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Drunken Irishman

(34,857 posts)

46. Everyone says they want a 3rd party...

Fri Oct 11, 2013, 12:50 PM

Oct 2013

Not everyone can agree on what they want that third party to look like.

How many here would support a centrist third party? I'm guessing maybe a handful of posters. They'd say, "THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS ALREADY THE CENTRIST PARTY!"

Okay - then you move the party to the left and automatically alienate a good number portion of the population. You move it to the right and the same thing happens.

What people here need to realize is that if there will be the rise of a third party, there are two scenarios:

1. The tea-party splinters off from the Republicans and form their own party, which is far more extreme than even the Republicans today.

2. The Republicans go off the cliff and a more moderate, right-of-center party, which may resemble the Republican Party prior to the 1980s, replaces it - leaving the GOP in the hands of loons.

Neither would be a progressive third party or a party anyone on DU would support.

That's the tricky thing with these third party talks - what kind of third party do voters want? Green or Libertarian? Something in the middle?

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Gallup: 60% Of Americans Say Third Party Is Needed [View all] DonViejo Oct 2013 OP

We do need a labor party. PeteSelman Oct 2013 #1

I think one of the ones we have used to do that... JHB Oct 2013 #9

Very well put. Cal33 Oct 2013 #31

Was thinking the same thing. Fantastic Anarchist Oct 2013 #52

would be nice, if... jimbot Oct 2013 #2

I'd be in the 40% Gore1FL Oct 2013 #3

I have watched 3rd parties screw up the works ever since I voted for JFK. All too often they tip the jwirr Oct 2013 #17

I'm on board with that! Gore1FL Oct 2013 #19

I'm right there with ya. Wait Wut Oct 2013 #39

Which is one reason upon many the Electoral College must be JUNKED! DissidentVoice Oct 2013 #56

I think we could use a third party Pab Sungenis Oct 2013 #4

We need a working class party. Democrats have moved too far to the right. Skeeter Barnes Oct 2013 #5

The idiots in the Beltway will NEVER accept the idea it's a more Liberal choice we want. Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2013 #6

I think we need 4 parties for congress.. Left, Center-Left, Center-right, Right. Nt srican69 Oct 2013 #7

I think you are right! on point Oct 2013 #20

You know what will happen if that were to come about .. srican69 Oct 2013 #25

The Republicans should split up first. Ash_F Oct 2013 #8

YUP. JoePhilly Oct 2013 #14

Yep. We need a couple of more parties. marmar Oct 2013 #10

Yeah, look at Canada and Germany where the left have majorities and the conservatives have power coldmountain Oct 2013 #12

Yes. So they can keep voting for two corporate parties. marmar Oct 2013 #13

Or we can have 2 corporate parties with 2 other parties corrupted by corporations coldmountain Oct 2013 #33

Yes, you are correct....... socialist_n_TN Oct 2013 #66

Repubs need to branch off I agree SHRED Oct 2013 #11

This I can agree with. Wait Wut Oct 2013 #40

As one can see from the responses here frazzled Oct 2013 #15

Bernie Sanders it is YOUR TIME. dotymed Oct 2013 #16

Full marks to that! DissidentVoice Oct 2013 #57

What type of Third Party are we talking about? Because if it is a Libertarian Party.... Tommy_Carcetti Oct 2013 #18

You're right. It's a lesson in history. ffr Oct 2013 #26

Americans can try that - but they are still propping up the Capitalism TBF Oct 2013 #21

Very true, BUT......... socialist_n_TN Oct 2013 #67

Yes, I'm impatient :) TBF Oct 2013 #79

Add in James Cannon too...... socialist_n_TN Oct 2013 #81

Definitely - James P. Cannon TBF Oct 2013 #82

Third Party = GOP or Dems get a lock... CapnSteve Oct 2013 #22

Welcome to DU - stick around awhile .... Myrina Oct 2013 #28

Clinton over Bush; Perot ran in '92 and got 18% 7962 Oct 2013 #49

Senior moment! Of course, you are right. Perot siphoned off votes directly as a third party candidat CapnSteve Oct 2013 #51

Of course, the problem is that people mean three different things by a third party geek tragedy Oct 2013 #23

We need a Batman party for the boys and a Little Mermaid party for the girls. Kablooie Oct 2013 #24

Sad thing is, the we HAVE these "other" parties ... Myrina Oct 2013 #27

Very true we have many parties already, we already have Greens and Libertarians for example coldmountain Oct 2013 #34

CSPAN used to do a decent job of covering their debates ... Myrina Oct 2013 #38

How quickly we forget how untrustworthy Gallup etc. are. Romney wins, remember? Sick of appacom Oct 2013 #29

I'm hoping Teabaggers will split off from the GOP Lasher Oct 2013 #30

We need a Bernie party! ...but wouldn't that just be a real Democrat? L0oniX Oct 2013 #32

I'd settle for a 2nd Party. bvar22 Oct 2013 #35

Winner take all elections insure two parties taught_me_patience Oct 2013 #36

We're stuck with an 18th century electoral system. Answerman Oct 2013 #37

A third party that not enough people will vote for that would change the stalemate. haele Oct 2013 #41

Everyone says they want a 3rd party... Drunken Irishman Oct 2013 #46

The Problem Is The Money In Politics DallasNE Oct 2013 #42

I think the tea baggers are only 15% of the population. So that would be 45% of sane people for pam4water Oct 2013 #43

And how many of those 60% would agree with just 'one' third party? Drunken Irishman Oct 2013 #44

After watching DC politics for too long, I'm ready for the Natural Surrealist Party. Comrade Grumpy Oct 2013 #45

Good idea! Turbineguy Oct 2013 #47

Ah, Teabagers and Purity Liberals? MannyGoldstein Oct 2013 #48

As long as one party can be wrong on virtually every issue.. athenasatanjesus Oct 2013 #50

Good ole Gallup! Reliably Republican, as always! MADem Oct 2013 #53

Didn't we try this already? Remember Jill Stein, Roseanne, Rocky Anderson, Gary Johnson? Tarheel_Dem Oct 2013 #54

I don't get the idea of "throwing away" a vote. DissidentVoice Oct 2013 #58

And you have that right. But like you, many people flirted with the notion of Jill Stein & Roseanne Tarheel_Dem Oct 2013 #60

I wouldn't have thought of that if Democrats were still being DEMOCRATS. DissidentVoice Oct 2013 #63

FDR is dead! The Democratic Party has evolved to include people from across the political.... Tarheel_Dem Oct 2013 #64

In other words... DissidentVoice Oct 2013 #65

Call it what you want, but I don't support a teahadi style group on the left, who care more.... Tarheel_Dem Oct 2013 #68

To each their own, but... DissidentVoice Oct 2013 #83

Yes. Let's call it the DEMOCRATIC PARTY. DissidentVoice Oct 2013 #55

campaign finance laws stillcool Oct 2013 #59

The problem with this is . . . markpkessinger Oct 2013 #61

Good idea in principle DJ13 Oct 2013 #62

I'm not so sure a third party that merely splits the difference between . . . markpkessinger Oct 2013 #69

We need a third fourth and fifth party - LiberalElite Oct 2013 #70

CORRECT! Democratic Party has already moved right. If a Third is between the D's and R's ... Kennah Oct 2013 #77

sure republicans can split up themselves to the 'Tea Party'. They already have a name and a logo. Sunlei Oct 2013 #71

We need a parliamentary system 1000words Oct 2013 #72

+1 Liberalynn Oct 2013 #73

Long ago I remember reading something that said that even parliamentary systems tend to either... JVS Oct 2013 #75

I live within walking distance of Canada DissidentVoice Oct 2013 #84

Mom always said I had a special pupose 7wo7rees Oct 2013 #74

We dont need a third party. We just need to kick the conservatives out of the Democratic Party. nm rhett o rick Oct 2013 #76

Wall street Democrats want "the left" to form a new party Warpy Oct 2013 #78

And yet incumbents, in all but relatively few cases, are safe. CBHagman Oct 2013 #80

This is not completely the fault of people saying one thing and doing another. JVS Oct 2013 #86

Obviously I'm down with that, but we need to adjust our Plurality voting GreenPartyVoter Oct 2013 #85