Posted on 01/07/2013 4:29:17 PM PST by upsdriver
This is an issue that I've been mulling over for quite a while. I wrote more about the way I'd set this up, but I wanted to get some of your feedback first. Let me know what you think.
Enough is Enough: Has the Third Party’s Time Come?
We’ve lost our way. The American political system is a mess. The divisiveness between Republicans and Democrats seems insurmountable and it’s getting worse every day. I could get into the reasons that this is happening, but I doubt that would change a thing.
It is very painful for me to see this country literally becoming unraveled at the seams… especially when I look at my own children’s future. I’ve watched friends and even family members break ties over political differences. I have watched good, smart people enter politics and seen them change for the worse over the years as they’ve become part of the political machine.
Political seniority often leads to leadership positions but has nothing to do with performance. Casting a favorable vote for something you may not even believe in, just to gain a committee chair or for some other future favor, is rampant in politics.
It’s a very dirty game and it’s the reason so many really talented people never get involved in it. It’s also the reason my sister Sarah Palin, has been so viciously attacked over the years. She refused to “play the game”. She has always stuck to her principles and because of that, she is viewed as a threat. I’ve watched people in both major parties do everything they can to demean and destroy her. And all for what… for trying to limit the size of government? For asking all of us to do our share? For insisting we spend less than we take in? For ending crony capitalism? For going above and beyond to support our military? For utilizing our natural resources in a responsible way? For praying? The list goes on.
Let’s face it. As it stands now, it’s impossible to be elected to a high national office without being a part of the Republican or Democratic Party. I propose that the disgruntled citizens of the United States… Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians… persons of every race, religion, economic status, and whoever else is interested, join together and form a new party. I’d simply call it, the American Party.
“Hard work of pushing the Republican party”
... how have the last 25 years been working for you?
But until there is a set of leaders who join as a National party to converge on one thing, to cut the size and power of the Federal govt, the statists win.
I don't know that conservatism can exist within the framework of the GOP. I believe the GOP is corrupted beyond repair. And FYI, I am not whining. I'm fighting mad. It seems to me the GOP apologists are the ones doing the whining.
This just might have made sense when there were a lot of conservative Democrats out there whose votes we could pick up, but those days are gone.
I agree with that. Splitting the Republican party will only lead to years of marxists control. We are too far gone to start a new party.
I also agree that many good citizens go to Washington with intention of fixing the problem only to become a part of it.
Our constitution is good, our form of government is good. It was originally intended to be a union of individual states.
What we have now is monolithic power in Washington that consumes our wealth and rules us with impunity. They are the upper caste of our society (followed by the wealthy and famous).
I believe that absolute power corrupts absolutely. We need to return some of the power to the states. So much power and wealth is concentrated in Washington that, with the help of lobbyists, our representatives become corrupt.
It was only a matter of time until some megalomaniac got in control and blew up the whole system.
After we are reduced to a third world nation, we should write something up to prevent that from happening again.
It could be like New York’s conservative party.
You heard it here 1st, maybe Sarah will come out of Hibernation soon...
“I have watched good, smart people enter politics and seen them change for the worse over the years as they’ve become part of the political machine.”
My dad always said that if there is a crook running for office against an honest man that one should vote for the crook because one doesn’t want to corrupt an honest man.
Yeah, that's going to go over well with most of the conservatives that want to leave the Republican party because it isn't conservative enough. Many, probably most, of these people are also social conservatives that think the culture war is worth fighting and would recoil at dropping the pro-life and pro-traditional marriage fights.
This new party you describe is simply the existing Libertarian party. Just join the Libertarians and you don't have to create a whole new party infrastructure.
I like most of what you’ve got there. And I know it’s a mistake to seek perfection, so I won’t even bother to mention the parts in your comment where I have slight disagreement.Nice job.
“Any idea of an upstart party challenging the two major parties is doomed to failure anyway.”
You are correct. The two parties would become the best of friends to destroy the third party. The enemy of my enemy is my friend would be the rationale.
My cynical side agrees with you....but damn, son, buck up. It’s not all lost, and the f***ing Republicans left US. I recently changed my affiliation with my county’s board of elections from “Republican” to “Independent” for the first time since the early ‘80’s. I’ve had it. I’ve worked a Presidential campaign for a Republican. I’ve done my bit for God and country, etc., etc., ad nauseum.
Screw ‘em. This election cycle was a sick joke, and one thing I’m NOT is stupid. The GOP is a dinosaur and is extinct but doesn’t yet realize it; a stinking corpse just waiting to be buried.
To Hell with rehabilitating their sorry hides. They’ve had decades to prove themselves.....and have always, ALWAYS fallen short. I’ve had it.
People here list the dozens of third parties, tout their ineffectiveness, point to history, etc., etc....but they forget some key things (and I say this as a sales/marketing pro of over 30 years in high tech): this is a different era; communications have been revolutionized, and the time is ripe for the RIGHT message, party, candidates. We have technology for delivering, driving home a message that our predecessors didn’t have (and the GOP, Tea Party, et al have flatly failed to exploit).
We either take finally take over the GOP completely or Kill it once and for all but either way things need to CHANGE!
We cannot continue like this with Ubama's opposition being little more than an Inconvenience.
While the GOP controlled states continues to resist Ubama will start to push back too.
The whole states rights vs. federal government thing again.
You see how history rhymes?
Yeah, all three of them.
I’m game.
A purer party in what way? I see a party where American loving democrats, republicans, independents and dis-engaged citizens fed up with both parties can participate and work together to reclaim our birthright. Both the Democrat and Republican parties are out of favor with the American public. They associate the whole bunch as self-serving corrupt greedy bastards. (and they'd be right)
The reason is simple ~ to win you will need 50% + 1 vote!
The other 49% of the voters who just lost will form a coalition to oppose you in the very next election.
Over time your own coalition as well as the opposing coalition may actually swap partners ~ usually over long term issues which might be as minor as 'we's all in New York' or as major as 'we are against high taxes'.
Still, it'll always be half and half ~ no thirds!
The way to deal with the Republican party is to simply take it over at the top. Create a NEW REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE and invite the state parties to send delegates for an organization meeting.
Some states you won't want ~ or, you won't want the regular party people ~ but perhaps a separate coalition of Conservatives. I'm thinking California, New York, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Illinois ~ we'd need OTHERS ~ and when it comes to delegate counts, those who are unable to deliver Presidential electors in any recent presidential elections don't get any delegates! Time to enforce that old rule.
This takes money. Go find some. It's time to act.
There is no middle in American politics.
I stand with Sarah.
you’ll notice i dropped MI from the list of states who should not be allowed to send their own choice of delegates to the NEW RNC organization meeting.
Never was swayed by the siren call of a third-party, and never thought I would be. But when I saw the backstabbing of Palin by the GOP-E, following by the calculated dumping on the tea party, I knew my lifelong support of the Republican Party was nearing its end.
I just don’t see the GOP standing for any of the things that first drew me to them, from fiscal conservatism to social conservatism. Treating Palin and the tea party like trash, nominating a Massachusetts liberal like Romney, the quick caving on DADT and the illegals/amnesty situation, and this recent capitulation by Boehner... I mean, what the hell is the point anymore?
I’m ready to bolt in favor of a conservative third party at the drop of a hat. Will it even matter in the long run? Probably not. I frankly think the country has passed the point of no return, in its cultural, economic, and moral decay.
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