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The end of parties....


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While driving through Wisconsin and Michigan this past week I noticed that political posters for different candidates for office no longer identify the candidate by political party. This may not be a new pnenominon, but it seems to me that in the old days people wanted to be aligned with the two major parties. Now however with the Republicans backing away from Bush his policies and the Democrats being at a million loose ends, I think people would rather just run as themselves and not be too closely aligned with the major national parties at all.

 

I can hardly blame them I suppose. Despite my vociferous arguments during the last presidential election, certainly being too closely aligned with either major party (or any minor ones either for that matter), seems to be a handicap.

 

Comments?/??

 

LouieB

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pnenominon

 

I realize this was a typo, but I kind of like the word. As a side-thread, I'd love to hear proposed definitions...

 

I'm not sure about the political party absence. I have noticed, in addition to your observation, that many candidates' signs do not even include the office for which the candidate is running. I fear this is the result of marketers' influence--which is to say that pure name recongition may trump political parties or offices themselves.

 

I know that in a judicial primary election which took place here in Houston recently, a judge that I happen to like was unseated by an opponent who did little more in the way of campaigning than simply plastering her name--and name only--all over the city. She'll now be deciding eminent domain cases in Harris County, Texas. It's frightening.

 

--Neil

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Yet in some towns, the guy running for dog catcher wants you to know he supports the troops and is proud to be a republican.

 

Even though the Bush/Cheney bumper stickers seem to be on the decline in my (very) conservative Lancaster County, PA, I recently saw a guy with Santorum '06 and Bush/Cheney '04 stickers on his truck.

 

He might as well have a sticker that says "God hates fags," if you ask me.

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I'm not sure about the political party absence. I have noticed, in addition to your observation, that many candidates' signs do not even include the office for which the candidate is running. I fear this is the result of marketers' influence--which is to say that pure name recongition may trump political parties or offices themselves.

--Neil

 

The "Mere exposure hypothesis" You're probably right.

 

I think with any real change, it will be with a newcomer. Maybe one person or one movement. But it most likely will not be from within the ranks of the GOP or DNC.

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I realize this was a typo, but I kind of like the word. As a side-thread, I'd love to hear proposed definitions...
Not a typo, just my stupid phonetic spellling in a pinch. Hey I am fine with a new word...clearly I have no idea how to really spell it... :dontgetit

 

LouieB

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Not the thread topic I was expecting,although it could possibly be tied into this one..

 

'You gotta fight

for your right

to paaaaaaarty'! :cheers :dancing :rock

 

Scott

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all it will take to severly cripple the two major parties would be a very viable split ticket presidental campaign. imagine mccain/feingold 08 running as progressive reformers.

 

as much as i respect but don't like mccain, i'd vote that ticket.

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American political parties are inherently weak because of the primary system. So, yeah. There's that.

The primary system is essentially the way the two major parties hoodwink Americans into thinking we actually have real choice among candidates. Truth is, the major parties--in conspiracy with corporations and the media--anoint their two guys and we get to pick from that. And their choices are those that will guarantee their current stranglehold on real power.

 

When the media can control the dialogue about a candidate (evidenced by the hatchet job on Howard Dean's last campaign), that's not democracy, it's mediocracy.

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all it will take to severly cripple the two major parties would be a very viable split ticket presidental campaign. imagine mccain/feingold 08 running as progressive reformers.

 

as much as i respect but don't like mccain, i'd vote that ticket.

WOW...you may have somethin' there.I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with that,but it least if offers some small semblance of hope :yes

 

Man, November should be a crazy ride...

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The primary system is essentially the way the two major parties hoodwink Americans into thinking we actually have real choice among candidates. Truth is, the major parties--in conspiracy with corporations and the media--anoint their two guys and we get to pick from that. And their choices are those that will guarantee their current stranglehold on real power.

Like Lamont?

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Down south it seems if you're not a republican, there's no way you'll win. The last time I voted in 2004, I didn't have a whole lot of choice: most were republicans running unopposed. Down here they're proud to be god-fearing white republicans and to hell with the rest.

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all it will take to severly cripple the two major parties would be a very viable split ticket presidental campaign. imagine mccain/feingold 08 running as progressive reformers.

 

as much as i respect but don't like mccain, i'd vote that ticket.

I wouldn't. McCain has used up all his benefit-of-the-doubt points with me.

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I think the red states will get more red and the blue states bluer. Here in New York, the GOP is about to be pretty much permanently marginalized.

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I think the red states will get more red and the blue states bluer. Here in New York, the GOP is about to be pretty much permanently marginalized.

So, speaking of New York, is Giuliani going to be able to ride his post-9/11 performance all the way to a serious run at the GOP presidential nomination? Doesn't anyone remember that he was a scandal-ridden shithead until the planes hit the World Trade Center?

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So, speaking of New York, is Giuliani going to be able to ride his post-9/11 performance all the way to a serious run at the GOP presidential nomination? Doesn't anyone remember that he was a scandal-ridden shithead until the planes hit the World Trade Center?

Nah. The bloom is off that rose, me thinks. And I was never that impressed with him anyway. I suppose it's good that he didn't collapse, panic-striken and weeping, when it went down, but I think he was really just doing what he gets paid to do - run the city and manage emergencies. Pataki I was completely unimpressed by. He's just negative space - anyone who thinks he can be president is smoking the supercrack.

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