Third Parties: What role do they play in American politics?

Ross Perot: 1992, 1996 Ralph Nader: 2000, 2004

Warm-Up: The Government Club T-Shirt

Today, we will be selecting the color for the new government club T-shirt. The choices, as

determined by early voting, are blue and yellow.

Which would you vote for?

Third Party

We have a problem. Red, who was eliminated during the early voting has made a comeback

as the T-shirt color.

What might the supporters of Blue and Yellow do?

Ideas:

Either of the parties can absorb red and become purple or orange.

Either party can use red for printing or design.

The parties can ignore red.

Third Party

Any political party

organized in at

least a few states,

other than the two

current leading

partiesJesse Ventura, Independent Governor of Minnesota, 1999-2003

History of American Third Parties

Third Parties in the U.S. receive great attention, but in fact “have not assumed the importance that all the academic attention on them suggests.”

History of American Third Parties

No minor third party as ever come close to winning the presidency

Only eight third party candidates have won any electoral votes

Only five, including Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992 have won more than 10% of the popular vote

Formation and Role of Third Parties

Third parties influence elections by revealing sectional and political divides and bringing light to new issues.

Third Parties usually form around a social cause and social activists.

A third party neglected by the two major parties is able to affect the electorate more than if their views were co-opted by one of the major two.

Types of Third Parties

Sectional Parties

Example: Strom Thurmond

and the Dixiecrat Party ran on a segregationist platform in 1948

Economic Protest Parties

Example: James Weaver and the Populist Party won over 1 million popular votes and 22 electoral votes in 1892

Ideology Parties

Examples: Socialist, Communist, and Libertarian Parties

Libertarian Party 2000 campaign ad

Charismatic Personality Parties

Example: Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Bull Moose Party in 1912

Specific Issue Parties

Example: Prohibition Party in 1892

Combination Parties

Example: George Wallace in 1968 (American Independent Party)o Dynamic leader with a

Southern baseo Anti-civil rightso Won 13% popular vote &

46 electoral votes

Purpose of Third Parties

“The electoral progress of third parties is in direct proportion to the failure of the two

major parties to incorporate new ideas.”

Ralph Nader and the Green Party in 2000

Purpose of Third Parties

Though very rare, a third party may replace one of the major parties 1856, the Republican Party replaces the Whig Party

Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858

Purpose of Third Parties

Third Parties have influenceMajor parties often take

on the ideas of third parties

In 1992, both the Republican and Democratic Parties took on Perot’s reform government ideas about reducing the deficit

George Bush (Republican), Ross Perot (Reform), & Bill Clinton (Democrat) during

1992 Presidential debate

Purpose of Third Parties:

William Jennings Bryan, Democratic candidate for President, 1896

Once the major parties incorporate their ideas, third parties burn out

Populist Party platform was assimilated into the Democratic Party in 1896

George Wallace, American Independent Party, 1968 Electionhttp://www.wku.edu/Library/onlinexh• What issue do you

think George Wallace’s American Independent Party was promoting?

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/t/third_party.asp

• What is the artist trying to say about voters who choose third party candidates?

T.R. Vs. Taft, Election of 1912http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/election-cartoons/images/mother-of-

presidents.gif

• In 1912, both Taft and Roosevelt were fighting for the same voters. What do you think was the result of TR’s candidacy in 1912?

The Bathtubwww.cartoonstock.com/directory/t/third_party.asp

Why is it so difficult for third parties to gather support?

Independent Voters?http://3rdpartyblogger.com/political-cartoons/political-cartoons-2/

Why might third parties be attractive to voters?

Nader & the Reform Party 2004

What is the artist saying about Nader’s 2004 run for president as the reform candidate?

The Libertarians…www.independentpoliticalreport.com

What issues do you think the Libertarian party might be concerned with?

The Nader Oval Officehttp://politicalhumor.about.com

• What is the artist communicating about the Green party agenda?

The Tea Party

True Third Party or Political Movement???

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002529-503544.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002529-503544.html

The Tea Set http://politicalhumor.about.com

• Sometimes third party issues can be difficult to stomach.

Don’t Compromise on Me!http://politicalhumor.about.com

• Getting the message across is more important than cutting a deal with the other parties.

Marriage Proposalhttp://politicalhumor.about.com

• The two major parties are not necessarily looking to absorb the third parties. Sometimes they can hurt more than help.

Tea Party Throws GOP Overboard

http://politicalhumor.about.com

• The reverse is true: not every third party is looking to be picked up by one of the majors.

Tea Totaledhttp://politicalhumor.about.com

• The two major parties need to be careful they do not try to please everyone. It is impossible and can cause the party to lose control of the message.

Hat in the Ringhttp://politicalhumor.about.com

• It can take time for a third party to be taken seriously. It may never happen.