There were a few races in 2010 where third parties ruined the chances of Republicans to gain more seats.
I noticed in VA nearly every House race had an “Independent” running. I am damn SURE they were placed there by incumbents to pull votes away from the challengers.
They force centrist and center-left Republicans to be more Conservative.
Conservatism, when honestly and competently argued, can still win a national majority in America.
Libertarians certainly take votes from the GOP, but who would disagree that culturally and spiritually they have nothing in common with Conservatives.
"Less than ideal" is fine.
"All-but-a-dem" is not.
The republicans need to understand that there ARE minimum qualifications with respect to conservatism.
But the sentiment behind the above sentence is merely a reiteration of the "conservatives must stay on the plantation" meme.
Go to hell to anyone to suggests that one must vote GOP or stay home.
Screw the “All your votes are belong to us” mentality.
Third parties do not siphon off votes as much as they give disaffected voters an outlet for their frustrations. There is a measure of third party voters that will never vote for the D or the R.
Those who think that third party votes are really Republican-owned votes are so narrow in thinking as to be no different than the union thugs who think every union member owes his vote to the party boss.
Although I voted straight R ticket this time, at least I respect those who stick with their principles and vote their conscience. I’ll not vote for an individual before I vote for someone I don’t want in office. Voting for Palin in 2008 ws one of the toughest things I had to do because I had to vote for traitor McCain in the process. Without Sarah McCain would NOT have had my vote, I would have voted third party.
Giving in to the ‘vote GOP or else’ mentality has brought us the weak slate of Presidential candidates that we’ve seen since Eisnehower, AND those like Carter, Clinton, and Obama.
When the GOP fields strong candidates they don’t have to whine about third party votes AND they win elections!
Weak candidates don’t attract voters and then they blame the voters for being too stupid to vote for them.
The only thing more arrogant and stupid than weak candidates blaming voters is commentators blaming the voters which is total BS.
libertarians war on conservatives is counter-productive!
Tom Tancredo would have probably had another 11 to 15 points if Don Maes had not gone third party! ;-)
The GOP did not want to slide into non-major party status here.
they have ruined the chances of Jesse Kelly and Ruth McClung....I am sure there are others....
to call yourself a "constitutionalist" or a "libertarian" is to suggest that you want the constitution to be followed and you want less govt.....
yet they draw just enough pitiful support to actually hand the race to a big government civil rights killer democrat...
but they'll come on FR with their sleeze....
we know now don't we that the third party is just a rat operation....
as far as Hoffman goes, he falls in the arrogant AND stupid category...could get enough of his 15"..
GOP this is indeed you last chance to prove you can lead this nation and stand solid against Liberal Dems and not be a part of or enablers too them. Lead or be replaced it is in fact that simple. I hope they lead I honestly do. If not I will support third party again.
I voted third party in Tennessee governor yesterday because the GOP choice was a pathetic proved on record see-saw Dailey-Bloomberg gun control supporting RINO. The good news was Conservative GOP has solid control of both houses in our state. IOW they can stop him.
NO PARTY has a RIGHT to election ownership. The DEM's and GOP do not have exclusive rights to being the only two parties. Nor was our government and election process establisshed so they could.
The effect of Ross Perot:
Of the Presidents elected to office (discounts LBJ, Truman and Ford)
George H.W. Bush was the first Republican President since Herbert Hoover to not win two elections (Hoover was the third Republican President in a row).
Bill Clinton was the first Democrat President since FDR to win two elections.
Perot gave us Clinton but Bush gave us Perot. It’s going to happen again until someone hears the job sucking sound made by bad trade deals.
Because of these two egomaniacs, RAT Bruce Braley will be returning to DC.
This was completely planned by the Democrats in MA. A life-long Democrat, Cahill, all of a sudden becomes 'independent'? Sure...
When the GOP doesn’t put forth a candidate people think deserves their vote it is NOT the fault of the voters. Clinton won in ‘92 and ‘96 because Bush and Dole were lousy candidates who couldn’t inspire voters when going up against a known philander whose state was at the bottom of the heap in every quality of living category, not because of Perot.
How many times must people be reminded that this is fuzzy math?
You cannot assume that third-party votes go to one or the other of major-party candidate if the third-party candidate is not in the race. They may go to the candidate you don’t expect them to go, or they may not go to anyone, as the voter may stay home or skip that race on the ballot.
3rd parties aren’t the problem.
what we need is “instant runnoff” voting.