Third Party & Independents: Archives

(Due to a technical error, this article and comments had to be rebuilt. The following comment was posted by Jason Erickson: )

What hope is Gore providing to the Third Party column? Is this a jump to the anybody-but-Bush camp a mere five days after your “Vote for Revolution”? You had just told us that your “vote for Green or Natural Law Party, or simply not voting at all, is a vote to further either a wake up call to the two party system to act as a democracy, or a revolution.” What happened?

Posted by: Jason Erickson at December 10, 2003 03:43 AM

I am a political writer, not a political crusader. If I were a crusader, I would futilely run for office, Jason, like Ralph Nader might. In the face of the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), “resistance is futile”.

The more the Republicans and Democrats play musical chairs with the oval office, the faster, the disenchantment with the current non-democracy system we have will grow. There is nothing inconsistent between the two articles.

If there is a hint of exuberance on my part in this article, it is due to the fact that I believe the President’s foreign policy is recklessly killing our American personnel when safer, and more effective, alternatives for our troops are available. Also, I am opposed to the 7 to 14 Trillion Dollar Debt this President has, and is piling upon this and the next generation’s shoulders, again, unnecessarily.

No where in this article do I imply that the long term systemic problems previously discussed will be resolved by a Democrat winning in 2004. It is not until the FEC is dismantled or remade to be inclusive of enough third party and independent’s candidates to permit representation of the majority of Americans needs, interests, and values in Congress, that I will have any renewed hope for the return of democracy of, by, and for the majority of people in America. Also, real campaign finance reform would go a long way to restoring my faith.

I trust this clarifies any confusion you may have read into the two articles.

Gore doesn’t give Third Party voters hope, he gives them the chance to vote somewhere else. If you could come up with some numbers from the last election and where 3rd Party voters went, maybe I’d think otherwise, but it’s a faulty assumption at this point on the campaign timeline.

JT, I agree. But, then third parties have no realistic hope of winning the presidency in 2004 anyway. They do hope to grow their enrollment and political presence to influence our government and elections. And Gore, gives 3rd party voters that desperately want to remove Bush from office, the possibility of making their 3rd party vote cast for Dean, have a real effect on government and future short term policy.

Just one example, as I am just one person, but I voted for Nader in 2000. Granted, I was in a state where it didn’t matter, but I would’ve voted for Nader regardless. I voted against Clinton twice, both Bushes, and Bob Dole. That’s where this voter went.

Well, was not the point of a past article to not vote simply on party lines but to vote on what you feel is best?

For some, they vote Republican because they see their intrests represented, some Democratic for the same reason. Others, like me, vote independant because they see their views and hopes represented there or a mixing from both.

At the same time, I want what is best for my nation and as of right now I see the best for my nation as getting the current president out of office and I see it in Howard Dean - who is now endorsed by Gore. And I would not vote for Dean if I did not agree with him so I see two wins in this situation.

Adam, that is great that you see two wins in your choice of Dean as candidate. But, about half the potential voters in this country see no benefit from voting for either or the pre-packaged candidates of the two major parties, for a host of reasons, not the least of which is the belief, that neither of the candidates will make much difference, because of the strangle hold money and special interests have on the political process.

I mean 7000 pork spending projects embedded in this years budget allocation bill represents the bribery pervasive in our political system just to get a concensus vote to pass it. Where is the future of smaller government and lower taxes going to come from in a corrupt two party congressional system like that?

For a host of non-voters, it is obvious that the interests and needs of the people are not a priority in Washington. Those needs and interests are bartered away for political gain, concensus, and payback to campaign supporters of the large dollar and influence kind.

I was pleased the Supreme Court upheld key provisions of campaign finance reform, but, most of us out here know, the campaign finance reform we got through legislation was compromised and bartered down to nothing but a down payment on the hope for a real campaign finance reform package that would restore the power of influence back to the average working potential voter.

A vote for a Democrat vs. Republican does nothing and adds nothing to correcting the intrinsic systemic failure of our system to put the people’s interests before those of the special interests.

Well Mr. Remer, I guess it is our job to show the country that there is a benefit or at least an affect on them depending on how they vote. Imagine how easy it would be for college kids.

With a consistent lowering of taxes and fiscal irresponsibility, the cost of college has skyrocketed compared to what it could be.

Simple examples like that which connect a person to what is happening is all that is really needed. Yeah, people could claim the electoral college gets in the way or that they are just one person, but simple, one peice parts make the whole.

I would guess that Ralph Nader agrees with your premise Adam. He is testing whether or not he can garner sufficient funding to run from the young voter and the non-voters who are such do to the lack of a candidate who they believe represents their interests.

My personal unprofessional belief is that FootBall, Wrestling, Boxing, Baseball and Hockey TV sports are the root cause of all our problems. Ralph Nader has his facts and ducks in a row when he speaks. He is an emminently intelligent individual with an ability for complex analysis.

He speaks, and he makes sense to 10’s of millions of people. But, he does not get anywhere near that many votes. Why? Our society, especially, the male side of it, and culture, are so permeated by the winner/loser team identificaton paradigm, that an intelligent voice unafilliated with a potentially winning party simply makes no sense to those indoctrinated by the TV Sports psychology.

How’s that for pulling one out of the thin air, and simplicity, Adam? : )

Are you seriously implying Dean is an independent by your comments? He’s a democrat, and your vague endorsement is a disgrace to you being in the center column on this site.

However, I’m glad you got a tingle because excitement is good for politics.

Bush has more grassroots contributions (a la internet) than Dean. But he was no underdog so he got no press for it. If anything, Dean is a triumph for Democrats sick of the status quo. Us Republicans are fine with much of it. We have a good man.

That seems to be a large minority opinion, Scott. Will have to wait till November to see if it will be sufficient to continue America’s decline, much like that of Rome’s. Rome fell not from conquest, but imploded under the weight of its own immensity and inability to win over the hearts and minds of the majority in its dominion. As Rome sought to increase its dominion over the world, it alienated the peoples of conquered territories, much the same as the U.S. is now alienating other nations in the world.

Those who know not there history are condemned to repeat it.