Opinion How possible would it be for a credible third party to be created in America?

[Darkavius]

I guess you need someone who cares about the people enough to do it and actually wants to work for their benefit.

That can be done but it would have to begin at more local races first. The races that mostly no one cares or thinks about highly during election seasons. Additionally, I think more local engagement, civil and volunteering would have to happen for that party for a third party to become acceptable in America. I believe it can be done like the Morena party in Mexico but you would have to start from the ground up.

I do believe it can be done but I just don't think established Dems, Repubs, Libs, Greens or Independents want to put in the work required. Also, I think the reason a third party does not exist is because if it were to rise up I would suspect there would be "hit jobs" on those candidates or "electoral engineering". Think of the way they did Sanders when he was running against Clinton but worse.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

That can be done but it would have to begin at more local races first. The races that mostly no one cares or thinks about highly during election seasons. Additionally, I think more local engagement, civil and volunteering would have to happen for that party for a third party to become acceptable in America. I believe it can be done like the Morena party in Mexico but you would have to start from the ground up.

I do believe it can be done but I just don't think established Dems, Repubs, Libs, Greens or Independents want to put in the work required. Also, I think the reason a third party does not exist is because if it were to rise up I would suspect there would be "hit jobs" on those candidates or "electoral engineering". Think of the way they did Sanders when he was running against Clinton but worse.

Yeah, I think you would see some major media slander against a third party seeing as all existing media is bought and paid for.

 

[Darkavius]

This is always a good question. I think 3rd parties always run into two problems: 1) money 2) they never have the right candidate.

I do push back on the false equivalency that both parties simply want to do the opposite of what the other does. There’s something vindictive about this particular Trump term. I’ve never seen the left operate in that manner.

It's because the Liberals do nothing when they get in office. Repubs kind of streamroll their agendas, for lack of a better term. Liberals want to kind of play along to get along and then when things don't work out they go "See, we tried but we couldn't get the votes." Things like that don't necessarily stop Repubs.

 

[Area809]

It's because the Liberals do nothing when they get in office. Repubs kind of streamroll their agendas, for lack of a better term. Liberals want to kind of play along to get along and then when things don't work out they go "See, we tried but we couldn't get the votes." Things like that don't necessarily stop Repubs.

This is true. The current democrats do not know how to play the political game.

 

[essie]

I think it’s difficult because there are very important issues that genuinely divide the country and when a third party tackles those issues they either pick a position which places them on one side or they just shrug which makes them useless.

I would ask op like what would you want the platform of this third party to be?

 

[Darkavius]

Yeah, I think you would see some major media slander against a third party seeing as all existing media is bought and paid for.

But that's why I mentioned civil and volunteering engagement is vital if you're a third party. See how much they smeared Trump's name for 4 years straight after he left office and he still got elected again. Maya Angelou's quote that goes something along the lines of people will forget what you did but they will never forget how you made them feel is a true statement. One thing that a third party could do that Dems and Repubs won't do is base your party around finding younger people. When I mean younger I mean people below the age to collect Social Security (actual working people).

Repubs have a whole demographic that is on Social Security and Dems basically refuse to let anyone in the high ends of leadership who is not old (i.e. Gerry Connolly, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi). Ginsburg died as a Supreme Court judge and Feinstein died in office. I think I read somewhere that in the entire history in America less than 10 Presidents were in their 40's when they were elected.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I think it’s difficult because there are very important issues that genuinely divide the country and when a third party tackles those issues they either pick a position which places them on one side or they just shrug which makes them useless.

I would ask op like what would you want the platform of this third party to be?

I think generally a party which establishes realistic mediums. Just show both sides that you're trying to find a balance which works for everyone rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater every four years.

Show people long term goals, be clear how you want to achieve them, actually make promises you can keep rather than just a bunch of hyperbole which doesn't happen.

Be transparent with the way you promise to govern. Only be willing to accept a maximum donation per individual to show people that you're not beholden to individual wealthy parties.

Conduct significant research and listen to both sides. Find common values between less extreme people on both sides of the political aisle, find out what matters to them and create policy which acts on that.

Fuck off the extreme sides of both parties, the type of policies that people begrudgingly vote for because it's better than voting for the other side.

For a Sherdogger important example, allow adult trans people to exist in peace, don't allow them to play competitive women's sports or use women's restrooms pre-op and don't allow medical intervention until adults. Put a robust system in place where people who want to transition need to go through significant mental health support to make sure it's the right thing for them.

Then just be transparent about the decision making that lead to those conclusions.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

I think most Americans would agree that both the Republicans and the Democrats have gone off the deep end and are focusing a lot of policy on just doing the opposite of what the other side wants to do. How possible would it be for a third party to create a credible opposition that would stand a realistic chance of gaining representative seats if people could organise themselves enough to put themselves up for election as some form of sanity party?

I ask because here in the UK, Reform have gone from not being a party to making themselves a semi-credible election threat in a couple of election cycles, capable of winning parliamentary seats.

Is such a thing possible in the States?

I think it depends how establishment friendly said new party is. Cases in point:
- Trump is Republicain but has the establishment against him, so the whole world has tried to sabotage him for 10 years
- Macron created a new party and was young, but was given power on a silver plate because he was extremely establishment friendly.
- AfD is number 2 party in Germany and like Trump, has had the world try to sabotage it. mainstream shitty parties will coalise amongst themselves even if they almost got wiped out as the are busy trying to outlaw „nazi“ AfD.

Moral of the story: the „democratic“ world is largely governed within a set of rules and amongst a boy club that play golf together. If you threaten the boy club, they will do everything to destroy you.

 

[nhbbear]

Sadly, no. I don’t believe so. They exist to take votes away from one side or the other

 

[RemyR]

Most likely scenario would be a new party rises up and replaces either the Republican or Democratic Party as this has happened several times in the past. Probably the Dems since they seem very out of touch with even their own voter base. Might be a bit harder this time around since I feel both parties have an almost religious following to them.

On a person note I would fucking love for a 3rd party to rise up. I fucking hate this shit ass 2 party system with a passion. No room for nuance thinking. You're forced to fall in line with your respective parties way of thinking or you're a bad person. TBH it's a cowardly way of thinking. Grow some nuts and make your own choices. Burn this 2 party system to the ground.

 

[Natural Order]

Impossible. The duopoly is too strong. America is locked into perpetual tribalism cause, reasons.

 

[Captain Tenneal]

This seems a pessimistic way of looking at it? If they had policies enough people agreed with to gain votes, what's stopping them?

Super pacs


And, The Boomer generation is far too partisan and dug in at this point

 

[lowlife]

It's ridiculous to think this is impossible, things just have to reach a point of inflection which society at one point or another will always provide. People love to say something can never happen but history proves otherwise time and again.

 

[Gamer2k4]

Until and unless we start using ranked-choice voting, it's not happening. The closest we'll get is (as someone else said) people who call themselves "independents" but still vote with the same party every single time.

 

[Satsui Ryu]

This seems a pessimistic way of looking at it? If they had policies enough people agreed with to gain votes, what's stopping them?

One thing I would agree with Seano on. When most people talk about third parties it really is just more extreme versions than what we already have. There are very few people who seem to truly want a party that is different from what we have now because the parties are simply synonyms for the underlying ideology and nobody is really looking for a new ideology.

 

[aerius]

Not happening unless you have a revolution or things get screwed up bad enough that the current government system collapses. The odds of the former aren't good with how pussified most Americans are so you'll have to wait till TSHTF real good.

 

[SKYNET]

I think most Americans would agree that both the Republicans and the Democrats have gone off the deep end and are focusing a lot of policy on just doing the opposite of what the other side wants to do. How possible would it be for a third party to create a credible opposition that would stand a realistic chance of gaining representative seats if people could organise themselves enough to put themselves up for election as some form of sanity party?

I ask because here in the UK, Reform have gone from not being a party to making themselves a semi-credible election threat in a couple of election cycles, capable of winning parliamentary seats.

Is such a thing possible in the States?

No way. Citizens United killed any hopes of that. I don't see many high ranking Dems or Reps fighting against corporations hedging their bets on both horses in a race, but if you bring up names like Jill Stein or Ron Paul, they will tell you every dirty dark secret about them and drone on like useful NPC's saying "It's a waste of your vote" "They are unelectable" (but Biden or Trump were electable)

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Your average voter can't comprehend a middle ground. For example, I've been a Republican my entire American life (and still am) but am now considered a Democrat because I don't have complete, dogmatic trust in Trump or Elon Musk.

 

[curryjunkie]

I think most Americans would agree that both the Republicans and the Democrats have gone off the deep end and are focusing a lot of policy on just doing the opposite of what the other side wants to do. How possible would it be for a third party to create a credible opposition that would stand a realistic chance of gaining representative seats if people could organise themselves enough to put themselves up for election as some form of sanity party?

I ask because here in the UK, Reform have gone from not being a party to making themselves a semi-credible election threat in a couple of election cycles, capable of winning parliamentary seats.

Is such a thing possible in the States?

Semi credible? They've peaked mate..

 

[White Whale]

Ross Perot ran the most successful third party run on US history for president. He go over 18% of the popular vote and ran on populist ideas.