[Frohickey]

Yeah, and they'll all put on "Don't blame me, I voted for an obscure 3rd party candidate" after President Kerry loses the first city to a nuke. If the election of 2000 didn't demonstrate that EVERY vote counts, then nothing will. Get each state to switch over from winner takes all electoral votes to a scheme like Maine's or Nebraska's where the winner in each congressional district gets that electoral vote (and the winner of the popular vote gets the two "senatorial" votes) and THEN your 3rd party vote would count for something. The time for "sending a message" to the Republican party is over - that was the primary. In the general election, a Constitution party vote (other than in ME and NE) is as good as a vote for Kerry. Sorry, but that is reality in 2004.

Sorry but your analysis does not hold water.

In non-battleground states, such as New York or California, a principled conservative can certainly vote for the Constitution Pary or Libertarian party candidate without affecting the outcome of the election. You can be sure that the Republicans and Democrats watch the inroads that 3rd party candidates make on their margins of victory.

In battleground states, its even more critical that they win. In these cases, its up to each individual voter how they will vote. Will they vote with their head held high, or will they vote with their fingers pinching their noses.

[bayourod]

"a principled conservative "

You're pretty arrogant to assume that YOU are the principled one and everyone who votes for Bush is unprincipled.

Usually, when the self-annointed "principled" conservatives are stripped of their "ideological" cloak, they turn out to be nothing but racists, malcontents, losers, potheads, or insecure little mommas' boys.

I'm not implying that you fit any of these categories, I'm just informing you of what most Freepers already know.

[Owen]

These parties aren't serious about being alternatives. Why are they squandering money on a losing campaign rather than funding accumulation of state legislature seats and local government seats, which cost a great deal less. With a base of smaller government positions, they would be in a position to fund raise more powerfully and actually have credentials.

As is, these guys are indulging their own egos in a fundamentally unethical way. They know they will not win, and they are taking donor money anyway, rather than using that money to party-build.