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.
The next convention of “The Party of One” is going to be a blast!
Yes - the GOP is dead.
agree
I like being in the party of Lincoln
I like that! Now if we can just add some precincts to the Party of One, it”s a fine start. Count me in.
Rita
And how is that going to attract more Democrats and Independents than she did as a GOP VP nominee in 2008?
Sarah Palin did not run for President on a Republican ticket. She seems to be sticking with her Fox News contract and very well paid speaking gigs. No "establishment" prevented her from running, just like the "establishment" couldn't stop Cain, Newt, Perry, or any other failed candidate from jumping in the race. Palin didn't want to run. Period. Get over it.
Until abortion is stopped, we’re doomed by Heaven, regardless, and will sink like a stone in the sea.
And yet you were just singing the praises of the Libertarians who are pro-choice (aka pro-abort).
From the Libertarian platform:
The U.S. Libertarian Party political platform (2012) states: "Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration."
I don’t think another party is going to help (or save) us at this point. Out founding documents talk about the need to disband the government & I think that’s all we can do. There’s nothing to stop those of us who want to restore America, as it was founded; our system of government, our values, & traditions.
Those who are imposing a 180 degree change onto everyone (& all the “incremental” erosions of our system, traditions, & values that have brought us to where we are today) should be given their own place. The alternatives- that their deviant tyranny continues to be imposed on us (& anyone who doesn’t want it) or violence are not acceptable, necessary, or inevitable. Not imposing America on them, in the interest of peace & compromise is a reasonable solution. We aren’t *losing* anything by doing that & we need to stop allowing them to take everything from us- especially our freedom & our rights.
America isn’t a democracy. Just because the left has managed to manipulate the government so that they *can* impose their will on everyone doesn’t make us a democracy. This has been a soft coup.
Our government has become corrupt & lawless. We have no reliable or effective representation in this government. Voting is pointless.
It’s my opinion that secession/ partition is the only way we *can* restore America.
just sayin’
Its a pretty mean system out there based on emotional appeal from both sides that feeds on hatreds of others.
The Democrats keep African-Americans in line with the NAACP and government employees with AFSCME, the National Education Association and the list goes on.
They are told to vote Democrat because the other guys are racist, against workers, hate teachers etc.
On the other hand, Republicans use our feelings of disgust with Reid, Pelosi, Obama, welfare recipients, unions and the list goes on to keep us on their plantation.
Emotional wedge issues like Hagel’s comments about Israel or Feinstein’s anti-Second Amendment legislation become more important than the 16 TRILLION DOLLARS AND COUNTING OUT OF CONTROL NATIONAL DEBT.
The goal would be for the new party to replace the GOP and retain a 2-party system.
All politics is local. In which states could a 3rd party succeed? Ballot access is the 2nd biggest issue. The deck is stacked against a new party.
#1 problem is whether ideologues can be convinced to become pragmatic to win. Immediately ideologues think that pragmatic means compromising their principles. They are ignorant of what is pragmatic. Pragmatic is the reality that most people are not ideologues and do not vote based on ideology. They vote based on which candidate and party appears to be friendly and to be their friend. This is an image and PR thing that has zero to do with issues.
So far I’ve seen nothing in FR or Tea Party blogs to indicate that our ideologue friends have a clue what it means to be pragmatic.
One approach would be to nominate people with a major party label this time who would then switch to the new party as incumbents next time.
Many local offices for mayor, city council, school board, etc are non-partisan. Winning those non-partisan seats is essential to building a 3rd party.
All politics is local. Where can a 3rd party win for St Rep or St Sen? Many districts are 1-party. The other party doesn’t even field a candidate. Where can a 3rd party candidate win as the only alternative?
You said it Brother FReeper. The more I read beyond FR of general commentary and opinionating on MSM news, the more it is obvious that LOTS more Americans are fed up than appear in the MSM's liberal-heavy portrait of America.
Vote fraud tips enough elections to reinforce the illusionary portrait, and complacency conspires to preserve it.
For decades my wife has been urging the creation of the Common Sense party. Perhaps now is the time. Common Sense of course would harken back to Tom Paine.
I am not even a Sarah fan, but even I can see the Establishment perfected their curse on her, let her twist in the wind. They did the same on Newt in the past, as part of their diet on eating their own, and these beasts just gave an encore in November, by freezing every conservative in the primary, running against their socialist version of the party’s new socialist face.
You guys talked us into desperate voting in November. I can’t tell you how demoralizing that was, nor how last the time will be that I ever do that again. Lesson learned, here anyway.
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.
Yep.
Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio seem to be the hope for more articulate communication. I know these three don't agree on every issue. That isn't the point. The point is communication skill in the future.
Dark horse. Can you imagine if we promoted the governor of Puerto Rico as our spokesperson? There is a guy who walks the walk and can talk the talk.
I previously had hopes that Jindal could carve the right path in communication. But he seems to have made some stupid tactical communication moves. What other governor can communicate well? Kasich?
Longwow is an easily manipulated gullible rabbit.
LOL, what! Your memory is apparently terribly faulty. Sarah Palin ran a painfully long, will-I-or-won't-I tease campaign all through the Spring, Summer and into the Fall of 2011. She waited till October 5, 2011 to finally announce what most everyone but her most diehard fans already knew, that she wasn't running. During that time she went on bus tours, grabbed the spotlight from the real candidates wherever possible, gave high profile speeches in order to attract press attention, etc. Palin led her loyal followers to think she was going to throw her hat in the ring, only to crush them with the news she didn't want to run. The "establishment" did not prevent Palin from running, her desire to make money working at Fox News and on the speaking circuit did.
I am ready. I want to stand for God, Family and Country. We need some plain talk. Stand for truth.
Just because some really good people were not elected by the unworthy voters doesn’t mean that they should be ignored. We can have our own little government in exile; Sarah Palin, Allen West etc. Why not keep a group of these people together as a kind of government in exile? What about a facebook page for our favorite candidates, that way we would keep their faces before the public. Our favorites can blog on the page and we could make use of conservatives such as Glenn Beck who has his stage and recording studios.
Besides Sarah Palin and Allen West, what other names can be added to the list?
If we keep financially supporting tea party people while avoiding the RNC we will be feeding the tea party growth within the party.
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