Open Discussion:
We may not have a real third party candidate threat in this presidential election, but there have been some in history that have shaken things up like H. Ross Perot and Ralph Nader.
What do you think of third party candidates? Are they the only true proponents of change, or do they simply divide the parties?
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Dividing a party IS being a force for change. Third parties, when they gain enough support, force the nearest major part to confront and deal with issues that they’d otherwise get away with ignoring. They enable voters to stand up and demand action, to avoid being taken for granted by a party that feels ‘entitled’ to their votes. If the major party complains afterward that the third party “cost them the election,” they’re not getting the message. The major party needed to bring those voters into the fold by addressing the issues, rather than complaining that they shouldn’t have to… Read more »
In the case of Gary Johnson, it’s an interesting question as to whether he peels of more normally Republican- or Democratic-leaning voters. His campaign has been very quick to attack Obama from a liberal position: escalation of the war on drugs (especially a dramatic increase in federal medical marijuana raids and prosecutions) and lack of courage on marriage equality (“Instead of insisting on equality as a US Constitutional guarantee, the President has thrown this question back to the states. When the smoke clears, Gay Americans will realize the President’s words have gained them nothing today and that millions of Americans… Read more »
Your either/or approach is quite simplistic, and really, strong third-party candidates do both. In this election cycle, Gary Johnson has the best chance of being a “spoiler.” His Libertarian Party has secured him a slot on all 50 states’ ballots. He is building momentum and stands to pick off a huge group of disgusted Republicans who can’t quite bring themselves to vote for Obama. If he’s able to procure a slot in the debates (and I know that’s a big “if” but he’s well-organized and working on it), I can’t begin to predict the upheaval he could bring to the… Read more »
I plan on voting 3rd party but the choices there are not good either. I am not libertarian but I may just vote for their candidate. I just can’t bring myself to vote for Obama or Romney. I wish there was a better 3rd party.