McCain: A Third Party Will Rise if We Don't Listen to America

[futurebeachbum]

I'm not a McCain supporter, but I think (hope?) he's right in this interview McCain: A Third Party Will Rise if We Don't Listen to America

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., says he will support President Obama's tax cut compromise, even though he's not happy about all the pork and earmarks being loaded into it. In fact, McCain predicts that if Congress keeps it up, Americans will be so upset by the fiscal irresponsibility, they will elect third party.

"Unless we satisfy the message of this last election, you will see the rise of a third party," McCain told Fox News on Saturday.

He went on to say most Americans think Congress has not responded to the message voters sent this election.

(Added emphasis was mine)

 

[Arkiehawg]

Did he even consider that America HAS spoken and they WANT a third party?

Perhaps the time is right to shake up the radical leadership of BOTH parties and bring in a third party.

 

[30A Skunkape]

People say this same thing every few years. The problem is that no third party will be able to raise the cash needed to beat established Republicans and Democrats. There are plenty of well-heeled interests perfectly happy with the way things are going right now.

And then, IF a third party candidate got elected, she would face the uphill task of sticking around Washington long enough to gain any sort of clout to push through an agenda.

Like it or not, the best bet is to work within the framework of the two party system. If enough people were truly frustrated they could 'take over' their local party and initiate grass roots change. The tea party people did this to some degree. Time will tell what their long term impact will be.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Looks like the Republicans still have lots of work to do. This from http://www.dccc.org/

"Meet Your New (Old) GOP

They're not even sworn in yet and the incoming House Republican Freshmen class is already looking a lot like the same old GOP that voters fired in 2006. Here is a quick recap of the incoming Republican House Committee Chairman:

* Representative Hal "Prince of Pork" Rogers to chair the House Appropriations Committee, who pushed through 135 earmarks at a cost of $246 million in the past two years alone.
* Representative Dave Camp, someone best known for protecting tax loopholes that reward big corporations for shipping American jobs overseas, to Chair the Ways and Means Committee.
* Representative Spencer Bachus, chief Republican negotiator of the tea-party hated TARP bailout to lead the House Financial Services Committee.

Check out TV clips from MSNBC Countdown, CNN AC360, and ABC News on the Republicans' hypocrisy." (from http://www.dccc.org/)

The Dems lost their conservative leaning members in the last election; will be interesting to see what happens...not enough change, I predict.

 

[DuneAHH]

People say this same thing every few years. The problem is that no third party will be able to raise the cash needed to beat established Republicans and Democrats. There are plenty of well-heeled interests perfectly happy with the way things are going right now.

And then, IF a third party candidate got elected, she would face the uphill task of sticking around Washington long enough to gain any sort of clout to push through an agenda.

Like it or not, the best bet is to work within the framework of the two party system. If enough people were truly frustrated they could 'take over' their local party and initiate grass roots change. The tea party people did this to some degree. Time will tell what their long term impact will be.

Perhaps so IF we actually still had a two party system.

Seems like what we really have is a two-headed
single party (one that's deeply invested in distracting us from that fact by promoting partisan arguing amongst the populace).

 

[30A Skunkape]

Perhaps so IF we actually still had a two party system.

Seems like what we really have is a two-headed
single party (one that's deeply invested in distracting us from that fact by promoting partisan arguing amongst the populace).

This is an easy stand to adopt, but it really isn't true (for the most part). If you don't believe it, watch how specific issues unfold. Locally, I suggest you watch what becomes of efforts to initiate near shore drilling in Florida, think where defeated democrats stood on the issue compared to elected republicans and what legislation passes. Federally, you can look at the last ten supreme court appointments, who appointed them, and some important decisions they were involved in.

Partisan arguing regarding the direction of the country is healthy, by the way. Notable partisans include Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. Milquetoasts rarely make history and less frequently make effective leaders!

 

[DuneAHH]

This is an easy stand to adopt, but it really isn't true (for the most part). If you don't believe it, watch how specific issues unfold. Locally, I suggest you watch what becomes of efforts to initiate near shore drilling in Florida, think where defeated democrats stood on the issue compared to elected republicans and what legislation passes. Federally, you can look at the last ten supreme court appointments, who appointed them, and some important decisions they were involved in.

Partisan arguing regarding the direction of the country is healthy, by the way. Notable partisans include Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. Milquetoasts rarely make history and less frequently make effective leaders!

It did not feel like an easy stand to adopt. It feels sold out and sadly hopeless. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding the nuance of your comment.

I agree that directional debate is healthy.

 

[DuneAHH]

This is an easy stand to adopt, but it really isn't true (for the most part). If you don't believe it, watch how specific issues unfold. Locally, I suggest you watch what becomes of efforts to initiate near shore drilling in Florida, think where defeated democrats stood on the issue compared to elected republicans and what legislation passes. Federally, you can look at the last ten supreme court appointments, who appointed them, and some important decisions they were involved in.

Partisan arguing regarding the direction of the country is healthy, by the way. Notable partisans include Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. Milquetoasts rarely make history and less frequently make effective leaders!

I'll definitely dig into those Supreme Court appointments and decisions as you suggested.

 

[PearlSB4U]

John McCain should start up the Bitter Old Man Party--the only problem is that it would take votes away from the GOP.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I think what Dunnaaah is suggesting by the one party comment is that both parties are spending money out of the wa-zooh and have no control when it comes to having self control over our government. Skunkape is correct that where the parties differ is in where and how they spend the money, but again, both spend it like mad men like there is no bottom in the wallet, growing government daily.