Political Parties (1 Viewer)

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With only 2 real parties out there, how would another party be started?
One that encompasses the middle class or Regular Joe's of America.
 
With only 2 real parties out there, how would another party be started?
One that encompasses the middle class or Regular Joe's of America.

Same way they did in the past. These two parties did not exist when this country was founded. Somehow the political process froze up.

And over time these parties have been tweaking election laws in order to keep things as they are. It's much more difficult for a 3rd candidate to get into a race than it was in the day of Teddy Roosevelt. This is by design.

Unfortunately it would most likely have to be someone like a Perot or Lamont with a personal fortune to get into the race.

But hey if the right guy stands up as an independent then we just have to sign the petitions or cast the votes and make it happen somehow.

It's time.
 
I really hope that a third party can emerge someday soon... I think the problem with 3rd party candidates previous is that it's been a candidate (Perot, Wallace, Nader, etc.) more than a party...
 
It is extremely difficult for an effective third party to get started. The Republicans and Democrats have made it very difficult for others to get on ballots nationally, and it is difficult to get matching funds without reaching a certain percentage in the polls.

I seriously doubt if you will every see an effective party, including the Libertarians, gain a foothold, unless the overall population just have enough of the established parties. Unfortunately, only about 20 per cent of the regular voters vote outside their registered party affiliation, and the majority of those will not vote for a candidate they believe cannot win.
 
Carson - "What Democracy Means to Me"

"What Democracy Means to Me"
by Johnny Carson
1991


To me, democracy means placing trust in the little guy, giving the fruits of nationhood to those who built the nation. Democracy means anyone can grow up to be president, and anyone who doesn't grow up can be vice president.

Democracy is people of all races, colors, and creeds united by a single dream: to get rich and move to the suburbs away from people of all races, colors, and creeds. Democracy is having time set aside to worship — 18 years if you're Jim Bakker.

Democracy is buying a big house you can't afford with money you don't have to impress people you wish were dead. And, unlike communism, democracy does not mean having just one ineffective political party; it means having two ineffective political parties.

Democracy means freedom of sexual choice between any two consenting adults; Utopia means freedom of choice between three or more consenting adults. But I digress. Democracy is welcoming people from other lands, and giving them something to hold onto — usually a mop or a leaf blower. It means that with proper timing and scrupulous bookkeeping, anyone can die owing the government a huge amount of money.

Democracy means a thriving heartland with rolling fields of Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Spanky, and Wheezer. Democracy means our elected officials bow to the will of the people, but more often they bow to the big butts of campaign contributors.

Yes, democracy means fighting every day for what you deserve, and fighting even harder to keep other weaker people from getting what they deserve. Democracy means never having the Secret Police show up at your door. Of course, it also means never having the cable guy show up at your door. It's a tradeoff. Democracy means free television. Not good television, but free.

Democracy is being able to pick up the phone and, within a minute, be talking to anyone in the country, and, within two minutes, be interrupted by call waiting.

Democracy means no taxation without representation, and god knows, we've just about had the hell represented out of us. It means the freedom to bear arms so you can blow the "o" out of any rural stop sign you want.

And finally, democracy is the eagle on the back of a dollar bill, with 13 arrows in one claw, 13 leaves on a branch, 13 tail feathers, and 13 stars over its head. This signifies that when the white man came to this country, it was bad luck for the Indians, bad luck for the trees, bad luck for the wildlife, and lights out for the American eagle.

I thank you.

Johnny Carson


READ MORE
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/democracy.asp
 
It is extremely difficult for an effective third party to get started. The Republicans and Democrats have made it very difficult for others to get on ballots nationally, and it is difficult to get matching funds without reaching a certain percentage in the polls.

I seriously doubt if you will every see an effective party, including the Libertarians, gain a foothold, unless the overall population just have enough of the established parties. Unfortunately, only about 20 per cent of the regular voters vote outside their registered party affiliation, and the majority of those will not vote for a candidate they believe cannot win.


Prolly gonna take some kinda major upheaval to expose the corruption of the entrenched system to the average apathetic voter, to really make it hit home.

In some ways I wish the founding fathers would have built a parliamentary system into the Constitution. It's easier for smaller parties to have an impact it seems. You can vote your conscience and issues with a small party and then they can bargain them into a coalition.

Some people think parliamentary systems are unstable but it doesn't look that way. They always point to the Italians but that has probably more to do with the nature of Italians then the nature of the parliament.
 
"What Democracy Means to Me"
by Johnny Carson
1991


To me, democracy means placing trust in the little guy, giving the fruits of nationhood to those who built the nation. Democracy means anyone can grow up to be president, and anyone who doesn't grow up can be vice president.

Democracy is people of all races, colors, and creeds united by a single dream: to get rich and move to the suburbs away from people of all races, colors, and creeds. Democracy is having time set aside to worship — 18 years if you're Jim Bakker.

Democracy is buying a big house you can't afford with money you don't have to impress people you wish were dead. And, unlike communism, democracy does not mean having just one ineffective political party; it means having two ineffective political parties.

Democracy means freedom of sexual choice between any two consenting adults; Utopia means freedom of choice between three or more consenting adults. But I digress. Democracy is welcoming people from other lands, and giving them something to hold onto — usually a mop or a leaf blower. It means that with proper timing and scrupulous bookkeeping, anyone can die owing the government a huge amount of money.

Democracy means a thriving heartland with rolling fields of Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Spanky, and Wheezer. Democracy means our elected officials bow to the will of the people, but more often they bow to the big butts of campaign contributors.

Yes, democracy means fighting every day for what you deserve, and fighting even harder to keep other weaker people from getting what they deserve. Democracy means never having the Secret Police show up at your door. Of course, it also means never having the cable guy show up at your door. It's a tradeoff. Democracy means free television. Not good television, but free.

Democracy is being able to pick up the phone and, within a minute, be talking to anyone in the country, and, within two minutes, be interrupted by call waiting.

Democracy means no taxation without representation, and god knows, we've just about had the hell represented out of us. It means the freedom to bear arms so you can blow the "o" out of any rural stop sign you want.

And finally, democracy is the eagle on the back of a dollar bill, with 13 arrows in one claw, 13 leaves on a branch, 13 tail feathers, and 13 stars over its head. This signifies that when the white man came to this country, it was bad luck for the Indians, bad luck for the trees, bad luck for the wildlife, and lights out for the American eagle.

I thank you.

Johnny Carson


READ MORE
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/democracy.asp

Gotta like the mans humor.
 
Third parties need campaign finance restrictions, public campaign finance, and preferential voting instead of winner take all.

I'd gladly replace the current parties with Greens and Libertarians. With finance/voting reforms Christian Right parties would probably dominate too many local/state offices for my liking.
 
I never go to political parties. they never have enough beer, and all they ever do is bicker.
 
I almost feel that there will be only 2 legitimate parties in this country...one, because it works, and two, because its a representation of the 2 major philosophies that we as american have.

You either want things to stay the same-Conservative/Republicans or you are more of a progressive forward thinker and are open to new ideas or changes-Liberal/Democrat.
 
You either want things to stay the same-Conservative/Republicans or you are more of a progressive forward thinker and are open to new ideas or changes-Liberal/Democrat.

I think you are mistaken if you think those generalizations are even close to accurate. Maybe you just left of the /sarcasm tag.
 

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