The Need for a Better Third Political Party
by Vingold on October 19, 2006
In the Washington Post this morning we have this article about Paul Morrison:
Moderates in Kansas Decide They’re Not in GOP Anymore – washingtonpost.com
WICHITA — Paul Morrison, a career prosecutor who specializes in putting killers behind bars, has the bulletproof resume and the rugged looks of a law-and-order Republican, which is what he was until last year. That was when he announced he would run for attorney general — as a Democrat.
He is now running neck-and-neck with Republican Phill Kline, an iconic social conservative who made headlines by seeking the names of abortion-clinic patients and vowing to defend science-teaching standards that challenge Darwinian evolution. What’s more, Morrison is raising money faster than Kline and pulling more cash from Republicans than Democrats.
I am sure some Democrats are heralding this as a victory for their party. A move toward moderation is something the Republicans (and Democrats) have been needing for some time – but both have to be asking themselves: At what point have we moved so far to the middle that we’ve lost what we want to stand for?
Joe Lieberman found out how far to the middle you have to move before his party took a hard stand against him.
To me, it seems like we’re ready for – and in need of – a better third (or even fourth) political party.
Or if not a third political party – then maybe a critical mass of off party candidates (Green, Liberatarian, Independents, etc.) that are running at local and state levels who will challenge the traditional notions and corruption of the Two-Party political system.
It is something to hope for in our lifetime.
On a related note – check out the Free State Project in New Hampshire.