Third Parties Don't Normally Win National Elections

[bigtree]

A strong third party candidate who slips our primary process and pops up on the other side of our contests potentially aims to take votes away from our party's nominee.

That will, potentially, enable Bush.

Another Bush term would be catastrophic in the biblical sense. :nuke:

With the stakes so high, what would justify the formation of a third party now?

If a third party drive gains momentum, in the end I fear there will be little distinction between such an advocacy campaign and a spoiler.

Can't these advocacy groups just pick up a phone or drop a letter to these candidates? Dialouge will be necessary at the end of such a campaign. Dialouge will be much more effective right now, without the acrimony that a splinter campaign might engender.

[Sandpiper]

1. I would support a third party candidate

Who would be likely to siphon votes away from Bush a la Ross Perot in '92. :D

[bigtree]

2. Y'know

Perot was an ambiguous political vehicle. Folks saw what they wanted in him.

His worth appeared to me to be less than the sum of his support. I think he took some votes from Clinton, muddled the debates, and gave Bush cover.

[Doogie]

3. Maybe now is the time?

Hey, if the majority of Democrats see their candidate as being too moderate, too similar to the Republican, a third party coulkd finally capture enough to win. This might be the year.

Hypothetically speaking, of course. I don't see it happening. The ABB feeling is too strong. Even if Dean ran as a third, I don't think he'd pull enough Democrats to win. My .02

[Uzybone]

4. You mean never win national elections

n/t

[w4rma]

5. It's too tough to communicate to enough folks AND convince

enough folks that their old party should be discarded in favor of a new party. And, more importantly, even if everyone in the Democratic Party left to vote in a 3rd Party, wouldn't that 3rd Party still be the Democratic Party since the same people are members of it?

[bigtree]

6. I like to think so

[Oreegone]

7. Not to be insultive

But 3rd Party candidates have NEVER won a national election...nor will they...EVER. Get your butts in the Democratic Party and change things. It is easier than you think. There are some cranky curmudgeons, but there are plenty of Precinct seats left EVERYSHERE... Please join and make a difference.