We need a third party, Atlas Forum friends... Can we do it together?

[progressive85]

Hi, i've been posting here for quite a while and I've been reading John Avlon's book, "Independent Nation", and I was inspired...

Most Americans lie in the center, not at the extremes of the "loony left" or the "right-wing riff raff" -- most Christians in America I believe are not really enamored with the tone, the style, and the anger of some of those on the religious right...

Middle America - small towns, rural communities, counties -- NOT so much states, but rural vs. urban.  For example, there are pockets of blue even in Kentucky - even in Oklahoma, there are maybe some little college neighborhoods -- so my point is, would Middle America support a third party, a centrist party -- that did not take extreme stands on the issues, but put forward reasonable, common-sense strategies and ideas...

Obviously im a nobody and im poor and i have no power in this country, but maybe there are some rich folks who could fund a third party like that...

I think we need Ross Perot's spirit back in 2020.  I don't think 2020 should be a left vs. right war.  There should be alternatives - maybe one more or two more... but there's got to be something else

What are your ideas about how we could do this?  What would you need in order to create a third party?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Any party that the bulk of Atlas would support would not be a party I wish to see in power.

[LabourJersey]

Any party that the bulk of Atlas would support would not be a party I wish to see in power.

[Deblano]

Any party that the bulk of Atlas would support would not be a party I wish to see in power.

I consider myself sane enough to be in power. Too bad I'm too lazy to serve as President.

[RaphaelDLG]

If you want a third party, you need jungle primaries, single transferable vote, instant runoff voting, or multimember districts - something other than first past the post.  Otherwise, your third party effort will not succeed.  The law has to be changed first.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

Any party that the bulk of Atlas would support would not be a party I wish to see in power.

-Same.

[Wiz in Wis]

Hi, i've been posting here for quite a while and I've been reading John Avlon's book, "Independent Nation", and I was inspired...

Most Americans lie in the center, not at the extremes of the "loony left" or the "right-wing riff raff" -- most Christians in America I believe are not really enamored with the tone, the style, and the anger of some of those on the religious right...

Middle America - small towns, rural communities, counties -- NOT so much states, but rural vs. urban.  For example, there are pockets of blue even in Kentucky - even in Oklahoma, there are maybe some little college neighborhoods -- so my point is, would Middle America support a third party, a centrist party -- that did not take extreme stands on the issues, but put forward reasonable, common-sense strategies and ideas...

Obviously im a nobody and im poor and i have no power in this country, but maybe there are some rich folks who could fund a third party like that...

I think we need Ross Perot's spirit back in 2020.  I don't think 2020 should be a left vs. right war.  There should be alternatives - maybe one more or two more... but there's got to be something else

What are your ideas about how we could do this?  What would you need in order to create a third party?

Simple common sense solutions don't exist in a complex country like America. The simple fact is that people who want to vote for a 3rd party are far less numerous than people online think they are. Most people are perfectly content either switch from party to party or standing pat.

America has never had a persistent 3rd party, and it won't, not in our lifetimes.

[Shameless Lefty Hack]

If you want a third party, you need jungle primaries, single transferable vote, instant runoff voting, or multimember districts - something other than first past the post.  Otherwise, your third party effort will not succeed.  The law has to be changed first.

I mean for non-Presidency offices that's not strictly true. There are enough 1 party leg districts in the country currently that you could slip 3rd parties in by contesting those. (an example of this system is Canada, IIRC)

That said, though I'd love an ideologically consistent party that can compete in the IN-6 and the CT 3rd... It would be difficult. To say the least.

[justfollowingtheelections]

If you want a third party, you need jungle primaries, single transferable vote, instant runoff voting, or multimember districts - something other than first past the post.  Otherwise, your third party effort will not succeed.  The law has to be changed first.

Exactly.  As long as our officials are elected via a FPTP system, there's no chance that a 3rd party will rise.

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

Start out in Louisiana or California.  Here's a scenario that could work:

-Run a candidate for governor of California.
-Get first or second place.
-Advance to the runoff against a Democrat.
-Have enough appeal to Democratic voters and hope that every Republican in the state turns out to vote against the Democrat.
-Run the state of California well, building a positive image for your party.
-Eventually replace one of the major parties (like Republicans with the Whigs).

[DrScholl]

Any third party would at least lean to the left or right, because there are only two sides of the spectrum. Sure, there are subcategories on each side of the spectrum, but there is still left and right. Centrism isn't an ideology, it's a variation of either left or right ideology.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

Start out in Louisiana or California.  Here's a scenario that could work:

-Run a candidate for governor of California.
-Get first or second place.
-Advance to the runoff against a Democrat.
-Have enough appeal to Democratic voters and hope that every Republican in the state turns out to vote against the Democrat.
-Run the state of California well, building a positive image for your party.
-Eventually replace one of the major parties (like Republicans with the Whigs).

-The Farmer-Labor Party was eventually absorbed into the Democratic. Starting local isn't a great strategy for building a national party.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

Any third party would at least lean to the left or right, because there are only two sides of the spectrum. Sure, there are subcategories on each side of the spectrum, but there is still left and right. Centrism isn't an ideology, it's a variation of either left or right ideology.

-True for now.

[Crumpets]

Basic stances on issues:

- Economically both leftist and libertarian (a la Occupy)
- Also f*** populism.
- LGBT rights are da bomb.
- Punch all neo-liberals in the face.
- But don't kill them, because capital punishment=evil
- All members of the alt-right qualify as honorary neo-liberals
- People pre-approved to be in the party:
   - John Huntsman
   - John Bel Edwards
   - Jerry Brown
   - John Kasich
   - Jim Justice
   - Charlie Baker
   - Larry Hogan

EDIT: Just to clarify, these aren't my stances on issues, but what I imagine an Atlas-run political party would look like.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

Basic stances on issues:

- Economically both leftist and libertarian (a la Occupy)
- Also f*** populism.
- LGBT rights are da bomb.
- Punch all neo-liberals in the face.
- But don't kill them, because capital punishment=evil
- All members of the alt-right qualify as honorary neo-liberals
- People pre-approved to be in the party:
   - John Huntsman
   - John Bel Edwards
   - Jerry Brown
   - John Kasich
   - Jim Justice
   - Charlie Baker
   - Larry Hogan

-[Retch.]

These people are at least as neoliberal as the alt-right.

[krazen1211]

The oddity of this is that Trump IS the 3rd party.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

The oddity of this is that Trump IS the 3rd party.

-That's part of the reason why I consistently predicted he would win before mid-October.

[progressive85]

So are we beginning to look at 2016 as a realignment election then?  Trump's Republican Party is not Reagan-Bush's Republican Party.  So what happens to the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal with their pro-immigration legalization, pro-tax cuts for the rich, wine-and-caviar agenda?  They can't sell that in Kentucky no more, nobody wants to hear it.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

So are we beginning to look at 2016 as a realignment election then?  Trump's Republican Party is not Reagan-Bush's Republican Party.  So what happens to the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal with their pro-immigration legalization, pro-tax cuts for the rich, wine-and-caviar agenda?  They can't sell that in Kentucky no more, nobody wants to hear it.

-2016 is not a realigning election; it's mostly a continuation of earlier trends. Trump's GOP isn't that different from W. Bush's. Trump will cut taxes for the rich. Immigration reform is Dem stuff.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Basic stances on issues:

- Economically both leftist and libertarian (a la Occupy)
- Also f*** populism.
- LGBT rights are da bomb.
- Punch all neo-liberals in the face.
- But don't kill them, because capital punishment=evil
- All members of the alt-right qualify as honorary neo-liberals
- People pre-approved to be in the party:
   - John Huntsman
   - John Bel Edwards
   - Jerry Brown
   - John Kasich
   - Jim Justice
   - Charlie Baker
   - Larry Hogan

-[Retch.]

These people are at least as neoliberal as the alt-right.

Yeah, there are some obvious contradictions there.

[Crumpets]

Basic stances on issues:

- Economically both leftist and libertarian (a la Occupy)
- Also f*** populism.
- LGBT rights are da bomb.
- Punch all neo-liberals in the face.
- But don't kill them, because capital punishment=evil
- All members of the alt-right qualify as honorary neo-liberals
- People pre-approved to be in the party:
   - John Huntsman
   - John Bel Edwards
   - Jerry Brown
   - John Kasich
   - Jim Justice
   - Charlie Baker
   - Larry Hogan

-[Retch.]

These people are at least as neoliberal as the alt-right.

Yeah, there are some obvious contradictions there.

That was the point.

[politics_king]

I keep thinking the Center-Left of the Democrats and the Center-Right of the Republicans could break-off from the main parties, I always said start a party called the "Moderate Party". It's not a dirty word anymore and actually most Americans identify as a Moderate. The Progressives would take over the Democratic Party while the Social Conservative/Alt-Right would take over the Republican Party.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

I keep thinking the Center-Left of the Democrats and the Center-Right of the Republicans could break-off from the main parties, I always said start a party called the "Moderate Party". It's not a dirty word anymore and actually most Americans identify as a Moderate. The Progressives would take over the Democratic Party while the Social Conservative/Alt-Right would take over the Republican Party.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/115-2017/s51