My impression is that it was almost an instant replacement “They were organized on February 28, 1854, held their first convention on July 6, and elected forty-four Representatives and fifteen Senators in November (19% of the House; 25% of the Senate)*.” by 1860 they had it all, Presidency, Senate, Congress. (There were real “third parties” back then to
Medved explains it but I don’t know his explanation, but it sure bears no resemblence with our 49 “third parties” today and of course the country and electorate are entirely different today, the Libertarians have been around almost 40 years and only have less than 226,000 registered members.
Medved explains it but I don’t know his explanation, but it sure bears no resemblence with our 49 “third parties” today and of course the country and electorate are entirely different today, the Libertarians have been around almost 40 years and only have less than 226,000 registered members.
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That is certainly true. Our political system in many ways is closer to European systems of parliament where every party has seats and there are 200 parties.
But the GOP is dying. I have spent over 20 years trying to help reform and bring the party more in line with conservative values, at the local, state and National level. I have been very active politically. Yet is it increasingly frustrating. I see a glimmer of hope now and again, but this last election was VERY disappointing.
I feel the party has left me. I need to go somewhere, I am not sure how much longer I can stand by the party as they keep moving to the left. A Romney nom WILL be the last straw for me. I cannot abide that.