2016 Elections

[Anomalocaris]

Entry cost of national electoral competitiveness is very steep and much more expensive than any third party can afford.  So third party will assuredly lose.

Furthermore,  any third party will likely take most of its votes from one of the other two parties that is closer to the third party in position.    By playing, the third party weakens not its worst ideological opponent, but it's closet ideological kindred, such as they are amongst the two main parties.   So in playing at all the third party will have but handed election advantage, and probably victory, to that major party from the two that is ideologically furthest from the third party.

So vote for the third party promising to bring the country closest to the path you wish it to traverse, and you have have contributed materially to ensuring the country will steer a course further from the path you would wish it to traverse.

The Republican Party could not possible do more to assure its own continued electoral advantage than to subsidize a progressive third party that would draw votes away from the democrats.

It will certainly take time to effect a change, but following your logic puts the nation in the position of hostage to the two big parties.

I would rather endure a shitty Presidency or Congress for a few years knowing that the groundswell is building, than endure a shitty Presidency or Congress with no hope for change because everyone insists on voting for parties which have a track record of corrupt self-interest taking precedence over good governance.

Nothing can guarantee change in our system. But doing nothing guarantees the stranglehold of the status quo.

Risk killing the hostage is not justifiable if the hostage is the world you live.