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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.

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.

They didn't "spoil" Gore. Gore "spoiled" himself by losing the 2000 election. Losing that election just energized the left. Bush and the Iraq war played into their hands as well. You haven't explained to me yet what the Greens have to do with all of this.

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".

I think the conservative movement will survive this election just fine and will probably flourish.

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.

I think they have. Independents and third parties have given failed politicians something to do if they can't get the vice presidency or even an ambassadorship to a third world country. The "third party candidate" that Reagan faced in 1980 was a "Republican" named John Anderson, and Reagan trounced him along with Carter because 1) Reagan had a winning ideology as far as most of Republicans were concerned 2) Reagan didn't let his 1976 loss change his strategy, much less cause him to bolt the GOP and 3) Carter seriously pissed off the entire electorate. When Theodore Roosevelt went third party when Taft sought reelection, he helped get Wilson elected. Lincoln got reelected despite the actions of hotheads like Fremont. See a pattern here? Third parties are the kind of thing you should wish on the opposition. A "ground floor opportunity" always turns out to be a scam.