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What minor party has the best chance to become a major party?

What minor party has the best chance to become a major party?

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None, but not because the big two keep the others down, but because no other party really resonates with voters. Most parties are essentially the same as the main parties, with a single major difference. That difference doesn't seem to make much difference to most voters. To get a new major party, you'd need to have a party that is fundamentally different than the existing parties.

I don't see that happening.
 
Cephus said:
None, but not because the big two keep the others down, but because no other party really resonates with voters. Most parties are essentially the same as the main parties, with a single major difference. That difference doesn't seem to make much difference to most voters. To get a new major party, you'd need to have a party that is fundamentally different than the existing parties.

I don't see that happening.
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I disagree. While there are a lot of 'Libertarians' coming from the Republican party, if you read their platforms and literature they are fundamentally different. The problem with a 3rd party getting in is money. It has to do with what the money is supporting in some poll. Once that changes, then the narrative changes.

I believe a lot more would be accomplished with a Libertarian/Democratic government than a GOP/Dem at this point in time. The Democrats would preserve enough social protections, while the Libertarians push for individual rights and transparent government.

Edit - FFS both support getting out of the wars. Wouldnt it be a Democratic wet dream to bring all the boys home? Democrats would get far more use of their money supporting Libertarian candidates than they do attacking Republicans.
 
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Lokiate said:
It stopped being Jefferson's party a loooooong time ago.
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There has always been a bit of it that hasn't been shamed... until Y2K... There goes the last bit of the GOP and conservatism. Now it's some sort of radical 'Republicanism' that I assume makes Jefferson cry himself to sleep at night in his grave.
 
Peering in to the murky crystal ball, this is what I see....

Sometime in the next 20 to 60 years, as the ideological/ethnic/cultural/economic cracks dividing our population widen into fissures, the Republican and Democrat parties will split. There Repubs will split off a Conservative party, the Democrats will split off a Liberal party... but they may not be called that. Voters will flock to their preferred ideology, and the Dems and Repubs, while still powerful, will no longer be able to hold majorities in and of themselves.

Some disgusted voters will flock to existing 3rd parties. The Greens will pick up some, the CP's will pick up some, but the Libertarian party will pick up the most voters digusted with the current situation. The LP will become the "fifth wheel" in the four-party mishmash and will get to play kingmaker, dealbroker, and may have a pivotal role in siding with this side or that to pass legislation.

That's IF they acquire the ability to compromise when necessary... if the LP remains an "all or nothing, EVERYthing right NOW" party they won't be able to parlay their pivotal position into political power.


Or I could be wrong. Damn murky crystal ball... :mrgreen:
 
Lokiate said:
You need to brush up on history then. Political parties were rejected by the Founding Fathers, and didn't surface until the rift between Hamilton and Jefferson occurred. There was also the Era of Good Feelings in 1816-1824 where only one party existed.
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Exactly right. Washington warned us about political parties, and we seem to have ignored his warning.
 
The "Green" party is just plain silly..
The conservatives have taken over the GOP, IMO
I 'd say, sadly, the Libertarians...strange outlook on things....maybe in the year 2112..they will be relevant..
What we need is a reform party, which no party seems to be interested in.
 
Perhaps the interwebz will short circuit the party stranglehold on donations and master of the message.

rather than strict party system a more fluid coalition style government will emerge. pure democracy maybe impractical but as communication decreases the need to have a representative on site in DC the layers are seen more and more as pigs at the trough doing whatever it takes to stay where manna falls not from Heaven but from K street.

no form of government is foolproof, but perhaps we have let the fools prove this one long enough...
 
Personally I'd like to see the constitution party take hold, but if we are asking which third party is the most viable at this time and most likely it's the libertarians who have the most momentum. In reality either party would be fine to an extent. The constitution party though would have to slowly peel back the onion and the major problem is they want immediate results, our economic and social systems unfortunately cannot sustain too rapid of a transition, that's just reality. The libertarian party has a good grasp of the constitution and wants less government, but there is a dangerous faction that swings to near anarchy and we can't have that little control over the populace, that is also a reality.

As well, both the libertarian and constitution parties have a common problem, both of them have been claimed by the diametrically opposite ideologies of liberalism and conservatism. There are two parties claiming constitution in the name, one of them argues that the constitution swings us away from state control and the other wants nearly total state control. The libertarians are claimed by both as well.
 
Its not an official party in the traditional sense but if the Tea Party wanted to it could siphon off a lot of the GOP and imho the only serious potential new entry to the two party system.
 
Lets see, when the Clintons and Obama have passed away, I plan a party, probably a small one, but when I put $500-$1000 down for an open bar, either of the three or all three could become major parties.
 
A two party system is not apart of our tradition. If you look back in early history of past presidents, there were different parties other then Democrats and Republicans. The two parties now just have found a way to stay in office by constantly lying to people and making false promises. Yet year after year we keep voting them in. Why?

The Libertarian Party will be the next big party. If the media wasn't contolled by the same corporatins that fund these two parties, and let the other parties debate then we would see how corrupt and alike the Republicans and Democrats actually are.

It is funny that we're over in the middle-east forcing Democracy on people when we don't even have a Democracy here.
 
I think it will be the Greens for a variety of reasons but right now some of there platform ideas need to be modified.

I just wish the Constitutional Democratic Party (lowell wickerd) was still around

CDP does not equal CP
 
Anrch-Cptlst said:
It is funny that we're over in the middle-east forcing Democracy on people when we don't even have a Democracy here.
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I wouldn't say "funny" as much as "sickening". But we're not over there for democracy either, but for the same corporations and aristocrats that our government currently serves.
 
The Whig Party!!

lol in all seriousness, Libertarian has the best chance. They are currently the third largest party I believe. They just need to find an articulate candidate to give themselves a chance.
 
duhu said:
The Whig Party!!

lol in all seriousness, Libertarian has the best chance. They are currently the third largest party I believe. They just need to find an articulate candidate to give themselves a chance.
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I do believe they have had some rather articulate candidates in the past. I was a huge fan of Michael Badnarik. Still am. I think what third parties need more than anything is the freedom to fairly participate in the political system. But seeing as the Republocrats HATE competition, they have already destroyed political competition.
 
Ikari said:
I do believe they have had some rather articulate candidates in the past. I was a huge fan of Michael Badnarik. Still am. I think what third parties need more than anything is the freedom to fairly participate in the political system. But seeing as the Republocrats HATE competition, they have already destroyed political competition.
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By articulate I mean someone who can actually convince the masses that they are the best choice. Someone like Reagan. Or Slick Willy. Or heck even Obama in 2008.
 
duhu said:
By articulate I mean someone who can actually convince the masses that they are the best choice. Someone like Reagan. Or Slick Willy. Or heck even Obama in 2008.
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I think that if given the chance, Gary Johnson could do just that. But the powers that be do not want any third party to have the chance. Ross Perot got over 10% popular vote, and that guy was off his rocker. Just by being able to be exposed to the public, be in the news, debate the candidates....10%. Johnson would be a threat if he were allowed access to participation.
 
Ikari said:
I think that if given the chance, Gary Johnson could do just that. But the powers that be do not want any third party to have the chance. Ross Perot got over 10% popular vote, and that guy was off his rocker. Just by being able to be exposed to the public, be in the news, debate the candidates....10%. Johnson would be a threat if he were allowed access to participation.
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eh, I don't see it. Religious cons won't vote Libertarian and fiscal liberals won't vote Libertarian. Libertarian party would basically have to alienate everyone else..and no offense to Johnson or Paul, but neither really inspire people like other politicians do.

What they need is a really special kind of speaker...like Reagan.
 
Ikari said:
While the current answer is none because of how the system has become rigged, in general your analysis is incorrect. The electoral system will preferentially select as stable two major parties. That is to say there would be no third parties, or political competition, or an ability to replace one of the major parties with a different party should the case arise. While we are stable at 2 major parties, there is nothing innate to the system as it was originally designed to say that we would always have to have the SAME 2 parties. Before the system was rigged against political competition, it was possible to have third parties in the wings and if necessary replace a major party with one.
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Actually, I think the Republican and Democratic parties will adapt to any third-party challengers by absorbing them.

That is I think it is much more likely for the Republican Party to consume members of the Libertarian Party within it than for the Libertarian Party to ever supplant and overtake the Republican Party.
 
Smart said:
In your opinion, what minor party has the best chance of becoming a major party nationwide or in at least three states?

I believe that honor belongs to the Libertarian Party, largely because the Justice and Green parties haven't been very successful in recruiting Democrats to their parties.
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None of the above.
 
Libertarian by far.


The Green Party in the US is a mess. Just take a look at Jill Stein's (the GP presidential candidate) views. She supports paying unemployed people $20,000 a year as a "living wage". And how would that be paid for? Tax increases. She is just so disconnected from reality.
 
Candidates arrested at debate

Michael Badnarik of the Libertarian Party and David Cobb of the Green Party were protesting their exclusion from the debate between President Bush and Democratic Party nominee John Kerry.
Just as the debate began, the two candidates purposely crossed a police barricade and were arrested.
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Obviously, the system is rigged. For that reason alone more people should put on their big boy pants, stop cowering in incumbent fear, quit retreating to mommy's teat, and vote for a 3rd party.
Assuming they feel that a 3rd party would best represent and serve the country, in their view, of course.
 
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Kr1ll1n said:
Candidates arrested at debate



Obviously, the system is rigged. For that reason alone more people should put on their big boy pants, stop cowering in incumbent fear, quit retreating to mommy's teat, and vote for a 3rd party.
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Forgot to mention;

Normally, both parties maintain ballot access in all 50 states. Why were they excluded, again?
 
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