Third Party

[justfollowingtheelections]

My question is, what would it take for a viable third party to exist?

I'll try to make a list of requirements that I consider necessary:

- Position on major issues that the median voter agrees with, but the two major parties don't.
- Have leaders that are not nuts of any kind.
- Have support from the media.
- Have a congressional presence.


I was thinking that since a huge percentage of the population opposed the bailouts but the two major parties didn't, a party that opposed them and favored fiscal responsibility instead.  Do you think such a party would be viable and what kind of positions should it have on other issues?
Also who would have to be the leaders of the party in order for it to have the respect of the media?

[justfollowingtheelections]

Yeah I know... Oh well... Proportional representation would be great but I doubt it will happen anytime soon.

[justfollowingtheelections]

What issue could then lead to the birth of a third party?

[justfollowingtheelections]

I do agree with that, but the truth is that it hasn't been very easy to do so.
A member of the Green Party was elected in the Arkansas House and the Democrats said that getting that seat back is a priority, even though he decided to caucus with the Democrats!
California currently has 4 or 5 Green mayors, the mayor of Richmond (a city of more than 100,000 people) among them and many other elected officials but it really isn't easy to win more important elections.  When Matt Gonzalez ran for Mayor of San Francisco he lost because Newsom brought Clinton, Gore and others to campaign for him and was also able to spend 10 times the amount Gonzalez had.  Sometimes even when they do win elections, the winners eventually join one of the two major parties, like that California State Assembly member who after being elected became a Democrat.
Finally the media make it really difficult because they ignore third parties.  One of the Green candidates for the House in Arkansas (don't remember which CD) had more than 20% but according to CNN, the winner ran unopposed. 

[justfollowingtheelections]

I'd really love to see some third party have some of the Democrats or Republicans in Congress who are closer to their views defect to them. It could happen, and they would continue to be re-elected, should the be popular in their state.

Who do you think are the most likely to do that?