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[MetalSlimeHunt]

That's the worst thing about Obama being so inept. The USA is going to elect Michelle Bachman or Ron Perry and the rest of the world is going to get shafted.

Neither of them have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. They're both insane, and they both aren't well liked even in Republican circles. They won't even win the primaries.

[Grimshot]

 I've actually never voted myself. Given the choice to either gouge out my left eye or my right eye I would rather just tell them to go screw themselves... I suppose I'll probably vote for a third party this time though. Considering the negative feelings people have right now toward the system maybe we have a chance of getting a third party into power. A very low chance I admit, but its better than no chance. I think it would need someone or something to act as a catalyste and/or focus though.

[Vector]

Michelle Bachman, aside from her extreme and terrible positions, is also receiving misogynist pans from the liberal media.

I wouldn't worry about her.

[GlyphGryph]

I don't understand why, in this environment, no third party has managed to gather any sort of attention or support. I mean, even on the local level. The situation is pretty fuckin' ripe for it, I think.

[Nadaka]

I don't understand why, in this environment, no third party has managed to gather any sort of attention or support. I mean, even on the local level. The situation is pretty fuckin' ripe for it, I think.

Ross Perot and the reform party had a chance a while ago but I don't know of anything recently. I know someone trying to promote a unity party Mississippi, but it is doomed to failure because its only mission is to remove both republicans and democrats from office and doesn't care about the issues of the 3rd parties it is trying to unite.

[nenjin]

I don't understand why, in this environment, no third party has managed to gather any sort of attention or support. I mean, even on the local level. The situation is pretty fuckin' ripe for it, I think.

One word: Money.

No one will fund a 3rd party. Without the exposure dollars buy, no one in American can take it seriously, even if they agree with the sentiment. And there are too many older Americans to buy in to some sort of deluded social-networking election campaign.

And let's not discount the platform. The Republicans and Dems rely on age old platforms that voters can readily identify. An independent party has to craft one from scratch and sell it to the American people. The party of "Sick of this shit" might be enough to stir Americans emotionally, but when it comes time to actually vote, people in some sense want to understand what they're voting for. Otherwise you end up with people like the Tea Party in control of government. The RAEG platform may carry elections but it doesn't have a cohesive answer for anything that comes afteward.

[Grimshot]

I don't understand why, in this environment, no third party has managed to gather any sort of attention or support. I mean, even on the local level. The situation is pretty fuckin' ripe for it, I think.

 I don't know either. I'm guessing that people have ingrained republican and democrat as part of their identities and refuse to consider going to any other side.

[Leafsnail]

Or people see that the most commonly floated alternative is the libertarians and groan.

[Toady Two]

Could someone further explain the sudden Obama-bashing to a person outside America?

...

sudden?

I was not talking about the republicans bashing him but rather the ELITE LIBERAL types that inhabit this forum. Not a while ago he was still the socio-aware right wing messiah.

I think you meant left wing messiah.

He's not really left wing you know. As in a socialist. Being centrist, moderate right wing makes you the socialist messiah in America.

You may get the feeling all of the outside world was pro - Obama during the elections. As a European my favor didn't really sway particularly towards any of the candidates. Both Obama and McCain seemed more qualified and with a better backing cabinet than Bush.

Then the 76 year old McCain chose to nominate a certain lady for his VP. Even during the campaign you could tell that she made voting for Obama the only sensible thing to do.

[G-Flex]

Michelle Bachman, aside from her extreme and terrible positions, is also receiving misogynist pans from the liberal media.

I wouldn't worry about her.

• What misogynist pans?
• The liberal media exists outside the Internet?

[Grakelin]

Liberal Elite is a common term used by reactionaries in real life.

[Nadaka]

MSNBC is on the liberal side, thats the only one I can think of off hand. And no NPR doesn't count just because it is rational.

[Vector]

People giving her shit for spending money on makeup (hint: this is what is expected of women by society; the shit is expensive, and it's generally kind of necessary).  Calling her the "queen of rage" along with extremely unflattering photos that, unsurprisingly, make her look possessed.

Links:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

(The blog post on a liberal atheist site was redacted)

Bachmann, Queen of Rage; also, Sarah Palin

How dare she spend campaign money on wardrobe and makeup?

Spoiler: From, IIRC, the NY Times: Palin and Bachmann, in a catfight (click to show/hide)

This is just the start, sadly.

[mainiac]

I don't understand why, in this environment, no third party has managed to gather any sort of attention or support. I mean, even on the local level. The situation is pretty fuckin' ripe for it, I think.

What possible issue could a third party have that would help these issues and that doesn't already have a place on our two party axis?  Legalize drugs?  Left wing democrat.  Stop immigration?  Right wing republican  Stimulate the economy?  Left wing democrat.  Cut federal spending?  Right wing republican?  Some sort of 'moderate'?  Obama and maybe Huntsman fit that bill for ya.

The reason no third party exists is that a third party could accomplish absolutely nothing that electing a mainstream member of the 'correct' party could accomplish.  The only thing they could possibly offer is a politician who might happen to match your own personal eccentricities from the mainstream coalitions(to use myself as an example; left on most issues but I take issue with some aspects of left wing urban planning and use of 'sin taxes'.)  But most people in this country don't happen to match your personal eccentricities so that's just wishful thinking.  And in fact most "independents" who become well educated will find that they agree mostly with one side or the other.  This is because that a system that pits two sides against each other, both consisting of thousands of well informed operatives looking to gain a leg up has already brought the obvious ideas into one or both parties.

[Grimshot]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 It may just be the lack of sleep but that one made me laugh until I snorted. I do agree with you however. It would be nice if people could just act like reasonable adults and not make such petty attempts to smear each other.