Election Reform and the Spoiler Effect

[AzogtheDefiler]

Well, when you can create a credible third party, get back to me.






Nope, it's a goofy convoluted system. This is why voters are rejecting it all over the country despite the funding of well-heeled sugar daddies.



Sure you are, buddy. Sure you are.

I am. GE Capital trained

 

[JoeB131]

Third parties don't get going at all. And it has nothing to do with merit. It takes a lot of money to overcome the structural hurdles. The last time it happened was with Perot, and after that Ds and Rs tightened everything up to ensure that it didn't happen again.

Actually, it has everything to do with merit. Most third parties are loons. Let's review the major ones.

Green/Jill Stein - On Russia's payroll
Libertard/Gary Johnson - Promised not to smoke dope in the white house.
Reform&Green/ Ralph Nader - Fringe character.
Reform/Pat Buchanan - Nazi
Reform/Ross Perot - Kind of a nut, but lots of money. Last one to get into double digits.
John Anderson- I wanna take my ball and go home.
George Wallace- Racist
Strom Thurmond - Racist
Henry Wallace - Communist

The last time a third party ran a credible candidate was Teddy Roosevelt for the Progressives. And that was only because the Republican Establishment cheated him out of the nomination.

 

[JoeB131]

I am. GE Capital trained

Then why do you act like a petulant five year old?

 

[dblack]

Actually, it has everything to do with merit. Most third parties are loons. Let's review the major ones.

There are no major third parties and you know why. But I'm not interested in playing that game where you feign ignorance and I try to "educate" you. ChatGPT, however, was happy to oblige:

Both the Democratic and Republican parties have historically supported or benefitted from legal and procedural barriers that limit the viability of third parties in the United States. Some of these measures became more prominent after Ross Perot's significant showing in the 1992 presidential election, where he captured 19% of the popular vote as an independent candidate. Here are some key barriers:

1. Ballot Access Laws​

• Stringent Signature Requirements: Many states require third-party or independent candidates to collect a large number of signatures to qualify for the ballot, often within a short time frame. These requirements are typically less burdensome for candidates from the major parties.
• High Filing Fees: Some states impose filing fees that can be prohibitive for candidates without major-party backing.
• Discriminatory Deadlines: Deadlines for third-party candidates to qualify for the ballot are often earlier than those for major-party candidates.

2. Debate Exclusion​

• After Perot's success, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), controlled by representatives of the Democratic and Republican parties, established stricter criteria for inclusion in presidential debates. For example, a candidate must poll at least 15% in national surveys, a threshold difficult for third-party candidates to meet without debate exposure.

3. Matching Funds and Campaign Finance Rules​

• Public financing systems often favor the two major parties. For example, third-party candidates can only access federal matching funds after an election if they secure at least 5% of the vote, making it harder for them to compete during the campaign.

4. "Sore Loser" Laws​

• Many states prevent candidates who run in a major-party primary and lose from appearing on the general election ballot as independents or third-party candidates. This law ensures that potential third-party runs are thwarted early.

5. Partisan Control of Election Boards​

• State election boards, often controlled by Democrats and Republicans, can make decisions that disadvantage third parties, such as rejecting petitions or applying rules inconsistently.

6. Gerrymandering and Electoral College​

• The two-party system is reinforced by gerrymandering, which discourages competition in congressional districts, and the Electoral College, which makes it nearly impossible for a third-party candidate to win without significant support in multiple states.

7. Straight-Ticket Voting​

• In states that allow straight-ticket voting (voting for all candidates of one party with a single action), third-party candidates often struggle to compete against entrenched major-party loyalties.

Impact of Ross Perot's Campaign​

Perot's 1992 campaign demonstrated the potential appeal of a well-funded and media-savvy third-party candidate. In response, both major parties supported or endorsed measures that reinforced their dominance, such as strengthening the CPD and introducing more restrictive ballot access laws.

These legal and structural barriers collectively reinforce the dominance of the two-party system and make it challenging for third-party candidates to gain traction in the U.S. political landscape.

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

Then why do you act like a petulant five year old?

Example? Back it up, Leftist

 

[JoeB131]

Example? Back it up, Leftist

I think you just did that for me. Good work.

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

I think you just did that for me. Good work.

Nope. I did Not.

Way to back pedal. You lost another debate. Too easy.

 

[JoeB131]

Nope. I did Not.

Way to back pedal. You lost another debate. Too easy.

Seriously, guy, does this work for you on the schoolyard?

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

Seriously, guy, does this work for you on the schoolyard?

Well? You made an accusation, guy. Give me an example.

You can’t. You just spout nonsense nonstop. Pretty pathetic.