Could an Independent with a specific agenda win the next election?

kentuck

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:02 PM
Original message

Could an Independent with a specific agenda win the next election?

Edited on Thu Dec-08-05 10:07 PM by kentuck

For example, if he/she was against the war in Iraq and came out and clearly stated that it was all based on a pack of lies. Also, if he came out against all of the jobs being outsourced overseas? And if he had an immigration policy that would appeal to some Republicans also? And if he said there was not a dime's worth of difference between the two major Parties and the time has come to clean house? And if he were against the Patriot Act? And if he said it was time to balance the budget once again? How much support would he/she get?

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kster

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:11 PM
Response to Original message

1. Sure

as long as the people who own the vote counting machines take a liking to the independent candidate.

Short of that not a chance.

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Lost-in-FL

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:12 PM
Response to Original message

2. No... politics has turned like NASCAR or Football...

Edited on Thu Dec-08-05 10:13 PM by Lost-in-FL

their favorite team must win at all cost...

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davekriss

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:15 PM
Response to Original message

3. Could an independent win? Yes...

Could he be effective? Well, that's a problem. See Bertram Gross, Friendly Fascism.

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Lydia Leftcoast

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:15 PM
Response to Original message

4. In a scenario where

both parties nominated uninspiring or alienating candidates and the Independent was well-known and echoed a lot of popular sentiments, yes.

That's how Jesse Ventura won the governorship of Minnesota.

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kentuck

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:19 PM
Response to Reply #4

7. That's the type of person that would match up real good against ...

the Repub or Dem candidate and could make it very difficult for either one of them...or both of them. Whether or not he could win, he could determine who could not win.

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efhmc

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:17 PM
Response to Original message

5. No.

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jim3775

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:17 PM
Response to Original message

6. You need about half a billion dollars to run for prez

An independent with no financial or party system behind him would have an incredibly hard time raising just $500,000-$1,000,000.

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TheFarseer

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:39 PM
Response to Reply #6

11. they would have a to be a very wealthy person

but once they got the ball rolling, they could make up donations quick with the internet.

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Walt Starr

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:20 PM
Response to Original message

8. Until he went whacko, Perot led the pack in '92

and he could have very possibly won it had he not gone off his rocker.

Hell, until his "in again, out again" whacko trip, I was more in support of him than Clinton! Of course, that was because he looked like he stood a better chance of beating Bush than Clinton did since Clinton was running third.

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Name removed

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:25 PM
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9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

TheFarseer

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Thu Dec-08-05 10:37 PM
Response to Original message

10. Yes

I think a guy with a Ross Perot type agenda could be elected especially if the major parties nominate uninspiring choices, which I'm sorry to say seems likely.

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