Minor Party and Independent General Election Discussion

[Hammy]

Third parties are not viable nationally until both a-electoral college is gone and b-some form of ranked choice is instituted in every state

[One Term Floridian]

guys what parties would each SpongeBob character be

SpongeBob - Undecided
Patrick - Libertarian
Squidward - Too depressed to vote
Sandy - Democratic
Krabs - GOP (business wing)
Plankton - GOP (populist/burn it all to the ground wing)

[Rand]

Sounds like a page out of the Trump playbook.

[John Dule]

Democrats say they're pro-choice on abortion; Republicans say they're pro-choice in the markets. Fortunately, both sides can agree that they're anti-choice when it comes to political parties. Amazing how red avs who claim to oppose monopolies will so eagerly jump to defend the two biggest monopolies in this country.

[MikeIrvine]

guys what parties would each SpongeBob character be

SpongeBob - Undecided
Patrick - Libertarian
Squidward - Too depressed to vote
Sandy - Democratic
Krabs - GOP (business wing)
Plankton - GOP (populist/burn it all to the ground wing)

I feel like Squidward would totally be from the insufferable portion of the Libertarian Party.

[redjohn]

Democrats say they're pro-choice on abortion; Republicans say they're pro-choice in the markets. Fortunately, both sides can agree that they're anti-choice when it comes to political parties. Amazing how red avs who claim to oppose monopolies will so eagerly jump to defend the two biggest monopolies in this country.

Agree 100%. It's a complete shame that every four years we must choose between two candidates who we have virtually no say in the nominations of. There's no need to pretend like the two-party system is in any way a positive one just because we may like certain candidates of either party.

[One Term Floridian]

guys what parties would each SpongeBob character be

SpongeBob - Undecided
Patrick - Libertarian
Squidward - Too depressed to vote
Sandy - Democratic
Krabs - GOP (business wing)
Plankton - GOP (populist/burn it all to the ground wing)

I feel like Squidward would totally be from the insufferable portion of the Libertarian Party.

Prob explains why he'd be too depressed to vote

[Alben Barkley]

Democrats say they're pro-choice on abortion; Republicans say they're pro-choice in the markets. Fortunately, both sides can agree that they're anti-choice when it comes to political parties. Amazing how red avs who claim to oppose monopolies will so eagerly jump to defend the two biggest monopolies in this country.

I’m just laughing at a libertarian for taking herself so seriously.

You’re not exactly helping the case that libertarians aren’t worthy of ridicule.

And no one’s stopping anyone from voting libertarian, she’s on the ballot in all 50 states and anyone can vote for her if they choose. What would you suggest? Forcing people to vote for libertarians? Doesn’t sound very pro-choice or “libertarian” to me.

[Rules for me, but not for thee]

She lost a lot of support when she parroted the line "we MUST be anti-racist".  Nobody tells libertarians what to do!

[Alben Barkley]

Democrats say they're pro-choice on abortion; Republicans say they're pro-choice in the markets. Fortunately, both sides can agree that they're anti-choice when it comes to political parties. Amazing how red avs who claim to oppose monopolies will so eagerly jump to defend the two biggest monopolies in this country.

Agree 100%. It's a complete shame that every four years we must choose between two candidates who we have virtually no say in the nominations of. There's no need to pretend like the two-party system is in any way a positive one just because we may like certain candidates of either party.

For better or worse, the voters have had an all but complete say in the nominations of both major parties for over 40 years. This is complete nonsense.

And whatever you think about the two-party system, it’s just the way it works in our first past the post voting system. There is no big bad establishment forcing people to vote for these parties or propping them up as a monopoly. It’s just how political coalitions naturally align under our current system.

[redjohn]

Democrats say they're pro-choice on abortion; Republicans say they're pro-choice in the markets. Fortunately, both sides can agree that they're anti-choice when it comes to political parties. Amazing how red avs who claim to oppose monopolies will so eagerly jump to defend the two biggest monopolies in this country.

Agree 100%. It's a complete shame that every four years we must choose between two candidates who we have virtually no say in the nominations of. There's no need to pretend like the two-party system is in any way a positive one just because we may like certain candidates of either party.

For better or worse, the voters have had an all but complete say in the nominations of both major parties for over 40 years. This is complete nonsense.

And whatever you think about the two-party system, it’s just the way it works in our first past the post voting system. There is no big bad establishment forcing people to vote for these parties or propping them up as a monopoly. It’s just how political coalitions naturally align under our current system.

"It's just the way it works" is not really a convincing argument for the two-party system being a positive force on American government.

[Wrenchmob]

They included Johnson in 2016 and Perot in 1992 and 1996.

[Stockdale for Veep]

Jo, write your complaint to:

Stick Stickly
PO Box 963
New York City
New York State
10108

didn't even have to look it up

[John Dule]

Democrats say they're pro-choice on abortion; Republicans say they're pro-choice in the markets. Fortunately, both sides can agree that they're anti-choice when it comes to political parties. Amazing how red avs who claim to oppose monopolies will so eagerly jump to defend the two biggest monopolies in this country.

I’m just laughing at a libertarian for taking herself so seriously.

You’re not exactly helping the case that libertarians aren’t worthy of ridicule.

And no one’s stopping anyone from voting libertarian, she’s on the ballot in all 50 states and anyone can vote for her if they choose. What would you suggest? Forcing people to vote for libertarians? Doesn’t sound very pro-choice or “libertarian” to me.

Both Democratic and Republican leaders oppose reforms like ranked-choice voting, which would create an environment in which other parties could form coalitions. It makes perfect sense why the party higher-ups would fear the loss of their power. Why people like you choose to defend them is a better question.

Until then, it's also worth considering how young people in this country are affected when they're told from day one that they'll only ever have two options in the vast, diverse realm of political ideologies.

[John Dule]

It’s just how political coalitions naturally align under our current system.

Ok. Do you support changing the current system?

[PSOL]

Jo Jorgensen has run one of the most low energy campaigns I’ve ever seen. She should realize that currently Capital sees no use in including her as part of their program.

If the Libertarian Party didn’t have wealthy backers and if it actually faced the repercussions of being serious, it would have collapsed already. Meanwhile the PSL is getting a new application every day and keeps on trucking even with COINTELPRO agents all up on their @$$. The Green Party has managed to actually influence the discussion and put their major plan on the market. Even the ASP actually keeps more professionalism in their fingers than you could find a bit in the propertarians.

Edit: also we have a megathread for this ya dolts!

[beaver2.0]

Democrats say they're pro-choice on abortion; Republicans say they're pro-choice in the markets. Fortunately, both sides can agree that they're anti-choice when it comes to political parties. Amazing how red avs who claim to oppose monopolies will so eagerly jump to defend the two biggest monopolies in this country.

I’m just laughing at a libertarian for taking herself so seriously.

You’re not exactly helping the case that libertarians aren’t worthy of ridicule.

And no one’s stopping anyone from voting libertarian, she’s on the ballot in all 50 states and anyone can vote for her if they choose. What would you suggest? Forcing people to vote for libertarians? Doesn’t sound very pro-choice or “libertarian” to me.

No one is stopping you from casting your ballot that way, but at least among people I know on social media, saying you are thinking of voting social media gets you hit with a lot of hate.  Sure there's a difference between that and actually keeping you off the ballot, but I think it's worth taking into account.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Nickelodeon trying to save the kids from getting the ol' AnCap treatment (feel free to perceive that as you wish).

Sounds pretty FF to me.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Regardless of what their motives are, the chief role the Libertarian Party plays in national politics is making the two-party duopoly (even the current GOP!) look legitimate by comparison, and serving as a constant reminder to the public that third parties are a sick, sad joke.

[McGarnagle]

guys what parties would each SpongeBob character be

Mr. Krabs would be a Republican since he's all about the money and doesn't want to pay no underwater taxes

Squidward might be a Republican since Stephen Miller looks like him, or a Democrat who just doesn't really like anybody

Spongebob would be an undecided voter, but tends to vote for the candidate who comes off as nicer so he usually votes Democratic

Patrick would be all in for Jorgensen

Sandy would be a conservative never-Trumper that voted for Bush, McCain and Romney, but wrote-in someone in 2016 and is voting for Biden this time

Gary would vote for the Socialist Workers Party

[Indy Texas]

guys what parties would each SpongeBob character be

Mr. Krabs is absolutely discreetly voting for Trump while avoiding arguments with his daughter Pearl who recently became a WRA (Whale Rights Activist) and is supporting Biden.

Squidward is voting for Trump even though as a fast food worker he has little to gain from doing so.

SpongeBob can't decide and wishes he could vote for all the candidates but he can't get a ride to the polls and ends up crashing a boat on the way there (Mrs. Puff is involved) and ultimately never gets to vote.

Sandy is helping to turn Texas blue.

Patrick is on the QAnon bandwagon but can't vote because he forgot to register.

Plankton is voting for Jorgensen because he's a techno-libertarian who idolizes Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Nick News still exists!? I guess even generations after mine have had their Sunday nights ruined too.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Why would Squidward be a Republican? He started a strike and tried to set up a union. His efforts failed, of course, so I'm guessing he's a Sanders/Warren-to-Biden-voting doomer.

[Indy Texas]

Nick News still exists!? I guess even generations after mine have had their Sunday nights ruined too.

Linda Ellerbee actually came to my elementary school to give a speech in the late '90s. She's from Texas and IIRC our principal or one of the teachers was a friend of hers.

[PSOL]

Regardless of what their motives are, the chief role the Libertarian Party plays in national politics is making the two-party duopoly (even the current GOP!) look legitimate by comparison, and serving as a constant reminder to the public that third parties are a sick, sad joke.

Well that’s because they aren’t and cannot participate in wider society. There’s no room that Capital is willing to share space with, so to survive is to be passionate and try to build a coalition that, yes, contains some kooks like AnCaps.

The various third parties are barred from the public discourse unless they are multi billionaires who can beat every, single, court case. Yet they are often the testing grounds for unique ideas like the 8-hour workday, ability to strike, government intervention in regulation for the common good, ending pork barrel spending, ending slavery.....

You get the point do you; the Libertarians offer a unique perspective on ending police misconduct, the Green Party gave the GND, the PSL offers a new way of organizing a more fairer society then the one currently, and they all give a home to new ideas and perspectives that we should hear.

Why force the duopoly when it pleases no one?