Centrist Third Party?
I thought I’d blogged on this before, but I can’t find it. Eleanor Swift of Newsweek is writing about Unity 2008, a group that’s trying to create a third party movement and get on the ballot in all 50 states. The idea is to nominate a presidential candidate of one party and a vice-presidential candidate of the other. I would presume both would have to be moderates and would obviously not be intense party loyalists.
I do see quite a bit of moderation in the leading candidates this year, however, and it will be interesting to see what kind of impact that has on this idea. I would still favor a third party, if it can work up steam, because I believe the two party system has become far too ingrained in our political process. I would like to see a process that was more party-neutral.
Check out Unity 2008 for more information.
I seriously doubt that it could hope to be successful, except in a time of extreme national emergency (e.g. post nuclear war) and a divided electorate. Centrism is basically a call for maintaining the status quo, and that really doesn’t motivate voters.