Open Left

Third parties can be successful (4.00 / 2)

I plan on writing a diary on this, but I can summarize one of my points as being that national third parties fail, but third parties with a strong regional base have a chance of succeeding.

So if you want to build up a third party, my advice is to pick specific states in which to build a third party machine.  One idea would be to take the Vermont Progressive Party (which once tried a third party challenge to then-governor Howard Dean from the left), build it up within the state, and expand it to other states in the region in an incrementalist fashion.  Another strategy would be to build a third party on the backs on the Independence Party in Minnesota and New York, although that wouldn't be a particularly progressive effort.

Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both

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by: Anthony de Jesus @ Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 13:00:16 PM CDT

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Now THAT is what I've been talking about! (0.00 / 0)

Why the hell didn't we get that we've been arguing the same thing?  My only disagreement here is with the incremental approach.  I think we can open up chapters in all fifty states now, rather than slowly branching out.  nevertheless, the overall strategy would be the same: build up from local to state level, then taking on the national.

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by: Michael Kwiatkowski @ Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 14:47:47 PM CDT

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The NY-IP is not a progressive solution (0.00 / 0)

They really are just about being king-makers and influencing the balance of power. Many people end up registering as IndependENCE voters instead of independENT voters.

The Working Families party has a few sister parties in other parts of the country. A far better start to a regional 3rd party.

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by: hellenica @ Mon Jul 06, 2009 at 00:02:45 AM CDT

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