Maybe There Should Be A Third Party

(CBS)  I have never been much for third parties and independent candidates.

For all of its flaws, the old two-party system has brought us a long way in this country, and I'm slow to change. But as I watch the Senate fumble around with the immigration bill, it made me wonder: Has our two-party system lost the ability to get anything done?

We keep hearing that both parties are playing to their base.

Republicans don't want to offend conservatives so they block real immigration reform.

Democrats fear the liberal left, so they don't want reform.

Result: Nothing gets done on that or anything else.

Yet polls show a majority of Americans want reform, want a guest worker program for illegal immigrants in this country, favor a way to make their status legal. Who speaks for that segment of the electorate? Certainly, not Democratic and Republican leaders, who are so busy pacifying those so-called base voters.

I hope we do see a third-party candidate in the presidential race next year, not because I favor anyone who might run as an independent, but because a third choice would force both the Republicans and the Democrats to move more to the center to stop an independent from siphoning off moderate voters.

If both parties are forced to shift their hunt for votes to the center rather than the edges of their parties, who knows? They may find some common ground every once in a while and actually get something done.

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E-mail Face the Nation.
By Bob Schieffer

[warwagner]

Your comments on the proposed "Immigration Reform" bill should be recast as "Illegal Immigration Entitlement Program". When as smug as a bug in a rug in your house in the Hampton%u2019s or elsewhere in the Northern part of "Elite%u2019s village" USA, you don't see the bomb that is about explode. This is an invasion of our country without ever firing a shot. Why don't you come and spend a few weeks in Santa Ana California. Try to get your kid in the emergency room or in a school for that matter where they cannot advance educationally or socially unless they learn a low level version of Spanish. This congress is out of control and about to sacrifice our American way of life for a few votes from law breakers. Close the borders first and then deal with the TWENTY MILLION or more that are already here.

It seems that we are more concerned about protecting the border in Iraq than we are here? How come fences work in Iraq, Korea and along the Israeli / Palestine territories but would not work here? It amazes me that you beltway pundits just don%u2019t get it? I am one who has never been %u201Cpolled%u201D. I own a software company and contrary to popular belief %u201Chave all of my teeth%u201D. I believe that my friends and relatives who have died protecting the sovereignty and borders of the United States would be rolling over in there graves to here such talk from such a powerful media organization.

Getting nothing done on this bill is light years better than passing it.

[gunownerdan]

A third party?
Keep dreaming.
The duopoly that is in control of America would never allow a third party to gain any power.
The plan is for our "neocon" leaders to slowly give the government more and more powers so the next president(Hitlery Clinton) can become the first American dictator after declaring martial law. Our leaders all take an oath to protect and defend our constitution, but many will never actually obey it.

[clevercandi]

"There's been a viable third party for over 30 years. They're called Libertarians. I suggest everyone that's dissatisfied with Democrat and/or Republican behavior to give the Libertarians a fair shot."
Posted by derwood5555 at 11:26 PM : Jun 17, 2007

Cudos to you, derwood5555! I've been telling people about the LIBERTARIAN PARTY for years and have voted for them steadily since President Reagan completed his last term.

And to those who think I'm wasting my vote - anytime you cast a vote, it isn't wasted. Politicians look at these figures and, occasionally, act accordingly.

Please visit www.lp.org and see what we're about! You might be pleasantly surprised!

[ronaldstark]

Why do you think Cindy Sheehan is selling off her property in Crawford and is walking away from the anti-war movement...because she sees no hope in the dems. She's a smart woman who knows that the dems are in bed with the republicans. The only solution to a REAL change in the USA is a VIABLE 3rd party. We need politicians who believe in the USA...not in Walmart.

[ronaldstark]

Wow Bob Schieffer it took you HOW long to figure this out??? We've needed a third party in this country since the late 70's. We all know how both the dem's and elephants are both controlled heavily by lobbyists/corporations. I can't believe you are finally realizing this now. You shouldve realized it was needed when Gore and Bush blocked Nader from entering the building to debate back in 2000. Republicans and Democrats make me sick. The dems couldve shown some balls and not backed down to bush with the troop funding situation. No they played their cards exactly how they meant to. They want to show us...yeah we're different look we are setting a timeframe for withdrawing troops. Nope they gave in. Its just a big facade that has been fooling the public for years. The problem is that the majority of americans are not smart enough to figure it out or...they are just too set in their ways to get their butts off the couch and do something about it.

[gunownerdan]

A third party?
Keep dreaming.
The duopoly that is in control of America would never allow a third party to gain any power.

[colleen_yuan]

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[prinzowhales]

The problem is the "center". The 'bipartisan' Stupid Peoples' War...the 'bipartisan' move for amnesty for illegals--giving the 30 million or so illegals access to the Social Security system, giving them forgiveness for unpaid taxes (while dozens of Feds are deployed against the Browns in New Hampshire for the crime of demanding that a black-robed ambulance chaser on the Federal bench SHOW THEM THE LAW that says they have to file an income tax return)... amnesty for aggravated felons--even pedophiles-- and pay for their immigration lawyers. Is this what Mr. Shieffer thinks constitutes the "center"? The kind of third party that he wants is the kind that put Lieberman back in Congress after he lost to the faux-anti-war candidate in the primaries who just couldn't wait to go after Iran.

[cfin5]

Maybe taking the publics checkbook away from the House and Senates current ability to perpetually out spend tax revenues and give that authority to a 4th branch of government called the "economic" branch. If this was created correctly it would provide a check and balance to Congress' unability to control themselves. You know, like "Take your pick Legislature, this is what's in the bank and that's all your gonna get (like most of us have to do). Could stop a war too.

[taylpatr]

We need to do away with both parties and get serious about how we pick our leaders. Look at the mess this current idiot has us in! And all of this *** could have been avoided by making Mr. Bush take a test to see if he really knows what's going on in the world.He would have been eliminated in the first round and there would be alot more people alive, and we would probably still have our budget surplus, instead of the deficit that we'll never get caught up with. It just seems kind of odd, that since Mr. Bush's tax reforms, the only ones who have benifitted are that top 1% of the population that controls 40% of the wealth. I think that what we are now seeing is the Military-Industrial Complex at full throttle. We had better get our nation out of the control of people like Bush-Cheney, or we won't have a nation to worry about.