The first few times I tried this, it was to open a forum for broad discussion on a topic. This time, I’m doing it for discussion about a specific idea. I want feedback and suggestions, because addressing issues to come is always a more productive focus than simply complaining about what’s happening.
First, a post of mine from this morning. If you read this part in the open thread, feel free to bypass it:
Okay. I know I’ve screwed up on a few things. I really thought Trump would lose a close race in 2016 and I thought he’d lose Ohio this year. But from the “He’ll seat an actual originalist and then a sycophant on the Supreme Court” from 2015 to “He’s not going to start a nuclear war with North Korea, he’ll pay them off instead” to “the Republican Senate won’t vote to impeach” to “Trump is going to lose decisively” to “These challenges are going nowhere, he’s a lame duck squatting” I think I can claim that my history is better than a lot of people, including a lot of professional pundits.
Let me reiterate: the Republican Party isn’t on its last legs. It isn’t going to die out. It isn’t going to become a regional party…. not unless it’s pushed. It’s vulnerable now, and it can be pushed into nonexistence if alternatives are offered. But if you think that the death is inevitable, you’re completely wrong and you’re letting your hope influence you as much as hope and fear have influenced people on those other big items.
The Republican Party, ultimately, is comprised not of the leadership but of the average people in the street who associate with it, and many of them have tied up a large chunk of their lives with it. They were proudly Reaganites and they stood behind W. as he promised to attack growing terrorism even as many Democrats pushed back (or said it was an inside job.) Many of them have been focused on things like Trump’s lip service to being pro-life for the last four years and have desperately tried to ignore all of his offenses.
Right now, while the Republicans have played suck-up the most, is when an alternative can be raised. This needs to happen. If it does not, that contingent which spent four years blinding themselves is going to happily latch onto the next Reaganite conservative they find. Some of them won’t even give a damn if it was one who backed Trump every step of the way, because with time their disgust at this moment will fade, but their fear of the Democrats’ agenda, stoked by the radicals on the Berner side, will continue. Immediately, the chance of a remora stepping up as the next great hope is pathetically low, but give it five or ten years and people will be willing to give Rubio or Cruz their shot again if the Republican party isn’t the third or fourth option by then
Maybe I’m wrong. I’ve been wrong before. But my record is decent, and you can look at it this way:
If I’m wrong, and you’ve worked to get a third party (or other alternative) going and the Republican Party dies out naturally? You’re on the inside track for influence in whatever party is rising in its place.
If I’m right, and you’ve worked to get a third party (or other alternative) going and the Republican Party doesn’t die out naturally? You could be a factor in either forcing them to jettison their populist/nationalist wing a la Buckley or raising up an alternative and creating consequences for the last four years.
I believe this. So, here’s my thought.
What if I’m wrong about one key part of this? We’ve been complaining for four years that partisan politics is a huge part of the problem. Why continue with that model?
As mentioned, there are plenty of third parties out there, ranging from large national organizations like the Libertarians and Greens to tiny groups registered for a local election. We’re in the information age, what about supplying people information?
Maybe a Peace and Freedom Party message is particularly resonant in a southern California district, while Mr. John Q. Public, maverick, can rally people behind him in Dubuque.
I’m thinking about a single nonpartisan database which would exclude the Republicans and Democrats but would be open both to any other party and to unaffiliated independents. It would have very loose limits on what groups would be included… I’m specifically thinking “no groups which promote illegal activity, although promoting the legalization of illegal activity would be acceptable.” Beyond that, it could have:
a) A party-provided breakdown of their views and policies
b) Links to party & candidate websites and leadership contact information
c) An on-site search function allowing people to seek out particular policies, along with rankings of importance, as appropriate and provided by official party representatives and independent candidates
d) A guide on how to make donations or get involved in activity supporting individual candidates. This in particular could be helpful, as it could lead to things like people that know how to make successful memes or video ads finding small groups like “Legalize Ferrets Now” and working for them cheaply or free of charge.
Other things, like instructions on how to form party chapters locally and get ballot representation or how to apply for permits could be included, as requested and with time and space allowing.
It seems like something like this wouldn’t be too hard to create, and that it might even qualify for nonprofit status. But I could also be far too close to this and missing something obvious. Any suggestions/comments/critiques?
As before, this will be monitored all weekend, and if anyone wants to see a different issue addressed, please bring that up as well and I can set up a forum discussion in an upcoming week.
