Anyone excited about Obama?

[leenwebb]

I saw that there were voted for another candidate on election day, can this be? I think it said Barr, next to McCain and Obama in North Carolina or something.

Yeah, Bob Barr was running on the Libertarian ticket. He was on my ballot, too, though the whole setup is definitely aimed at a two-party system ... The whole left side was REPUBLICAN, then the right was DEMOCRAT and a tiny column in the middle was the shared space for everyone else (Green, Libertarian, Socialist, etc).

Granted, my town is so small that we vote by writing big X's in pencil next to our choice, and then at the end of the day we all get together to count the ballots by hand. This year my mom is in charge of all ballot-counting! My dad brought lasagna and hot cocoa. A good time was had by all.

[tenkev]

There aren't only two parties! That's just an illusion. On the Washington state ballot, there existed 8 candidates, including Rep. and Dem. That was two different Socialist parties, The Green Party, Independent, Libertarian, and the Constitutional Party. You can choose from more! But the only way the other parties are going to have an affect in the system, is for "Grassroots" movement as they say. Because clearly the media does not want to cover the other parties. As well the election laws are seemingly stipulated specifically against the third parties.

The point is that the other options exist, but they SEEM so pointless and defeated, that it is difficult for most voters to justify voting for them, which is exactly what the two main parties wish for.

In reality, there are only two viable parties and can only ever be in the American system. In other countries, where the legislative branch has proportional representation there can be more parties; but, in a winner-take-all system, there can only be two real parties.

[bluestreak]

He was on my ballot, too, though the whole setup is definitely aimed at a two-party system ... The whole left side was REPUBLICAN, then the right was DEMOCRAT

Really? I would have thought that the Republicans would be on the right, Democrats on the left

[honesty]

In reality, there are only two viable parties and can only ever be in the American system. In other countries, where the legislative branch has proportional representation there can be more parties; but, in a winner-take-all system, there can only be two real parties.

Not really, it just needs everybody to vote for a third party. If you accept there can only ever be 2 parties, there will only ever be 2 parties.

[eLvarouza]

Yea I know there are other parties, it's just that they have no chance of winning, which is annoying. They have no chance because 1) the media doesn't cover them at all, and 2) people think they have no chance

Hell I would've voted libertarian if Bob Barr was ... ya know ... a libertarian, but the likelihood of a third party candidate getting elected is practically zero. Even if people like a third party candidate, they'll still go mainstream because they figure a third party guy will never win. It's a Catch-22.

[Tobo-Potato]

Would be funny to see how many votes this Bob Barr and other thrid party candidates got. Any Americans who has a clue?

[baughmjk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Sta ... rand_total

504,068 And I'm proud to include myself in that number.

Green Party candidate Ralph Nader came in third overall with 685,784.

[Love_Deadlifts]

Part of the problem is that third party candidates are never even given a chance for exposure such as not being allowed to participate in the major debates.

[LiftingNerd]

Part of the problem is that third party candidates are never even given a chance for exposure such as not being allowed to participate in the major debates.

Plus the fact they simply can't compete with the R&D bankrolls.

[Love_Deadlifts]

Part of the problem is that third party candidates are never even given a chance for exposure such as not being allowed to participate in the major debates.

Plus the fact they simply can't compete with the R&D bankrolls.

That's definitely an issue as well, but the fact that they are simply turned away from major debates actually disturbs me more.

[tenkev]

In reality, there are only two viable parties and can only ever be in the American system. In other countries, where the legislative branch has proportional representation there can be more parties; but, in a winner-take-all system, there can only be two real parties.

Not really, it just needs everybody to vote for a third party. If you accept there can only ever be 2 parties, there will only ever be 2 parties.

No, really. If a third party ever gains traction, its only going to be at the expense of another party and it will eventually settle back down to two parties. That's the nature of the winner-takes-all system in America. Look at the history. No extended time period in American history have their ever been three viable, national parties.

[Dada]

I'm excited for someone who isn't Bush, and for someone who isn't associated with Sarah Palin. I'm not excited for socialized healthcare and a bunch of other crap, but who knows what will actually happen. I find it incredibly hard to get excited over politics when there are only two parties to actually choose a candidate from.

Amen to that. I voted for him but it was 99.% because I didn't want that cheerleader Palin anywhere near the Whitehouse especially since I don't think McCain will live out the 4 years. If McCain would have picked Romney I'd have voted for him.

[mackanno]

My wife and I were happy to see him win. I think the team he's building will do a lot of good overall. As for McCainn, I like him but I believe that choosing gov. Palin was a serious blow. Wit her he won the hardcore part of the party, but as days went by (plus the "I am suspending my campaing" ) many moderate republicans and undecided started to have serious thoughts about Ms. Palin as potential president. Had McCainn chosen Romney, or even perhaps Lieberman, (as crazy that might sound) I guess he would've had a better chance at the polls.

What I really, really hope is the senate starts working together.

[DaveC]

In 2004, the Libertarian candidate, Michael Badnarik, was arrested outside a publicly funded debate for trying to serve a court order allowing him to participate. The whole system is a farce. Bread and Circuses.