"Majority of Voters Would like to See Emergence of a Viable Third Party"

[defendandprotect]

FEWER said they would like to see the T-party as that third option!

This is from a repeat of a C-span program today -- with someone from "The Hill"

not sure if it was their poll --

Anyone seen anything on this?

C-span's Washington Journal this morning?

Of course, we would need IRV -- Instant Run-Off Voting -- for a viable third party.

--------------------------

EDIT ... OK -- HERE'S THE LINK to the POLL ....

Note this ...

That number rose to 67 percent for self-identified independents. But even a plurality in the established parties — 49 percent of Democrats and 46 percent of Republicans — said they’d like another choice.


“That’s probably the strongest number I’ve seen in a poll of people in America saying that they're interested in a third party,” said pollster Mark Penn.


“There’s a record number of Independents and a record number of people looking for a possible third party,” he said. “And that’s a big finding. There’s an opportunity here.”



http://thehill.com/house-polls/thehill-poll-week-2/123959-majority-of-voters-say-they-want-a-viable-third-party



Doubt we'll hear Democratic Party leadership discussing this one!!

:evilgrin:

[Drale]

1. Lets be like India

and have like 47 parties, that would make them happy right?

[SugarShack]

17. No, like Jesse Ventura says, any viable third party would have to corrupt itself! NPA is the way

[JackRiddler]

33. Let's be like Germany...

Or practically any other democracy on the planet today.

Your example is a disguise for your agenda.

[ixion]

2. we are a MULTI-party system that is currently held hostage by ONE party

masquerading as 'two' parties.

I would like to see many people represented, because the current leadership represents no one but the corporations.

[emilyg]

3. You are a smart man.

[Mimosa]

7. Those who study deeply know you're right.

BTW I recc'ed this topic.

[TorchTheWitch]

31. it doesn't require any study

It's common sense. Any average Joe or Jane off the street just needs to look around them to see what's happening. We've been living it every day. This is the biggest reason why something like 50% of Americans eligable to vote don't vote... they've long since known the government doesn't give shit one about average people and it makes no damn difference which party so there isn't any point in voting.

[mmonk]

4. It's easier for the multinational corporations to buy two parties.

Multiple party systems have their merits. A multiple party system might help because coalitions would have to be formed in order to govern.

[defendandprotect]

5. 49% of DEMOCRATS want a viable third party!! .....ouch!!

[dionysus]

34. you think you're fooling anyone by advocating third parties this way? through Mark Penn?

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Cleanelec]

6. I would love to see the

We Are Not In Big Oil's Pocket Party.

Doubt that will happen in my lifetime.

[defendandprotect]

11. Easier to just ....

NATIONALIZE the oil industry which should have been done under FDR --

unfortunately he check with LBJ on that and he said NO.... surprise!

The Democratic Platform that JFK ran on in 1960 actually called for the

NATIONALIZING of the oil industry. JFK also planned to end the oil

depletion tax allowance!

There are a couple of things that have to sink in ... if we understand

the threat of Global Warming we have to stop burning fossil fuels -- and

we knew that 60 years ago! Or longer!

We will not get alternative fuels until we NATIONALIZE oil industry --

they have been interfering with that mission for more than 60 years!!

The MIC uses 80% of the oil -- that makes it a "national security issue"

which is why Obama was so protective of BP and their oil spill!

[applegrove]

8. The left is split in Canada and it means the Liberals would have

to get 65% of the vote (outside of safe conservative seats and Quebec) in order to win a minority...which is virtually impossible. So it looks like the conservatives will be a minority government for a while even though the vast majority of the canadians voting are on the left.

If the right in the USA wants to split into two parties let them.

[defendandprotect]

13. Interesting, but don't completely understand ......

When you say the left "is split" -- do you mean some on the left vote

for conservatives? Is this how the "minority conservative government" got elected?

Hard to understand how such huge numbers on the LEFT aren't controlling government?

:)

[applegrove]

16. There are 4 parties on the left, centre-left of the country. The conservatives

win the election with 38% of the vote which gives them a minority government.

[defendandprotect]

18. So you're saying the "center-left" votes for conservatives?

[applegrove]

20. Nope. The centre-left votes for the liberals and the bloc quebecquois.

A few of them may vote for the conservatives. But it is mostly conservatives voting for the conservatives. They are only a minority of the population but they will continue to win a minority situation until the cows come home unless the left stops splitting the vote. The vote on the left is split between the liberals, the bloc quebecois, the New Democratic Party and the Green Party. To gether these voters make up 62% of the voters. But they split their votes into four parties.

[defendandprotect]

26. I'm really sorry to keep saying I don't understand, however ....no IRV voting????

Instant Runoff Voting as Europeans are using?

But -- don't give up -- think I'm starting to get what you're saying now!!

Can you say which of these on the left parties you think is positive and which

may be a problem? Never thought that Greens got anything more than 10% of the

vote anywhere?

:)

[BzaDem]

29. Exacatly. That is the issue. No IRV. So a split liberal vote means conservatives win, just like in

this country.

[defendandprotect]

40. I'll accept your answer; presume you know -- but indeed we have to get IRV voting in America ....

Among many other urgent reforms like getting rid of corporate influence over

our elections and our elected officials!!

:)

[dimbear]

9. The last viable third party to emerge was the Republicans.

We immediately celebrated with the Civil War.

[defendandprotect]

14. The Republicans when they were AGAINST slavery ..... now they're for it--!!

The Civil War was in the cards the moment the Founders compromised with

wealthy southern elites on the slavery issue --

and we have yet to recover from that disaster!

[Art_from_Ark]

39. If the Founding Fathers hadn't compromised

then this country would have started off as two countries, with about half of the land area in the slavery column. Intensive competition by the two countries for lands in the west, especially for slave versus free territories, might have led to a war anyway.

[leftstreet]

10. Wow. So did this poll only ask voters? Not nonvoters?

I can't tell

[defendandprotect]

12. Says: "Majority of likely voters" .... hmmmm....

[namahage]

15. "Pollster Mark Penn". Says it all, I think. n/t

[dionysus]

35. well, that was a real clever attempt, wasn't it? pimping mark penn shit...

:crazy:

[Johonny]

19. unlikely to happen or matter without change in the way representation works

without a parliamentary system it's unlikely a third party will ever become viable nationally. Third parties have a hard time winning even state and local level races. The voting system and the way states select representatives would both have to change. A more likely to see changes include a none of the above option or a voter ranking system. Until such time we're stuck with the mess we got so we might as well try to clean up the two parties.

[gristy]

21. We need instant run-off voting for a 3rd party to have any hope at all

Obviously, both parties are therefor adamantly against instant runoff voting.

Hmmm. I wonder if a ballot option might be used?

[defendandprotect]

28. Agree with your comments .... !! And, "ballot option" .... hmmmmm.....

[Jester Messiah]

22. Three won't work, but four might.

Both major parties would have to split between their centrist and extremist wings. Neither of the existing parties would voluntarily split without reciprocal action, otherwise they're just guaranteeing their opponent a plurality.

[Cresent City Kid]

25. I was thinking the same thing

A four way split with the tea party, what's left of the republicans, blue dogs, and progressives would seem to make sense, but I don't think it will happen. No one wants to be the first to make a move, the reciprocity you mentioned may not come easy. Everyone would have to agree to make the switch at the same time. We can't even agree on things proven and backed up by evidence, you know the list. These things happen organically over very long time periods. In 230+ years we've had Federalists, Whigs, Democrats with a few incarnations, and republicans as major parties. That's four parties total, four major parties at once is far away if it is to happen.

[Canuckistanian]

23. It works for all other countries

I can't think of a single country that only has two political parties in a multi-party system.

It's really quite unusual.

[kenny blankenship]

24. Oh they would, would they? Since when does a majority get to decide anything?

[Occulus]

27. We badly need a Labor Party. n/t

[BzaDem]

30. You would need a constitutional amendment to make this happen. You would have to get rid of

winner-take-all, and have something like IRV or proportional representation.

Good luck with that.

[Kablooie]

32. Oh goody! Two conservative parties and a Democrat party with a large contingent of conservatives.

[Radical Activist]

36. But, they don't all want the same third party.

Some want a moderate or conservative third party.

We could have viable third parties if we bring back fusion voting and instant run-off elections. Third party strategies won't without those reforms at a minimum.

[cowcommander]

37. A viable third party needs MONEY

Who's going to fund it?

[treestar]

38. What kind of party?

And why are they waiting for it to be handed to them rather than forming it themselves?

They act like it's a consumer choice of some type.

[Greyhound]

41. The U.S. is very nearly ripe.

We just need another cycle of inaction and pretended helplessness and a charismatic leader to break through and tell us what we want to hear...

Interesting times indeed.
:kick: