So, At The End Of The Day,

[Jesster]

That takes work.

Then they better start working for once.

[Tonus]

I think I actually agree with you on this point. While I would love for a third party candidate to be taken seriously, it won't happen any time soon. They need to gain a larger presence in congress and other small offices first. That really should be their focus, and I don't see much of that happening. Once they do that, I would love to jump on one of their party buses.

The two main parties in the USA cover just about every issue and even package them to some degree. The political polarization of today means that any third party will be seen as attempting to splinter off from one of those parties. They will be attacked by the 'parent' organization for weakening its national efforts, and they will be easy targets for the opposition party, which might help them in order to hurt their main opposition or attack them because their platform is so narrow.

It could happen if one particular issue became really big and a third approach to dealing with it was viable. I don't know if we'll see a situation like that anytime soon.

[Jesster]

I think I actually agree with you on this point. While I would love for a third party candidate to be taken seriously, it won't happen any time soon. They need to gain a larger presence in congress and other small offices first. That really should be their focus, and I don't see much of that happening. Once they do that, I would love to jump on one of their party buses.

The two main parties in the USA cover just about every issue and even package them to some degree.  The political polarization of today means that any third party will be seen as attempting to splinter off from one of those parties.  They will be attacked by the 'parent' organization for weakening its national efforts, and they will be easy targets for the opposition party, which might help them in order to hurt their main opposition or attack them because their platform is so narrow.

It could happen if one particular issue became really big and a third approach to dealing with it was viable.  I don't know if we'll see a situation like that anytime soon.

Too true. This is exactly why they need to start at the bottom and work their way up. They have no chance in the big leagues right now. They will only ever change how they are addressed by making an actual reputable name for themselves first.

[Aroura]

Third parties run constantly here in Oregon, and even Win! We need to vote them in at the local level to gain cred for national levels?

[Jesster]

Third parties run constantly here in Oregon, and even Win! We need to vote them in at the local level to gain cred for national levels?

This is why I love Oregon. I need to move back there. People with complaints actually do things there.

[Minimalist]

The sad history of third parties in the US.

http://www.thisnation.com/question/042.html


This is not a new thing.

[Minimalist]

Show me in two years where the Libertards and the Greens are running candidates for senate, house and statewide races.  They are like fat bears who hibernate for 3 years and then wake up, run around a bit and then go back to sleep.

Stripped of invective, this is a fair point.

I'm not ready to let go of the invective yet, man. 


Perhaps I shall consult the FSM?





[That really did not help much.]

[Thumpalumpacus]

Yeah, I know, you're you. No big, just thought I'd make the point.

[Doubting Thomas]

Gary Johnson got 3% of the vote or 4.1 million and Jill Stein got 1% or 1.2 million.

In 4 years I have no doubt that the myth of viable 3d parties will be resurrected.....

So, since Jill Stein believes in homeopathy and only got 1% of the vote...









Does that mean she thinks she won?

[Doubting Thomas]

Third parties have no chance, so I won't vote for them, so third parties have no chance...

That's like what I said about 3rd party candidates being in a catch-22.  Few people will vote for them until they become a viable party, but they won't become a viable party until large numbers of people start voting for them.