An option for Everybody. Third Parties in the US are Secondary Political Parties Historically, the...
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Third Parties in America An option for Everybody
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Transcript of An option for Everybody. Third Parties in the US are Secondary Political Parties Historically, the...
Third Parties in America
An option for Everybody
Third Parties in the US are Secondary Political Parties
Historically, the US has a Two Party system◦Some say the Electoral College with its
“Winner take all” award of electors has done this
◦Should we just use Popular Vote instead???
Third Parties
Third Parties rarely win elections but do play an important role in Democratic Governments
Third Parties draw attention to issues that may be ignored by the Majority Parties. Examples???
Referendum: referring and issue to popular vote of the people for approval or rejection
Third Parties
Major Third Parties America First Party◦Extremely Conservative party
American Party◦Very small conservative Christian splinter party
More Third Parties American Independent Party
American Nazi Party◦Racist often with shaved heads
◦Has not fielded a candidate since Rockwell in 1964
Environmental Third Parties
Green Party of the United States
Ralph Nadar
The Greens/Green Party USA
Smaller fringe party
Briefly successful Parties Prohibition Party
Against the sale of alcohol
Peace and Freedom Party
Against Vietnam War
Socialist Parties Socialist Party USA
Socialist Equality Party
Socialist Labor Party
Socialist Workers Party
Democratic Socialists of America
Parties that revolve around their founders: Family Values
Party◦Founder Thomas
Wells of Florida claims God spoke to him
Light Party◦Founder Da Vid
M.D.◦Promotes
wholistic medicine
That’s a party? Pansexual Peace Party◦Left-wing◦Free love
Pot Party & U.S. Marijuana Party◦Advocate the legalization of Marijuana
Bull Moose Party (1912) – Teddy Roosevelt – also called the Progressive Party◦Women’s suffrage, banking reforms, social welfare assistance for women and children
Important 3rd Party Movements
Socialist Party (1900s) – Eugene Debs◦Ran for president from jail
Important 3rd Party Movements
Dixiecrats (1948) – Strom Thurmond◦Segregationist Platform – race was a
major issue◦Significance: First splits in Democratic
Party◦South used to be all Democratic
Important 3rd Party Movements
American Independent (1968) – George Wallace◦Continuation of Dixiecrat – segregationist and Racist
◦Receives 46 southern electoral votes
Important 3rd Party Movements
Independent/Reform – Ross Perot◦Key focus was the economy◦1992 Election – received almost 20
million votes -19% of popular vote◦NAFTA –”giant sucking
sound heading to Mexico”
Important 3rd Party Movements
Green Party (2000) – Ralph Nader◦Stole votes from Al Gore ◦The reason Bush won???
Important 3rd Party Movements
3rd Parties tend to exist to promote a Specific Issue or Personality
Growing trend is for a major party to help a 3rd Party with the idea of taking votes that would likely go to a major party – This is the classic “Divide &Conquer” tactic
3rd Party Important Roles & facts
Currently, the Green Party is viewed as pulling more from the Democrats while the Libertarian takes more votes from the Republicans
3rd Party Important Roles & Facts
