If Bush were to win in November (gasp!)........

Would there be renewed interest in 3rd-Party politics? Watching Ralph Nader on C-SPAN, i really do not think many Democrats are going to desert the Party to vote for Nader this time around. However, if Democrats were to lose in November, many may be more willing to look at third party solutions. So, in a way, this election is not only a referendum on George W Bush, it is also a referendum on the Democrats. Any ideas? :)

yes. Either that or a movement within the party for more sound and reasoned policy over capitulation and cowardice.

messianic facism and did so with a smile on his face. Tough toenails!

There's no point to third parties in America. The Republicans aren't going anywhere and as long as they don't faction and splinter then there's no reason for our side to do so either.

I'm all for third parties, as long as they're conservative.

relies on the assumption that two "sides" are capable of encompassing all interests. They clearly are not.

I believe that Magic Rat's argument is pragmatic, based on how politics actually works in this country rather than how it "should" work. Our winner-take-all system (which isn't gonna change) supports only two major parties. All the minor parties accomplish is to take votes away from the major party nearest to their own ideological position. Hence the statement that right-wing third parties are fine (with the left).

No, a two-party system doesn't "encompass all interests." What it does do is call on people to make a grownup choice between two candidates and platforms that are both demonstrably acceptable to the great middle. It's no fun to reflect that the middle controls elections when you're out on the left fringe like you and me, but democracy doesn't work any other way.

as long as we have this winner-take-all voting system.

Changing the parties from within is the key. 25-30 years ago, nobody took the religious fundamentalists seriously. Despite some big bucks and clout, nobody would have elected Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson president 20 years ago. However, what they did was take over the Republican party from within – they elected fundies to local school boards and town councils. From there, they moved up to state legislatures and then to the national scene where they have George W. Bush and several senators like Sam Brownshirt from Kansas and Rick Sanitarium from PA in their pockets. The fundies now have effective control of the national Republican party and also control many state legislatures as well...

If Nader was really serious about change, he would try to do the same thing from within the Democratic party – elect Green/true left friendly politicians locally and let them develop over time.

it'll be because Nader and like-minded individuals made Kerry fend off attacks from both left and right while leaving Bush largely unscathed. Why attack our enemies when it's so much more fun (and more profitable) to attack our friends?

I don't think there is a LEGAL way Bush can win election in this country.

The Florida recount shows he really DIDN'T in 2000 and with Diebold promising good returns, I'd worry more about civil unrest than 3rd party politics if Bush* is declared winner again under suspicious activities.

If not a radical right-wing third party? Wakey wakey time.

not the Democrats. I received a fund raising letter from Nancy Pelosi today in which she states:

<snip>
George W. Bush and the right-wing Republican controlled Congress are advancing a radical agenda backed by a bizarre alliance of right-wing zealots, ultra-conservative idealogues and greedy special interests.

Both the President and his majority in Congress are determined, in the words of House Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay..."to undo everything have done." <snip>

I think the GOP should be disbanded as being anti-American and anti-Constitution. A knew conservative party should replace it.