Why Third Parties still matter
It was in the mid-1990s when I initially became disgusted at both the Democrat and Republican parties. As someone who's socially liberal, fiscally conservative, patriotic, believes in the Bill of Rights unedited, loves open space, and has a gun fetish, I felt abandoned by both parties.
I see them both as big government, big spending, and in the pockets of corporations rather than thinking of what's in the best interest of the common American. Take illegal immigration for instance. Both the Democrats and the Republicans are trying to bend over backwards to appeal to illegal immigrants while turning their backs on American citizens. President Bush went as far as calling the Minutemen Project a bunch of "vigilantes."
Well, I had already had enough and have been voting Third Party since the '96 election. And no, it's not a wasted vote. Here's why.
1) Major parties steal platforms from Third Parties. When Third Parties get too big, the major parties realize they are losing votes to the Third Parties so they steal pieces of their platform, the same pieces that got those Third Parties votes in the first place.
2) Major parties are often closer to how you feel. If you're sick of the Democrats and Republicans, stop holding your nose and voting for them and vote with your conscience. Vote with someone who really reflects you. There are so many Third Parties out there that chances are you'll find one that appeals to you.
3) Third Parties are not a wasted vote. The only wasted vote is the one not cast. So instead of blaming someone who voted for a Third Party candidate when your major party candidate lost, blame the guy who made an excuse not to make the ballot box. Folks, unless you're throwing up blood or visiting a dying relative, there really is no excuse to miss voting. The polls are open all day from very early to very late and if an employer tries to make you work the whole day, they could be in serious trouble with the law.
So if you still like the Democrats or Republicans, fine. I don't, but you're entitled to your belief. What appeals to you might not appeal to me. I just don't see too many people in the world drawing up blueprints for pirate and mermaid animatronics, and I'm sure there's something you do that I think is weird too. Politics is the same way.
But as I said, the only wasted vote is the one not cast. I would
love to see a Third Party candidate start getting big. Then maybe
we could have real campaign finance reform, an end to political
correctness, and a move forward for this country.
posted by The Zombieslayer @ 7:34 AM
26 Comments:
I'm with you.
I'm all for third parties, we need new blood, preferably blood that isn't blue.
While I wouldn't consider a third party vote particularly wasted, for reasons you said, I do think our current electoral system of winner-takes-all prevents them from meaning as much as they could. I live in a "blue" state - I could have safely voted for a third party and not be in danger of giving x electoral votes to Bush. But in a "swing state" a few third party votes could mean the difference between asshole #1 and asshole #2. So the electoral system has to go, anyway. Not that it ever will, at least not in our lifetimes.
The real problem is getting poeple to vote for a third party. How do we convince people that they aren't just wasting their vote?
Is it true that all (or most) third party campaigns are funded by either the Republicans or the Democrats?
The aim of course being to 'steal' votes that would normally go the rival party).
If so, does that mean third party officials are mere puppet shows being put on by either the Donkeys or the Elephants?
"the only wasted vote is the one not cast."
Hear! Hear!
I'd love to see a third party gain a foothold. It seems rediculous to me that for some reason the vast bredth of social and political is only represented by two stagnent viewpoints.
Levi - Stagnant they both are. I'd really like a move forward and neither major party's addressing real issues right now. They're just playing politics.
Cultureshocked - Well, I heard that there was a prominent Republican funding Nader's campaign and the media blew that totally out of proportion, like it's a conspiracy. I voted for Nader twice and I'm considered economically very conservative, so I'm sure there are plenty more like me.
PC - By just doing it. The saying needs to be "the only wasted vote is the one not cast."
Laura - Yes, speaking of blue blood, if I'm not mistaken, the average Senator is now a multi-millionaire, not just a millionaire. Nothing against rich folks at all, but I'd like to see someone in the Senate who knows what it's like to do crap jobs.
As for the electorial college, yes it's outdated. It should be straight up vote by vote for Presidential elections. That way we'd see a Third Party get at least 5% of the vote, which would make a huge difference next time around.
Exmi - Awesome. I'd love to see Third Party candidates win more than just local elections.
I see what you are saying. Like you, I have many beliefs that don't fall "strictly republican" or "strictly democrat". However, I do tend to shy away from voting third party because it seems that the third party candidates get "lost in the shuffle". So what I end up doing is voting for who I think would serve America the best, regardless of if I agree with all of their stances on policies. I also agree with Laura - even though I'm not a fan of Kerry, I am very disappointed (not surprised, though) about how our country is being run. I hope that we can get some "new blood" in office this next election.
I am reminded of a particular South Park episode about an election between a giant turd sandwich and a douche bag. :-P
I don't have a gun fetish but am otherwise totally on board. Like Laura I considered my third party vote safe as Cali was clearly going for Kerry, but what if the stakes were raised? I think what really hurt third parties was when Perot turned into such a loon during his first try.
Jason - Perot would have made America so far ahead of everyone else that we wouldn't be sweating bullets about China right now. That guy's an economic genius. Unfortunately, he's also a class A jerk. The debates proved that. I came close to voting for him in '92.
Jen - I didn't see that South Park episode. What a bummer. :(
ZS, I would not entirely agree or disagree with you. I've already said that if, god forbid, McCain gets the Republican nomination I will vote libertarian. But keep in mind, the real chance to make a serious dent in the political system is to vote for conservative/libertarian candidates that are on the Republican ticket in the primaries. Michael Medved has a serious problem with 3rd parties, and to be honest they are dead for the time being, only 3% of the votes cast in 2004 were for 3rd party candidates. Until someone good comes along to challenge the 2 party system I think it's a good thing people don't vote 3rd party. On the other hand, you live in Cali so your vote for a republican would mean next to nothing considering your a solid blue state. God help the dems if cali ever becomes a swing state (drooling at the possibility...).
jen- that was one of their best episodes.
I may be a little radical here, but ultimately, I'd like to see the party system abolished altogether. Give our candidates the power to run on their own issues, not the back-stabbing, suck-up platforms our 2 parties uphold! Hold a nationwide primary and let the top two vote-getters run in the general election.
Ben - Third Parties swing back and forth between viability and irrelevance. If Perot wasn't such a jerk, we'd have a three party system now. Plus your own state had Jesse Ventura as Governor.
Tshsmom - Ideally, that would be better. Very few people fit in any party. I know I don't even fit in any of the Third Parties.
Nothing to do with your post, sorry.
Are you frrom the big 'H'? I lived there the first 14 years of my life. Miss is so...
But if we abolished the party system, who would the corporate pricks buy their support from? Come on now, be rational :-p
Leslie - Finished up high school there and lived there again three more times in my life, all for one year stints or less. Still have rentals out there too. You know the Woodlands/Conroe/Spring area?
Laura - We need serious campaign finance reform. That actually would shake things up more than about anything. Limit campaign contributions to something like $100 a person or corporation. You'd be a lot more real grass roots candidates winning.
Very nice defense, Slayer!
I agree with Laura, that third
parties under the current system
do not have as much power as they
might otherwise. However, the founding fathers never meant them
to, because they believed in protecting the majority from dangerous minority factions.
Unfortunately, even though many
third parties have rational members, many have irrational
members. If we had a system in
which, in order to get a majority
of the votes, parties would have
to adopt extreme planks to their
platforms, our system might
fall apart, sort of like Macedonia's.
The way things work now are good.
Third parties who can manage
to convince the majority that
they have a point, gradually
influence the major players. The votes of Zombieslayer and those like him may very well bring about change.
Miranda - Actually, the Founding Fathers meant it both ways. The Constitution protected the minorities from the tyranny of the majority. Unfortunately, we have a Supreme Court who wouldn't know the Constitution if it bit them on the ass.
And they believed in protecting the majority from whacky minority groups. So it goes both ways. But I'm glad you understand that Third Parties have an influence by forcing major parties to take their ideals seriously and steal their planks.
Bridget - I too vote for the person. There are good people and whackos in every party. As much as I rag on the current crop of Democrats, my favorite president in the past fifty years was JFK. Weird, huh? So yes, the person's more important than the party.
ZS, don't remind me...
Laura, I KNEW I was being radical. LOL
I think we should start our own grassroots campaign, with you and ZS as our candidates!! I'd finally have somebody to believe in and wouldn't be voting "the lesser of two evils" again.
tshsmom, your leaving me out!?!? lol it's ok.
Slayer,
Right on both accounts. You always seem to have a very unique, yet very sensible view of things. Looking forward to more. :)
Savage-Totally agree, MONEY is what has corrupted our 2-party system! That's why we'll never see it abolished, the money people won't allow it. They call ALL the shots! Love "pluswhich"! Did you enter that in the urban dictionary?
Sorry Ben; you're too young to run for pres. Hopefully things will change in the next 17 yrs?!
Savage - you hit the nail on the head. They're so afraid of offending people that neither of the major parties is any good. They don't want to offend the ones who are writing their paychecks, i.e., corporations and special interest groups.
Miranda - Thanks. And you as well. I like reading your opinions on things.
Ben - Actually, you might be the most likely of any of us to make it to a higher office, seeing that you are starting now. I'm out of the loop politically, more focused on making enough money that I wouldn't have to take corporate donations to make Congress. Grass roots candidates still win smaller elections, but it takes serious money to be a Senator or Pres.
Tshsmom - That's why we need real campaign reform. It can be done, but Congress is too greedy to agree on a real campaign reform bill. That will severely shorten their paycheck.
The true problem in America is that politicians in the major parties will say anything for a vote. They are too busy trying ot be all things for all people rather than focusing on real issues. Compare it to TV, you can watch ABC and get a bit of everything but if it's sports you're interested in, flip over to ESPN. Just like cable TV, third parties are niches that appeal to a smaller but more defined demographic.
The true problem in America is that few people care enough to actually do anything. People are far too comfortable complaining about problems from the sidelines because the view isn't so pretty from the field. We've become a nation of spectators and no one's playing the game.
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