Time For A New Party

[nbcrusader]

Poll: Most think GOP, Democrats lack vision

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- By a large number, most Americans lack faith in the ability of Democrats or Republicans to solve the nation's problems, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll released Wednesday indicates.

Sixty-eight percent of people surveyed February 9-12 said Democrats had no clear plan for the country, while 67 percent said Republicans lacked one.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

No surprise there, but why did you use the Bono icon? Is it time for a Bono party?

Or was it just random like the way Diamond used to use the Larry icon?

 

[verte76]

In general I'm disgusted with the politicians in this country.

 

[nbcrusader]

No surprise there, but why did you use the Bono icon? Is it time for a Bono party?

Or was it just random like the way Diamond used to use the Larry icon?

Semi-random, I guess. The idea of a Bono party sounded good.

 

[Justin24]

The only problem I see with a new party is these scumbags that are in the Repblican and Democrat parties switching over.

 

[the iron horse]

I have voted Libertarian the past several U.S. elections.

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the U.S. with hundreds of elected officials, but are ignored by the media, bashed by some Christian groups (and others), and banned from participating in the debates.


Let freedom ring, even if it rings far from the maddening crowd.

 

[Se7en]

no surprise here.

 

[doubleU]

Count me in that group that has absolutely no faith in either party.

 

[U2democrat]

I'll have more faith in the Democratic party when we get fresh blood in there...more Obamas, Edwards (even though he's not in right now) people too young to have experienced too much of the Vietnam-war, just a new breed. People other than silver-haired old men.

 

[SunBloc]

There's a desperate need for fresh blood on both sides. Somebody with spirit. I'm all for the Bono party!

 

[yolland]

The only problem I see with a new party is these scumbags that are in the Repblican and Democrat parties switching over.

This is one of the biggest problems with a de facto two-party system like we have--it's agonizingly difficult to get real change set in motion because every last lobbying group is grabbing the same pair of lapels, and the need for submitting to "party discipline" virtually ensures that the most powerful lobbies (generally, though not always, meaning the richest ones) will get their way every time. On the other hand, look at what a chaotic mess politics is often reduced to in countries like Italy or Israel, where a zillion and one parties exist and fragile coalition governments are always having to be hastily slapped together under pressure. For this reason, I am wary of pinning all our hopes on an infusion of "fresh blood" sufficing to solve the problem. If the system which enables party stability wound up corrupting yesterday's visionaries, most likely it will wind up corrupting today's as well.

 

[Zoomerang96]

both parties suck and are big business patsies. that's no secret.

america needs an overhaul in terms of getting new parties involved.

 

[nbcrusader]

Or can the US be overhauled to achieve freedom from political parties?

 

[angel_of_L.A.]

"You want to vote for a third party? Go ahead, throw your vote away..."

Sorry, I couldn't resist posting that; it's one of my favorite Simpsons quotes. But back to the two-party system, I was a life-long registered democrat until about 4 years ago. I was so upset with the democratic party that I changed my voter registration from democrat to independent. We desperately need more choices, more diversity in Congress especially with our new Supreme Court whether it's the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, whatever--new choices are needed.

The problem is that the two main parties have strong lobbyists and big money supporting their campaigns. It all boils down to money and power. If third parties got a little more organized at the grass roots level and used the internet as a vehicle for voter mobilization ala Howard Dean and Moveon.org, then they might have a chance to raise awareness for their issues on a national level and acquire some needed cash.

 

[U2democrat]

Or can the US be overhauled to achieve freedom from political parties?

no. It's simply human nature, factions will form.

 

[verte76]

Or can the US be overhauled to achieve freedom from political parties?

No, we'd just have liberal and conservative factions and disputes, and it'd be a fg mess.

 

[nbcrusader]

Factions may form, but perhaps not to the degree the current money machines known as political parties.

 

[verte76]

Factions may form, but perhaps not to the degree the current money machines known as political parties.

The same people are running both political parties. Maybe it'd be less messy if we didn't have parties, and you just voted for candidates. By the same token that might be the Political Mess From Hell if you had more that two candidates. What would happen in the Electoral College? It wouldn't be a majority vote unless we set up a run-off, which is pretty unthinkable right now. We'd have to wait maybe six weeks longer to get a winner.

 

[U2democrat]

Parties provide organization, whereas a free for all would only lead to chaos.

 

[nbcrusader]

Parties provide organization, whereas a free for all would only lead to chaos.

Are multi-party system inherently worse than 2-party systems?

I guess we need to examine how many parties can exist in a meaningful and non-chaotic way.

 

[U2democrat]

Let's get through 2006, see what the voters decide, and figure out from there what should be done about parties.

 

[nbcrusader]

Even if we continue the progression to the one party system

 

[U2democrat]

That ain't gonna happen

 

[Utoo]

Oprah Winfrey for President.


Or Dumbledore.