Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Aqizzar]

But the left wing of the party does.  If you actually had a majority of the votes that it would take to get your idea, then you would be able to make that wing become the mainstream of the party.

For what it's worth, the more libertarian wing of the Republican party would support at least some drug legalization as well, probably.

The fact that pro-heroin Ron Paul came in about 300 votes behind Michelle Bachmann in the Iowa Straw Poll, miles ahead of third place, and news reporters specifically commented on how they were going out of their way to not talk about him, suggests the genuine libertarian bent of the party is not going to get much of a platform.

[G-Flex]

Agreed. Of course, Ron Paul pretty much stated himself that the only reason he joined the race this time around was because his zany fanbase insisted on him doing so. He made it sound like he didn't even want to, and Christ, the man is 76 years old.

[mainiac]

But the left wing of the party does.  If you actually had a majority of the votes that it would take to get your idea, then you would be able to make that wing become the mainstream of the party.

For what it's worth, the more libertarian wing of the Republican party would support at least some drug legalization as well, probably.

I guess that drugs is a somewhat less right-left issue then others.  IMHO it probably means you are left wing but there are some righties who favor legalization.  But how big of an issue is that compared to the wide range of economic and social issues that fit onto the left right axis?  The last time there was an issue big enough to create a lasting third party was when the republicans created an abolitionist party at the same time that both democrats and whigs had both abolitionists and pro-slavery politicians.  Slavery was a huuuuge issue at the time and generally broke the mold on the democrat whig axis of the time.  Is drug legalization a big enough issue to justify a similar mold breaking?  I don't think it's even rises to the level of something like the cross of gold.

[Nadaka]

More than 60% of Americans support legalization of Marijuana. But the senior citizen block (the votingest group in America) are rabidly against it because they are too old to overcome propaganda, even though they are the ones who would benefit the most from its medical properties. So it isn't important at all, except that anyone who endorses it is unelectable.

[mainiac]

I never said anything about it's popularity, I was just pointing out that it's not the most pressing issue in the world right now.

[GlyphGryph]

economic and social issues that fit onto the left right axis?

A large number of the economic and social issues the parties "support" aren't right or left issues - they're simply issues that a given party may have thought they could use to pick up votes, and the party almost never pays them anything but lip service unless they think they can use it in an argument to support a core party value. Of course the parties have taken their stands on every issue under the sun, but that doesn't mean those who value those issues can feel comfortable in either party. Here's a list of issues that neither party really puts any oomph behind. They're positions on the following issues are generally either identical, or so schizophrenic within the party that no party can really claim them.

Examples:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Compromise/Efficiency/Effective Government
Environmental responsibility (though the right-wing environmental movement has been in rather sorry shape lately, so this one might not really apply any more)
Nuclear Power
Gun regulation/freedom
Education Reform
Election Reform
Foreign Interventionism/Isolationism
Drugs
Space Programs
Anti-corporate/trust-busting policies
Agricultural support
Etc. and so on and so forth

But ignore all that - you know what one issue I'd like to see a party run on?

Doing shit that works, regardless of which end of the bullshit ideology one sits on. Neither party has shown any interesting in empirical, outcome-based governing. It's all about their fucking toddler-level ideologies.

[mainiac]

Compromise/Efficiency/Effective Government
-Easier said then done.  Really, what is it about americans that makes them think that running a government is easy despite all the evidence to the contrary?
Nuclear Power
-Republicans support this, democrats only support it if it's part of a broader energy package, look at the senate debates from 2009
Gun regulation/freedom
-The median republican is strongly pro gun, the median democrat strongly pro-regulation, just because the members at the edge of the coalitions hold views at the edge doesn't change that
Education Reform
-Both parties have very elaborate agendas on this very issue
Foreign Interventionism/Isolationism
-This is too complicated to be a single issue.  Look at the single issues inside it, like Iraq withdrawal or Libyan intervention.
Drugs
-Like I said, the exception but even so, the left is more drug friendly
Space Programs
-A pretty small part of the government and I am not aware of ANY voters who use this as a major issue.  And believe me when I say that I have talked to LOTS of voters about politics
Anti-corporate/trust-busting policies
-Seriously?  Here's a hint, the GOP will destroy the country before they fight the rights of rich people to get richer.  They have spent 30 years systematically undermining unionization and any sort of corporate regulation.  They have waged a war on science in order to foster an anti-regulatory movement.  You are asleep if you can't call this one.
Agricultural support
-This is written into the constitution with the Senate/House compromise.  Third parties ain't gonna change that.

But ignore all that - you know what one issue I'd like to see a party run on?

Doing shit that works, regardless of which end of the bullshit ideology one sits on. Neither party has shown any interesting in empirical, outcome-based governing. It's all about their fucking toddler-level ideologies.

And there we go with the perennial call of the non-partisan.  If only a non-partisan were in office they would just use the mystical powers of impartiality to git'er done!  But thank you oh so much for calling me a toddler for actually knowing what the parties stand for and basing my opinions on that.

[Dwarf]

People have been voting against their own interests for ages. It's nothing spectacular (in response to OP, haven't read the thread).