Is it time for a 3rd political party?

Jim at Gentex · October 07, 2021, 07:01 AM

Andrew Yang left the Democratic Party after an unsuccessful run for President, and an unsuccessful run for Mayor of New York City.

Now he has decided to launch a 3rd party alternative called the 'Forward Party'.
https://www.forwardparty.com/">https://www.forwardparty.com/

He is saying polls show that nearly 6 out of 10 Americans are disillusioned with both major parties, so maybe the time is right.

He is saying he wants this new party to be all-inclusive, and welcoming to people who are simply tired of the polarization in the two party system.
It sounds great, but also potentially problematic.

If the new party welcomes anyone and everyone from across the whole political spectrum, it seems as though party unity will be almost impossible to achieve.
There are extremists at both ends in both parties now who can barely agree, so to me combining those extremists who have diametrically opposing viewpoints into one cohesive party seems like a pipe dream.

What do you all think?
Does it have a chance of succeeding?

neurosis · October 07, 2021, 07:31 AM

I think that he's right. But I don't think that a majority of 'centrists' are going to agree with most of Yangs policies. Not now anyway.

The country is so polarized that people wont even listen to anyone who isn't Reko or Micro. Everyone else is considered Rino or Dino.

I don't see this going anywhere. If you could create a party what didn't pander to the left and right wacko's in the country they would probably have my vote.

pmartin · October 07, 2021, 08:17 AM

[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16804 time=1633615277 user_id=83]
There are extremists at both ends in both parties now who can barely agree,
[/quote]

They can't even agree with more moderate members of their own party.

Remember Ross Perot? We have tried third parties. Killing a third party is the only thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on.

Jeff · October 07, 2021, 08:44 AM

Is this the same dooshbag that wanted to just give everyone a salary for existing?

Jim at Gentex · October 07, 2021, 08:48 AM

Quote from: pmartin post_id=16811 time=1633619843 user_id=85[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16804 time=1633615277 user_id=83]
There are extremists at both ends in both parties now who can barely agree,

They can't even agree with more moderate members of their own party.

Remember Ross Perot? We have tried third parties. Killing a third party is the only thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on.
[/quote]

Yep.
I think your assessment is right on point.
The ONLY thing Democrats and Republicans who are currently in office can agree on is that they don't want to share any of the power with anyone else.

RobertELee · October 07, 2021, 08:51 AM

3rd party? There's like twenty of them. None of them get anywhere because, unfortunately, none of them get the airtime that's needed to build representation. I believe Gary Johnson was closest to getting third parties, any kind of recognition but unfortunately he has kinda gone off the rails as well.

Most people I talk to don't even realize there are others beside R and D to vote for.

Until the media and debates make it fair for all they won't get anywhere.

pmartin · October 07, 2021, 08:52 AM

[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16818 time=1633621717 user_id=83]

Quote from: pmartin post_id=16811 time=1633619843 user_id=85[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16804 time=1633615277 user_id=83]
There are extremists at both ends in both parties now who can barely agree,

They can't even agree with more moderate members of their own party.

Remember Ross Perot? We have tried third parties. Killing a third party is the only thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on.
[/quote]

Yep.
I think your assessment is right on point.
The ONLY thing Democrats and Republicans who are currently in office can agree on is that they don't want to share any of the power with anyone else.
[/quote]

Well, come to think of it there is one other thing that both parties have in common. When whatever party is in power they invariably find ways to spend our money like drunken sailors. Which is a bit of an insult to drunken sailors.

Tim Johnson · October 07, 2021, 11:57 AM

Quote from: pmartin post_id=16820 time=1633621922 user_id=85[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16818 time=1633621717 user_id=83]
Quote from: pmartin post_id=16811 time=1633619843 user_id=85They can't even agree with more moderate members of their own party.

Remember Ross Perot? We have tried third parties. Killing a third party is the only thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on.

Yep.
I think your assessment is right on point.
The ONLY thing Democrats and Republicans who are currently in office can agree on is that they don't want to share any of the power with anyone else.

Well, come to think of it there is one other thing that both parties have in common. When whatever party is in power they invariably find ways to spend our money like drunken sailors. Which is a bit of an insult to drunken sailors.
[/quote]

This is where Trump came in. He entered as a business man, not a politician. He made our country energy independent, made our military strong again cut the working class taxes and earned the respect of our enemies. He made some goofs and often exaggerated things he did but he actually worked for the USA unlike any other president in my lifetime. I held my nose and voted for him the first time because Hillary but I proudly voted for him the last time because he earned my vote.

Jim at Gentex · October 07, 2021, 12:46 PM

[quote="Tim Johnson" post_id=16848 time=1633633039 user_id=68]

This is where Trump came in. He entered as a business man, not a politician. He made our country energy independent, made our military strong again cut the working class taxes and earned the respect of our enemies. He made some goofs and often exaggerated things he did but he actually worked for the USA unlike any other president in my lifetime. I held my nose and voted for him the first time because Hillary but I proudly voted for him the last time because he earned my vote.
[/quote]

Agreed.
But Trump realized he had to throw in with the Republicans if he wanted a chance to win.
I'm sure he kicked around the idea of running as an Independent, but those around him who know politics advised him against it, and he listened.

Could Trump possibly start a (viable) 3rd party now?
He would have a much better shot than Andrew Yang!

Tim Johnson · October 07, 2021, 01:02 PM

[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16852 time=1633635991 user_id=83]
[quote="Tim Johnson" post_id=16848 time=1633633039 user_id=68]

This is where Trump came in. He entered as a business man, not a politician. He made our country energy independent, made our military strong again cut the working class taxes and earned the respect of our enemies. He made some goofs and often exaggerated things he did but he actually worked for the USA unlike any other president in my lifetime. I held my nose and voted for him the first time because Hillary but I proudly voted for him the last time because he earned my vote.
[/quote]

Agreed.
But Trump realized he had to throw in with the Republicans if he wanted a chance to win.
I'm sure he kicked around the idea of running as an Independent, but those around him who know politics advised him against it, and he listened.

Could Trump possibly start a (viable) 3rd party now?
He would have a much better shot than Andrew Yang!

[/quote]

It's true that Trump running in the Republican party was the only way he could have won the election. I wish that Perot would have ran as a republican. I'll more than likely will be dead before an independent wins the election and I don't plan on dying anytime soon.

beej · October 07, 2021, 01:18 PM

In order to form a third party you have to peel off coalition groups from both parties. you can't do it by just taking half of the party you already belong to. for example in a lot of European nations Christians and labor unions belong to the same party. So you would have to form a pro-union, anti abortion party, which is do-able, possibly.

someone is trying to build a political party right now also that has some beliefs based in Catholicism. but there was a socialist-anti capitalist element to that, that turned me off.

If you pay attention, there is a transition starting to take place in the 2 parties right now. A lot of big business is starting to favor Democrats. Trump was starting to peel off pro-union individuals toward the republican side. If those 2 trends continue, it will get interesting to see what happens.

Tim Johnson · October 07, 2021, 02:00 PM

Quote from: beej post_id=16858 time=1633637893 user_id=98In order to form a third party you have to peel off coalition groups from both parties. you can't do it by just taking half of the party you already belong to. for example in a lot of European nations Christians and labor unions belong to the same party. So you would have to form a pro-union, anti abortion party, which is do-able, possibly.

someone is trying to build a political party right now also that has some beliefs based in Catholicism. but there was a socialist-anti capitalist element to that, that turned me off.

If you pay attention, there is a transition starting to take place in the 2 parties right now. A lot of big business is starting to favor Democrats. Trump was starting to peel off pro-union individuals toward the republican side. If those 2 trends continue, it will get interesting to see what happens.

That may be a reason why the Democrat party is trying hard to force a seam between the conservatives and liberals. Divide and conquer. Their problem is a lot of democrats are less liberal than the direction the current ruling class is moving and the seam is veering into the democrat base.