Conservatives and Third Parties

[Timber Rattler]

At the suggestion of EC in another thread:

You are looking for a third party that supports "classic" conservatism, if I understand you, so start a thread on it. The people there will know more about the ins and outs of the various parties available.

Conservatives are without a true party right now that stands and fights for the Constitutional principles in which we believe.  It has been this way for years.  From my own perspective, I started searching for alternatives to the Republican Party on November 5, 2008 (I remember the date well) following McCain's loss to Obama and when the GOP-E knives came out for Palin.  The rise of the TEA Party movement in 2009-2010 for a brief time gave me hope that the Republican Party could be taken over and changed from within, as so many were urging at the time, as opposed to building a new third party or supporting an existing one.  We all know the mantra...go third party, and you are voting for Obama!!!!  Does that sound familiar?

Needless to say, I gave it my all, but was once again terribly let down, first by Romney's nomination, and then by the apparent co-opting and corruption of many of the TEA Party congressmen and women who were elected in 2010.  And then came the GOP-E counter attack, with sour grapes across the board (Castle in Delaware, Lugar in Indiana, and Bennett in Utah) and the infamous shenanigans and skullduggery against McDaniel in Mississippi, Cuccinelli in Virginia, and Bevin in Kentucky (who fortunately got the last laugh on McConnell last election).

With rise of Trump and attacks on Cruz, I have come to the conclusion that the Republican Party is no longer worth saving and is in fact going the way of the Whigs.  Which brings us to the question---what is the alternative?

In 2009 I explored the Libertarian Party (http://www.lp.org/), which is very appealing in many ways.  I almost joined, but in the end just could not accept its open-borders, pro-abortion, and pro-drug platform.  After that, I turned to the Constitution Party (http://www.constitutionparty.com/) and believe that there is a lot of potential there, but it seriously needs better organization, stronger leadership, more funding, and a few high-profile Conservative champions to make it viable against the corrupt, rotten GOP-E.

Here is what it is up against:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics/2012/Aug/21/constitution_party_abandons_bid_for_pa__ballot.html

http://www.northeasttimes.com/2012/aug/29/5826-constitution-party-candidates-off-pa-ballot.html/#.VzXclGgrKUk

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/12731-gop-suing-to-keep-third-parties-off-ballot-in-november

I was seriously torqued off and here is what I said about it at the time:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2921303/posts?page=7#7

However, I'm willing to give it another chance in light of where we are today.  Not sure what else is out there, but I suppose that this is now the thread in which to post folks' ideas on this matter.  So have at it!


 

[TXnTX]

With rise of Trump and attacks on Cruz, I have come to the conclusion that the Republican Party is no longer worth saving and is in fact going the way of the Whigs.  Which brings us to the question---what is the alternative?

Posting an article proposing that meetings be held to form a full-fledged Conservative Party to nominate a slate of Constitutional Conservatives for 2020 -- and suggesting that FR take an active leadership role in that movement -- is what got me tossed into the "Censorship Cage".

Apparently, looking beyond the 2016 election (or, promoting Constitutional Conservatism) is now verboten at TOS...

Perhaps this place is as good a place to start that Conservative Party movement as any...

[Timber Rattler]

Perhaps this place is as good a place to start that Conservative Party movement as any...

Dang straight!!!

[Ghost Bear]

A good first step would be to explore the laws and regulations controlling ballot access in each state.  Texas maintains a fairly good website devoted to those kinds of questions, here:  http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/index.shtml

Basically, if you plan to run for a third party which doesn't already have ballot access, it's all about collecting signatures and submitting them to the Secretary of State's office.

One neat thing (I've always thought) about Texas election law, is that if your party has a candidate who receives at least 5% of the vote for any state office, then your party automatically qualifies to be on the ballot for the next election. The Libertarian and Green parties have been smart to run candidates against otherwise unopposed incumbents in state races such as state representative and judge's offices. That almost guarantees that one of their candidates will get 5% of the vote, if only from people who want to vote against an incumbent and automatically select "the other guy".

For any third party to grow, they have to be smart and use the rules to their advantage.

[Timber Rattler]

For any third party to grow, they have to be smart and use the rules to their advantage.

That's a great tip!  Since there are always lots of unfilled local offices during el;ection time, this would be a good way to start getting to that 5% threshold.

[Ghost Bear]

That's a great tip!  Since there are always lots of unfilled local offices during el;ection time, this would be a good way to start getting to that 5% threshold.

I have only a passing familiarity with the laws here in Texas, I'm sure they are different for every state. That's why any party that wants to have any hope of being on the ballot in every state needs to have a chapter in every state, familiar with the election laws in that state. And the time to start is now, not for 2016 as it's already far too late for this election, but for 2020. Almost every attempt at getting a candidate listed on the ballot starts with collecting valid signatures, sometimes (depending on the office) tens of thousands of valid signatures, and that kind of effort takes volunteers, organization, and time.

I'm seriously thinking of getting involved with the Texas chapter of the Constitution Party. I'm not a "joiner", but this election has made clear that both major parties are out of ideas, and don't really represent their party members any more. I think the idea of conservatives "taking over" the Republican party has been shown to not work. Something else needs to be tried.

[libertybele]

At the suggestion of EC in another thread:

Conservatives are without a true party right now that stands and fights for the Constitutional principles in which we believe.  It has been this way for years.  From my own perspective, I started searching for alternatives to the Republican Party on November 5, 2008 (I remember the date well) following McCain's loss to Obama and when the GOP-E knives came out for Palin.  The rise of the TEA Party movement in 2009-2010 for a brief time gave me hope that the Republican Party could be taken over and changed from within, as so many were urging at the time, as opposed to building a new third party or supporting an existing one.  We all know the mantra...go third party, and you are voting for Obama!!!!  Does that sound familiar?

Needless to say, I gave it my all, but was once again terribly let down, first by Romney's nomination, and then by the apparent co-opting and corruption of many of the TEA Party congressmen and women who were elected in 2010.  And then came the GOP-E counter attack, with sour grapes across the board (Castle in Delaware, Lugar in Indiana, and Bennett in Utah) and the infamous shenanigans and skullduggery against McDaniel in Mississippi, Cuccinelli in Virginia, and Bevin in Kentucky (who fortunately got the last laugh on McConnell last election).

With rise of Trump and attacks on Cruz, I have come to the conclusion that the Republican Party is no longer worth saving and is in fact going the way of the Whigs.  Which brings us to the question---what is the alternative?

In 2009 I explored the Libertarian Party (http://www.lp.org/), which is very appealing in many ways.  I almost joined, but in the end just could not accept its open-borders, pro-abortion, and pro-drug platform.  After that, I turned to the Constitution Party (http://www.constitutionparty.com/) and believe that there is a lot of potential there, but it seriously needs better organization, stronger leadership, more funding, and a few high-profile Conservative champions to make it viable against the corrupt, rotten GOP-E.

Here is what it is up against:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics/2012/Aug/21/constitution_party_abandons_bid_for_pa__ballot.html

http://www.northeasttimes.com/2012/aug/29/5826-constitution-party-candidates-off-pa-ballot.html/#.VzXclGgrKUk

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/12731-gop-suing-to-keep-third-parties-off-ballot-in-november

I was seriously torqued off and here is what I said about it at the time:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2921303/posts?page=7#7

However, I'm willing to give it another chance in light of where we are today.  Not sure what else is out there, but I suppose that this is now the thread in which to post folks' ideas on this matter.  So have at it!

The GOP is dead to me.  There are a select few in Congress worth a darn and that's about it.  The Constitution party more than anything needs members, members a huge grassroots effort and $$$$. 

Anybody with me?  Just think of the affect on them if the #NeverTrump were to donate $$ and become members and continue to support them until next election cycle.  Still a long shot, but not impossible.  I believe their time has come. 

[truth_seeker]

When considering third party efforts, study carefully:

President John Anderson
President Ross Perot
President Pat Buchanan
President Harry Browne
President Ralph Nader
President Ron Paul

etc.

Why do you think Trump decided to mount his outsider campaign, from inside an existing party?

[Ghost Bear]

The GOP is dead to me.  There are a select few in Congress worth a darn and that's about it.  The Constitution party more than anything needs members, members a huge grassroots effort and $$$$. 

Anybody with me?  Just think of the affect on them if the #NeverTrump were to donate $$ and become members and continue to support them until next election cycle.  Still a long shot, but not impossible.  I believe their time has come.

Found the following on the website of the Conservative Party of Texas, by CP Texas chairman Daniel New:

http://cptexas.us/home/2016/03/2016-when-the-gop-implodes-will-we-be-ready.html

(excerpt...)

There are several reasons why joining the Constitution Party now, in 2016, makes a lot of sense:

1. Voting your conscience is never an exercise in futility, even if it’s a write-in vote!  It’s a sacred duty.  When you vote for someone because you think they are more likely to win, you are nothing more than a sheep.

2. Voting your conscience sends a message to party leaders – of all parties.  When third party votes go up, majority parties start adopting policies which will appeal to those voters.  Not because they have principles, but because they can count.

3. Helping build a stronger third party movement gives you and your friends a wider field of choice in November.

4. A stronger third party could easily become a major player on a ballot where both major parties have abandoned over half the seats to one another, because (once again) they are not about principles, they are about power and maintaining the status quo.

5. There WILL BE special elections next year.  It happens every off year.  If you join now, and help us build an active chapter of the Constitution Party in your county, and if you fall in one of those special election districts, then you can field a candidate and we can have instant ballot access!  In the past we have had to watch those elections be conducted without a candidate because we had no one to run.  You can change that.

6. Your membership dues (which are really low) mean we can advertise and print literature and inform more voters about how they can have some qualified candidates, instead of neoconservatives who don’t have a clue about constitutional government.

end excerpt...

Personally, I like his reasoning! 

[Ghost Bear]

When considering third party efforts, study carefully:

President John Anderson
President Ross Perot
President Pat Buchanan
President Harry Browne
President Ralph Nader
President Ron Paul

etc.

Why do you think Trump decided to mount his outsider campaign, from inside an existing party?

The point isn't to get a third-party candidate elected this year (which would be impossible) or even in 2020 (slightly less impossible) but to build up whichever party best fits your beliefs, so that the voters have alternatives to the same tired insiders running every election cycle.

And before anyone says, "But Donald Trump isn't an insider!!!11!!"  yeah sure he's not, that's why all of those pictures of him hob-nobbing with big names from both parties... exist... oh, wait...