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3rd party fade theory goes down in flames!

by Peter Tharaldson

Political scientists, who have gotten practically nothing right this year, have long suggested that 3rd party candidates fade towards the election. Well- they better hit the books again. Every one of our candidates this year went up or held their own. That should not be a surprise. It has happened more often than not for Independence Party candidates. The fact is some go down, some stay the same, some go up, just like any other major party's candidates. It looks like that propoganda called "Third Parties in America", the one that uses seven presidential races going  back to the 1920's to make idiotic conclusions...is really a bunch of hooeey.

Oh BTW- we are still here and we are much bigger than before. I guess you will have to rip up chapter 13 as well.

Comments (2)

Building a solid base
written by Gordon Hanson , November 07, 2008

This really was an encouraging year. We ran non-celebrity candidates and low-budget campaigns. Yet Barkley and other Congressional candidates captured 10 to 15 percent of the vote. That’s a pretty solid base of voters who want the Independence Party alternative. Now it is our job to grow that base.


Yes, and No
written by Edward Brown , November 15, 2008

(1) Non-major party candidates did not do so well in the presidential races, compared to past races, although a definitive statement on that is still a ways away.

(2) Nationally third parties have been all but eradicated due to restrictive ballot access laws -- that first arose in the 1920s - 1930s -- and the general problems with the debates.

(3) Within Minnesota, the Independence Party keeps its major party status, although the Greens are a bit upset that they could not regain theirs.

(4) We really need to build a broad based movement - Democrats, Republicans, Independents and minor party members -- behind electoral reform. Open debates, IRV and maybe even PR.



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...here's the operative quote: 'When underdogs choose not to play by Goliath's rules, they win.'

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