What would a functional American Third Party look like?

[Lawrence of Arabia]

although you might be right if the libertarian party focused on western states only (they tend to be more libertarian) Places like Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Oregon and Washington and California to a lesser extent.

In switzerland there is a libertarian party (Parti Liberal Suisse, Swiss Liberal Party), but they only do well in the western part of the country (cantons of Geneva, Vaud, Berne, Neuchatel, and Valais) Lately theyve lost some strength and have only 6 deputies in the national council - two from Geneva, two from Vaud, and one each from Neuchatel and Berne. Since they are pretty weak, they have made an alliance only on the national level with the PRS (Parti Radical Suisse, Swiss Radical Party) who are pretty close to being libertarian but are a little bit more conservative and do pretty well in the reste of switzerland (36 members in the national council including, Appenzell Innerrhoden (1) , Basel Land (1), Basel Stadt (1), Berne (4), Fribourg (1), Genève (1), Graübunden/Grisons (1), Luzerne (2), Neuchâtel (1), Sankt Gallen/ Saint Gallen (1), Ticino (3), Vaud (4), Zurich (5) etc.) They are spread out in all 4 language groups of switzerland.

The alliance, called the Union Liberale Radicale (URL, Liberal Radical Alliance) means that the two libertarian parties control 42 seats out of 200 in the national council (21%) and can have some say.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
We need a Christian Democrat Party, a party with Christian ideals and morals, yet devoted to the welfare of the people.

I don't like the idea of a theocratic/evaneglical party -- even if what you propose would supposedly be a liberal party.






Religion and politics are dangerous when mixed together -- just look at how evangelicals and fundies have contaminated the Republican Party.

[Pekka]

I think the question is wrong, even though I know you want to talk about this like it says. I just think the question is wrong, if we wish to go forward in the whole political parties and spectrum thingie.

Because the reality of the situation is, OK we can have a third party, but so what? It's not powerfull at all, and it won't change anything in the powerplays. It can be a new option, but who says 3 party model is any better than 2 party? Why not 5 parties? WHy parties to begin with? Why take such a small step when you could take few steps?

[Lawrence of Arabia]

three party is better then 2 party, and 5 party is better then 3 because it allows more specialized visions for the country and allows people to have a distinction.

[Bosh]

We need a Christian Democrat Party, a party with Christian ideals and morals, yet devoted to the welfare of the people.

That falls under my "Buchananism without the crazyness" category (at least loosely). I'm sure there's plenty of people like you who would support that kind of idea, but I really don't think that the idea would fly. Most of the people who're currently involve in politicized Christianity seem to be allergic to the kind of compromise that would be necessary to get the "devoted to the welfare of the people" to mean anything.

the libertarian party is fine - in the last wisconsin gubernatorial race, the libertarian candidate (who was a mayor of a city) recieved over 10% of the vote.

You didn't win, therefore its not fine by definition. And there's no way in hell that the Libs are going to get more than 10% statewide in Wisconsin in the forseeable future. The Libertarian party either needs to move way way off the fringes and become something more like European Liberal Parties (which would be quite tenable) or concentrate the preponderance of its resources into races where it has a shot in hell of winning (there's got to be at least a handful of Congressional districts out there, Ron Paul pulled it off afterall...).

A Black & Latino minority party. If US economy goes down and racism goes up and IF they find a charismatic leader to unite them.

Why would Blacks and Latinos necessarily want to be in the same party

In switzerland there is a libertarian party (Parti Liberale Suisse, Swiss Liberal Party), but they only do well in the western part of the country (cantons of Geneva, Vaud, Berne, Neuchatel, and Valais) Lately theyve lost some strength and have only 6 deputies in the national council - two from Geneva, two from Vaud, and one each from Neuchatel and Berne.

If they picked up a few national council seats I'm sure that they're saner, more moderate and better organized than the American Libs. The American Libertarians would do well to follow their example.
Got any links in English about that party?

OK we can have a third party, but so what? It's not powerfull at all, and it won't change anything in the powerplays.

I would like a Third Party that would have the ability to shake things up in what are now strongholds of one party of the other. There's quite a bit of the country that are now effectively controlled solely by one party or another, a third party with even a little regional power would be a big help towards making our politics more competitive and democratic.

[Vince278]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
Maybe the question should be what would a functional American second party look like?

Damn, beat me to it.

[Ecthy]

This thread makes me want to play Vicky. Wish me luck with the debt.

[Odin]

Originally posted by Ecthelion
This thread makes me want to play Vicky. Wish me luck with the debt.

You like to torture youself with micromanagement?

[Ecthy]

It's a bit over-micro, combined with a silly auto-trade engine.

That's why I only play once a fortnight, and only for an hour or so.

[Dracon II]

I don't think the USA has a genuine (or at least mainstream) left/right divide. Perhaps there is on moral issues... but the fact that much divisive debate between the Repubs and the Dems centers on moral issues is largely symptomatic of the lack of any real left/right divide on economics.

Also, I think the Democrats and the Republicans, as the two hegemonic parties in US politics, have been able to cast a wide net, and thus incorporate many diverse factions and political groupings that would constitute separate parties in many other democracies (especially those with proportional electoral systems). This is helped by the fact that senators and representatives are able to cross the floor with relative impunity, something which lessens the need for a third party.

In my opinion... a viable third party would only likely arise out of a major split in one of the two major parties.

In Australia, the Democrats tried to employ a strategy whereby they would occupy the middle ground between the labour party and the conservative coalition. Unfortunately for them, labour and the coalition converged at the center... which has seen them occupy ground to the left of the labour party, and has thus marginalized them despite their original intent. I think the situation in the US is similar... the dems and republicans cover all the ideological field from center-left to center-right, and thus third parties seem to only be able to pop on the margins.

Another factor is the cooption factor. If a third party looked like it had a chance of succeeding, one of the major parties would simply coopt their platform into their own.

Two party systems tend to be able to muscle out competitors fairly effectively.

[Odin]

Both US parties are basically huge coalitions of voting blocs that would be seperate parties under a PR system. Democrats range from social dems, left wing neo-liberals (Bill Clinton), and religious progressives. The Republicans range from traditional pro-business types and right-wing neo-liberals, the Religious Right, moderate libertarians, and the Neo-Cons.

[Dinner]

I would love to see the creation of a right wing theocratic party that would split the Republican vote among the truly wacko and the only slightly wacko thus leaving the normal people in charge.

[chequita guevara]

Re: What would a functional American Third Party look like?

More importantly, what would a function American second party look like?

Damn, MtG beat me to it.

[Odin]

Originally posted by Oerdin
I would love to see the creation of a right wing theocratic party that would split the Republican vote among the truly wacko and the only slightly wacko thus leaving the normal people in charge.

[chequita guevara]

Re: What would a functional American Third Party look like?

Originally posted by Bosh
1. Current Fringe Parties (Greens, Libertarians, Commies etc.) Get Smart:

The basic electoral strategies of most the existing third parties are unbelievably stupid.

1. Why does everyone assume the purpose of running in an election is to get elected? The reason these parties run presidential campaigns is that people will come out to listen to the Communist candidate for President, but not the Communist candidate for water reclamation district 5. Running a Presidential candidate is a way to get people to listen to their views.

2. The Greens spend most of their energy running in local campaigns, and, IIRC, have more than 75 elected officials in the U.S. Granted, it's not a lot, but they are a small party running in a system where people are scared to vote outside thei main parties for fear of handing the election to the "wrong" candidate.

3. These parties are very small and don't have the resources to spend on multiple campaigns. One "big" campaign is easier than multiple small ones.

4. Sometimes they do get press coverage. Workers World was getting lots of coverage in '96 relative to their small size.