My Name is Debbi and I'm

a Libertarian.

It took me a long time to admit that. I thought only friends who did drugs or were anarchists had a problem. Me? I could quit anytime.

Sure, there was this little issue of being pro-choice while being pro-life. My Republican friends began to suspect I might have a problem when I refused to go to rallies with them. It's true, I hid behind excuses. I couldn't go because I had, well, laundry...that's it...and grocery shopping for my family of six. Then more questions began to arise when it was discovered that I favor peace, I don't think the President is always right, and patriotism isn't something you mandate. I began to realize the gig was nearly up when I forgot to hold my tongue and I whispered "um, I don't actually trust John Ashcroft OR George Tenet."

My Democrat friends were even more confused. Why *wouldn't* I want laws that govern wages, speed limits, education, energy, oil, greater regulation, more social programs, universal healthcare, amnesty for all, taxes that support investment in the arts (really, a painting that is just pink?), tax payer funded abortions, welfare, or politic correctness - although I have a soft spot in my heart for the perennially un-PC (Sarah Palin is a very appealing woman) Bill Clinton.

The problem is, being a Libertarian in a two-party system is an awful lot like being a purple man in a sea of black and white. No one knows quite what to do about you.

Okay, I know I know...the Libertarians haven't helped matters at all. First, they found www.reason.com, a wonderful site full of, usually, thoughtful discussion...and then they hand us Bob Barr and Ron Paul. There was a moment during the Republican primary debates when Ron Paul raised his shaking hand and waving it back and forth said "I was an OB/GYN for 30 years and I..." and I could hear no more. My legs clamped shut and every ounce of my body began to react in "oh no No NO he did NOT go THERE!" Ewe.

But Colorado's got my attention right now and this is why: they've got an interesting ballot going. This year they are defining when "personhood" begins (at the moment of fertilization...or not), whether or not "race" needs to continue to be a deciding factor in hiring and education, and they are considered by some political analysts to be THE swing state of swing states.

Why would a State with 9 electoral votes be so significant? Because in 2004 they proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would allocate electoral votes based on popular vote. The Democrats, who originally supported it, withdrew support when it appeared to them that John Kerry would take the state. This one decision (courts aside) cost the Democrats the election in 2004. George Bush won all 9 electoral votes. He would have won 5 of the 9 (and Kerry the other 4) and not have won the Presidency.

It's time to put measures like this back on the ballot. It does three things:

a) more accurately reflects true popular vote
b) paves the way for 3rd party candidates to actually compete for a place in the race and,
c) begins to lessen the stranglehold the two parties have on the constitution - a document who's intent is now completely violated by the winner take all strategy of the electoral college.

A clear example of the correction that takes place is California. With 55 electoral votes the populations of LA and San Francisco typically drive the state to blue. But not by much. There are 6.8 million registered Democrats and 5.9 million registered Republicans. There are 688,000 others across the American Independent (277,000), Green (91,000), Reform (92,000), Liberatarian (81,000), Peace & Freedom (67,000), and Natural Law (70,000)parties. And then there are your "independents" - people like me who favor a party but reserve the right to vote their judgement and not the party line.

So as you can see, even the most "democratic" of states isn't...really. Those 55 electoral are cast to represent an entire state - and in fact represent only about half.

Correct the problems in the electoral process and it just might be okay to be the purple man.

Or the Ballsy Broad.