It is important to hear all the views. Why not just do it.

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ACCEPTANCE IS THE ANSWER!

We will knock on the door, if it does not open, we will revolt for our rights.

Im a Tarte, what! you want some of this?

I have to disagree if they are registered to run then why not debate ? this country needs a shake up .the major parties have given us (*)(*)(*)(*) to pick from

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Aint but three things in this world thats worth a solitary dime,
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine.
Tom T. Hall
http://www.politicalforum.com/group.php?groupid=43

You're welcome. We have nothing to fear from the truth.

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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Schopenhauer

You're forgetting one thing: If the third party candidates get enough votes to prevent one of the major party candidates from winning with 50% or more of the vote, then they have prevented them from claiming a mandate, and thus weakened them politically.

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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Schopenhauer

Where to put the blame on this?

You have to start with the electorate. As long as voters refuse to take a chance and either not vote for the most likely losers or vote at all, third parties have no chance. Even in defeat, the mainstream politicians will take note of a large vote total for a third (or fourth) party. They will then try to compete and move in that direction.

Second, I blame the media. Ralph Nader wrote a book about running for President and he felt that voters will take their cue based upon coverage in considering who a "real" candidate. Nader felt that coverage of either himself or any other third party will generally label them as "nonserious" and take attention away from their ideas.

Third, the amount of money it takes to run for President is crazy with a large amount of that money going to media networks for TV ads. We package candidates like we do breakfast cereal. More slogans, less real ideas.

We can hope that the internet might be the next great equalizer that turns things around and I think it has promise. But I think third parties have a tough battle to be seriously considered. I cannot image how a country that used to have three TV stations, now has 300+ to choose from and yet we still only have two political parties.

What do you mean, that's what I'm forgetting?

What percentage of the vote did Bush have in 2000?

It seems that my memory isn't the one that needs refreshing

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"For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
"Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth"
"Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."
-JFK

Knight Errant of the Simian Order
Truth - Justice - Comedy

That's not the factor in Bush's case because of one very important event - 9/11.

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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Schopenhauer

Ron Paul first ran as the libertarian candidate. Then, he discovered that the rules are just plain rigged against them. For instance, in my state of Oklahoma, in the last election I got to choose from Bush or Kerry. Period. There were many other candidates running, but I could not vote for them. The machine-read ballot did not allow write-ins. Then Paul ran as a Republican, and discovered that that was almost as rigged. The media immediately (before any debates had taken place) labeled him as "bottom tier" -even though he raised more money than McCain, and raised it completely grass-roots. Bottom line - our "democracy" or "republic" or whatever you want to call it is a joke. The will of the people matters not. It exists only to be manipulated by the corporate propaganda machine. If we do not have a new revolution we are doomed. The vote has become irrelevant, a scam to make you think that you wanted the tyranny you receive. America is gone.

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Behind this mask, there is more than flesh and blood. Behind this mask is an idea. And ideas are bulletproof.

Nice to see someone who can see the forest for the trees.

The 2000 election was before 9-11, so your reply makes no sense.

Were you even old enough to vote in 2000?

It was obvious to all those who paid attention, that the minority party candidates - and the general division withing the democratic party they created - cost this country dearly....

2000 Election - popular vote

George W. Bush Republican 47.87%
Al Gore Democratic 48.38%
Ralph Nader Green 2.7%


Kinda sucks when you see it in numbers like that, huh?





So my point is, let's not make this McSame McStake again....

__________________
"For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
"Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth"
"Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."
-JFK

Knight Errant of the Simian Order
Truth - Justice - Comedy