Jill Stein of the Green Party, among others, has announced her intention to run for president. Third-party candidates who claim to better “serve the people” are happy news to Donald Trump.
A third-party bid has no chance of success. Its laudable intention is to send a message of hope, along with plans for a better future. However, the guaranteed effect of diverting votes from Joe Biden is to increase Trump’s chances.
“I’m voting my conscience” is a phrase typically used by these voters. If that’s the case, their consciences should be deeply troubled that they are de facto supporting Trump, who is more than just a Republican — he openly threatens to dismantle American democracy. With polls as close as they are, this is not the time to split the vote. Any vote not for Biden is a vote for a dark future, the opposite of any hope offered by a third party.
