Third Party Watch

3 Responses to ““Why Americans Should Support Third Parties””

1. Richard Says:
   February 13th, 2008 at 12:25 pm

   Good article!
   But you should have titled the posting, “Why Americans should support minor candidates.” I said in a recent post how I feel about “third parties.” Supporting third parties would ultimately lead to more of the same, even if now they seem completely innocuous. Political parties quell national dialog and freedom of thought by maintaining a general platform. Let “general principle” setting be left to religious organizations, which incidentally are required to be kept “seperate” from state institutions. Indeed, political parties have turned into something very much resembling religions, with blind loyalties and incessant fighting.

   I thought this was particularly important:

   “[Minor candidates] presence facilitates political evolution and keeps the powers-that-be honest. Minor candidates are an important check on political tyranny. The Framers knew this to be a self-evident truth.

   What can voters do to support this political check? In the long run, they can see that restrictive ballot-access laws are repealed or amended. ”

2. Eric Sundwall Says:
   February 13th, 2008 at 1:07 pm

   Hear, hear as always Richard.

   The clamor for this type of justice is more than just electoral tweaking.

3. Jeff Wartman Says:
   February 13th, 2008 at 3:46 pm

   Which is why the first goal of third parties should be a change in ballot access laws. That’s the first step. We will never get ahead until we can change tough ballot access laws.

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