Third Party Options

Sorry for the vanity, but, due to the unpleasant situation in which Mitt Romney is the favorite for the Republican Party nomination for President, I thought that exploring other options might be an appropriate topic. While Newt Gingrich is still in the running for the Republican nod, his chances do not appear to be good. Although not giving up entirely on him at this point, I thought that exploring third party options might be helpful as a fallback plan. (Caveat: I am not an expert on the parties discussed.)

There are at least 53 political parties in the United States. Apart from the Democrat and Republican parties, there are three others with occasional minor national significance: the Constitution Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Green Party. Of the remaining 48 parties, there are five that are national parties that have a conservative foundation. For the purpose of this post, I will not look at the libertarian parties, nor will I consider those that are moderate or more left-wing in their views.

Apart from the Constitution Party, the five national conservative parties are the following:

Of these five, the America First Party, the Christian Liberty Party, and the American Party appear to be either inactive or so miniscule in activity and efforts that they might be considered inactive for all practical purposes. The Independent American Party and America’s Party appear to be the most active. However, I could not find any source indicating that the Independent American Party intends to have a nominee for President in 2012.

This leaves the Constitution Party and America’s Party as the conservative third party options.

The Constitution Party holds its nominating convention this coming Wednesday through Saturday in Nashville. The favorite for the nomination at this point appears to be Virgil Goode, former congressman from Virginia, although there is a good bit of controversy and dissension regarding his nomination.

America’s Party has chosen Tom Hoefling as its nominee. Tom posts on FreeRepublic as Eternal Vigilance. (Note: I have been a long-time fan of Tom’s posts.)

We should have a better grasp of the Constitution Party after their convention in a few days. If they nominate a suitable conservative who can unite their party, their stock should rise. If they fail, whether this provides an opening for an improved status for America’s Party this year remains to be seen.

I am not suggesting that either the Constitution Party or America’s Party will nominate the next President of the United States. However, as an ardent social conservative, I believe that neither the Republicans or Democrats have left social conservatives with a real option this year (assuming that Romney is the Republican nominee instead of Newt). Consider voting for a third party a protest vote if you will. Criticize it if you will. Each of us must do what we think is right and best. I'm not trying to create controversy with this post. I'm just trying to present information to those who might be interested.

I have tried to stay civil in this discussion. I did not question your love of country. If you want to be a jerk, just let me know. I will give it back with both barrels. Santorum is not a conceited little worm, he is a human playing at the game of politics as the game has been played since 1789. If you expected messiahs from any of these candidates for last couple months, you got to grow up. I’m not the one lending Obama a hand in getting reelected here. If it hurts your little feelings that someone doesn’t see things exactly as you, well too bad.

Why not be behind Newt 110% right now, when it counts?

I’ve already said I would plug my nose, drink a jug of whiskey, and then pull the lever for Romney if my only choice was between Tyrant and Tyrant Light.

But why should we settle for that kind of choice, when we can work for a candidate who isn’t knee-high to a worm? Why should we leave for ourselves only the choice between a guy who thinks fully-born infants should be disposable, and a guy who has forced people to perform abortions against their will? That’s like stocking your cabinet with arsenic and botulinum so you have the choice of dying fast or dying slow. Why not, instead, stock your cabinet with TEA?

That’s all I’m saying. We still have the option of TEA, so why even talk about whether to drink the arsenic or the botulinum?

One night of being able to gloat is not what I’m looking for. I’ve got kids who will be stuck living with whatever we choose.

I’m sick of the way politics has been played since 1789. Nobody pledges their life, treasure, and sacred honor for this country. It’s all just a big battle for homecoming king so a person can get bragging rights and the chance to live in luxury. If that’s all it is for these guys, screw ‘em all.

I’m sick of the plastic Ken dolls. I want a real man. Who serves something bigger than his own ego.

I’m not lending Obama anything. I’ve said that so many times it’s getting old. I’ll choose botulinum over arsenic if those are my only choices. But I will fight with everything I’ve got and everything I am to reserve for myself a choice that I can execute without first having to deaden my conscience with booze.

My goal is to get rid of Obama period. I have no beef with your arguments on the merits of them. But what you want will not happen as of April 15, 2012. Why waste the resources we will need in the fall. The enemy is the Democrats, not ourselves. The primaries were fought out and the winner is obvious to most. Newt would agree. Watch, he will barely campaign from hear on out. I haven’t heard a negative word from Newt in weeks, why, because he knows he’s lost. Newt’s an old pro, he knows the deal. He has no illusions. If Obama is reelected most of us will be devastated, but watch the candidates, all of them, they will be less so. Why, because this is the business they have chosen, they realize all victories and defeats are temporary things. They pick themselves up and on to the next campaign, the next day sometimes.

Unfortunately what you are looking for doesn’t exist in this world, maybe the next. The world we got is the one inhabited by flawed human beings. Human history is not pretty. But it sure is interesting. All I’m looking for, seriously, is a better economy at this point. If Romney can get me there, that’s all I ask. Any of our guys and gals would have been better than Obama. Free markets work every time. Government never. The television stuff was an attempt at a little humor. Without humor you will lose your mind in these times.

I will never ever vote third party period, and anyone proposing third party for the Republican side is proposing 4 more years of obummer. HELL NO. Every day I will go out there and work like my life depends on it to get the best possible NOBAMA into the White House and the community marxist and his mo-bama OUT OF THERE.

The real name for your third party is “The Party of The One”. I don’t like this anymore than you do, but the Party establishment has boned us again. It really is a choice between Obama and the closest thing they could find to Obama: Mitt Romney. It’s a choice between bad and worse.

If Mitt Romney doesn’t have even the begrudging support of most R’s after he’s bought the endorsements of everybody, had the GOP-e cheat to get him winner-takes-all delegates against the law and unlawfully change the petition requirements in order to keep Newt and Santorum off the ballot, etc, has outspent his opponents by large margins on vicious attack ads, and has a Soros-owned media fawning over him because Soros says he doesn’t care whether Obama or Romney gets in because they’d be the same anyway..... then how the heck do you think he’s going to stand a chance once the media knows he’s the candidate and actually turns on him to protect their sugar-daddy?

If Mitt can’t even buy half of the republicans, what makes anybody think he can buy off the welfare class when Obama’s got all our tax dollars to use for that purpose?

As I’ve already said, 60-75% of the public opposes Obamacare, and yet we are throwing away the one issue where there is great bi-partisan consensus by nominating the guy who shoved the same crap sandwich on Massachusetts. Who are we thinking Romney would be able to attract, even if we DID save our money for him to use in the general? The places that would consider voting for Romney because he’s “moderate” (gag) are places like California and New York. You really think Romney is going to be able to win CA and NY by being Obama Lite?

This country was founded by flawed people who were capable of humbly fighting for something bigger than themselves.

I believe our military is full of flawed people who humbly fight for something bigger than themselves.

People live up to your expectations or they live down to your expectations. The talk we’re hearing right now leads people to live down. It’s cynical, loveless, and meaningless. It has no soul.

If that’s where we’re at then I don’t even care what the economy does; we’ve got no soul to make money mean anything anyway.

As much as I dislike Obama, voting third party is a vote for Obama. Your choice. Third party and Obama or Romney.

Why is it that every third party vote is a "vote for Obama"?

Can it not be said that some third party votes are a "vote for Romney"?

I'd say that every third party vote is for a third party candidate. To believe otherwise is asinine.

Talk about Dense. Both Santorum and Cain “Suspended” their campaigns. Therefore, they are still technically, and legally candidates and can raise money for that purpose.

Newt, while not uttering the word “suspend” at a press conference, has let most of his staff go and is simply fundraising to pay off his own debts. He has not seriously campaigned in any state since losing Mississipi and Alabama. Whether or not Newt or Paul ever “Suspend” their campaigns before the convention, they have both been out of it for quite some time.

“Obama, President for Life.”

OY, don’t say that.

I would believe he’d try it. With the MSM pimping for him all the way.

In a story book or movie it might be interesting to see.

In real life, not so much.

I’d probably have to take a cue from your tagline, and I would not expect to survive.

NO THANK YOU to that whole scenario.

We’ve got to give him the gate in November.

“A viable third party will take years, if not decades, to build up...”

I’m not disagreeing with you, but what happened in the whig/republican metamorphoses?

Didn’t the whigs basically collapse and then sort of immediately re-emerge as republicans?

Why am I asking you to explain this to me? I should do some research!

I want the Tea Party to take over the Republican party, but it is true this must be done from the ground up.

I worked on a (losing-sigh) congressional campaign last year. The infrastructure that the Rs and I’m sure the Ds have is very immense. It takes a lot of time, money and effort to build and maintain such enterprises.

Even former president and beloved American icon Teddy Roosevelt didn’t win 3rd party. And that got us the racist Democrat Woodrow Wilson, possibly the most destructive president we’ve ever had (voting is still open).

Our problem, this time around, lies not in our stars (or even Mitt Romney) but in ourselves. We did not rally around a “not Romney” and so we may be stuck with him.

Personally I blame Mike Pence, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Perry (in chronological order).

“Here you say you will vote for the Green Party candidate this time...”

You missed the point of Fardels’ post.

He (or she) is going to vote “GREEN” because he lives in Cali and Cali IS going to go to Obama (that is maybe the one thing we can all feel 100% certain about).

So Fardels wants to boost up the Green Party’s results in an effort to keep and enhance them as a rival, on the left, to the Dems.

I don’t know if I think that is a good strategy, but that’s the plan.

“It’s all just a big battle for homecoming king so a person can get bragging rights and the chance to live in luxury.”

Now, see here’s an argument FOR Romney. He already lives a life of luxury and I don’t know if he was homecoming king, but he’s certainly homecoming king-esque.

(Oh dear, what if Romney’s quest for the presidency is all in revenge for NOT being elected homecoming king? October suprise?)

I’m just kidding around, I’m not trying to give you a hard time, please don’t misunderstand!

Get Mitt a conservative VP and wait.

OK, I give up...who’s the boss, the President or the VP?

Who signs the bills presented by Congress? The President or VP?

What type of power does the VP have at all?

The VP is simply powerless to do anything other than to support the will of the President. So, how is a conservative VP going to do anything to keep Romney in check?

Inquiring minds need to know.

I would wonder if it's even possible to get on the presidential ballot nationwide for a new party at this time. I think the Americans Elect party Schoen is running has been working for months to get on all the ballots. Bottom line, if an organization could be made that quickly, it would've been made in this primary to defeat Mitt months ago.

It could be done - but this organisation's supporters would have to spring forth from the soil like Cadmus' Thebans and get to work immediately!

I think Matthews and company would be thrilled if the Republican party turned away from the “Tea Party crazies” as they see it and switched to “good” liberal-minded folk like the Romneys. I think you can go all over liberal forums on the web right now and see them saying that they’re happy Romney is the nominee because they think he’s beatable, but also because if he does win, he’s not that “bad” and will be open to supporting things like homosexual marriage.

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