third parties & american presidential politics

[mizkit]

I wish everybody who believes that voting for a third party in a two-party presidental election is a protest vote would go out and run for office themselves under a third party and work their way up through the system and create a situation where a third party was a viable option instead of taking away a vote for the party which, like it or lump it

Comments

[6_penny]

Well said.
And thank you for the appreciation of those who run for public office -local government is important - if enough concerned people get involved they can make a huge difference in their own towns, and the changes can also trickle up to higher levels of government. It does take a long term commitment though. And those who you work to elect need your continued support after they get in office. Especially on the local level (speaking from personal experience). When there are public hearings on issues turn out and speak your piece. And for heavens sake don't tell the person who is giving a huge amount of time and getting a significant amount of abuse for their efforts that you are too busy to even write a note to be submitted in a public hearing -but sure- you think they are doing a good job.
After 10 years of hearing that last from my 'supporters' and only hearing from the opposition on the public record I realised that they put less value on my time then their own. It does get discouraging when no one comes out to back you

[merlinofchaos]

At no point should a third party ever be one person. That's an independent with a following, not a party.

A party needs to be a coalition, an alliance, a group of people who share an ideology.