Third Part Politics
... Through the generations, many third parties have attempted to gain momentum, yet have never been able to make a complete stronghold in our government. As a consequence, whenever a third party seems begins to strengthen, the system seems to revert back to the standard two-party system. ... We will explore the role interest groups play in the overall political spectrum and their effect on third parties. We will then explore various attempts at third parties, their birth, development and decline. Finally, we will then explore various attempts at third parties, their birth, development and decline. Upon completion a better understanding as to why our nation’s two party political systems continually prevail and third parties gain momentum and dwindle should be achieved. ... Every so often, however, a third party makes a run at piece of the pie. ... The “American presidential election system not only discourages third party candidates from running but provides incentives for the major parties to squelch third party competition ().” “Third parties in America fulfill two critical functions: they popularize ideas that the major parties would otherwise ignore, and they serve as political vehicles for citizens discontent with the policies put forth by the major parties (Rosenstone, 221).” Where exactly do we lose the third parties in our standard two party democracy? ... ”(Ferguson) As a result, third party candidates tend to be short on cash to run campaigns with the intensity and saturation that Republicans or Democrats. ... Third parties are usually cash poor and working diligently in grass roots campaigns to gain momentum. Thirdly, it is abundantly difficult for third party candidates to gain votes. “Third party candidates also do poorly because most people think they will do poorly. ... ” Rosenstone adds that negative attitudes to third party candidates continues, people are unwilling to waste their votes because they believe that “few citizens ever think that third party candidates –even strong ones- can win (Rosenstone, 39).