UPDATE: Former Republicans and Democrats form new third U.S. political party

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Thu Jul 28, 2022, 07:56 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: Reuters

LOS ANGELES, July 27 (Reuters) - Dozens of former Republican and Democratic officials announced on Wednesday a new national political third party to appeal to millions of voters they say are dismayed with what they see as America's dysfunctional two-party system. The new party, called Forward and whose creation was first reported by Reuters, will initially be co-chaired by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang and Christine Todd Whitman, the former Republican governor of New Jersey.

They hope the party will become a viable alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties that dominate U.S. politics, founding members told Reuters.Party leaders will hold a series of events in two dozen cities this autumn to roll out its platform and attract support. They will host an official launch in Houston on Sept. 24 and the party's first national convention in a major U.S. city next summer.The new party is being formed by a merger of three political groups that have emerged in recent years as a reaction to America's increasingly polarized and gridlocked political system.

The leaders cited a Gallup poll last year showing a record two-thirds of Americans believe a third party is needed.The merger involves the Renew America Movement, formed in 2021 by dozens of former officials in the Republican administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump; the Forward Party, founded by Yang, who left the Democratic Party in 2021 and became an independent; and the Serve America Movement, a group of Democrats, Republicans and independents whose executive director is former Republican congressman David Jolly.

Two pillars of the new party's platform are to "reinvigorate a fair, flourishing economy" and to "give Americans more choices in elections, more confidence in a government that works, and more say in our future." The party, which is centrist, has no specific policies yet. It will say at its Thursday launch: "How will we solve the big issues facing America? Not Left. Not Right. Forward."

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exclusive-former-republicans-democrats-form-new-third-us-political-party-2022-07-27/

---

UPDATE added.

Original headline and article -

Exclusive: Former Republicans and Democrats to form new third U.S. political party

LOS ANGELES, July 27 (Reuters) - Dozens of former Republican and Democratic officials will announce on Wednesday a new national political third party to appeal to millions of voters they say are dismayed with what they see as America's dysfunctional two-party system. The new party, called Forward, will initially be co-chaired by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang and Christine Todd Whitman, the former Republican governor of New Jersey.

They hope the party will become a viable alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties that dominate U.S. politics, founding members told Reuters. Party leaders will hold a series of events in two dozen cities this autumn to roll out its platform and attract support. They will host an official launch in Houston on Sept. 24 and the party's first national convention in a major U.S. city next summer.The new party is being formed by a merger of three political groups that have emerged in recent years as a reaction to America's increasingly polarized and gridlocked political system.

The leaders cited a Gallup poll last year showing a record two-thirds of Americans believe a third party is needed.The merger involves the Renew America Movement, formed in 2021 by dozens of former officials in the Republican administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump; the Forward Party, founded by Yang, who left the Democratic Party in 2021 and became an independent; and the Serve America Movement, a group of Democrats, Republicans and independents founded by former Republican congressman David Jolly.

Two pillars of the new party's platform are to "reinvigorate a fair, flourishing economy" and to "give Americans more choices in elections, more confidence in a government that works, and more say in our future." The party, which is centrist, has no specific policies yet. It will say at its Thursday launch: "How will we solve the big issues facing America? Not Left. Not Right. Forward."

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Patriot Party without Ross Perot and without money

Yeah, see you at the starting gate but will you make it to the finish line?

[brooklynite]

69. Perot was the Reform Party

[captain queeg]

2. Our current 2 party system does need to change nt

[Demsrule86]

37. No it doesn't. I can't stand Yang..this is all about his pout after the primary and f'ng over

Democrats...third parties suck. And look at the UK...another Tory will be prime minister...with what 30% of the vote...no thanks... I do not ever intend to vote for a third party.

[sybylla]

40. Yep.

Same.

[paulkienitz]

98. third parties might be fine if it weren't for the electoral college

The Electoral College punishes third parties and makes them irrelevant unless they can basically steal a majority right away from existing parties. I think that's what the Yangsters are hoping for.

If we had a different voting system, like a ranked choice popular vote, then third parties would fluorish because they could contribute their positives without the penalty of being spoilers for the consensus majority.

I would like to hear somebody articulate a centrist position which acknowledges why centrism has failed and everyone has gone to the edges, which is basically because of income inequality and wage suppression. People are not supporting moderate status quo policies because the status quo is not supporting them back. This is the core of why Hillary wasn't able to sail to easy victory with a centrist position.

[Demsrule86]

99. I do not believe in third parties. I look around and see minority governments who have way less

then 50% when there are third parties involved. Look at the UK...we have not had anyone but Tories in almost 20 years...look at the damage to their safety net and fucking Brexit of course...they can't even feed themselves these days.

[SouthernDem4ever]

111. If we had a different voting system, there would be more than 3 parties

[ancianita]

114. They won't make it onto enough state primary ballots, right?

[ck4829]

72. Um... One of the parties of that 2 party system is insane

Last edited Thu Aug 4, 2022, 10:42 AM - Edit history (1)

I don't intend to vote for Forward, but I would rather have Forward than Republicans be an "other side of the aisle".

http://cococo.pbworks.com/w/page/143457723/FrontPage

[Gore1FL]

81. I prefer building the coalitions before the government is formed than after. nt

[Alexander Of Assyria]

88. Absolutely! Two party rule is one party away from one party rule...Learned nothing from

the attempted coup, Americans??!

No opinion on this new party, but the barriers to any new party is in itself, autocratic…Duocratic?

[choie]

3. Fuck you, Andrew Yang

n/t

[mzmolly]

16. Indeed.

[SunSeeker]

51. +1

[elleng]

4. Heard/saw a New Jersey R Congressman discussing this recently.

Meet the man working to launch a Moderate party in NJ.

TRENTON, N.J. - A New Jersey man who feels America's two political parties have both gone too extreme is working to launch a Moderate party in the Garden State. Richard Wolfe believes it could be the key to getting things accomplished in a deeply divided political climate.

"I feel like the Republican Party no longer represents my views," said Wolfe. "It has moved much too far to the right. As I understand it, there are a lot of Democrats out there who believe that the Democratic Party has moved too far to the left."

It's what's prompted Wolfe, who says he isn't interested in running for political office himself, to lead the charge in founding a Moderate party in the Garden State.

"We want to be the vehicle that brings these candidates to the center," said Wolfe.

Wolfe says right now in the Garden State, a single candidate can't be on the ballot more than once.

He's challenging New Jersey's election laws in court, with hopes that incumbent Congressman Tom Malinowski could run under both the Democratic and Moderate labels.

"Tom accepted our nomination and has been supportive of what we're doing," said Wolfe.

The goal is to allow people to feel they are supporting the views of a candidate instead of supporting the views of a party.

But, would it help or hurt Malinowski?

https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/newjersey/meet-the-man-working-to-launch-a-moderate-party-in-nj/article_84cd9d32-e901-11ec-8cee-7b53f31ba23c.html

[Fullduplexxx]

5. Oh look party spoilers again hopefully people learned from the last round of this bullsht

[Warpy]

6. Well, good luck to them and the Red Sox

Maybe their little vanity party will be the next Hamiltonian party if TFG's cult manages to split the GOP badly enough to destroy it.

That party is overdue for a split.

[onetexan]

63. K&R!!

[paleotn]

7. Spoilers.

The same stupid shit that subjected Maine to 2 terms of Paul LePage. But from the squishy middle this time, instead of the left. Idiots.

[Efilroft Sul]

8. I can't believe someone woke up thinking, "What this country needs is another center-right party."

[drmeow]

102. My thoughts as well nt

[geomon666]

9. Andrew Yang and Christine Todd Whitman

lol, fuck no.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. That was my thought too.... Whitman? Someone dug her up?

I was like WTF?

[pnwmom]

15. She's fine, as far as Republicans go. But I'm glad Yang never came close to the nomination. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Being in PA, I remember when she was Governor of NJ

but one of her issues happened when she was pulled from that to head up EPA and she was there during 9/11 and under her control, the dust- and particle-filled air around Ground Zero was declared to be "safe to breathe" and free of toxins.

She might not be a teabagger or QAnon loon, but she's still a Republican (although I do know she endorsed Biden in 2020).

[pnwmom]

20. These days there are two kinds. The Trump-Republicans and the rest.

I wouldn't vote for Whitman over a Democrat but she's not a Trumper, and that's the bottom line for me these days. That's what makes her a "normal" Republican.

But Yang has just thumbed his nose at the party that wouldn't nominate him for President. Forget him.

[BumRushDaShow]

25. We have some "normal" Republicans here in Philly

and a group here in PA from the Dick Thornburgh/Tom Ridge era have setup a PAC to endorse Josh Shapiro against GOP loon Doug Mastriano for the PA governor's race.

And I do agree about Yang basically "playing" the Democratic party, although there was some support from wings of the party regarding the "guaranteed basic income" schema that he promoted.

But IMHO, this conglomeration doesn't seem to really have a "for something" agenda, just an "anti-establishment party" agenda, which doesn't bode well.

[pnwmom]

54. yeah, I agree. They're the anti-establishment party. But as long as they draw most of their members

from the anti-Trump R's, I guess that's okay.

[ramapo]

73. Whitman screwed up NJ

She pulled a con on NJ in order to cut taxes. She raised the pension funds and created financial havoc that still haunts us.

Typical Republican economics.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Hold fast, Democrats, progressives and liberals. Let the cons and GQP schism. . . . nt

[OneCrazyDiamond]

41. +1

[FakeNoose]

11. If this finally destroys the Repuke Party - it's great news

If it doesn't, it completely sucks. Just for the record I predicted this almost 4 years ago, when the sane, sensible, moderately-conservative people started quietly leaving the Repuke Party.

It became a tidal wave in 2020 when anyone with intelligence or decorum was totally embarrassed by Chump.
A new Party had to form, but the old Party must be demolished at the same time.

[LeftInTX]

34. It won't

It they created a far right party, it would.

This is a center party.

[Rebl2]

75. It will

hurt both parties

[newdayneeded]

76. If it's center right

It'll siphon off more right wing votes. it'll hurt the right for next several elections.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Two thirds? Each half thinks the other half should schism. RepubliQons much more likely. . . nt

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

14. I've always thought we needed a Labor Party,

but this might work. Where it goes off the rails is it will take years to build up a history and political power. You know, first you have a city council member, then a Mayor, then a state rep or senator, then a federal rep or senator. Then that will have some impact. This is a long term project. IMHO

[former9thward]

29. A Labor party could have worked in the 1930s to 1950s.

But to start one now would not work. Its base is gone.

[Demsrule86]

38. For why? So they could lose every election like in UK. We do not need third parties.

[speak easy]

82. The appropriate UK analogy is the LibDems.

"lose every election like in UK"

Like 1997, 2002 and 2005? The Conservatives have won general elections since then, but are headed for near certain defeat by the Labour 'lose every election' Party in 2023.

[Demsrule86]

83. It has been almost 20 years since they held power..and another Tory will be PM...no to third parties

Fuck them all. They cost us elections and policy and are directly to blame for Roe and Citizens Unite ET AL. Yang is dead to me...as is anyone who plays around with third parties...I took great pleasure in seeing Nina Turner go down in flames...she stabbed us in the back. I also like Shontel but I would have voted for her if I didn't. Nina is a third-party groupie.

[speak easy]

112. It's been 12 years since the Conservatives won in 2010. Labour held power for 13 years before that.

The third party in the UK is the LibDems.

[DinahMoeHum]

17. Fuck this, we don't need a third party. We need a second party.

'Cause right now the GOP is no longer really a party, it's a cult.

[Cha]

100. A fucking Fascist Cult! & Fuck OFF to the ME party..

Focus!
Please Fight to Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!

[DownriverDem]

19. Question

Which side will it hurt? Where were they before?

[Mr. Evil]

21. If Paul Krugman, AOC, Katie Porter, Malcolm Nance,

Robert Reich and Glenn Kirschner wanted to start a third party then I might give it a look-see.

[Mickju]

22. This is a horrible idea.

Look what happened when Jill Stein ran in 2016. It really infuriates me.

[IronLionZion]

23. Maybe if we had a ranked choice or instant runoff system it would be fine

but in our current climate we need to elect Dems and hope the GOP destroys itself.

[catrose]

32. I'd support ranked choice and/or instant runoff

If this 3rd party is mostly Republicans, I'm fine with that. But let's don't do anything that would prevent electing Democrats.

[Bleacher Creature]

24. This garbage plays into the notion that both parties are equally flawed.

Andrew Yang is a moron and a narcissist who was never a Democrat in good faith. Good riddance.

[not fooled]

26. ++++++++++++++++

Lordy, I hope people don't fall for this thinly-disguised bothsiderism.

[betsuni]

56. +1

[Cha]

101. Good Description of Yang 3rd party RF.

Focus!
Please Fight to Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!

[oasis]

27. Hell no!!!

[gab13by13]

28. Bad idea for Democrats.

[dlk]

30. At this critical juncture, peeling off Democratic votes would be problematic

We’ve been down this road before.

[Orrex]

31. Any third party will favor the Reichwing

If Dems split, then that's 25% for each of new party and 50% for Repugs.

If Repugs split, the on election day the wayward souls will find it within themselves to vote for whichever fuckhead they think can beat the Democrat.


I hear "third party" chatter all the time, offering it up as a panacea to the nation's gridlock woes. I would love for someone to explain the math to me in a way that doesn't hand decades of electoral victory to Republikkkans.

[William769]

33. We saw what damage a third party can do in 2016

I won't say more for fear of being hidden.

We all saw the nightmare that ensued.

[deurbano]

35. Not to mention 2000!

[Martin68]

36. Really? This should be interesting. Certainly complicates the picture. Makes it even harder to

predict. A third party would be under a lot of pressure from many different sources. The media will have a field day.

[Demsrule86]

39. A third party should never happen...when will learn? Fuck all third parties...that peel of

Democratic votes...and you can be Republicans won't vote for the 'moderate' party in the end...they will vote for Republicans as they usually do for the most part and Democrats once again and working people will be screwed

[Martin68]

43. Aye, there's the rub. We don't want a Third Party if it will hurt the Democrats, but we love one if

it will hurt the Republicans. I just look at it as, "If the Republican candidate is a fascist, I will vote for any other candidate that can win." That usually is a Democrat, because we have the numbers and the infrastructure to influence a campaign, while a Third Party is usually not that sophisticated and is running a candidate purely for the good of the country. Successful politics- which means successful elections - requires a certain cynical knowledge of what works and what doesn't in winning elections. Like it or not, that is our system. Look at the alternatives, and it's not so bad.

[Marcuse]

42. Vote! Vote! Vote Democratic! Row A all the way!

[LudwigPastorius]

44. No policies

...but, they've got a slogan.

So, they've got that going for them.

[BaronChocula]

45. The Democratic Party

offers everything Yang supports plus more. The answer to people's negative perceptions of the current Democratic Party isn't a new party. The answer is for people to become more informed.

[SunSeeker]

52. THIS

[betsuni]

57. +1

[JudyM]

64. Dems must go all in on crisp, repetitive, compelling messaging.

[NullTuples]

46. "The party, which is centrist, has no specific policies yet" - pretty much says it all

[SunSeeker]

53. I suggest they call themselves The Loser Party.

[AZLD4Candidate]

62. The Gadfly Party.

[myohmy2]

47. interesting...

...what we have now is pretty much broken and dysfunctional...

"...reinvigorate a fair, flourishing economy..."

...mixing disgruntled Dems and pukes then getting them to agree on what's a 'fair and flourishing economy' might be a recipe for just more capitalism but on steroids...

...choices?...we've got plenty of choices, they just aren't worth a shit...

...what we need are fresh bold new ideas wrapped in a fresh bold new direction...

...but don't hold your breath...

[live love laugh]

48. I was hoping for an Onion logo.

[wiggs]

49. I see lots of republicans from lots of republican administrations. Andrew Yang is

an independent. What democrats?

[truthisfreedom]

50. Spoilers.

Sigh.

[Cheezoholic]

55. I seen this shit before

it doesn't work under our constitution. Theres a reason we have a 2 party system. South Dakota having 2 Senators is a perfect example of why multiple parties can never be functional under our constitution.

[Model35mech]

67. With a winner take all system, the incentive is for the 'losers' to consolidate

which is to say, in order to avoid being losers again, the losers must somehow attract more supporters usually through attracting voters from lesser performing blocs.

It's my understanding that from a 'Game Theory' perspective this pressure to consolidate otherwise splintered groups into bigger challenger is the thing what pushes the two-party system.

The primacy of bigger-bloc thinking never sees new blocs, even within a party, as a good-thing that can amplify new ideas. It's almost always seen as a threat to party power. On this site, it's traditionally one of the sources of bitter inter-party fights, the 'my way or the highway' thinking exists to protect and consequently entrench existing divisions of power.

In the US coming in second yields nothing, even if 2nd is only a percent or two behind winning. Being so left behind both within and between parties means alternate blocs have little voice at all. That tends to be deeply discouraging for upstart groups.

Our system is basically winner take all. Who of us hasn't been told that 'winning is everything'? The winners in the executive branch get to pick ALL the Agency and Department leadership. The winners in the legislative branch get to dominate control of committees and the rules and agenda of the legislative houses.

The only thing that softens the blow is that because our system elects many politicians from many districts and states we have many Representatives and Senators. Some of these come from among the losers, alternative votes though often losing, can still be cast, filibusters can be mounted. But mostly, the losers have very little power.

The pressure to win, and the pressure to not be excluded from power to influence governance creates constant pressure toward a system which can be defined by just two groups... the winners, and the losers. Everyone wants to win, no one wants to lose.

IMO this sorting of all election results in our system into almost absolute winners and almost absolute losers that drives our two-party system.

In nations with multiple parties, there is typically a mechanism for power sharing amongst the top vote-producing parties. And power-sharing is needed in those countries is frequently needed to build a coalition with majority support. Politicians in those countries view power that it is frequently shared. That sharing is anathema to American politicians especially withing the one-party movement of contemporary Republicans.

IMO, until such power-sharing gains acceptance in our system, alternate parties will be minor flashes of mostly wasted political energy

[betsuni]

58. No policies. Not Left. Not Right. Forward. In other words, the generic no brand party.

Okay then. All problems solved.

[mahina]

59. Ha

Ptttththth.

[BWdem4life]

60. That's not a party name. It's a slogan.

Kinda hard to take that seriously.

[Mawspam2]

61. I remember when Ralph Nader stole Florida from Al Gore.

Never again.

[Vinca]

65. Here we go again. A third party just in time to get GOP nuts in office.

The "but we don't like Biden" crowd will be all over it.

[SuperCoder]

66. This needs to be illegal and struck down...

Especially during mid-terms and election years.

Especially because it's a republican insurance policy. All this crap should be against the law.

[stopdiggin]

95. Whaaaaat ??

are you acquainted with democracy or the ideas inherent at all?

[AllTooEasy]

103. Under which country's Constitution would that work?

Obviously not ours, especially since several 3rd parties exist.

Read the Bill of Rights and US Constitution

[rubbersole]

68. Ranked choice voting appeals to me.

[AllTooEasy]

105. I'll reserve judgement until I see their platform, candidates, campaign strategy & financial backing

Until then, I'm voting for the party that I least disagree with - Democrats by FAR. The Repuke party is a Dominionistic (Christian Theocracy), White-nationalist cult. I never drank that red Kool-Aid. Blue Kool-Aid for me, for now.

The real problem is the electoral college. Fix that, but the ruling parties won't allow that.

In addition, 3rd parties usually fail because they try to win the major races (POTUS, US Congress, Governor, big-city mayors) first. Pick a region of highest discontent for both parties (arguably Midwestern suburbs), win and prove yourself in city counsels, small to mid-size city mayoral races, state congress, etc. After establishing a positive track record, go for the big races. Yang will probably insist on a strategy that puts him in the White House asap, a recipe for a humiliating disaster.

[Lonestarblue]

70. I think Yang was supported mostly by younger voters.

And many of them are dissatisfied with the Democrats right now because they see a gerontocracy in Congress that they believe doesn’t understand or care about their concerns, especially climate warming, the high cost of education, and the proliferation of jobs paying no benefits. While I think this party could hurt Republicans, it could also seriously hurt Democrats. Third parties don’t win anything—they just too often vote on their “purity” standards and thus ensure that the worst candidates win.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

71. A kinder, gentler PNAC fascist party?

Centrists + Republicans got us into this mess. This whole, "the only way to defeat the enemy is to join them!" is the stupidest fucking idea since Reagan "Democrats" helped Rotten Ronny set our country on the path to replace democracy with fascism.

[hamsterjill]

74. Rich people.

Too much time on their hands.

Not a good thing.

[hay rick]

77. How far right are the self-styled moderates? nt

[Mosby]

78. I'm all for it, if it peels away centrist republicans from the MAGA party.

[Justice]

79. I see lots of Republicans who were/became never Trump and Andrew Yang.

Headline of article is misleading.

[machoneman]

80. Trojan Horse? Potemkin Village? False Flag?

If a third party hurts TFG and R's in general, I'm all for it. Still, I do wonder if this idea was formed to hurt our side. One wonders.........

[2naSalit]

84. Oh FFS!

Here we go again with the third party bullshit expressly designed to do what Jill Stein accomplished. It's the same fucking thing all over again, I'm surprised Nina Turner's sorry ass hasn't chimed in on this.

[BumRushDaShow]

86. I wonder what deep pocket is funding them?

Could be the same crew that funded the teabaggers and other astroturf organizations.

I saw that they already have a website up and are supposedly organizing in "37 states" so far.

[2naSalit]

89. Probably the same...

The Kochtopus and friends.

[rubbersole]

106. Friends like the Mercers...

funneling offshore cash into the chaos machine.

[yardwork]

85. Another Republican Party.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

92. Many Republicans don't recognize what their party has become

I could see this appealing to Republicans like Mitt Romney, Susan Collins, or Larry Hogan. I could also see it appealing to Democrats like Manchin and Sinema.

[JustAnotherGen]

87. I think Andrew Yang is the only Democratic

Party member on this formation.


The other one that David Jolly is a member of I can't seem to point out the Democratic Party Members?
https://joinsam.org/who-we-are/

[Demsrule86]

93. Yang is not a Democrat.

[The Mouth]

90. A true parliamentary system would be great

but I don't see it ever happening.

There are a lot of Democrats and Republicans who dislike major parts of the official party platforms, but hold their nose because the hate the other side more.

[The Mouth]

91. If only a parliamentary system could ever be implemented

but I don't see it ever happening.

There are a lot of Democrats and Republicans who dislike major parts of the official party platforms, but hold their nose because they hate the other side more.

[bluestarone]

94. In my eyes there is NOTHING wrong with OUR Democratic party now. (replacing a couple Dems.maybe)

NO WAY do i want this bullshit! It's the fucking RETHUGLICONS that need full replacement. Yang can fucking forget it!

[Dysfunctional]

96. Great Idea, if you want Congress to pick our president and vice-president.

[Whatthe_Firetruck]

97. So many Repubs cited or involved...

This is just a ruse to draw off the young or naive from voting Democratic. Period.

Bothsiderism on steroids.

[TexasBushwhacker]

104. Spoiler alert!

If they want to start another party, start at the local level if they must. As long as we have the MOTHERFUCKING ELECTORAL COLLEGE, significant third party support will never be more than a spoiler. People always point to Ross Perot or Ralph Nader, but they forget that George Wallace won 5 states in 1968. That's how we ended up with Nixon instead of Humphrey.

[former9thward]

116. Wallace did not make Nixon president.

Nixon got 301 electoral votes with 32 states. Humphrey got 191 votes with 13 states plus DC and Wallace got 46 votes with 5 states. If Wallace had not been on the ballot it is debatable who would have gotten those votes but it would not have mattered as far as the final result.

[William769]

108. Bullshit posting crap like this on a Democratic website. NT

[867-5309.]

109. Spolier alert

This is going nowhere.

[FakeNoose]

110. If Susan Sarandon says she's joining them - don't anybody stop her!

[Politicub]

113. Andrew Yang is a sore loser. So he picks up all of his toys and sulks.

This shit again — a bunch of selfish people who stand for nothing. This probably won’t go anywhere, but will peel away some democratic votes if it’s successful.

[Midwestern Democrat]

115. The quickest and IMO, the only realistic, way to establish a viable third party would be to convince

incumbent Democratic and Republican officeholders to switch their party affiliation to the new third party. That's how the Republican party was established - incumbent officeholders ditched the Whig party to join the new Republican party. If a new party can't convince current incumbent officeholders to switch over to them, it's doomed to be totally irrelevant - I don't foresee this new party persuading any current incumbents to join them.

[Samrob]

117. Says a lot to me when the first thing mentioned about the Platform is about the economy (money)

I am sure the GOP is working hard to get this party started...anything to weaken the Democratic party.