I don't know if it's just me, but I certainly would like to see more political parties in the USA that actually have some real power. I'm getting a little tired of the 2-party system and the endless swapping of power between the two same old parties. It seems to me that for a 3rd party to win the elections we would need some major restructuring of the way campaigning works here because money rules and without money your chance of winning the White House is near zero. Would anybody else like to see a 3rd party win the White House and is it even possible in the current system? Or is everyone fine with the 2-party system?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

YES..... If the Jewish lobby supports them.

I predict the Whigs shall rise again!

i say the whigs should try again dear ole chap

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If the Democrats manage to contrive a way to lose the next presidential election then I think it is fairly likely that the party will self-destruct, like the Whigs did. It wont be quick and clean. It will be full of recriminations and fragmentation.

From its ashes several parties will form: Some classically Roosevelt liberals, some Scoop Jackson Democrats (Republican lite), and a woe-begotten array of strident special interest groups all clowning their causes. The result will be that issues important to smal but very influential vocal minorities will all but disappear as they lose their considerable influence in the dregs of the dead party.

Republicans will think it happened because of some special virtue of Republicans. So they will over-reach even more, squandering even more money on stupid, wasteful programs in a mad bid to buy former Democrats. People will be so revolted by the corpulent excesses of the Republicans that they will form another party, call it neo-libertarians. It will be fiscally conservative, big on issues of personal liberty and distrustful of big government and essentially isolationist in foreign policy but free traders in economical terms.

My dream world.

Here, take the bong.

Bot

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"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Mark Twain

I think it may happen... After the war and the crappy economy (Bush the first) Perrot got double digits. The world has changed a lot since then and people are just begining to re-orient themselves to a new world picture. Neither party has been very impressive. It will take someone with a lot of credibility to pull it off though and those types are in short supply. Either that or things will have to get worse first.

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-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831799-post13.html
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831807-post14.html

Good analysis there, Bot. I would also envision the republican party splitting up not only to form the libertarian party, but also the evangelical/ultra-conservative party that will try to ban everything that's not explicitly sanctioned by the Bible, though I can't imagine it gaining anything more than a small portion of the votes.

A264172, I agree that neither party has been impressive lately, and that's why I started this thread. How about someone who genuinely looks after our people's interest, isn't too stubborn to learn from and admit mistakes, respects the constitution and the rest of the world, isn't an out-of-control spender but at the same time spends money on what we really need, speaks the truth and answers questions directly, and isn't tied to any special-interest group? Is that too much to ask?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Its a nice theory with regards to having another choice. But I am sure you see the bogus nonsense that is stirred up now by elections with slim margins and the concept of a "mandate". People would howl if the president won with 35% of the vote (assuming roughly equal splits).

Besides, if you take the majority of the 2 parties now, you will see that they are not all that different. A new third party would not be created out of the extreme left or right, so it would basically mimic the center. Plus, all independents we have seen run came from one of the big parties and got creamed in the primaries.

I guess a question is are you looking for a new ideology or just another way to add to the number of choices?

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MB-less

I'm all about that B, will you run for Prez in '08?

Anyone but a Bush, EVEN BOT would get my vote

What you call bogus nonsense is how most democracies of the world work. Remember it's not all about the presidency. The president doesn't hold that much power anyway, at least not until Bush took over. A strong third party would also make a strong presence in the congress where the real action is. Basically, I'm look for splitting up the ideologies a bit and giving the people more choices. There are many types of democracts, republicans and those who are a bit of both or one of the two depending on the issue. Two sizes simply may not fit all.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

I think that was your fantasy. Aren't you the union lover?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Yes, but I like what you stuff in your bong. Share?

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"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Mark Twain

Slogan: Pot in every bong.

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"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Mark Twain

This is the best and probably only way we're ever gonna break the two-party stranglehold over the American political landscape.

www.fairvote.org