Completely anonymous Third-Party support poll.

[Guy Fawkes]

I think there are a lot of DUers who support (if not vote for) Third Parties. That said, I also think that there is a lot of bullying over ideals, making it so people are afraid to voice an opinion. So without names, without flames- please tell us: Do you support (not necessarily vote for) Third Parties.

[porphyrian]

1. We need instant run-off voting, too. - n/t

[BooScout]

2. In principal yes.......in reality no.

All a third party vote does in the US system right now is take votes away from Democrats.

3rd party (and 4th & 5th) systems work better in a parlamentary system like the UK. It would take years and a complete re-working of the US system for it to be effective.

I voted no. A 3rd party vote is not going to help America right now, especially on a national election.

[w13rd0]

3. In principle...

...and in a parlimentary system, yes. But in our two-party "winner take all" system, 3 or more parties don't actually help, nor do they have any real impact on policy, at least not insofar as those voting third party may be hoping for.

[Totally Committed]

4. Multiple Parties will not work in this country until

we get rid of the electoral college. I hope I live to see the day when we replace a badly outmoded Electoral College with a multi-Party system, but I'm not holding my breath.

TC

[Laotra]

5. Other

I voted multi, but am against party-politics, I wan't direct and participatory democracy, not oligarchic and corrupt party elites.

[Guy Fawkes]

6. An interesting perspective...

shared by the writers of the Constitution. However, I'd say that we have a natural tendency to group together based on our ideas (political ideas being one of them), so it would be very hard to get rid of political parties- and a two party system would likely never work. Though the idea of no parties is an interesting one, I'm not sure human nature would allow it...

[Laotra]

7. If interested

See my journal for more extensive discussion on ideas about new and better forms democracy.

[rucky]

8. I would love to be able to afford that luxury in the near future. n/t

[Guy Fawkes]

9. Kick- my point exactly (nt)

[JNelson6563]

10. Aren't you going a bit heavy on this for DU?

Seems to me your mission is clear but is this the place for it? You may have noticed it's the Democratic Underground. Plus, a multi-party system works better in a parliamentary government than in ours. If you frequent PI, ask your pals there about how it works (though I doubt they know).

Julie

[A Simple Game]

14. You don't think a third party could get anything done?

I wish the liberal party had just six Senators and about twenty Representatives(don't recall the exact number needed, but around 20). They could pretty much get any legislation tilted close to what they wanted.

Veto proof, that would be a different story.

[JNelson6563]

15. I've yet to see any evidence that they can

It's been my experience that most third party advocates are so busy criticizing others they never seem to accomplish anything themselves.

But again, such a system is better fitted to a different government structure, which explains why those who really made a go of it still failed in the end.

Julie

[Taxloss]

11. A third-party system works OK here in the UK.

Well, I suppose that's strongly debatable, but the Lib Dems do offer a genuine alternative on some issues - it at least used to until the Orange Bookers took over.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. I'm a Democrat but owe no allegience to any party.

“I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to Heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.” - Thomas Jefferson

[femmocrat]

13. I would support a genuine Liberal/Labor party if we had one.