in eastern Washington’s Palouse Patriot – Thanks Rick!

I find it interesting that over and over I hear ‘conservative’ Republicans saying that a third choice on the ballot is a bad thing, will split the vote, foul up the whole balance of power, dilute the system, etc. But aren’t these the same conservatives who tout free market economic solutions, saying that freedom of choice in the market place will encourage competition, more choice, better products, etc. as producers compete for their market share. Part of that free market philosophy also says that if a company or business can’t hold on to its market share and doesn’t adapt to give its customers what they want, then it deserves to fail. I actually agree with that philosophy and believe that if it’s true in one matter, then it can be applied in all. If a given political party does not provide the product that their base supporters want, then another party should come along and provide that product and pick up that market share.

If there are only two stores in town, both selling mostly the same line of cheap stuff made in China and I don’t want the products being sold by either store, then is the answer for me to pledge to continue to shop at one of those stores and to lobby to keep any other stores from moving into town, then, once I have made my town safe for the two store monopoly, complain that they continue to sell me the same old products that I never wanted in the first place. Any rational, sane, free market conservative would go out and look for a store that is selling what they want, then work to convince them to open a store in their town in the hope of forcing the existing stores to compete and maybe change their product line or be forced out of business.