Constitution Party Only 3rd Party to Make Gains

Constitution Party of Oklahoma ^ | 13 Nov 2004 | Thom Holmes

[Ahban]

The only party to gain votes- and finally catching on that the key is to start with other races besides the Presidency.

I hope that in 10 years the two major parties are the Republican and the Constitution parties.

[Ahban]

Hi lady!

maybe after the latest amnesty fiasco you are in the mood to ping-list this one?

[politicket]

Wow!!!!!

They went from a zero, zilch, nada, zip party to a zero, zilch, nada party!

Way to go!!!

[jim_trent]

Actually, at the present rate of increase, it will take approximately 8,000 years, not 10.

[Ahban]

Gee, you are really negative. A 30% gain is better than a decline, especially in an environment where the others are declining. So what do you want as an alternative? Right now the GOP swings leftward to get democrats. The demos are collapsing. As soon as their hand-out constituencies realize that it is the GOP who is picking our pockets for them rather than the powerless Democrats they will shift to the GOP.

If we don't have another serious party to the right of the GOP then the competition will be to go left, not right. The conservatives need a crediable "other place to go" to keep the GOP from "beating" the Democrats by BECOMING the Democrats.

[Mike4Freedom]

OK, so they got more votes than in 2000 but still at 1/3 of the Libertarian vote total. Just shows you how you can make statistics say whatever you want them to.

Seriously though, the freedom loving parties had better get together and put up one candidate next round. Everyone will be disgusted with the Republicans by then and they are already disgusted by the Democrats so a single true freedom candidate has a chance but 2 or more splitting the vote hasn't got a shot. That scenario will make Hillary president.

Just find some compromise on the abortion issue that we all can live with and put up ONE candidate that advocates a return to a constitutional republic.

[narses]

If you know Catholics (and I do) who think the GOP is weak on abortion, this is a good alternative. It keeps them active and often, when the crunch is on, they vote with the GOP. It also reminds the GOP that the SPECTRE of SPECTER is very real.

[Ahban]

Better check your math- I got about 5 million votes in just five election cycles. That's 20 years, not 8,000.

And once the CP is seen as serious contenders the rate of growth could well top that. A lot of people are reluctant to suppor the CP "because they can't win". Once they see that it can happen, they will jump in.

[mcg1969]

A 30% gain is better than a decline, especially in an environment where the others are declining.

That gain is so low the numbers are buried in the noise. You could rise 30% just by a change in the weather at those levels.

Now to be fair the Montana legislature win is progress, and that is exactly where third parties have to start---at the state and local levels where grassroots campaigning can still have an impact.

At the national level, the Constitution party will continue for the indefinite future to wield zero political clout---and possibly serve as an occasional spoiler causing the national race to move farther left than it would otherwise. In other words, fielding candidates at the national level is counterproductive to the cause.

Now if we could only get approval voting, THEN I would be all for unbridled third-party activity at the national level, because it would eliminate the spoiler effect and allow third-party candidates to get true and accurate gauge of their support level.

[MEG33]

Bush 286 31 51% 60,480,957
Kerry 252 20 48% 57,123,038

Constitution Party 132,067
WOW a real power house

[Ahban]

I agree with you that we need to get together. There are pro-life libertarians, so I don't think that will be as big an obstacle as the LP's open borders and open trade policies.

The stats can't say WHATEVER we want them to, I mean, the CP did gain while the LP lost votes, even if on a smaller base. Still, your point about getting together is well taken.

[AgThorn]

If you know Catholics (and I do) who think the GOP is weak on abortion, this is a good alternative.

Now that's callin the kettle black ...

With such 'catholic' politicians as Kerry and Kennedy, I will take the GOP anyday on it's abortion blank over anything the Catholics say. When the church makes its beliefs and enforcement a bit less like the waffling of John Kerry, this might be a fair vote to go after.

[AmericaUnited]

Dr. Chuck Baldwin for Vice President

Balwin's nuttier than a fruitcake.

[freedom44]

They're as impressive as Dr. Keyes was in IL. :)

[AgThorn]

make that 'plank' not blank! ;-)

[No Blue States]

*chuckle*

[mcg1969]

when the crunch is on, they vote with the GOP.

As long as this is TRULY the case I am all for it. But there are a few wackos on this forum who vote Constitution (for President) regardless of whether the "crunch is on" or not. They justify their choice by saying that it is a "vote for principle." And yet, all they end up doing is risking a spoiler vote that that national race moves further to the left. What good is principle if it is coupled with a strategy that at best is ineffective, and at worst is counterproductive?

Any vote for Peroutka in states such as Ohio, Iowa, and New Mexico in this election were flat out negligent. At least the votes in California were "safe".

[politicket]

Gee, you are really negative. A 30% gain is better than a decline, especially in an environment where the others are declining.

I'm sorry...I just like to laugh at the Constitution Party's self-importance. They like to throw percentages around like they mean something. I look at hard numbers.

Don't get me wrong, the Constitution party COULD be a great thing, but there are a lot of folks in it that are more concerned with the 'Cause of the South' than building a true conservative party.

I use the analogy of the Pilgrims and the Puritans. The Pilgrims are the conservatives that want to change the Republican party from within. The Puritans are the separatists that have given up on the Republican party and have formed the Constitution party.

I have found that the current Constitution party is more concerned with telling everyone how rotten the Republicans are (especially George Bush who is a professing Christian) than running biblical campaigns. Read some of Mr. Peroutka's press releases and you'll understand what I mean.

[Tamzee]

President George Bush was so concerned about Clymer that he sent letters to many Pennsylvania Republicans that mentioned Clymer by name urging them to vote for “my friend” Arlen Specter

I'd like to see it. I live in PA and didn't get anything like that.

[No Blue States]

A lot of people are reluctant to suppor the CP "because they can't win". Once they see that it can happen, they will jump in.