Is the creation of a strong third party possible?

[scottyz]

I'm sure it's been discussed before but I thought i'd ask for opinions. Do you think it's possible for a strong third party to form and survive in America at the moment? Are the votes there? Could it survive the obvious lashings it's going to get from the Dems/Repubs? We saw Clinton and Dole work together to keep the third party candidate out of the picture so we know there is at least one things the Dems and Repubs can agree on. :2razz:

This seems like the ideal time to try. The Dems are unorganized, lack any unified message and have various people trying to tug the party in different directions. The Repubs are constantly on damage control for the Prez and are starting to show signs of division. Bush has probably irreparably damaged their image.

 

[cnredd]

I'm sure it's been discussed before but I thought i'd ask for opinions. Do you think it's possible for a strong third party to form and survive in America at the moment? Are the votes there? Could it survive the obvious lashings it's going to get from the Dems/Repubs? We saw Clinton and Dole work together to keep the third party candidate out of the picture so we know there is at least one things the Dems and Repubs can agree on. :2razz:

This seems like the ideal time to try. The Dems are unorganized, lack any unified message and have various people trying to tug the party in different directions. The Repubs are constantly on damage control for the Prez and are starting to show signs of division. Bush has probably irreparably damaged their image.

The only way I could see that happening would be if the moderate Dems get so pissed at the hijacking of their party at the hands of the far-left contingency that they cecede and start anew...

 

[teacher]

In a friggin word: NO!

 

[democraticandidate]

The early years of the reform party has shown that it is possible. A coalition of moderate to conservative democrats and moderate republicans would make a third party a viable power. Add to the mix independents who in a "throw the bums out!" election year would vote third party and voila!. It would be a party where the hard-core positions would be largely absent of the other two parties.

 

[Kandahar]

Under the current conditions it's unlikely that a viable third-party could be sustained for more than one election cycle (maybe two). The only possible way a third-party could have a significant chance is if there was a major political upheaval in one or both parties: The union/labor/socialist crowd breaks away from the Democratic Party after being snubbed, or more likely, the religious right becomes disillusioned with the GOP and jumps ship. The other main party would then have to shift its platform accordingly. If that happened, you could see the emergence of a left-wing socialist party, a business/libertarianesque/neoliberal party, and a right-wing Christian party. It's unlikely, but it's not entirely unthinkable either.

 

[scottyz]

Is the consesus the people aren't ready for a third party or that the Dems and Pubs are still unified enough to keep a 3rd party out of the picture?

 

[Kandahar]

Is the consesus the people aren't ready for a third party or that the Dems and Pubs are still unified enough to keep a 3rd party out of the picture?

If anything, the latter. I don't think most people would be completely against the idea of voting for a third-party, if they felt that there was an electable candidate who shared their ideas. I don't think very many people simply vote the party line without even thinking about who they agree with more.