Would you vote for a Third Party (USA)?

[Semichastny]

I have but a few simple questions to ask.

1. Do you support a Third party?
2. Why Do/Don't you support a third party?
3. What do you think Third Parties could do or change to increase their chances of success?
4. Are you aware of Third Parties in your Area?

[MrPepperoniNipples]

1. No
2. Because that third party is either Libertarian or their political platform is ultimately based on one issue
3. They have no chance of success. They can't raise enough money the way the system works right now
4. Yes

[Semichastny]

Originally Posted by MrPepperoniNipples

2. Because that third party is either Libertarian or their political platform is ultimately based on one issue

What turns you off the Libertarian party? Which single issue Parties do you refer too, and why is having a single issue party a negative to you?

Originally Posted by MrPepperoniNipples

3. They have no chance of success. They can't raise enough money the way the system works right now

Do you feel money is the sole or most important factor in political success?

[AxeHappy]

Not an American but I believe that the ads (ie. Money) are indeed a HUGE factor in political success.

For some reason, people seem to believe the ads instead of actually looking shit up.

The party that won the last election in Canada didn't even post their platform until a week or two before voting day. Sure ran a lot of attacks ads though.

[Grand Moff Tim]

A vote for a third party is a vote against whichever major party's policies they most closely resemble.

[broj15]

1. Yes. Registered Libertarian

2. I don't want to be a supporter of the constant bickering in congress done by the left and the right. I also feel that the left and right are both too polarized in thier beliefs on certain issues, making it damn near impossible to compromise and get stuff done. I also feel like the polocies created and enforced by democrats and republicans have played a huge part in putting us in the mess we're in now and I think it might be time for a change.

3. Start lying to increase thier approval ratings (exactly what most democrats and republicans do) and adopt the same rhetoric used by the democrats and republicans in order to secure the votes of those too stupid to make an informed decision.

4. Yes I am.

[Semichastny]

Originally Posted by broj15

1. Yes. Registered Libertarian

Great, what drew you to the Libertarian party?

Originally Posted by broj15

3. Start lying to increase thier approval ratings and adopt the same rhetoric used by the democrats and republicans in order to secure the votes of those too stupid to make an informed decision.

All to true haha.

What do you think libertarians would do to fix the current state of affairs if they had such power?

[TRENCHLORD]

I voted for H. Ross Perot in 96 (I was old enough by 3days to vote for him in 92, but my dumbass didn't get registered in time).
I had no false hopes of him winning, but i seen it as a chance to exhibit distaste in the two party dominant system. Oh well.
as time goes on it's going to get harder and harder for an independant to pull any signifigant % of the vote.

[broj15]

I was drawn to the libertarian party when my employer and I were having a conversation about polotics one night. He was asking me what political party I was going to affiliate myself with when I registered to vote and I told him i didn't really know. He proceeded to ask me what some of my beliefs and ideals were so I told him: A fiscally responsible federal government that only minimally regulates the market (basically a federal government that invades in the business of the state government as little as possible) and a very liberal government when it comes to more social issues such as abortion laws, same sex marriage, and medical marijuana (really big issue for me). He then told me to look into the libertarian party (Ron Paul in particular, when he was still considered a libertarian) and when I did alot of thier polocies made alot of sense (to me atleast).

As far as fixing the problem I would hope the party would end alot of our involvment in foriegn affairs (a huge money pit) and, hopefully use the money normally spent there to help repair our infrastructure (meaning alot of job openings for the unemployed) which meaning there will be less people on welfare and other government aid programs (another huge money pit). Then will come the legalization of medical marijuana (hopefully handled by the state) meaning more job opprotunities for those not cut out for construction, but more cut out for work in a grow house or dispensery. Basically just taking the money we spend over sea's and spending it here to help create jobs and minimalize the need for government aid and help everyone be a little more independant.

Edit: please excuse any spelling mistakes. I'm currently posting from my phone.

[ghstofperdition]

I would love to vote for a third party, but as was said, it's either libertarian or else they center on just one issue and hope to get elected that way. I hate it, but it looks like I'm stuck voting democrat for now.

[Stealthdjentstic]

Weird, I thought you were a staunch republican

[MrPepperoniNipples]

Originally Posted by Semichastny

What turns you off the Libertarian party? Which single issue Parties do you refer too, and why is having a single issue party a negative to you?



Do you feel money is the sole or most important factor in political success?

Economic policies of the Libertarian party
- Offer no support to a struggling middle and working class (and that in a recession is just begging for things to get worse)
- Lack of restrictions with Corporations and business do much more harm to the people than little help to the economy. Things like minimum wage, work hours, safety issues to the environment as well as the workers

In order to fix a recession, you need to create a demand again. Social systems like health-care do this, government funded infrastructure projects, Subsidizing the housing market etc. by encouraging spending, creating jobs, and relieving financial pressure on the middle/working class
Libertarian policy says no to all of this and almost anything like it.

And yes, money is the sole and most important factor in political success

[Ibanezsam4]

Originally Posted by MrPepperoniNipples

In order to fix a recession, you need to create a demand again. Social systems like health-care do this, government funded infrastructure projects, Subsidizing the housing market etc. by encouraging spending, creating jobs, and relieving financial pressure on the middle/working class
Libertarian policy says no to all of this and almost anything like it.

1) America became an economic superpower without healthcare
2) Infrastructure projects are a dime a dozen in my state yet we have the highest unemployment
3) subsidizing the housing market (and/or shenanigans involving the housing bubble that burst) is how we got here in the first place.

back on topic...

1) no
2) the issues of the day are pretty broadly covered by both parties effectively, leaving the voter to decided whether or not they like the individual candidate.. at least that's how it should work
3) not a whole lot
4) yes

[Semichastny]

Originally Posted by Ibanezsam4

1) America became an economic superpower without healthcare
2) Infrastructure projects are a dime a dozen in my state yet we have the highest unemployment
3) subsidizing the housing market (and/or shenanigans involving the housing bubble that burst) is how we got here in the first place.

back on topic...

1) no
2) the issues of the day are pretty broadly covered by both parties effectively, leaving the voter to decided whether or not they like the individual candidate.. at least that's how it should work
3) not a whole lot
4) yes

In what way would you consider the issues of the day effectively covered? In my experience both parties spill over ideologically, which is why you can't vote for a major party hoping to end the war on drugs or global withdrawl of military forces. I do agree on the housing market statement though.



While I do find myself agreeing with many of the Libertarian Parties political platforms I think they are out of touch with modern times, uncritically support capitalism (in a way that ignores history, research, and fact), are ignorant of socialism and what it literally is, won't hold corporations accountable, and are to willing to cite inaccurate information and unfounded conspiracy theories as fact. (The Japanese economic "miracle" was a pretty good example of a planned economy that flourished.)

[Stealthdjentstic]

Originally Posted by Ibanezsam4

1) America became an economic superpower without healthcare
2) Infrastructure projects are a dime a dozen in my state yet we have the highest unemployment
3) subsidizing the housing market (and/or shenanigans involving the housing bubble that burst) is how we got here in the first place.

Subsidizing the housing market is not what led to the recession, crazy deregulation on part of Alan Greenspan did. There's a reason Canada barely felt the recession compared to the US.

[MrPepperoniNipples]

Originally Posted by Ibanezsam4

1) America became an economic superpower without healthcare
2) Infrastructure projects are a dime a dozen in my state yet we have the highest unemployment
3) subsidizing the housing market (and/or shenanigans involving the housing bubble that burst) is how we got here in the first place.

US became a super power through a world war

What does war do on the home front? It creates a demand for weapons, federal government pays businesses to produce weapons, businesses higher employees for the jobs, etc etc

What does government funded infrastructure do? Federal government pays businesses to complete the project, businesses higher employees for the jobs, etc etc


We did not get into this recession because of subsidizing markets. We have a debt because we were subsidizing the markets.
The economy goes up and down all the time because of overproduction, and then later because of lack of demand, etc etc Adam Smith's studies and all which I'm sure you know

Why are we in debt? Because the Bush administration put into effect expansionary policies during the economies high point, he should have putting into effect the opposite, and contracted the economy with increased taxes, lower government spending, and rushing into two wars didn't help either.

Subsidizing the market while it's on the rise just increased the pace to a bubble-burst that is inevitable when you don't take the money out of it.

I'm going to make a point that this will be my last post here so I don't get caught up in an argument that lasts 10 pages

[zappatton2]

I have almost always voted for third parties, though, being Canadian, with 5 parties currently represented in the House, maybe I should say fifth or sixth party. I tend to think, maybe it is a wasted vote, but so many people don't bother voting at all, I can't see how it could hurt. Especially here, there really is a party for everyone.

Now, teaching multi-party systems to work together, there's the trick. I feel with everyone these days having an online soapbox (myself being just as guilty as anyone), and increasingly partisan and aggressive filters put on just about every news source, it seems modern politics has turned into a nasty game of confrontation and validation. A little compromise for the greater good couldn't possibly hurt.

[pink freud]

My vote literally does not matter. Washington state goes blue, so I can vote for a goldfish if I desire. According to some online test (which I'm sure is all encompassing and meaningful in every way) my views match some lady named Jill Stein, so I might pencil in her name just for the hell of it.

[The Atomic Ass]

Allow me to preface my answers with: I don't vote, as I have no intention of supporting a system of thieves with delusions of grandeur (read: government)

1. *IF* I were to vote, it would probably be Libertarian.
2. See above.
3. Run their ads closer to beer commercials for the greatest bang for their buck.
4. Due to above, I don't keep track, but I don't believe there are.

[McKay]

Originally Posted by MrPepperoniNipples

US became a super power through a world war

America became a superpower when its industrial output caught up to Germany, the UK and Russia.

As for the thread, I voted Liberal Democrat in the last election, so yes I'd vote for a third party.

[BrianUV777BK]

Originally Posted by AxeHappy

For some reason, people seem to believe the ads instead of actually looking shit up.

Lazy...

[MFB]

I'll go totally out and say that I really don't pay attention to political parties besides the two major groups, but given the amount of people saying Libertarian - I'm assuming that's a more fluffed up term for Moderate/Middle-of-the-road?

If so, that'd be the 3rd Party I support as well

[mniel8195]

what do you guys think about not voting? If you dont believe in the system does that make it okay? And please answer with something else than "than move to france you faggot!"

[troyguitar]

Originally Posted by mniel8195

what do you guys think about not voting? If you dont believe in the system does that make it okay? And please answer with something else than "than move to france you faggot!"

That's pretty much my position. I consider my not voting a demonstration of my complete lack of faith in the system. Either side is going to do a bunch of stuff that makes me sad, so it's a wash.

and both parties in this country are right-leaning moderates, the Democrats are so far away from being leftist that they would be considered a very right-wing party in damn near any other place

To answer the OP: Yes, I would vote for a third party but their platform would have to be something special - i.e. harkening back to ideals of Plato's Republic.

[MFB]

Originally Posted by troyguitar

i.e. harkening back to ideals of Plato's Republic.

Good luck with trying to convince everyone to follow those ideals. Great in theory but no one will actually adhere to it as it goes against human nature.