winmonkeyspit3
winmonkeyspit3
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October 23rd, 2012 at 11:31:44 PM permalink
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Third-Party-Presidential-Debate/10737435220/

Pretty interesting to hear what these people have to say. I have met Gary Johnson, he has a lot of good ideas but he is pretty over the top. As a 21 year old I will say a lot of my friends do like Johnson. The first 25 minutes of this debate talked about the legalization of marijuana, too much time in my opinion.
AZDuffman
AZDuffman
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October 24th, 2012 at 6:54:42 AM permalink
Quote: winmonkeyspit3

http://www.c-span.org/Events/Third-Party-Presidential-Debate/10737435220/

Pretty interesting to hear what these people have to say. I have met Gary Johnson, he has a lot of good ideas but he is pretty over the top. As a 21 year old I will say a lot of my friends do like Johnson. The first 25 minutes of this debate talked about the legalization of marijuana, too much time in my opinion.




This is a problem with "third parties." They tend to become single-issue focused so attract mostly a niche. Even when it is a big niche, like Perot in 1992, it is not quite enough. Then you have that the third party will almost always pull most of its support from one side or the other, changing little.

The only way it might, and i mean *might* work in the USA is if you had a third and fourth party, and those parties were willing to work with each other and the two we have now to get things done. But once their issue was addressed, then what?

I really don't like the third-party idea. We are not a Parlimentary System in the USA. Look at places that have such a system and how many times they have to form new coalitions. Every 2-4 years at most they seem to fall apart, and by their nature their deal-making will grow government power. A bad thing.
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others
Boney526
Boney526
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October 24th, 2012 at 11:32:52 AM permalink
I watched the first hour last night. It had way more substance than any of the debates with Obama/Romney.

I do rather like Johnson, and Goode. And I disagree, AZDuffman, at least as far as third parties not being good for the USA, or being too single issue focused. (There are some.) I think a good "third party" run is just what the US needs over the next decade.

But if these are 3rd parties, then I have a question. Who's the 2nd Party? (haha)
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