Possible Third Party Strategy?

[Fletchette]

Since the Republicrats have made it impossible to get a viable third party canidate on the ballot due to restricitve ballot rules, could we use their own rules against them?

For example, could a Libertarian canidate simply register as a Republican and then be able to run in the Republican primaries? This canidate could openly declare their intent to change their party affiliation to Libertarian upon election. Thus, this canidate would have all the benefits of running as a Republican but third party voters (and like-minded Republicans) would be able to vote for him/her and get them onto the ballot for the general election.

Yes, the Republican elite would be upset but other than foul words what could they do? This might be a way to get a Libertarian on the ballot.

Comments?

 

[pittspilot]

1) Doesn't explain why people would vote for him. The low draws on the part of Libertarian Candidates are no solely due to the "Republicrats"

2) Still would need to get through a primary.

3) And even if he did, he would turn off al the R's making sure of a D victory.

 

[Car Knocker]

In many states, the candidate has to be selected by the party caucus to get on the primary ballot.

 

[Kim]

Count me out. It is a loser stragety. You either play the game or not. If not then it is as foolish as John Lennon singing the song Imagine. I am not an idealist of any sort. Third Party elected Clinton should I say more. For all those to the right the left beat you to the party. The New Left infltrated the Demo and now are their base. Work the system or be more disapointed. Read about the history of the Left and you will find they had a plan to infiltrate the Dems which they did.

 

[Grey54956]

The problem with a third party is that no one has done it right.

The larger non-republicrats all have some good ideas, but also have a lot of bad positions in their platforms. While I generally think the Libertarians would be a good choice for their fairly hands-off attitude towards guns, the war on drugs, and business, their ideas on an open border and enviromental controls totally suck the big one. The Greens might be communist tree-huggers, but their dedication to enviroment might not be too bad when most scientists are warning that global warming is here and we need to reign in our complete disregard for nature. No one wants to vote for half a good platform and half a bad one, especially if it means they throw their vote away and their least favorite Republicrat party wins.

The moderate Dems and Republicans, not the loons at the far extremes, could generally get along together just fine, but they fear loosing to the loons. They can't vote for a third party because that will cost them everything (the other party's loonies win...).

What we need is an Amalgamated Third Party that takes the best ideas of the Libertarians, Greens, Dems, Republicans, and so on... pulls them all together and makes a platform we can all believe in.

 

[GoRon]

Work the system or be more disappointed

Truth

I know it sucks.

Deal with reality.

Voting third party = no representation and those who you might have voted for will ignore you as fringe.

Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system and then work the system.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

As lopsided as the current campaign rules may be, running as a Libertarian in the Republican party is going to be even worse. If you had enough libertarian minded voters in the Republican party that such a candidate could survive the primaries, you probably would be voting Republican already instead of third party.

Personally, I think that working to change one of the major parties from within is the strategy that offers the best chance for success. Having said that, I don't think I can hold my nose long enough to vote for a Republican anymore and I won't be voting for any Democrats as long as it means a Schumer/Feinstein/Kennedy Senate Judiciary commitee.

 

[wingman]

Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system, Work the system and then work the system.
__________________

Done that, done that, done that, etc.............. Don't work, will vote third
party or not at all after 20+ years of voting republican I see no progress
at the federal level or local. :banghead:

 

[Standing Wolf]

Who are these "Republicans" I hear about from time to time? What have they done for America?

 

[Lupinus]

there is one viable strategy and that is targeted growth.

Here is an example. Say the lib's have a good base in some counties in...Arizona, Colorado, and South Carolina (dunno if they do, just using it for example). They focus their efforts on the areas that they can win in these states and once they have a decent grasp expand within the states. Once you then have a good statewide base of support within those state start trying for elections to congress and senate. At the same time once you have solid base in those states start spreading out to other states. Once you have a good base in a good number of states then you start trying for the oval office.

Look at it as a war. You have a battalion of soldiers and you need to defeat an entire enemy army. Charging head first into that enemy army isn't going to win you anything and will waste your limited resources. But if you instead gain a good solid base of operations, expand it, and nibble away at your enemy you will soon have both strengthened yourself as well as weakened you enemy both to the point you now have an actual chance of winning. What third parties are doing now is analogues to charging head long rather then building up their base and nibbling away at the enemy.

Start small, work up, invest resources where you will get gain or at least have a chance at gain on your investment. You don't throw it away into something that currently is unwinnable.

 

[lamazza]

I like alot of the points that the Libertarians stand for, but the legalize drugs stance is going to turn off alot of parents and conservatives.

 

[Autolycus]

But the "War on Some Drugs" is pretty much a travesty. It wastes more then it produces, is a violation of our civil rights, and is just hypocritical.

 

[Otherguy Overby]

Reference point

What you need is a reference point. IOW, take all Republicans to the left of Ron Paul, tie them to something convenient and burn them at the state. I'm saving the guillotine for any Democrats further left than Zell Miller. The half dozen or so remaining should have the country's best interest in mind and be a good group to start with for party reform.

 

[Husker1911]

Constitution Party?

My state has de-certified the Libertarian party. Damn!




On a national level, I'm asking you folk if a "Constitution" party would work. The things I've appreciated about the Libs is the fact they hold the Constitution quite workable, and (basically) sacred. As do most of us. So would a new national political party that ran on the planks of restoring US Constitutional limitations and reassignment of powers be viable?

 

[LAK]

Only one worthwhile is the Constitution Party.

The problem with introducing any third party candidate is the ringmasters. Patrick Buchanan got as far as qualifying for matching Federal campaign funds awhile back. He was not however permitted by the ringmasters to debate the two WWF stars on national TV.

That is how these fakes control the electoral process in this country. They control the media; and contrary to popular belief, the media is a tool of their mutual status quo.

-----------------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org

 

[Manedwolf]

Only one worthwhile is the Constitution Party.

But their candidate was a scary theocrat that Thomas Jefferson would have been horrified at. No thanks.

 

[fourays2]

On a national level, I'm asking you folk if a "Constitution" party would work. The things I've appreciated about the Libs is the fact they hold the Constitution quite workable, and (basically) sacred

except for the 2A you mean.

 

[Husker1911]

Quote:
On a national level, I'm asking you folk if a "Constitution" party would work. The things I've appreciated about the Libs is the fact they hold the Constitution quite workable, and (basically) sacred

except for the 2A you mean.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

I should haved stated "The things I've appreciated about the Libertarians is the fact they hold the Constitution quite workable, and basically sacred."

I didn't mean to imply Liberal. I'll accept the Libertarians stance on Second Amendment!

 

[pittspilot]

Also, what is the Libertarian, assuming he gets voted in, going to accomplish in Congress? No one will vaote with him. He will be the voting block of one.

You know, one way voters get to judge candidates or parties is measuring their ability to organize and run campaigns. Every dealing I have ever had with the Libertarians has told me that they are an organizational disaster. Why would they then get their act together when they assumed power?

 

[longeyes]

Work the system?

Or be worked by it?

Bush was elected, along with Congressional majorities, to Set The World Right Again. Instead, we have been viciously betrayed. The final nail in the coffee would be the passage of any immigration bill that smells of the Senate excretion.

The Republicans, out of greed, out of hubris, have grown deaf, dumb, and blind. What they don't understand is that their policies are not only leading to the demise of the GOP, they are leading to the demise of the Republic itself, and, in my view, the legitimacy of all legal authority in this country. If there are no men who will stand up for what is right and for the law, then this nation will degenerate into de facto lawlessness.

We send our military to fight warlords thousands of miles away while ignoring the rise of warlords, some street thugs in jailhouse tats, some in full corporate panoply, here in America.

It's hard for me to take the antics of Dems versus Republicans very seriously when I perceive a virulent "mind war" at work in the guts of America. "Haditha" is perhaps the final front in that war, part of the campaign by the American Left to make fighting all wars, anywhere, impossible, our last noble institution discredited, America emasculated.

Don't worry about John McCain and Hillary Clinton, worry about whether the Rubicon is going to be crossed or whether we all have serfdom in our future.

 

[Battler]

Honestly, the best third party strategy would be to make a party that adopts a more pure version of your adversary's politics, then siphon off their votes.

I.e. if you're a conservative, start a socialist party that cares about the trees. If you're socialist, advocate some libertarian or conservative party to siphon away their votes.

In general, the two major parties have to, by definition, represent the politics of most people to stay viable - but the non-preferential voting system in the US allows similar parties to destroy their friends.

That's how it's done.

 

[dmallind]

Battler has a good point. This is why Republicans paid for Green Party candidates' filing fees in the lasty couple of cycles.

 

[Gordon Fink]

When I turn over the rocks in Washington and Sacramento, the stench of corruption and incompetence is so strong that I fear the political system is already far too compromised to be properly cleansed through conventional means. That doesn’t mean I won’t still vote for improvement through the Libertarian Party and the occasional good Republican or Democrat, but I hold little hope that it will do much good.

~G. Fink

 

[lamazza]

But the "War on Some Drugs" is pretty much a travesty. It wastes more then it produces, is a violation of our civil rights, and is just hypocritical.

I totally agree with you.

 

[slzy]

Lincoln remains the only successful third party candidate. instead of doing the little side step like the governor in best little whorehouse in texas, a third party candidate has to unquestionably stand on one side or the other on a pivotal issue. such an issue confronts us now,and if such a candidate would step forward now,the voters would desert their party to vote for them now. as things stand,the Whigs were left to history,and if the Republicans do not play their cards right,it could be them this time.