Is a centrist 3rd Party Needed?

[ksslemp]

I've come to realize that both the Democratic and the Republican Parties couldnt care less about whats best for Americans and only care about preserving their power.

Do you think its time for a third major political party made up of Americans with some common sense and sense of duty to their fellow Americans?

As on 31 march, 289 people have viewed this poll post and only 26 have bothered to vote! Should i add a "Don't Care" button?

[s.xkitten]

*shrugs* it'll never work...been tried over and over....it would be nice, but it won't work

[XenHu]

A third party exists already...


-X

[s.xkitten]

A third party exists already...


-X

just doesn't get any publicity...they like to talk about the "off limit" topics...so they don't get any TV time, except for the ads they pay for...like i said, its been tried

[XenHu]

My point was missed..


-X

[s.xkitten]

*shrugs* or i choose to ignore it...

[ksslemp]

I know a third party exists, along with a 4th and a 5th and a 6th and a 7th..

I'm hoping for a third party that isnt made up of kooks & wackos! not a third party to represent the spotted owl, or one thats wants the country to run on the barter system. Thats why i said "Common Sense".

[XenHu]

I know a third party exists, along with a 4th and a 5th and a 6th and a 7th..

I'm hoping for a third party that isnt made up of kooks & wackos! not a third party to represent the spotted owl, or one thats wants the country to run on the barter system. Thats why i said "Common Sense".

Explain what you are referencing and perhaps I'll continue my end of this conversation..


-X

[luns101]

The history of 3rd parties in America is that they usualy only focus on one or possibly two issues that the other 2 either refuse to deal with, or are afraid to deal with. Usually, one of the major 2 parties adopts a strategy of addressing those issues and ends up diffusing the 3rd party's power.

[XenHu]

The history of 3rd parties in America is that they usualy only focus on one or possibly two issues that the other 2 either refuse to deal with, or are afraid to deal with. Usually, one of the major 2 parties adopts a strategy of addressing those issues and ends up diffusing the 3rd partie's power.

Typical..

I'm not at all surprised really..

-X

[Hologram]

Allow me to rephrase for the starter of this thread.

America needs a MAJOR third party.


As for my views, we do need one, in fact it would be great if there were 4, 5, maybe even 6, but it probably won't happen. Also with more than 2 parties the President-elect has a extremely high chance of being one that favors rural America. Say that there are 3 major candidates, and none of them get the needed majority of electoral votes (I believe it's around 217). The vote then goes to the House of Representatives, BUT, each state only gets one vote. Therefore the 50 something representatives from California would never agree on the same candidate, but Wyoming and Alaska, etc. who only have one representative would get their free pickings of the candidates. Yay for American government.

[Stopper]

I feel like butting in on this, so I will.

The House, as far as I'm aware, is dominated by the two main parties, like the Senate & the presidency. Also, as I understand it, every Representative is elected on a district-by-district basis, so you have a first-past-the-post system, like in the UK. That effectively ties people in to voting for one of the two main parties, because a vote for a third party is a vote wasted.

If this was changed, so that each state elected its representatives on a proportional representation basis, it would be far easier for people to elect non-main-party candidates, and even independents, without throwing their vote away. Also, the system couldn't be gerrymandered as easily.

I know that doesn't address the Senate or the Presidency, but it would at least mean that smaller parties would have a more secure power base in the lower house.

Of course, I doubt this hasn't been proposed before, but I'll stick it in anyway.

[MR. Nate]

c'mon X, don't be cryptic. Tell us what's on your mind. I have no clue what your talking about, but I'm intensely curious.

Stopper, nice idea, and yet a constitutional amendment about ANYTHING is tough to do, and do you think any member of the major parties is going to vote for a constitutional amendment to give more parties a say in the house?

[mr. incrediball]

this may be naive to you americans, but the british multi-party system works well, why not have that?

[btownmeggy]

this may be naive to you americans, but the british multi-party system works well, why not have that?

Why? For precisely the reason Mr. Nate gave:

Stopper, nice idea, and yet a constitutional amendment about ANYTHING is tough to do, and do you think any member of the major parties is going to vote for a constitutional amendment to give more parties a say in the house?

[Balsiefen]

our lib dems havn't been in power for ages, thay just wait while the other two parties screw themselves up and nick each others policies

they might have an opinion but no-one has ever bothered to listen

[btownmeggy]

The next 3rd party that will capture America's interest, I believe, will be a rightist party, like the Constitutionalists, that will gain popularity with the far-right of the Republican party if a moderate Republican like Giuliani gains the Presidential nomination. Hopefully, they'll be strong enough of a force to pull a Nader in '08.

I don't see a considerable centrist 3rd party popping up anytime soon because the mainstreams of both the Republican and Democratic parties are already very centrist. If you're slightly right of center, you'll be more or less at home with the majority (though not the loudest) of Republicans. If you're slightly left of center, you'll be more or less at home with the majority of Democrats.

Really, I feel like moderate Republicans are considerably disenfranchised from their own party (whereas the most leftist Democrats are neglected by their party in most states). The sad thing about the Republican party is that it's been largely co-opted by an extremely powerful right-wing contingent that represents the views of only about 15% of Americans.

Anyway, about half of all potential voters consider themselves neither Republican nor Democrat, and most actual voters don't vote for just one party year after year.

[MR. Nate]

The reason that someone would assume that a centrist party is needed is because, as btown mentioned, the extremes are always the loudest. I would think that 2 extreme parties, one right, one left, would split off, and leave the current parties as an huge but unconvinced group of moderates, without a particular platform to stand on. Which means we would end up like Britain, a powerful, central party and 2 smaller parties fighting for their special issues.

[max is gr8]

English politics is messed up it isn't represensitive voting Libs got 30% of votes and got a lot less than let in seats

[Stopper]

Stopper, nice idea, and yet a constitutional amendment about ANYTHING is tough to do, and do you think any member of the major parties is going to vote for a constitutional amendment to give more parties a say in the house?

Yes, to be honest I thought that might be the case - that's much the same situation in the main House in Britain. I take it this idea has no legs whatsoever. Oh, well.

[luns101]

The sad thing about the Republican party is that it's been largely co-opted by an extremely powerful right-wing contingent that represents the views of only about 15% of Americans.

what would those minority views be?

[btownmeggy]

The sad thing about the Republican party is that it's been largely co-opted by an extremely powerful right-wing contingent that represents the views of only about 15% of Americans.

what would those minority views be?

"The Religious Right" is probably the most powerful group, or segment, of the Republican party, but IS NOT representative of the vast majority of Republicans. Some basic positions of this group: organized prayer and bible-reading in public schools, teaching of creationism in public schools, anti-embryonic stem cell research, anti-sex education, anti-birth control (especially as provided free or at reduced cost by government-funded organizations, both abroad and in the US), anti-homosexuals serving openly (or at all) in the military.

[luns101]

The sad thing about the Republican party is that it's been largely co-opted by an extremely powerful right-wing contingent that represents the views of only about 15% of Americans.

what would those minority views be?

"The Religious Right" is probably the most powerful group, or segment, of the Republican party, but IS NOT representative of the vast majority of Republicans. Some basic positions of this group: organized prayer and bible-reading in public schools, teaching of creationism in public schools, anti-embryonic stem cell research, anti-sex education, anti-birth control (especially as provided free or at reduced cost by government-funded organizations, both abroad and in the US), anti-homosexuals serving openly (or at all) in the military.

Yeah, that's what I thought. I guess I'm part of that powerful sector. I disagree with your representation of our positions (although I can't speak for everyone in the 'religious right') I could easily turn it around and say that those who disagree with me are anti-prayer, anti-religion, anti-responsibility, and anti-life. It just depends on your point of view.

But if the 'religious right' is such a minority, the 'moderates' should have no problem controlling the party platform. Either that, or the 'moderates' fear losing the Christian vote, so they just "suck it up" for the time being. That makes your original point though, of a "constitutional" 3rd party coming out of the Republican party.

I guess I partially agree with you in the fact that a 3rd party could splinter off from the Republican side, but seeing as poll after poll represents a strong Christian influence among Americans, that "splinter" would eventually be shopping around for a new home. One of the 2 major parties would eventually address their concerns.

It's sort of like Hollywood making Christian-friendly films as of late. They have so sympathies towards religious people, but readily accept their $$. The same could be said for 'religious' voters. We'll tell you what you want to hear if we receive your votes.

[btownmeggy]

But if the 'religious right' is such a minority, the 'moderates' should have no problem controlling the party platform. Either that, or the 'moderates' fear losing the Christian vote, so they just "suck it up" for the time being. That makes your original point though, of a "constitutional" 3rd party coming out of the Republican party.

I guess I partially agree with you in the fact that a 3rd party could splinter off from the Republican side, but seeing as poll after poll represents a strong Christian influence among Americans, that "splinter" would eventually be shopping around for a new home. One of the 2 major parties would eventually address their concerns.

It's sort of like Hollywood making Christian-friendly films as of late. They have so sympathies towards religious people, but readily accept their $$. The same could be said for 'religious' voters. We'll tell you what you want to hear if we receive your votes.

Yep. I agree.

[ksslemp]

The sad thing about the Republican party is that it's been largely co-opted by an extremely powerful right-wing contingent that represents the views of only about 15% of Americans.

what would those minority views be?

"The Religious Right" is probably the most powerful group, or segment, of the Republican party, but IS NOT representative of the vast majority of Republicans. Some basic positions of this group: organized prayer and bible-reading in public schools, teaching of creationism in public schools, anti-embryonic stem cell research, anti-sex education, anti-birth control (especially as provided free or at reduced cost by government-funded organizations, both abroad and in the US), anti-homosexuals serving openly (or at all) in the military.

Having previously been a member of the republican party i can tell you that youre right the "religious Right" is a minority in the party. but the dems and left leaning media have overblown the RR's influence as a scare tactic to rally their side into vigilence. The most powerful influence on the republican party AND on the democratic party are the Lobbyists, and until Americans pay as much attention to their representatives as they do to American Idol that fact wont change. Another thing, You said: Anti-Birth Control, Is this a new term for Abortion?