Is it too hard for third parties to have a chance in the presidential elections?
Politick said 02/19, 04:56 PM
It is.Many 3rd parties have good ideas. However,I will admit, most are run by the lunatics of the political compass, but they are still entitled to their chance to be elected just as much as any Republican or Democrat does.
Lib Expat said 02/19, 05:54 PM
The American political system makes it harder for 3rd party candidates to be elected than 3rd party candidates in other countries. This stems from the single-member districts in Congress and the winner-take-all system of the electoral college. Does this mean that it is *too* hard? No, it does not.
Third parties do not currently have much support among Americans. Theoretically speaking, if any 3rd party or independent candidate gained enough popularity he'd have just as much of a chance at winning the presidency as the two major parties.
Remember, even the Republican Party used to be a 3rd party back in the 1850's, when the two major parties were Democrats and Whigs.
Politick said 02/19, 06:21 PM
Good points. But the reason Third parties have no popularity is because they don't get a chance to debate or appeal to Americans what they believe. If they did,they could become a major party.
Lib Expat said 02/19, 06:49 PM
The chicken or the egg - what came first: low popularity or low chances of winning. I'd say the answer to that is low popularity. An impressive candidate who is not a member of the Democratic or Republican party would have a chance of winning, though he would definitely have to work harder than a Democrat or Republican.
Here's a scenario: in a presidential election both parties nominate candidates from their most radical wings. Let's say it is Pat Robertson vs Dennis Kucinich. A moderate 3rd party candidate like Mike Bloomberg would have a good chance of beating those two.
I admit this is quite an extreme scanario, but there are other situation where the 3rd party candidate may have a fighting chance. Remember, for a long time Ross Perot was ahead in the polls during the 1992 campaign.
Politick said 02/19, 07:06 PM
Ross Perot Managed to get attention,and it did him very well. In response to your scenario, Mike Bloomberg is very well known and liked, and Pat Robertson and Dennis Kucinich are not as well liked. Instead of Mike Bloomberg, put someone like 04 Libertarian party candidate Michael Badnarik
Lib Expat said 02/19, 07:19 PM
In that case, the problem might be just general name recognition and likeability. That isn't just a problem for 3rd party candidates - it's a problem for candidates within the parties themselves as well. It is up to the small parties to find someone who would gain attention and be able to recruit donations. You can't blame Americans for not voting for candidates and views they don't like.
Take Ron Paul, for example. He ran as the Libertarian Party nominee 20 years ago. Now, as a candidate for the Republican nomination he doesn't have a chance of winning for much the same reason as back then - voters don't support his libertarian views.
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Five years ago, I'd've agreed that it's too hard, but if you'd asked me at that same time if it's too hard for a black man or a woman to get elected, I'd have said yes. It remains to be seen on all counts, but I now believe that an exceptional candidate could win. Thus, it may be 'too hard' as a matter of opinion, but not 'too hard' as in 'impossible to realize'.
IamFry | 02/19/08
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These no free market politics in our system, because the want control our country. these election appear not to be on the up and up..
odom2008 | 02/19/08
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It all comes down to funding, and Democrats and Republicans have much more money/donations compared to a 3rd party candidate.
Wheatbread | 02/19/08
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