Trenton Times - Third-Party Candidates in NJ's 12th Congressional Race Talk about Ills of a Two-Party System

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By Brendan McGrath

Three third-party candidates in New Jersey's 12th Congressional district joined together Wednesday in a discussion about the importance of breaking away from the country's two-party rule.

During a meeting of the Political Discussion Group in Lawrence, Allen Cannon, the candidate for the Democratic-Republican Party, said that representatives elected through this system don't stand for the people in their districts.

"The two-party system has turned its back on all of us," said Cannon, who serves as deputy mayor of Hopewell, where he was elected as a Democrat.

Most democracies in the world have more than two parties, said Steven Welzer, the Green Party candidate from East Windsor.

"The Democrats and Republicans, as I think we all agree here, are failing to address the major issues of our times," Welzer said.

Polls show that there is a desire for more parties, Welzer said.

"About 60 percent of the American people want more voices and more choices," Welzer said.

Both Cannon and Jack Freudenheim, the Plainfield man who will appear on November's ballot under the tagline Start the Conversation candidate, talked about how frustration with the political system inspired them to run for office. They both said they were tired of hearing people complain about politics only to say

"If you have that attitude and you sit back then don't complain about what's going on around you," Freudenheim said.

Congress's low approval rating shows that the system needs change, he said.

The candidates also discussed their views on a range of issues including national health law and the possible decriminalization of drug use.

Cannon and Freudenheim said that they would like to see different federal programs consolidated, while Welzer said that he thinks a single payer system would work.

Cannon said he was critical of the "school-to-prison" pipeline that drug law contributes to and Freudenheim said that he thinks that treatment needs to be a bigger part of the focus of drug laws. Welzer said he was in favor of moving drug use out of the criminal realm.

"It's a medical issue," Welzer said.

These third-party candidates will face off against Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman and Republican Alieta Eck on Nov. 4 for the Congressional seat that is being vacated by Democrat Rush Holt.

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