3rd Party as American political force

[alfonso]

What are the prospects of a 3rd party ever becoming a substantial political force in the US?

From what I can see the only two possibilities are with the Greens and Libertarians.

Does anyone think that either of these two could ever attain any kind of 'critical mass' to make an ideological splash on US politics? Is there anyone here that bothers "wasting" a vote on any of them?

Or will their influence be limited to 'siphoning' votes from the two main parties?

That actually presents an 'interesting' problem. Personally, I think the Greens are going to leave the Libertarians in the dust. Libertarianism sounds great from a distance, but I think when you look at the core implications -- which to me are basically anarchic -- many people are turned off.

The Greens, on the other hand, actually stand a chance of building some political momentum. The implications of that sure look nasty for the Dems. Will they ever reclaim the White House? Discuss.

 

[bobcathy1]

I see their possibilities somewhere between "slim to none".
A vote for the alternate parties is like a vote for "none of the above".
In this last election, I was not thrilled with either choice of candidate. But I would not want a lunatic to win by accident either.

 

[Rearden Metal]

***From what I can see the only two possibilities are with the Greens and Libertarians.***


I wouldn't be so sure about that. Ross Perot came out of nowhere to shake up the '92 election. Ross ain't coming back, but some other Conservative Non-Republican might pull the same sort of stunt in the future...

 

[Error 404]

Quote from Rearden Metal:


I wouldn't be so sure about that. Ross Perot came out of nowhere to shake up the '92 election. Ross ain't coming back, but some other Conservative Non-Republican might pull the same sort of stunt in the future...

When the time is right, and the people are thoroughly disenchanted, it will happen.

In the election or 1912, "Bull Moose" party candidate, Theodore Roosevelt (NOT conservative, but progressive), collected more of the popular vote, and more electoral votes than Republican Party candidate Taft.

In more recent times, George Wallace got about 20 million votes. Perot got about half as many. John Anderson got about 6 million.
(More people vote now...those numbers could have won that 1912 election...at least in the popular vote. We all know that isn't the deciding factor.

Quote from bobcathy1:


In this last election, I was not thrilled with either choice of candidate. But I would not want a lunatic to win by accident either.

Happened anyway

Peace,
RS

 

[Sardo_Numspa]

Maybe in a decade or three.

 

[TM_Direct]

Quote from Sardo_Numspa:

Maybe in a decade or three.

Really???? How can you say that when, fucking CONAN is most likely going to be the next CA governor?? People are fickle and can be moved to do things by the right person at the right time.
Also , for all intent and purposes we have seen he parties shift form the middle to the extreme left and right...many of the so called conservatives of today were Democrats in the 60's and 70s ( trent lott, late strom thrumond)....Truthfully, there are very few middle ground candidates today....at least on the outside...many take the extreme left or right for political reasons....but I think that both parties have been somewhat hijacked by extremism...Things like Abortion have become the focal point fo whether you will get a nomination or not...for both parties...I find it hard to believe that a Pro-Life democrat would ever get his party's nomination....If moderate democrats ever make a comeback it could be lieka 3rd party...especially if you combine them with more liberal republicans like Schwarzeneger

 

[Trader5287]

I have been wondering about this for some time and trying to picture what might move young Americans again. Hard for me to imagine some type of anti-war movement getting legs like the 60s because the 9/11 attacks were here on US soil. So I guess that leaves some type of economic or environmental impetus. Of these two, I'd wager something really, really bad and irrefutable emerges on the environmental front that young people see as civilization threatening and instills in them a generational identity. Then - look out. The devil in me hopes I live to see it.

Geo.

 

[maxpi]

Quote from alfonso:



That actually presents an 'interesting' problem. Personally, I think the Greens are going to leave the Libertarians in the dust.

Until people find out what the Green's really are about. The core belief and the core believers in the Green's ranks are kooky. Roll back all the farms and cities into woodlands? live like a peasant in the 14th century. Try to sell that to the SUV moms.

 

[TM_Direct]

Quote from Trader5287:

I have been wondering about this for some time and trying to picture what might move young Americans again. Hard for me to imagine some type of anti-war movement getting legs like the 60s because the 9/11 attacks were here on US soil. So I guess that leaves some type of economic or environmental impetus. Of these two, I'd wager something really, really bad and irrefutable emerges on the environmental front that young people see as civilization threatening and instills in them a generational identity. Then - look out. The devil in me hopes I live to see it.

Geo.

I gotta be honest withyou ...the Greens are the biggest crock of shit and will NEVER take hold......It's all a press creation....think about it: A pollster asks you in the shopping mall: Are you concerned about the environment? You reply Of course i am , Im very concerned.....The pollster puts you down as an another % of Americans VERY CONCERNED about the environment....and then you go back to shopping at a mall that was built on forest land, that uses huge amounts of energy, then you buy your cloths and throw tem into the back of your SUV or minivan and head home to your house that was built on cleared conservation land....You take a dump, flush it and forget it and never stop to think where it's going nor do you care....