I can't believe people still believe in the two party myth.

[redirish28]

My wife was talking to a relative who believes the 2 party system is written into the constitution.

My wife is just frustrated this election year on so many levels and right now. She was talking to a cousin who was using was basically saying The Republican-Tea Party.

My wife is like: "No you have the Democratic party, The Republican party and then the Tea Party which is basically a third party that has now been given legitimacy from corporate America. It seems the only time a 3rd or 4th party is given legitimacy in this country is when it benefits corporate America.

[ixion]

1. Indeed. There are many parties, and their voices are censored

bye the ONE party masquerading as 'two' parties.

I would like to see other voices in our dialog, it would be refreshing.

[stray cat]

2. It would but we would still have been better off with 8 years of al gore compared to W

[ixion]

4. Fair enough... although we'd have been better off with a moldy lump of cream cheese compared to W

... just sayin'. :)

[rhett o rick]

6. What's your point? The Republican stole the 2000 presidential election and nothing was ever done.

I guess it was just one of those funny things. Al Gore couldnt concede fast enough. Apparently he didnt think that free elections were important.

Ralph Nader was right.

[Luminous Animal]

3. For statewide and national elections...

in many, (maybe most?), states it can be difficult or take a while to qualify for official party status on a ballot. Aren't most Tea Baggers who are running actually registered Republicans?

[rhett o rick]

7. Yes, the Tea Potty isnt a real party. nm

[Ozymanithrax]

5. The Progressive Party of the United States, sometimes called the Bull Moose Party...

ran with Teddy Roosevelt on it's ticket, and was the most successful third party attempt. It resulted in denying the Presidency to Republicans, though Teddy did not win a second term. It was not beholden to big business.

The Grange Movement of the 1880's and 1890's was another populist party movement mostly in the Midwestern agricultural states. They elected quite a few congressmen and were absorbed by the Democratic Party. They were successful for a while and did not gain the interest of big business.

The reason why third parties have a problem in the modern era is that each state has different laws as to what a party must do to get on the ballot, so a third party to be successful needs to create a copy of itself in every state. That, of course, is immensely expensive.

The Koch brothers, John Birchers mostly, funded real populist anger among mostly disaffected whites and have used it to skew the political process. But, historically, that has not been what happened.

[mzmolly]

8. The Republican Party is the corporate party and the Tea Party is simply

another wing of the republican Party.

[jtuck004]

9. It is. I copied it from the Constitution, below...

And verily I say unto thee, thou shalt create two parties, one to be called Democrats, the other to be called Republicans. The Democrats shall be voracious readers, wilt look at issues in depth, and shalt educate and organize with glee. They shalt provide and care for the weak and infirm, the aged, the young, and use spell-checkers. And verily I say unto thee, for this their reward on earth shall be pestering and torment by the Republicans, for what is organizing without a little pain?

The Republicans will create havoc and mayhem among the masses. The Republicans shall gloss over facts, resort to name-calling and backbiting, and support the greedy and avaricious in their pursuit of mammon. They will be the friends of the minions of Satan, otherwise known as Corporations, will walk among the un-dead, and occasionally masquerade as Democrats. These will be known amongst you as "Blue Dogs", though the intention is not to take the name of Dog in vain or otherwise besmirch a noble creature. When life is over, the Republicans will expect their reward to be welcomed into Heaven. There will be a surprise waiting for them as their reward.

Yet I say unto you, when life is over, that is it, so get it while thee can. Thus saith the forefathers. And foremothers.

[EFerrari]

10. What a day. First no chupacabras, now THIS.

:)