Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Is a Third Party the Answer?

The Constitution Party believes it is. Responding to the same Zogby poll I mentioned earlier in the week, the conservative political party issued a press release in which party chairman Jim Clymer made these statements:

Americans have lost faith in the two parties that have a stranglehold on this country...The massive defections from both parties (www.rasmussenreports.com) coupled with the phenomenal growth of the Constitution Party (up 40% since 2004) should surprise no one. The winds of political change are blowing at gale force and by November, 2008 we’ll be in the midst of a Category 5 hurricane...

More Americans realize a third party candidate is going to be the ticket out of this mess.

I don't know. I'm not a party person at all. But what do you think? Do you believe a third-party candidate stands a chance in '08? What about the chances of an independent candidate rather than a third-party candidate? What would it take to break what Clymer calls the two-party "stranglehold"?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Clymer is right on target. Everyone I talk to is looking for someone they can vote for and they are not at all pleased with the offerings of the Dems and Repubs this time. The Constitution Party stands for the values and principles that most registered democrats and republicans hold dear as well because they are Americans first before they are simply party yes men. The vast majority of us want to see our country restored to a constitutional republic as founded by those who signed the Declaration and Constitution then implemented those ideals with their fortunes and their blood.

redante said...

Hello

I think the answer is a broad-based, citizen's social movement. This is articulated very well by Quoting Barry Kendall of the Commonweal Institute which I link over at my blog

"The point is that it takes a movement, not just a party, to make social change happen. The job of a political party is to get its candidates elected, and keep them in office – and that’s an important job. But the job of a social movement, like conservatism or like the new progressive movement that is emerging today, our job is to advocate for a vision for society, a philosophy of governance, and the public policy solutions to get us there."