The Myth of the Third Party Solution

[Cato]

Possibly but I would be no more likely to vote for the libertarian cranks who believe in the infallibility of the invisible hand.

I don't disagree. Being a resident of Geogia also played a part, meaning that there is no way my vote would make a difference. My motivation for going to the polls was to vote for a referendum allowing the state to approve charter school application and continuation regardless of local school board objection. My Johnson vote was more out of frustration than perfect alignment with the party's ideology, particularly the love affair with laissez faire capitalism.

I'm perfectly fine with regulations dealing with product safety and responsible treatment of the environment, but there are certain regulations that simply need to go away. For example, the government mandating a minimum diameter for apricot sales or setting aside a certain portion of the almond harvest by law to be used for cattle feed. I don't like subsidies, either direct or diguised as tax incentives.

[Darth]

Unfortunately, the electoral system in the US is set up so that things tend towards a two party system.

That's why it is a myth, Divi Tiberio. Like jesus rising from the dead. It is not real.

Perhaps the story of John Anderson will put this in perspective for you. Anderson remains the most successful 3'd party candidate in modern American history. He got 7% of the vote.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._And...ndependent

Let's not forget though that Ralph Nader's 3% on the Green party in Florida in 2000 was enough to give Dubya the presidency. In such ways can 3d parties fuck things up royally.

Perot?...
(though yeah, tecnically not 3rd party...)

[jonb]

I would favor a system like in England where various parties must negotiate real compromises in order to govern.

That is very rarely the situation in the British parliament, it is designed to be a two party system, its just that Brits are naturally awkward. French, German systems are much better

[Minimalist]

Perot?...
(though yeah, tecnically not 3rd party...)

No, you're right. I forgot about him..and so did Wiki apparently. Although he is an equally good example of 3d party candidates fucking up a major party. Without him, Bush the Smarter is probably re-elected.

[CapnAwesome]

The third party doesn't exist in the United States because of the system, not because people are hostile to the ideas of libertarianism or the green party. Even if 10% of people are aligned with Green Party ideas, if they voted that way it would assure that Romney had won the election, thus they would be worse represented than with the Obama win. The only times in US history when a third party wins (Like Lincoln with the Republican party) that third party has supplanted the pre-existing main party. Anybody hoping for a third party solution doesn't understand the system very well.

[TaraJo]

Not sure how this is a "myth". If a third party ever does get enough votes to affect an election in a big way, it could cause issues for the major two parties. Unfortunately, the electoral system in the US is set up so that things tend towards a two party system.

Yeah, exactly. If a third party shows up at this point, all they'd wind up doing is playing spoiler to the major political party that is closest to them ideologically. Think about it: suppose Ron Paul had decided to run on the libertarian ticket. That would split the Republican vote and Obama may have been able to have the first ever electoral college sweep...... while getting a whopping 40% of the popular vote.

I do think would be better off if we opened up the third parties, but we need to change our electoral college system to do it. An automatic run off for any races without a candidate that wins at least 50% of the vote would be a good place to start.

---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7tWHJfhiyo

Here's part of the problem.

[Minimalist]

An automatic run off for any races without a candidate that wins at least 50% of the vote would be a good place to start.

Wait. You want to make the process even LONGER?

[TaraJo]

An automatic run off for any races without a candidate that wins at least 50% of the vote would be a good place to start.

Wait. You want to make the process even LONGER?

Well, if it opens up the system to third parties, and therefore more fairness, yeah.

[Minimalist]

The system is open to 3d parties....if they can jump through all the hoops that have been in their way.

[TaraJo]

The system is open to 3d parties....if they can jump through all the hoops that have been in their way.

Did you watch the video I attached?

Yes, technically, third parties do have a chance. However, if a third party enters in todays political world, they simply hurt the major political party that is most sympathetic with them by taking votes away from them. I mean, think about it: how much would Obama have loved it if Ron Paul had run on the Libertarian party ticket? He would have won by a much bigger margin, I can tell you that much. And Bush supporters were encouraging Ralph Nader to run in 2000, largely because they knew the election would be close and Nader would take votes away from Gore.