third party

[SatCong]

What attributes would a third political party need to become competitive in a Presidential election?
How long before a grass roots effort to plan and organize a viable third option in any level election. And, then, ride every winning election to the next level, and so on until the PR is National and better than either of the other "traditional" parties.
My personal initial input would rid government of career politicians. Hell, I believe political government service oughtta be compulsory, just like a draft!
SatCong

[Magnum88C]

I don't think anything, not political ideals, not having real honest people at the helm, nothing would make it a viable candidate until it got as much money to produce a media blitz comparable or even exceeding the two major parties.

People are just too lazy to do any research. Unless the media mavens flood their brain through the electric toilet, the info just doesn't exist for most people.

[andy]

so you believe in ENSLAVING people, eh? doesn't surprise me at all.

[SatCong]

Why, eh, yes, Yes I wish to enslave people!
You have uncovered my nefarious plot. I am ruined. RUINED !
SatCong

[BigEd63]

A thrid party 1st needs to delvope a political base in several major states and get a decent % of seats in Congress and state legislatures.

It seems too many 3rd parties waste time and money going for the gold right off.

Plus it makes you look like a bunch of loony-toones to the common people out there.

I had high hopes for the Consitution Party until that one bozo ran for pres.,.

[Aslan]

Yep, the key is to win a few seats in several states. Build a track record and become viable as a third party on a state by state basis. Only then, after building sufficient momentum would a third party have a chance.

I also agree on the compulsory service idea. A big part of the federal government should be done like this. You get drafted for two years, do your stint and your done.

Set it up so that any given year 1/3 of the members of congress are new.

No career politicians, nobody with any real power base. Just a bunch of people that want to get the job done and go home.

Some years you'd have really good government people, some years you wouldn't. But mistakes could be overturned easily.

Just a thought.

:devil:

[Kent]

No career politicians, nobody with any real power base. Just a bunch of people that want to get the job done and go home.

How can you get this type of person when you advocate compulsory service?

3rd parties are locked out of debates. Here is the corp responsible. They SPONSOR the debates.
http://www.debates.org/pages/lead.html

They claim nonpartisanship. Look at just who is who there. Any names you dont recognize, google them. They are partisan to the core.

[Aslan]

Ever served on a jury?

That's about the closest analogy I can think of. You aren't real thrilled to be there, but you just want to try the case and go home.

Same thing. Since you're a conscript, you really don't want to be there. You just want to do your time and get the heck out of there.

But, since you are actually doing something relatively important, you will either do what you're there to do, or you ride it out and others will get the job done.

Some years you'll have a really good government, other years not much will get done.

But nobody should be beholding to any special interest groups, etc.

:devil:

[Kent]

Oh, dont get me wrong. I agree that "something must be done".Getting the career politicians out of the HR would be a very good start. But I also dont want anyone making important decisions, that doesn't even want to be there in the first place.

On the other hand, good people will not volunteer, due to the 5 finger rectal exam they get for their trouble.

These career pols are entrenched like ticks on a deers back. They dont leave until they have had their fill.

No easy answers here.

[Coyote]

People are just too lazy to do any research. Unless the media mavens flood their brain through the electric toilet, the info just doesn't exist for most people.
IMO, noone pays any attention to the ads, and the sad majority of the population aren't even interested in the debates.

People get their opinions "from what their friend told them" and the little lilting intonations in voice of their favorite news-anchor that tell you exactly where to stand. JMO.

[Magnum88C]

Nah, the thing I hear most at election time is "So-and-so said such-and-such on the TV, that's who I'm going to vote for."

Might be interesting to have an election fund. Allow candidates like now, you need a certain number of votes to be a candidate. You split the election fund EVENLY, and that's what you have to advertise with AND THAT'S IT.