There is no third party right now, but let's say the primaries are looking pretty unanimous, and it becomes pretty clear you only have a choice between Bush and Hilary Clinton*. What would be your ideal third party?
Jesse Ventura? Martha Stewart?
*my apologies if the notion of a Clinton dark horse takeover is solely a talk show conspiracy theory.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Considering that the caucuses and primaries start next week, it's a little late for Hillary Clinton to declare her candidacy.
And I think I'd write in Elmo before I'd vote for either Jesse Ventura or Martha Stewart.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
Hmm. Elmo...
So the Clinton thing was just a talk show conspiracy theory. As reported by relatives.
I guess what I'm going for is what is important about a third party?
A. True Winnability?
B. 5% of the vote to keep the third party idea alive?
C. A sound reflection of your actual ideals?
I weigh in with the 5%.
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
John Boone.
Oh, you mean a real person, don't you?
Posted by Da_Goat (Member # 5529) on :
My perfect third party, if I celebrated it, would have lots of chocolate cake and Jim Carrey movies.
Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
Historically, with the Democrats, Whigs and Republicans (even the Bull Moose party) you had someone already in the political limelight step away from the majority parties and begin their own. Perot didn't do well partly (and only partly) because he didn't really have any kind of established party mechanism supporting him. Plus, he was a bit wonky.
You'd basically have to have some folks within the current parties want to move away from the current leanings of the political entities: a Republican that wanted to be more moderate or a Democrat wanting to be more liberal and less moderate.
A successful one, purely hypothetical, would be like Sen. John McCain starting a party based on election reform. No idea who would make a decent VP, but looking back on history, you'd need someone with high name recognition, a celebrity of sorts.
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Does anyone remember the Futurama with the Voter Apathy Party?
That's me.
Posted by Slash the Berzerker (Member # 556) on :
Speaking of futurama...
Bender for president. Sure, he's dishonest and self serving, but he is different from other presidents in at least one way. He's funny.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
Only, I don't think Ron would go for it.
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
My perfect third party would a really good, really left wing national party that would woo away about fourty percent of the democratic vote, splitting the liberal vote and guaranteeing conservative victories in every election.
Posted by raventh1 (Member # 3750) on :
Heh, I thought this thread was going to be about the hatrackers that are the 3rd child, or maybe something to do with music...
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
Or possibly the best place to be after you've stumbled out of your first two parties of the night.
::that is the first and last time I will use the party smiley, I promise::
I dunno. Toss parties. My favorite third party would be the one that eats the other two and then implodes for lack of sustenance.
![[Party]](graemlins/party.gif)