A Valid Choice or A Wasted Voice?

With all of the recent buzz over New York’s Mayor Bloomberg possibly getting ready to make a third party run for pres. in 08’ I’ve been giving a lot of thought to just what I think of the idea of third party presidential candidates. My feelings are mixed on the subject. On one hand, I think that the third party candidates of the recent past have had some interesting ideas and have helped open the presidential campaigns up to some great discussions. Their ability to cut through some of the political b.s. and say what they really think is refreshing and I understand why it appeals to many Americans. The fact that so far none of these candidates has had any real chance of getting elected has, I believe acted as a double edged sword, in that they have felt free to truly speak their minds on the issues since they have nothing to fear (like losing). It makes me wonder however, just how a really viable third party candidate would behave. If they had real political backing and an honest chance to win, would they still say and do the things that make them appealing in the first place? I wonder about that, but overall I’d love to see a viable third party take hold in America, as I think the current political parties and system are stagnant and would benefit from a shakeup

That said, I must admit the mere mention of Ralph Nader, presidential candidate, still makes me wince and fight the urge to look around for my old baseball bat. These feelings come from the very practical realization that there currently is no “true” third party, and unfortunately while Nader may have added wonderful debates and ideas to the campaigns it came at a very steep price, mainly the handing of the presidency to neoconservatives. The other side of that fence would be a Ross Perot, who drew most of his support from the Republicans and helped elect Bill Clinton. Either way, the fact of the matter is, since there is no established third party, what third party candidates currently accomplish is helping to elect the candidate who is the least like them and their ideas. In other words they help to thwart the majority and elect a candidate who may very well not share the ideals or national agenda most Americans support. Is this a dangerous trend, it’s hard to say, but it is definitely a frustrating one and is the main reason that unless something changes and a third party becomes more viable, while I may enjoy their candor and their thoughts, I will not vote for a third party candidate.

What say the rest of you? Have you or would you vote for a third party candidate? Why or why not?