Loading ...As reported, Obama has asked current New York Governor not to run for a full term in 2010. This is big news to some, but those of us on here know all to well how politics in this country work. The parties decide who you get to vote for not the individual. Unless you are a “party” boy or girl there is almost ZERO chance you will be elected.
Our system is flawed and we must fight to correct it. I am not saying our system of government, but the two-party system we have today. There are countless quality candidates out there that no one will ever see because they do not have the backing of the party elite. I was offered the TN House District 97 seat when I ran in 2006 if I would just denounce James Edwards. All they wanted was for me to publicly come out against James and the seat was mine. I refused to sell-out anyone for a political office. I may not agree with James on some issues, but he has never done anything to me personally that would cause me to do this to him. I would not do this to anyone else either. I do not always agree with BCR, Tomasik or Mickey, but I would vote for any of the three in an election and I would never sell one of them out for anything.
As long as we have the Democrat and Republican ruling elite running the parties we will never have sound government. There is little difference between the two parties. Bush’s policies are still in full force with Obama at the wheel and are not likely to change. When Obama is gone some asshat from the Republican side that gets the nod will carry on the Obama policies. Until we get NORMAL citizens in office and not the wealthy lawyers we have now we cannot control this beast we have created. Quit fooling yourselves.
Austin
It’s hard to see the request from Obama to Paterson as an anti-populist move. Basically, the administration asked a guy that New Yorkers don’t like not to run again so that the election can potentially be between two people that New Yorkers do like.
That being said, yeah, the two-party system has some major, major pitfalls. I doubt that you can divorce those problems from the structure of our government as a whole, though – the two-party system arose by itself in this country and has been mostly constant throughout our history. (The most notable exceptions to it, like the fragmentation around the time of the Civil War, have also been short-lived and unfortunate.)
For instance, how could the formation of a major third party ever be seen as practical on a national level, when we have the Senate to deal with? When you need 50-60 votes to pass legislation in a body where a majority of the population is represented by barely a quarter of legislators, breaking off to form a third party would be nuts. You’d have to be able to affect a political schism nation-wide, all at once, or consign yourself to long-term irrelevance.
Given that, there’s just no political incentive for significant third parties to form. And, if people are seriously concerned about the two-party system – a concern that’s quite reasonable – they need to suggest reforms that would help to replace it. Major campaign finance reform and changing the archaic method of apportionment in the Senate would be a great start.
But you can’t just say “Oh, we need a real third party!” and expect one to magically appear. If our current system could support one as is, one would presumably have formed by now.
We have not always had Republicans and Democrats. Just look at when those parties were third parties. It can happen and has happened. There just has to be a big enough movement and get rid of the apathy. Much easier said than done though.
But we have almost always had two major parties.
The Federalists and Democratic-Republicans were duking it out by the time George Washington was out of office. Then, after the death of the Federalists led to brief dominance by their opponents, the D-R’s morphed into the Democrats, and the newly minted Whig party became their only significant competition.
Then, in the years leading up to the Civil War, there was that fragmentation I talked about. You had the Free Soil party, the Republicans, and few others come out onto the national stage. But, after that war came and went? It was basically just the Democrats and Republicans left.
Since then, there really haven’t been any truly significant third parties. Teddy Roosevelt briefly had some electoral success running with the “Progressive Party,” and Strom Thurmond and George Wallace had their anti-civil rights campaigns achieve slight success, but all those parties essentially died from one loss at the polls.
From the Civil War on, we’ve largely had the guys we have now, though the character and coalition make-up of each party has changed drastically. On the whole, the two-party system has been incredibly resilient throughout our history. We haven’t even added a new, major player to the list since Reconstruction.
But not the same two-party system. Do not forget the Bull Moosers. There has been a change and can be another change. I am just saying we have to fix the system we have now not add a third party. I am not against third parties at all, but we are going to have the Big Two so they need mending.
I do believe that the White House should not interfere in State political races. It is one thing to endorse a particular candidate, but to request a candidate, who is in office,to step aside is unethical. Austin is correct that this goes on in both parties and should be reigned in. Austin is also correct about BCR, Tomisik, and Mickey: they are high quality individuals with strong ethics and values, who would make great politicians. HOORAH!
Susie, do you want to be my publicist?
Goodness, I am soooo embarassed by Myron Lowery and his toooo casual way of greeting the Dalai Llama. What has happened to our leaders? A.C. APPEARED more Mayoral like. I guess we need some class to this city real quick!!
Yes, Austin, I can make you look real good on paper!!!
Hey I am good on paper and in person at least that is what you say.
People have to learn that 1) there’s not going to be any armed revolution at all. 2)the “liberals” are not to blame. 3)prioritize goals:
a) campaign finance reform– get money out of politics.
b) election fraud– send election officials to jail.
c) media deconsolidation– no democracy without info.
d) military budget downsizing– drastic downsizing.
e) manufacturing– the globalists have destroyed mfg.
I agree with you to a point, but I am not for downsizing the military. We must bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. I would not mind seeing lobbyists and campaign contributions outlawed. These people are being bought by those that are donating money to their campaigns and we are not being represented. The media elects our officials. If you are not a media darling then you have zero chance of winning an election. Send election officials and elected officials to jail. I also think that campaign promises should force a candidate into a legal contract where those promises are concerned and the candidate should be legally bound to those promises.
Crazy?
We truly do need a Third Party, we need Advocates and Volunteers so many. People who are really willing to give all they got into such a goal? Who of you are willing to be strong and brave enough to fight to have a truly better Country? We need Action and not just words and thoughts. C’mon who of you is brave enough to get a real sense of responsibility to our families our futre generation? Health care, it’s been a topic for years and years and no one has come up with a real solution that satisfies our Country and all of us hard working people. Let’s get together and try harder………
I ran as an Indie in 2002. Not a lot of support from anyone in that campaign. Old habits die hard.