President Ron Paul? President Ralph Nader? Americans Split on the Need for a Third Party
Do we need a third party? Americans are evenly split on the question, according to Gallup, with 47 percent saying yes and 47 percent saying no. What I find particularly striking is that in the middle of last year, 58 percent favored a third party and 33 percent thought the two parties were doing the job.
Of course, the problem with such a question is the specifics: How many of that 47 percent are on the Ralph Nader side of the spectrum, and how many on the Ron Paul? If the 47 percent—or even a large number of them—could coalesce, they would be a powerful force. But they are too fractured and diffuse.
I bring all of this up, of course, because we've got a pretty good debate between Ralph Nader and Newt Minow about whether third-party candidates should be allowed into the presidential debates. If you haven't already, check it out—and then weigh in in the comment section.
Tags: politics | Ron Paul | Ralph Nader
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politics
Why is it that other countries such as Great Britain have 3 or more major patries, and we only have 2?
politics
Why is it that other countries such as Great Britain have 3 or more major patries, and we only have 2?
3rd party.
The essential problem here is not the number of parties. We could have 100 political parties, and if all of them are as corrupted as the two we already have, what good would come of it? Democrats and Republicans are nothing more than two sides of the same coin. No matter what the campaign platforms may be based upon, the real motivation is power. They seek to gain power, and also to maintain that power. The heart of the problem is that Washington is out of touch with "real" people. The everyday working men and women that keep this country going. Term limits for Congress would be a great way to shake up the political system. For those that would argue that we need experience people in Washington, I ask you, with all the experience in Congress, why is our economy spiraling downward, why are we stuck in a war we can never win, why are there people with no health care, and starving children. Experience is not what we need in Washington, but rather initiative, ability, and someone willing to make intelligent, independent decisions based on what is best for the country and not their party or fat cat lobbyists.
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