The fact that we’ve never seen a winning third-party doesn’t mean that we should be close-minded to the idea. We don’t have to be chained to the past, or to the corpse of a rank political body. We can be at least open to something new. Keep a sharp lookout; you’ll know it when you see it.
I believe Teddy Roosevelt led the most sucessful third-party campaign back in 1912 as head of the Bull Moose Party (which was really the Progressive Party) when he got 27% of the popular vote and carried 6 states.
If a strong third party doesn’t arise, then we’ll be stuck with the dirty job of cleaning out the GOP stables, and we’re not likely to have a Hercules to help us. And as someone pointed out above, fighting the entrenched powers for the soul of the party can be a losing battle. I’m not sure it’s worth it. The Grand Old Party is Old but it isn’t looking all that Grand, is it?
