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How do I start a single or multi-issue political party?

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Jet102fm
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09 Jun 2011, 3:22 pm

I am one of those who is sick of our two-party dominance. One has to wonder if that will ever change soon. Anyway, how do I start a political party that's independent of both main sides of the spectrum?



Tequila
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09 Jun 2011, 3:28 pm

Which country are you from? In the UK, we basically have a two-party system (with a sort of smaller third party) but the established parties have policies that are all very similar to each other. So some of those people dissatisfied with the main party policy might vote for a smaller one - Greens if you're left-wing, Respect if you're far-left, BNP if you're dissatisfied with the government's policy on immigration and you're a Labour voter, UKIP if you're a Tory - and therefore generally centre-right or right-wing - voter that dislikes the Conservative position on the EU, are a Daily Mail type or want to have a genuinely liberal society (although more people are voting UKIP at every election, particularly the younger generation).

Don't get into politics if you have Asperger's though. It's a disaster waiting to happen.



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09 Jun 2011, 3:29 pm

Jet102fm wrote:
I am one of those who is sick of our two-party dominance. One has to wonder if that will ever change soon. Anyway, how do I start a political party that's independent of both main sides of the spectrum?


the republicans are fixing on imploding there should be some fun splinters.


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Jet102fm
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09 Jun 2011, 3:35 pm

Tequila wrote:
Don't get into politics if you have Asperger's though. It's a disaster waiting to happen.


I have some trouble believing so. It should depend on substance. Then again, politics has became a big joke lately.



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09 Jun 2011, 3:38 pm

Jet102fm wrote:
I have some trouble believing so. It should depend on substance. Then again, politics has became a big joke lately.


Mainstream politics is far more about dominance, tribalism, personalities and thinly-veiled attacks than policy.



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09 Jun 2011, 6:02 pm

Jet102fm wrote:
Tequila wrote:
Don't get into politics if you have Asperger's though. It's a disaster waiting to happen.


I have some trouble believing so. It should depend on substance. Then again, politics has became a big joke lately.


Politics was always and forever bogus even before the Romans and the Greeks.

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09 Jun 2011, 6:10 pm

Have you ever heard the phrase "don't reinvent the wheel"?

There are a bunch of alternative parties that already exist. Other people have done the leg work to get them off the ground, raising and spending money, attracting constituents, advocating positions, and so forth.

It's a huge undertaking, and will likely require a lot of time and effort on your part just to get something started. You will be much more effective at promoting a platform you can get behind if you find a party that you can align yourself with. Leverage the work that has already been done.

You will probably be able to find one where you can even help shape the party. Most alternative parties are small, and a highly motivated, active participant will make a meaningful difference.


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09 Jun 2011, 6:12 pm

Unless you're a conservative... Then by all means, please waste your time creating your own party from the ground up. I'd rather see you waste your time than do something effective. :D


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NeantHumain
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09 Jun 2011, 6:53 pm

JakobVirgil wrote:
Jet102fm wrote:
I am one of those who is sick of our two-party dominance. One has to wonder if that will ever change soon. Anyway, how do I start a political party that's independent of both main sides of the spectrum?


the republicans are fixing on imploding there should be some fun splinters.

The intra-partisan squabbles of the Tea Party and a weak showing of presidential campaigns so far does not mean the GOP is on the verge of collapse. The Tea Party was simply a rebranding of the hard-right conservative base of the Republican Party since the GOP brand was so tarnished by the end of the 2008 elections. Now that the brand has been credibly restored (enough), the Tea Party has served its purpose and will slowly fade into the background.



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09 Jun 2011, 8:02 pm

Tequila wrote:
Jet102fm wrote:
I have some trouble believing so. It should depend on substance. Then again, politics has became a big joke lately.


Mainstream politics is far more about dominance, tribalism, personalities and thinly-veiled attacks than policy.

For once I agree with you, Tequila. These days to win an election (at least in Canada) all you have to do is broadcast brutal attack adds against all of your competitors. They tend to have ridiculous slogans like: "Ignattief: he didn't come back for you" and "Stephane Dion--not a leader."



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09 Jun 2011, 8:06 pm

dionysian wrote:
Have you ever heard the phrase "don't reinvent the wheel"?

There are a bunch of alternative parties that already exist. Other people have done the leg work to get them off the ground, raising and spending money, attracting constituents, advocating positions, and so forth.

It's a huge undertaking, and will likely require a lot of time and effort on your part just to get something started. You will be much more effective at promoting a platform you can get behind if you find a party that you can align yourself with. Leverage the work that has already been done.

You will probably be able to find one where you can even help shape the party. Most alternative parties are small, and a highly motivated, active participant will make a meaningful difference.

That's true. There's Socialist USA, The American Green Party, The American Socialist Party, The American Communist Party (I'm not sure whether they are stupid or simply deluded enough to keep at it), plus hundreds of others that I've never heard of. There's bound to be one that matches your ideology (more or less). But politics is messy business. Mind you, I want to get involved with the Canadian Green Party.



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09 Jun 2011, 10:49 pm

NeantHumain wrote:
JakobVirgil wrote:
Jet102fm wrote:
I am one of those who is sick of our two-party dominance. One has to wonder if that will ever change soon. Anyway, how do I start a political party that's independent of both main sides of the spectrum?


the republicans are fixing on imploding there should be some fun splinters.

The intra-partisan squabbles of the Tea Party and a weak showing of presidential campaigns so far does not mean the GOP is on the verge of collapse. The Tea Party was simply a rebranding of the hard-right conservative base of the Republican Party since the GOP brand was so tarnished by the end of the 2008 elections. Now that the brand has been credibly restored (enough), the Tea Party has served its purpose and will slowly fade into the background.


The divisions in the republican party are due to a lack of a clear leader. Republicans have a pretty good idea of what they want but nobody to help them get it. The only reason the democrats are in any better position is simply because they have the incumbent.


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10 Jun 2011, 5:14 pm

The French are forever starting new political parties.



Tequila
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10 Jun 2011, 5:28 pm

pandabear wrote:
The French are forever starting new political parties.


Usually with the same personalities, or different?

Also, in some countries there are a lot of minor parties but no-one to really rally around.

In the UK, this is the list of 'minor' (i.e. not elected to anything) parties here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_the_United_Kingdom#Minor_parties_in_the_United_Kingdom).

Mixture of far-left socialist groupings, the odd classical liberal/libertarian outfit, ethnic nationalist parties, regionalists, nationalists/republicans, the odd Unionist organisation, parties comprised of independents, Christian parties and the politically disenfranchised.



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10 Jun 2011, 5:53 pm

Jet102fm wrote:
I am one of those who is sick of our two-party dominance. One has to wonder if that will ever change soon. Anyway, how do I start a political party that's independent of both main sides of the spectrum?


I'd suggest writing a book. It will have to be a bestseller.


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