Build Green Party from the bottom up...

[Skeezix]

I think we should build a Green Party from the bottom up, with candidates at local and state levels --not start with some Nader spoiler presidential candidate.

Please discuss.

[AlpineK]

I don't think our political system lends itself to multiparty government like a parlementary system would.

[selkirk]

Agreed, if your going to create a viable third party you'll need to get the elections system modified more along the lines of the parliamentary or otherwise (i.e. If green gets 10% of the popular vote, they get 10% of the congressional seats.) Really not that bad an idea I don't think.

[dryad]

3 words: instant runoff voting

[selkirk]

Didn't we just modify the Wa. election system somewhat? No more 2 party primaries, the 2 candidates who recieve the most votes in the primaries (regardless of party) now advance to the general election?

[tomtom]

Replace the Democratic party. In the past two elections, they couldn't field a candidate that could beat GW Bush.

[Skeezix]

With the shift of the south from conservative dem to conservative repub, the dems may be mortally wounded.

[selkirk]

This would all be solved if we gave the south away, of course who would take it?

[Skeezix]

Have you ever been to the Outer Banks of North Carolina? I'm not ready to give that away.

[catbirdseat]

With the shift of the south from conservative dem to conservative repub, the dems may be mortally wounded.

That's it! We need to come up with a candidate who is more evil that George Bush and Karl Rove. Wait a minute, the definition of a liberal is that they care about their fellow man. Doh. We're fucked!

[cj001f]

Have you ever been to the Outer Banks of North Carolina? I'm not ready to give that away.

 

OBX

 

Good Riddance!

[snoboy]

Agreed, if your going to create a viable third party you'll need to get the elections system modified more along the lines of the parliamentary or otherwise (i.e. If green gets 10% of the popular vote, they get 10% of the congressional seats.) Really not that bad an idea I don't think.

 

Uh, that would definetely fall under the "otherwise." Parliment is still FPTP here.

[scott_harpell]

Have you ever been to the Outer Banks of North Carolina? I'm not ready to give that away.

 

OBX

 

Good Riddance!

 

Looking Glass!?!? I'll take it!

[slothrop]

Start with local candidates for sure. The top-two primary will not help, it'll just consolidate two-party power because no one's gonna vote for a third-party candidate when there is a big rival party threatening to take the second spot on the ballot. Instant runoff could give third-party candidates more votes, but would probably help Libertarians (who would draw Dems and Repubs) more than Greens (who would only get Dems).

 

If state legislatures or local councils (say, King County) converted to a parliamentary-style system, third parties would get much more visibility, which they could eventually carry into the national arena.

 

This would all take a lot of work and lots of time, but it'd be effective and lasting instead of annoying and fleeting like Nader and Perot.

 

All the Democrats have to do, though, is genetically engineer a candidate from Bill Clinton's, John McCain's, and Howard Dean's DNA. I'm sure Bill would readily consent to giving a "sample". Then you raise the clone in a medium-sized Southern city, have him go to church and travel the world, all the while feeding him a steady diet of liberal thought. We'll have a winner in 2050!

[Skeezix]

All the Democrats have to do, though, is genetically engineer a candidate from Bill Clinton's, John McCain's, and Howard Dean's DNA. I'm sure Bill would readily consent to giving a "sample". Then you raise the clone in a medium-sized Southern city, have him go to church and travel the world, all the while feeding him a steady diet of liberal thought. We'll have a winner in 2050!

FrankenDem!