Third Party Blues

Guest Editorial #G14
by Alasdair Denvil
July 31, 2000

Many years ago, I had a conversation with the parents of a friend of mine. I was very naive back then, and tended to assume that people who were older than me were also more sensible. But the discussion turned to politics, and I asked them who they voted for in the last presidential election. "Oh, we voted for so-and-so," one said. "We didn't want to vote for a candidate who lost," the other promptly explained.

Many years and deep, inward sighs later, my naiveté has shrunk in direct proportion to the vast number of people I've met who - at least once every four years - accept this exact logic. As the Republican and Democratic conventions draw near, both the Elephant and the Donkey have begun their luscious, seductive dance in order to captivate the voting public: "One of us is going to win no matter what you do." they titter. "You'll be stuck with me or him in the end, it's inevitable. So you may as well choose between us the one you find less gruesome."

And while the unfortunate faithful are treated with this rather disappointing flirtation, anyone who manages to resist it receives the business end of Cinderella's wicked stepmother: "You don't have a chance, you'll never amount to anything, and you're only getting in the way of your ugly stepsisters. So just give up any hope of ever going to the Presidential Ball!"

Regrettably, their siren's song appears to be as effective as ever, in spite of the fact that both of them have consistently failed to deliver on issues important to those who vote for them. Republicans have made little or no progress on privatizing various industries, decreasing government spending, and legally recognizing the right to life. Meanwhile, Democrats have made little or no progress on preserving the environment, providing universally accessible health care, and creating a safety net for the poor.

Yet voters who care about one or more of these issues continue to vote for the party that promises without delivering. Why? Because they fear that the other party will do even less for their cause, while hoping that the party they vote for will at least give them "incremental" progress. The Republican and Democratic parties thus espouse the virtue of patience. They can't roll back federal spending or bring about universal health coverage all at one stroke, they say. Rather, in the face of "political realities." they must proceed bit by bit. The only urgent concern is that people not waste their vote on a third party, which will only serve to elect the opposition.

It all sounds very sympathetic and reasonable, and at the same time gives third parties the task of crawling out of an openless pit: people won't vote for them unless they are viable and have some chance of winning. But they'll never have a chance of winning unless they can get people to vote for them. This catch-22 of votability and viability has the delicious effect of lengthening the tenure of parties that only half-heartedly pursue the causes they allegedly stand for.

But the notion that voters are faced with the choice of either selling their vote out or throwing it away is mistaken. And, while it does serve to perpetuate Democratic and Republican power, that power is seldom delegated in the service of the issues so many people care about. Admittedly, a third party candidate is unlikely to win the upcoming election, but patience and incrementalism need not be monopolized by the two-party system (as everything else is). A memorable defeat in this election may lead to victory in the next one. Small yet consistent support could be fertile enough to create a new party able to face the Republicans and Democrats on equal terms, or even overshadow them.

The current two-party system has demonstrated that it won't give much attention to causes that people are willing to compromise on. Perhaps that will change if Republicans and Democrats begin to lose votes and donations (which is probably the real problem of campaign finance: not that there is so much money in politics, but that there are only two places for it go). Whatever their reaction, the incremental IOUs they have traded for votes are well and truly worthless. The lesson? Stop naively trying to chase the "winning" candidate to the ballot box. Your vote is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe you're stuck with the Republicans and Democrats, then you are. But if you believe you can do better, then you will.