The Pioneer Times

Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: News

What happens when you don't agree with the candidate platforms of the Democratic and Republican parties with a pivotal election mere months away? Have you come to the conclusion that there is no discernible difference between either's ideology? Do you envision yourself walking into that voting booth only to realize that you are choosing the lesser of two evils?

If you find this to be the case, there is an alternative: start exploring the agendas of third party candidates. Third parties are political parties other than the dominant groups, namely the Democratic and Republican parties. We normally think of "independent" as being the third party in our country's two-party system, but this is not the case. There are numerous third party organizations, the largest of which include the Constitution, Green, and Libertarian parties.

Some skeptics reading this will argue that voting for the aforementioned will not make a difference in the majority election. Contrary to this belief though, third parties are integral to politics in that they often influence the primary parties' platforms by bringing attention to issues that tend to be overlooked. Third party candidates may not receive many votes, but to this day Ralph Nader is still blamed for spoiling Al Gore's presidential run against George W. Bush in 2000 by securing 2.7 percent of the overall vote.

So why do we hear very little about such intimidating officials? There are several obstacles that hinder third party success. The most common barriers are the ballot access laws. Republicans and Democrats are guaranteed positions on the ballots of all 50 states. Third parties though are often required to cough up registration fees or secure enough signatures on a petition to be granted this same privilege.

In addition, third party candidates are not invited to participate in the televised debates, thus denying them unlimited publicity. Therefore, since they are not given the opportunity to express themselves alongside the popular candidates, this is just as good a forum to introduce them to a voting group that will make quite a difference in this year's election. Here is an overview of the general platforms of the most prominent third parties:

Constitution Party
This conservative party advocates a noninterventionist foreign policy. Members of this party believe that reduced government spending can be achieved by not funding unconstitutional ventures such as the Department of Education and welfare subsidies. It seeks stronger legislation against illegal immigration which will be enforced by US troops who should not be fighting overseas. The party opposes same-sex unions, pornography, and legalized gambling. It does; however, support the right to bear arms.

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