Libertarian Party Gets Victory in Suit

Looks like some good news for people who voted third party and independent of the mainstream candidates.

It looks like this court case could open up the possibility for third party's being let into the debates. I'm still digesting the information

but anything that helps third party candidates in an election seems good news seeing as how they are almost completely ignored by the media and shut out by the two mainstream party's.

The Libertarian Party, and fellow plaintiffs, won a victory in federal court this week in the case of Level the Playing Field v. FEC. (The full background of the case can be read from reporting here when it was first assigned its day in court and when the oral arguments occurred.) Gary Johnson Facebook Gary Johnson Facebook

Judge Chutkan spells out that the L.P. and its co-plaintiffs: clearly argued, and attempts to establish with significant evidence, that in presidential elections CPD's polling threshold is being used subjectively to exclude independent and third-party candidates, which has the effect of allowing corporations to channel money to the CPD's expenditures to the C campaigns they would be prohibited from giving the campaigns directly. It further argued and presented evidence that polling thresholds are particularly unreliable and susceptible to this type of subjective use at the presidential level, undermining the FEC's stated goal of using "objective criteria to avoid the real or apparent potential for a quid pro quo, and to ensure the integrity and fairness of the process." In its Notice, the FEC brushed these arguments aside....

REASON.COM

Well, given the current political climate, we could wind up with five or six different parties. Heh. I laugh, but seriously, the two major parties have some really glaring chinks in their proverbial "armor."
We see what's going on with the Democrat party. They're either too far left or not far enough left for their base, and it became obvious during the election that the Republican establishment no longer represents its base.

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

I'm kind of hoping for this I can't see how much longer the democrats can last unless they reevaluate their priorities and get new vision and leadership and until Trump gained the white house it almost seemed the republicans were about to fracture they still might for all I know.

a reply to: SolAquarius

Oh, I agree. It's all rather amusing to me. Watching the partisans scurry about and bicker is particularly humorous. Just desserts as far as I am concerned.

a reply to: SolAquarius

We desperately need more viable options than this two party scam. I hope this will open the door to more opportunities.

On my wish list is more political access by third parties I don't care if it's the Libertarians, greens or The pirate party diversity of choice is a good thing and after living through several administrations I am fed up with the Democrats and Republicans and their partisan B.S. running the show.

next up I would love term limits for representatives and possibly even the president I have heard a suggestion of giving presidents 1 term of six years that way there in to do the job in that time period and there is no focus on reelection since they have only one term.

I would like to see an end to gerrymandering and have districts drawn up by a neutral third party.

Lastly I would like Instant Runoff voting to possibly be considered since it seems to gives alternative parties a fair chance in elections and at least in principle seems more logical then first past the post voting system.
This video gives details on instant run off voting.


But hey all of this is a lot easier said then done.

a reply to: SolAquarius

President already has term limits. Representatives are where we desperately need it. You have dinosaurs like John McCain and others, who have been in office 30+ years. All the majority of them have done is make policy decisions they monetarily profit from.

Just don't ask any questions about aleppo

I have lost all faith in the American public as far as presidential races.

Look at what was voted for. The two worst candidates in US history and they still voted two party. Not even enough protest votes to reach 5%. America is screwed, idiocracy is here to stay.

a reply to: cleverhans

You people, rightists and leftists,act like there's only two or three issues that are important. In the meantime, you're dragging the whole country down around your pointy little heads. Let's talk about the ridiculousness of the comments Queen Hillary and Sir Trump issued forth shall we? Yeah, that's what I thought. "Sacrilege," right?

originally posted by: SpeakerofTruth
a reply to: SolAquarius

President already has term limits. Representatives are where we desperately need it. You have dinosaurs like John McCain and others, who have been in office 30+ years. All the majority of them have done is make policy decisions they monetarily profit from.

Agreed focus on reps first but there is something to be said about ONE six year term for president. Then they don't waste part of their 1st term politicking for reelection they have one term to do the job they were elected to do and not waste time worrying about getting re elected. Six years seems like a fair amount of time to be president and get things done.

a reply to: Grimpachi

I tend to agree. Unless Trump really turns everything 360 and towards a Centrist perspective, I don't see it getting better.

originally posted by: SolAquarius

originally posted by: SpeakerofTruth
a reply to: SolAquarius

President already has term limits. Representatives are where we desperately need it. You have dinosaurs like John McCain and others, who have been in office 30+ years. All the majority of them have done is make policy decisions they monetarily profit from.

Agreed focus on reps first but there is something to be said about ONE six year term for president. Then they don't waste part of their 1st term politicking for reelection they have one term to do the job they were elected to do and not waste time worrying about getting re elected. Six years seems like a fair amount of time to be president and get things done.

It would be the same equivalent. They'd do DECENT their first three years and act like complete asses their last 3. Look at any two term president. They do OK their first four years, get re-elected, and their second term is invariably #.
As a matter of fact, it may be worse if you give them a flat six year term. What incentive would they have to even be decent through three years of it? It's already solidified they have a six year free ride? See where I am coming from?

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

I'm puzzled when I hear some people claiming Trump is a Libertarian.
I'm not sure what Trump is because he seems all over the place half of the time.
But nominating Jeff Sessions and then letting him make statements that seem to indicate
he is going to crackdown on states that have Legalized Cannabis seems far from Libertarian to me.

originally posted by: Grimpachi
I have lost all faith in the American public as far as presidential races.

Look at what was voted for. The two worst candidates in US history and they still voted two party. Not even enough protest votes to reach 5%. America is screwed, idiocracy is here to stay.

How many votes for Trump, the guy who had no possible path to 270, were votes in protest to the system at large?

I know I voted for Trump rather than third party because he was counted out by the "system" and I wanted to help disrupt that system.

Had the news media been more truthful in their election coverage, and told the American people how close the election really was, maybe more people would have been inclined to vote third party.

originally posted by: SolAquarius
a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

I'm puzzled when I hear some people claiming Trump is a Libertarian.
I'm not sure what Trump is because he seems all over the place half of the time.
But nominating Jeff Sessions and then letting him make statements that seem to indicate
he is going to crackdown on states that have Legalized Cannabis seems far from Libertarian to me.

There's people who claim Paul Ryan is "Libertarian." Lol. Most Americans don't even know what a Libertarian is. Lol.

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

Yeah I'm not saying it's a completely good idea and it's not my own by any means but when I first heard it suggested I was interested in the case for it but you might be right that they would just piss around for three years.

a reply to: SolAquarius

Maybe the entire six. There's no accountability for the elitist bastards now... To me, giving them a flat six year term would just solidify the unaccountability more.

originally posted by: SpeakerofTruth
There's people who claim Paul Ryan is "Libertarian." Lol. Most Americans don't even know what a Libertarian is. Lol.

You know to be entirely honest I'm not even sure what it means and I only call myself a Libertarian sparingly. I do so because I know there is much debate of what it means to be libertarian.

I mean I hate to boil it down to fiscally conservative and socially liberal but that's pretty much were I am at.
Run government efficiently, respect the bill of rights keep out of my business with snooping. Keep social justice crap out of my life and keep religious social conservative crap out of my life.

a reply to: SolAquarius

That's a pretty good summation of a Libertarian. Where they kind of lose me is the wide open borders thing. I just don't think it's prudent.
I tend to consider myself an "extreme " centrist. I truly think that ninety percent of the problems of this country could be solved with a mix of conservative and liberal ideology. Problem is, you can't get leftists and rightists to compromise. Both sides want EVERYTHING to be 100% their way.
The immigration problem would be a great place to start. Legalize the 14+ million people here and make them adherent to our laws and taxes. Then build a wall, put troops on our borders or whatever is necessary to reduce further incursion. You're not going to rationally round up 14+ million people. It won't work. Alternately, you can't justify a blanket amnesty AND leave our borders porous. That's not going to work either