[dr_who]

You use those third parties to regain control of your own party. Like the leftists used the Green Party to retake the Democratic Party.

Interesting assertion. How precisely did Democrats who were presumably cooling their heels in the Green Party retake the Democrat party? No one here will argue that the left isn't largely in control of the Democrat party right now, but how does the Green party have more to do with the current situation than reaction to failures like Gore and Kerry and leadership from the likes of ACORN and Dean? Did the Greens keep HRC from getting the nomination? Was the reason Kerry lost because he wasn't far enough to the left? A more reasonable explanation to me is that the Gore/Clinton wing botched it while very leftmost wing of the Democrat party was the best organized and in the right place at the right time. As for Republicans, no offense, but if you think the RINO's or candidates like McCain care in the slightest about votes siphoned away by the Constitution Party and Libertarian Party, I think you're nuts. I wish they did.

I think the three real reasons for conservative successes over the past 20 years are: 1) Ronald Reagan, 2) Rush Limbaugh, and 3) Newt Gingrich. Buckley and some other figures also play prominently, but third parties just don't. If we could change the current system so that they did, it would be for the better. But control of either major party belongs to the people who are left after unfavorable election cycles. Let's hope the RINOs take all the arrows. We won't have any use for Quislings next year.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

We won't have any use for Quislings next year.

One good thing about this election is that the worst sell-outs are outing themselves, whether they are the moderates who gave us McCain in the first place, or the idiots we have often seen on FR, some on this thread, who have displayed a total lack of political judgement.

[Arkinsaw]

No one here will argue that the left isn't largely in control of the Democrat party right now, but how does the Green party have more to do with the current situation than reaction to failures like Gore and Kerry and leadership from the likes of ACORN and Dean?

As you said, the Leftists control the Democratic Party. They forced the Democrats to pay more attention to them by being the difference in the Bush/Gore election. Before long they no longer had to settle for Nader and pushed Clintonites aside for the Deanies. They now control their party completely and have their nominee. They spoiled Gore and made their party listen to them.

I think the three real reasons for conservative successes over the past 20 years are: 1) Ronald Reagan, 2) Rush Limbaugh, and 3) Newt Gingrich. Buckley and some other figures also play prominently, but third parties just don't.

The remnant of the conservative movement left in the US is here because of Reagan. We tried to reassert under Gingrich's leadership but he was demonized and his own party tossed him to the wolves. Since then Republicans have put conservatives into the corner and we have been forced to either pretend someone is a conservative who is not, or settle for "the lesser evil".

Third parties haven't figured in before for Republicans....but a few more "moderate" nominees who fail are likely to change that. I am getting on board early....Republicans can earn my vote back by returning to Reaganism and nominating people not afraid to say his name.