Third party challenges in NJ, NY are warning sign (People Are Mad)

[saracat]

Third party challenges in NJ, NY are warning sign


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

By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer Beth Fouhy, Associated Press Writer – 55 mins ago

NEW YORK – Third party candidates are shaking up two major races in elections Tuesday, and the success of those candidacies is a warning shot fired at both major parties by voters angry at government and disillusioned by politics as usual.

In New York's 23rd Congressional district, where longtime Republican Rep. John McHugh stepped down to be Army secretary, Dede Scozzafava, the candidate chosen by state GOP leaders to replace him, was forced out of the race by a surging Conservative Party candidate, Doug Hoffman. High-profile national Republicans endorsed Hoffman, saying Scozzafava, a state assemblywoman who supports abortion rights and gay marriage, had abandoned core GOP values.

In the New Jersey governor's race, independent Chris Daggett has gone from afterthought to player in a contest pitting the unpopular incumbent, Democrat Jon Corzine, against Republican Chris Christie.

Daggett is not expected to win the New Jersey contest, and the GOP split in upstate New York could throw the race to Democrat Bill Owens.

But the impact of those candidacies on the high-profile contests points to an anti-incumbent, anti-establishment sentiment that could be a prevailing theme in the 2010 congressional elections and beyond.

"What it says is the public is looking for less self-interested parties and candidates who can reflect the needs of a very frustrated public," said Douglas Astolfi, a history professor at Florida's St. Leo University. "We have two wars and we're in a recession that neither party seems to address in any positive way. There's a deep sense that government has abandoned the common man. People are frustrated and angry."

Indeed, a Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll released last week found that trust in government is at a 12-year low, and half of all Americans now support the creation of a new political party.

Both parties ignore such sentiment at their peril in 2010 and perhaps into the 2012 presidential race.

In Senate contests from Florida and Kentucky to New Hampshire next year, conservatives furious at the Republican establishment are mounting primary challenges against more mainstream candidates favored by the national party.

On the other side, Democratic strategists worry that progressives, disgusted by the big money bank bailout and disillusioned with President Barack Obama's lack of fight on issues such as a government-run health insurance plan, might keep some people from voting. That could cost Democrats seats up and down the ballot.

more at link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...us_third_party_candidates

[waiting for hope]

1. Interesting -

"Indeed, a Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll released last week found that trust in government is at a 12-year low, and half of all Americans now support the creation of a new political party."

Problem there is who is to say the big moneyed interests won't pump billions of bucks into their party? I'm all for finding a new way of governing, but the money has to be taken out first.

K&R

[HotJohnee]

2. smoke and mirrors

These 3rd party clowns won't even get noticed enough. They might as well sit down and keep quiet while the heavyweights do battle.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Pick up a history book and read it

be particular about the WHIGS, as well as the Granger Halls.

Only those who really hate history will not take this for what it is. By the way... those of us who have been careful observers of this, and KNOW US History are all but surprised. In fact, at this point the PARALLEL to the Whigs is down right scary. You know what happened to the faction of the WHIGS that did not form the GOP? They went down south... you may remember that as a small soiree called a civil war.

Oh and welcome to DU.

But seriously, we may be getting treated to a very rare event in US history, the replacing of one major party (if not two)

Now let me take the historian hat and put it back on the shelf,

[flyarm]

3. some today should read about the dems that jumped ship and voted for Reagan!

and many many many dems stayed home and refused to vote!

I for one will stay home if this is the crap coming out of congress that they are calling health care reform stands..it is Health insurance rape of the American Middle class..nothing more.

And i am hearing the same from many many dems i have worked with!

Oh and i live in 2 states , NJ and Fla..many dems i know in NJ are not going to vote Tuesday for Corzine
Florida is my home state so i can't vote in NJ..good thing for Corzine..because i would not vote ..i would sit it out.

NJ has the highest taxes in the nation and now the highest unemployment in the region!..with no light at the end of the tunnel..

and Corzine is talking about privitizing and selling off parts of the NJ Turnpike...and upping the tolls..not a good thing when so many are out of work.

[Justitia]

4. More editorializing from the AP. They have gotten really blatant w/this new policy. -eom

[pennylane100]

5. Unfortunately, the turd party candidates

are all right wing nuts.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. We Have Two Perfectly Good Parties To Choose From

The center-right party, and the crazy party*.

Why would anyone want something else?

*yes, I stole that from Bill Maher.

[Truth2Tell]

8. This is important... The AP is tipping the GOP hand here...

"...the impact of those candidacies on the high-profile contests points to an anti-incumbent, anti-establishment sentiment that could be a prevailing theme in the 2010 congressional elections and beyond."

No. The performance of those candidates doesn't point to any such general "anti-incumbent" sentiment. Their performance only points to the ongoing disintegration of the Republican Party and the rising power of the radical right within it. It's the AP "analysis" that points to something. It points to what "prevailing theme" the Republicans will be using to try and unseat Democrats in 2010. The rest of the piece lays it out.

They are going to try and steal disaffected populists. And if we Democrats don't sooner or later figure out that coddling Wall Street criminals, warmongers and runaway corporations is bad politics, they may get some traction.

[Horse with no Name]

9. I think one of the REAL problems

is that many of those centrist republicans came over to our pool and pissed in it and are wondering why some of us aren't liking it?
The entire process is now a sham and a flaw.
We need to see a restructuring. Soon. It is the only way this republic can survive.

[Cleita]

10. So are you guys trying to get instant run off voting in your states?

If you do then third parties can be weapon for real change. Two things that would change America for the better, campaign financing by the govt. and instant runoff voting.