Shauneia McPhearson
Mr. Joseph
Brit Lit Pd. 1
22 November 2008
Third Parties in Presidential Elections
In the United States third parties have played a big part in presidential elections three third parties which had a major impact on presidential elections are the Libertarian, Reform, and Green Party.
Third Parties in contemporary American politics are all parties that are not one of the two major parties (Democratic Party and Republican Party). Third parties can sometimes be referred to as minor parties. Third parties are formed by individuals who are dissatisfied with the two major parties of the day. “Third parties have not been electorally successful because the major parties will often try to get their point across and convince voters that voting for a third party is a “wasted vote” (Third 455). “The term ‘third party’ dates from 1806, when John Randolph and his supporters said they sought a ‘tritium quid,’ or a third position, and came to be known as the quid” (Third 455). “The American political system has rarely been kind to third parties. No third party has won a presidential election in over a century” (Third 118).
The Reform Party of the United States or the RPUSA is a political party in the United States Founded in 1995 by Ross Perot who said “Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital issues and desired a viable alternative to the Republican and Democratic Parties” (Reform 1). The party grew out of Perot’s efforts in the 1992 presidential elections where running as an independent he became the first non-major party candidate since 1912 to have been considered viable enough to win presidency. (Reform 1) “Perot made a splash by bringing a focus to fiscal issues such as the federal deficit and national debt; government reform issues such as term limits, campaign finance reform, and lobbying reform; and issues on trade. A large part of his following was grounded in the... [continues]
Mr. Joseph
Brit Lit Pd. 1
22 November 2008
Third Parties in Presidential Elections
In the United States third parties have played a big part in presidential elections three third parties which had a major impact on presidential elections are the Libertarian, Reform, and Green Party.
Third Parties in contemporary American politics are all parties that are not one of the two major parties (Democratic Party and Republican Party). Third parties can sometimes be referred to as minor parties. Third parties are formed by individuals who are dissatisfied with the two major parties of the day. “Third parties have not been electorally successful because the major parties will often try to get their point across and convince voters that voting for a third party is a “wasted vote” (Third 455). “The term ‘third party’ dates from 1806, when John Randolph and his supporters said they sought a ‘tritium quid,’ or a third position, and came to be known as the quid” (Third 455). “The American political system has rarely been kind to third parties. No third party has won a presidential election in over a century” (Third 118).
The Reform Party of the United States or the RPUSA is a political party in the United States Founded in 1995 by Ross Perot who said “Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital issues and desired a viable alternative to the Republican and Democratic Parties” (Reform 1). The party grew out of Perot’s efforts in the 1992 presidential elections where running as an independent he became the first non-major party candidate since 1912 to have been considered viable enough to win presidency. (Reform 1) “Perot made a splash by bringing a focus to fiscal issues such as the federal deficit and national debt; government reform issues such as term limits, campaign finance reform, and lobbying reform; and issues on trade. A large part of his following was grounded in the... [continues]
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