Political: Rise of the third party?

[beardman2]

So With Lieberman switching to an independent does this looks like the rise of a real third party candidate and possible a shrinking of the Dems and possibly even the Reps?

Most of the elections have shown that security is a major issue for the average american and has plaid well for the President and the Republican party. It looks like the Dems might be moving farther away from that. Although I realize this is just one district.

It would be interesting to see what happens with the independant party.

[bigun]

What will probably happen is that the dissatisfied masses from the Republican conservative side of the party and the centerist dissatisfied from the Democratic party will try to form their own parties because they feel un represented. Personally I would like to see more Libertarian's and if the two party system starts to break down that could be the best thing overall for the country. Why should we be limited to choosing the best of the worst? Some real competition would do alot of good all around.

[BeardXXXd]

just have to watch with a 3+ party system..
take a look at canada.. u end up having 30 parties
u get groups of people in the same district then u end up having a wicca organization.. or the gays.. (both being a very small majority.. possibly having alot of power..

me.. im up for going back to tar and feathering these crooks in DC..
gettem scared of us and maybe they will actually get something done.

riders and no line item veto is the death to efficent govt.

.02

[beardman2]

I'm a little leary of the three plus party stuff too. Although I'd really like some good choices!

[Brickboy240]

I love this train of thought...

"we can't have a third party"

"a 3rd party will never work"

...and the other excuses. To these I say...BS. That kind of thinking was demonstrated by those that once thought the earth was flat.

Lets see...the two parties are currently not doing the work of the people, so why continue to support these bastards? Some say try to reform the two parties from within but thats another joke. Do you really see either party trying to reform? Come on now.

What we have now...and I am afraid to say it...is an oligharchy masquerading as a representative republic. Both sides rail on about how they can save the country or put us on the right track, but when we get donw to it, the two parties and their members are really cut from the same cloth, are they not?

I don't care if its Bill Frist or Teddy Kenedy, both of these types and their bretheren are more interested in keeping their current system afloat and humming along than meaningful reform or any sort of sweeping changes that will actually benefit the common people.

Both parties make deals with their buddies within the corporatocracy as many of these politicians were once on the board of large corporations. In fact, many political leaders, from Condi Rice (Chevron) to John Corzine (Goldman Sachs) go back and forth between corporate jobs and govt. jobs, creating a cozy relationship where corporate interests get served first and the will of the people gets put on the backburner or shelved for some makebelieve future day.

Both parties are guilty of this, although the Bush admin. seems to have taken the corporate cronyism to a shameless alltime high. If Kerry had been elected, corporate interests would still be running the show, don't kid yourselves. It would just be different corporations that the Bush bunch, but again, meaningful reform and the will of the common people would stil be on the back burner with the Democrats running everything.

We really have no choice but to pull for a thrid party and hope it becomes a reality, because of the lack of conservatism from the Republicans as they falter on immigration reform and feed the corporatocracy and the Democrats comtinue to align themselves with the George Soros anti-capitalist/neo-socialist types that will cause equal damage to our country.

So when the Democrat and Republican die-hards tell me we have to vote for their party because they'll fix everything, it just makes my head hurt. Just because I am more conservative, I am REALLY tired of supporting the R's to keep the D's away. The R's have squandered their grab of both houses and the presidency, if you ask me. They could have done some great things, but decided that converting the Iraquis to a democracy and gay marriage were more important...give me a break!

Its high time we DO start thinking of a third party that will put the concearns of the average person as priority one. Stop trying to convert the world into being Americans, secure our sovereign borders, keep the taxman from eating us alive (flat tax) and take care of our own. Weening us off oil and away from dependence on the mid-east for anything, stay out of their affairs entirely and not trash our resources and workers at the expense of corporate interests.

I am and will always be a capitalist, but runaway capitalism that runs roughshot over the people or corporate interests that get served first at the expense of serious problems that affect average people is something I cannot get behind.

I doubt, however, that this will ever see the light of day. I am tired of the R's and D's though and don't see any bright spots on the 2008 race either. I really don't know what to do, but the current system makes my stomach hurt.

- Brickboy240

[NiK]

I'd support Lieberman, were I in Conneticut. I don't think it would be a good idea affiliating himself with the Libertarians, though. I'm currently registered as a Libertarian, but that's more out of dissatisfaction for the status quo. I have serious fundamental issues with some of their planks.

[Swervie]

The problem with having more then 2 parties is that you end up having a group in control that was not elected my the majority of a nations voters. Look at what happened back in 91 with Clinton, Bush and Perot. Clinton won with only 42% of the popular vote. Add even more political parties and you end up with such a fragmented voter base that fringe and extremist parties start winning elections. Look to Spain and Italy to see what happens when multiple parties run against each other.

I personally feel that in order to fix our country, term limits should be imposed on Senators and Congressman. Most of these clown in office now do not have our nations best interests in mind. Flush out all the corruption and start over. Unfortunatly I feel our nation's voter base has become to apathetic to care.

[beardman2]

My worry about multiple parties comes from what little I know of politics in other countries. It seems like extra parties lead to more bickering and less getting stuff done. But someone with more experience in that area whould have to chime in.

A third party seems like a good way to have a middle ground. I'm just afraid it would increase the politics just that much more and slow the whole process of getting change.

But again I'm open to ideas.

[Brickboy240]

Sure, we should have term limits for Congresspeople. There shold be a law against lobbyists giving money and goodies to Congresspeople in turn for favorable votes on legislation that affects their industries. There should also be a law that states these guys should never be able to vote themselves a pay raise, but guess who has to pass these great ideas?

The guys in charge right friggin' now! Think thats going to happen? Not likely.

Joe Lieberman is changing to an independent NOT because he has such deep seated beliefs (thats a hoot) but because he wants (like the rest of them) to remain within the walls of this golden gravy train system on Congress they have created, becuase it is a great ride for your life.

I have a theory that very few of the incumbents really want much more than to stay within the system and keep the status quo in Congress and its operations. They really don't want to stir up sh*t or rock the boat. Oh, sure, you get your Tom Tancredos and Ron Pauls every now and then, but they're pariahs within the system. They're rarely given chairmanship on any key board, because their views and true wishes (no matter how beneficial they would be to the average Joe) are a threat to the corporatocracy or other Congressmen's livlihood or endless stream of freebies or future career in Congress.

Why also do you think hardly anybody in Congress, sticking their neck out on revamping the tax code, oil independence, true immigration reform or other things they ALL know damn well need to happen and would benefit their electorate? They like it just as it is, even if the status quo is damaging their constituents...it is keeping their job safe and the corportocracy happy and thats more important to them...don't kid yourself.

You can say a third party will water down this or that or won't be elected by a majority, but it is not written anywhere by the Founders that we HAVE to vote for R's or D's and not let anybody els have a shot.

I would also go out on a limb (like Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul) and say that the Founders would be appalled at the way Congress is run today. It is run moreso like the British aristocracy, representing a chosen few than a govt. by and for the average people.

If the third party moreso represents the intentions of the Founders and adheres to the Constitution than the current big two parties, well...I'd say its time to bring them on...wouldn't you?

Again...what we have now is not healthy or sustainable and has shown us over and over agian it will not reign in or reform itself...so it must go.

- Brickboy240

[Sssnake]

We came close with Perot. A 3rd party is both viable and would be successful but only IF it's someone that's legit. In the past the 3rd party groups have killed themselves by having either a nutcase as their person or a person that's so "one goal" orientated that they can't get mainstream ideas across.

Now with Lieberman going Independant, there is a very good possibility that a 3rd party system will come back into the fray again. I have a feeling that even if he doesn't win, the numbers are going to be very high, and it's going to hopefully slap the faces of both Dems and Repubs and say "look folks, you aren't the only ones in town".