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AlphaWolf

Alright,

I keep thinking of it, and I wonder with the current disenfranchised state of many people with the 2 party system, do you ever think we will have a Viable 3rd party? By Viable I mean one with a decent chance of not only getting involved in debates, but actually winning a few elections? We've seen Jesse Ventura win a Govenorship, and Ross Perot ran a decent campaign (until he dropped out and came back), But I'm seriously kinda curious as to your thoughts on this.. We will forever be locked into 2 major party system, or will people get tired enough of the corruption and a groundswell of support for change?

 

HappyMan

In order to a 3rd part to succeed it needs to be moderate. Currently the 3rd parties are on either end of the political spectrum. That does not attract core voters and is balanced by a group on the other side. Moderate and centrist politics are the key.

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AlphaWolf

I agree, and its really been a problem, I mean it seems like the 3rd parties are always either extremely left (Green party) or extremely right (Libertarian's) and there are no middle grounds, but I have thought about it, and I thik it would be a welcome change, if there was a more moderate party, but then again with moderation, the argument could be made, that both the Democrats and Republicans are basically in the center themselves.

KWhite

Therein lies the rub
Republicrats

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Niteshift

That's part of the reason that I think voting for anyone outside of the 2 parties in national elections is a wasted vote. sometimes, it just becomes picking the lesser of two evils. Sad, but realistic.

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AlphaWolf

Its actually quite counter productive, for instance use the last Presidential election.. Nader ran, and esentially a vote for Nader was a vote for Bush as it was a vote taken away from Gore as it would have been left leaning predominatly Democrat voters voting for Nader.

Same could be said of Perot's campaigns, it was mostly the conservative vote (which took votes away from Bush 41 and Dole), in essence you are voting the opposite of your ideoligy to vote 3rd party canidates..


I would like to see more 3rd Party canidates included in the debates, for if nothing else to give another perspective on things.

Ross

This is sad but true. However, if more people dropped this ideology, a third party could get enough votes to make it into the debates.

Shroud

I agree. A viable third party will need to be centrist in inclination.

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Shaman

Great topic, Alpha.
For a long time I have thought that the Greens and Liberterians should join forces, perhaps creat the "Leen Party"? (Ok, sounds a lot better that Giberterians)
And they need to get some sort of hollywood personality to run for them. I believe a hollywood personality would be included in the debates. Woody Harrelson for president, anyone? (j/k!)
IMHO, the best answers to problems are a cross between the conservative and liberal lines of thinking.

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Conine

Dunno why they don't just do it like the primaries, unless you win by a majority you have a run-off between the top two.... (well, I guess I REALLY know why, because Democrats and Republicans don't want to let another party in.)

Then people could vote for who they wanted without worrying about wasting their vote. The wasted vote thing is unfortunately a reality, especially in close races. It becomes not about picking the candidate you want, but picking the candidate you dislike the least with a good shot of winning.

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