Do you believe a third party candidate could finally win...
@angusthethird (515)
United States
February 3, 2009 5:55pm CST
and the two-party system as we know it could end up going the way of the Beatles?
It is a very real possiblity. If we keep getting Republican after Republican, Democrat after Democrat, in office, and neither party has any fresh ideas about how to get our economy viable again, putting people back to work, in spite of all the campaign promises, I see it happening--the unthinkable: An upset by a 3rd party candidate.
A third party candidate might win in a 2016 or 2020 election, or later--if enough people get royally fed up with the gridlock happening in both the House and the Senate right now. Everyone seems to be voting as a bloc right now. Partisanship seems to be carrying the day right now. Why, they cannot even get a simple stimulus package passed for crying out loud!
You saw it in the waning hours of the Clinton administration. Now the man is accused of breaking the law. All Dems voted together NOT to impeach, while most of them who voted for Mr. Clinton's ouster seemed to be Republicans.
It is time, however, for all party politics and games to be shoved aside. We are facing a crisis of Rooseveltian proportions here. Not since 1929 have we seen such panic in our streets...grown men ending their lives in front of railroad tracks. Marriages breaking up. Grown men crying because their company has decided to close down after 50 years.
Democrats and Republicans, if you guys are not man or woman enough to stop the political posturing, don't be surprised if we get fed up with you and hire someone who is.
Let's come together for the good of the nation. We are in recession; we are fighting two wars. Whatever your problem with our president is--get over it. For the good of the USA.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@moneymommy (3418)
• United States
4 Feb 09
I don't think its possible If it ever happens it may be many many years from now. I think voting 3rd party is like throwing away a vote.
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
4 Feb 09
I don't think a third party will be able to achieve the presidency for quite awhile but I do think it could start putting up successful candidates for congress forming a small block that could break some of these partisan deadlocks. A third party is starting to look more and more like a viable alternative but achieving parity with the two existent parties would be a gradual process.
You paint a pretty dire picture. I think things are bad and will probably get worse before they improve but I really don't see people jumping off bridges or selling apples on street corners as in 1929.
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
4 Feb 09
The current election system is making it very difficult for a third party to get to power. However, it is not completely impossible. Unfortunately, it would require people to change their mindset. A lot of people think, if they vote third party they wasted their vote. They end up voting for the lesser evil to prevent the guy they don't like to come into office. Voting third party would actually send a statement that a change in politics is needed. Maybe if we start small like voting third party options into House and Senate.. a third party might slowly gain a foothold and eventually there may even be a president.
Still even in countries where this happened, for example Germany suddenly had the Green Party in Parliament, it doesn't mean that this party will gain enough support quickly. There is still no Green or Liberal Chancellor in Germany. Both are small parties in Germany's parliament. However, both also had the chance to co-govern by building a coalition with one of the two major parties.
@christinep312 (131)
• United States
4 Feb 09
It would be really hard for a third party to rise up with today's election laws. Espicially with the presidential vote. I mean a person could get 20% of the popular vote and not get a single electorial vote. There would have to be a huge movement of a giant amount of people for a third party to dominate.
@turandotty (228)
• United States
4 Feb 09
Definitely not possible. Sorry. Not in 100 years. Voting 3rd party is basically throwing your vote away.
