If you live in New York State and are planning to vote for either McCain or Obama, please consider doing so by checking them off under any of the alternative party cross-endorsements.

The Conservative, Green, Independent, Working Families, etc. parties often cross-endorse major party candidates when they aren't running their own candidates. Endorsing any of these lines sends a message that while you might support their candidate, you don't agree with much of the party's direction, strengthening the base of the alternative parties, who have gained the ability to cross-endorse by garnering enough votes on their lines in previous elections.

It's one way of whittling away at the monopoly of the two-party, stump populist, vote lobbyist system, at least in New York State.

Good idea, but some of us, myself included, prefer a true for-change candidate not of either major party.