Minor Party and Independent General Election Discussion

[BaldEagle1991]

Any idea on how the third parties will do in 2020 compared to 2016?

[BaldEagle1991]

Can we talk a bit about how f**king astonishing it is that in this climate, with these high hurdles to gathering signatures, Jo Jorgensen, who no one has ever heard of, is very likely to achieve 50 state ballot access? It's really a minor miracle and a pretty impressive flex by the Libertarian Party. Respect, you crazy bastards.

You can thank social media for that.

[BaldEagle1991]

In my experience, younger Millennials and Gen Z’s that vote Libertarian have the following characteristics:
1) White males
2) Reject socialism and many forms of government control
3) Are really concerned about government spending and the debt
4) Think both parties are corrupt & only care about big money
5) Are non-religious and are sick of the GOP’s social/cultural conservatism
6) Don’t like the Democrats plans to spend a bunch on social welfare stuff.
The most important of the 6, though, are #2, 4, and 5.

I think there is a certain generational aspect to some of this.

I'm a mid-Millennial (b. late '80s) and I think for a lot of people my age, libertarianism served the purpose that socialism or tankie LARPing seems to be serving for some disaffected Zoomers. It's an anti-establishment ideology that allows you to criticize the status quo without taking sides in contemporary political conflicts. This was especially true in the Bush years when conservatism was heavily defined by opposition to gay marriage and support for war in Afghanistan, Iraq and possibly Iran.

A lot of the people I knew who identified as libertarians in their late teens/early 20s simply drifted into the mainstreams of one of the major parties as they got older.

One of the most ironic and disturbing phenomena is how many college kids who were into Ron Paul in 2008 are now basically blood-and-soil Trumpists, and I think that says a lot about what libertarianism actually is as an ideology in practice in the United States.

Basically you described a lot of people that I know.

Although I don't think a lot of Ron Paul youth in 2008-2012 became Trumpists.

[BaldEagle1991]

https://twitter.com/PatrickSvitek/status/1302382772783403013

I think the Libertarians are pulling moderate Dem votes in Texas than Republicans. They should be happy they're on the ballot.

[BaldEagle1991]

Constitution Party might do well if we had 3 Democratic Presidents in a row

[BaldEagle1991]

Has there ever been an attempt to get a "major third party" debate on cable? I know the networks would never do it, ditto cable news due to the Democrats and Republicans in those organizations not wanting it. (John Stossel moderating the Libertarian Party debate is still a little crazy to me as far as his respectability choosing to talk to Vermin Supreme.) Thinking the USA's, TNT's, FX's of the world. I imagine there's been some on C-SPAN.

Re PSL, any more news get out regarding the replacement of Peltier with Freeman other than the official story?

I know RT (Russian state owned external channel) did it in 2012 and 2016. Not so sure if any 3rd party candidate would agree to that channel now.

[BaldEagle1991]

Jorgensen gains over 12,000 Facebook followers since the debate. That might not seem like a lot, but that’s more than her weekly average (9-10,000) every week since August.

I know that means everything but if Internet searches and Facebook like increases are gonna help, then Tulsi would’ve made it to the Spring 2020 race with higher poll numbers.

[BaldEagle1991]

Jorgensen gains over 12,000 Facebook followers since the debate. That might not seem like a lot, but that’s more than her weekly average (9-10,000) every week since August.

I know that means everything but if Internet searches and Facebook like increases are gonna help, then Tulsi would’ve made it to the Spring 2020 race with higher poll numbers.

The Libertarian Party has a very real shot to seriously contest federal and statewide races in 2022. The success is momentous even with the rich donors, surviving and thriving in the US is a tricky ordeal.

Which Senate seats, Attorney General positions, or Governorships do you legitimately expect the Libertarian Party to do well in? I'm honestly interested, because from where I'm sitting, they look like a party without a base, and without a bench of candidates.

Maybe NH where a lot of republicans are closer to the yellow side?

I think you might wanna go West, like Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, maybe Colorado. That's the Libertarian stronghold.

[BaldEagle1991]

This third party debate should be on The CW for the lols.

[BaldEagle1991]

https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/520655-kanye-west-calls-for-write-in-campaign-in-his-first-2020-ad

Kanye has his first ad

Hopefully he doesn't go full Bloomberg on us with ads.