Third Parties in Two Party America - Dole Institute

With polls showing voter frustration with "politics as usual," the Dole Institute of Politics hosted a day of programming devoted to the discussion of third party alternatives to the Democratic and Republican Parties.

In this first program a panel of academic experts examined the history and potential for third party success in coming elections.

Participating in the program was: Lisa Disch, professor of political science at the University of Minnesota and author of The Tyranny of the Two-Party System.

John H. Aldrich, the Pfizer-Pratt university professor of political science at Duke University and author of Why Parties?

J. David Gillespie, professor of political science at the College of Charleston and author of Politics at the Periphery.

Bob Beatty, professor of political science at Washburn University and expert on Kansas' own "three party" system.
Jonathan Earle, author of The Free Soil and Republican Parties in 19th Century America, and interim director of the Dole Institute will moderate the discussion.

The evening panel featured the first visit of former CBS News anchor Bill Kurtis, KU alumnus and host of numerous A&E crime shows, to the Institute since its dedication in 2003. This panel featured David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute; Unity '08 founders and political veterans Doug Bailey and Gerald Rafshoon; Richard Winger of the Coalition for Free and Open Elections; and Micah Sifry, author of Spoiling for a Fight: Third Party Politics in America.

To view full video and part one go here:
http://www.doleinstitute.org/video/index.html

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• 3rd
• Party
• Politics
• Dole
• Institute
• Lisa
• Disch
• John
• H.
• Aldrich
• J.
• David
• Gillespie
• Bob
• Beatty
• Jonathan
• Earle
• Bill
• Kurtis

[darkstar1994]

It's amazing to see the SWAT team and water tanks keeping out the third parties from Presidential debates. If you ever have an opportunity to be there, it will blow your mind. Third parties have been the only parties in a very long time to change this country for the better.

[AmericasThirdParty]

The two major parties really are two sides of the same coin. That is why we started America's Third Party. A Third Party CAN WIN, with as little as 34 % of the vote!

[playconn]

Yawn, immature attempts at flaming videos on YouTube haven't gotten old for you yet?

[AmericasThirdParty]

It's so true that the people in power don't speak about the people only making $12,000 per year. They don't even think that people can survive on that amount of money. We are starting America's Third Party because we want to represent the average Americans, the people struggling to make #12,000 per year.

[DCUPtoejuice]

BOaz, thanks for not endorsing the one libertarian that broke through in the Presidential race. How courageous of you to hid in your institute and fail to make a real difference in the election.