We Already Have A Third (And Fourth) Political Party

Every so often, the Gallup Poll does a survey in which they ask the public whether a third political party is needed. They have just released the latest poll on this matter. And just like in the preceding two years, a significant majority (about 60%) say a third party is needed in this country.

It would be an understatement to say this result frustrates me. Why? Because we already have four political parties that are on enough state ballots to theoretically have a chance to elect a president (acquire 270 electoral votes). And those four parties span the political spectrum -- Green Party (left), Democratic Party (center-left), Republican Party (right), and Libertarian Party (far-right).

Maybe those responding to this survey have been living in a cave somewhere. I have to ask -- what more could you want? If you really believe more than Republicans or Democrats should get votes, then vote for the Green Party (if your preference is for a leftist) or the Libertarian Party (if your preference is for someone on the far right). Those parties are on your ballot, and if you truly believe a "third party" is needed, then all you have to do is vote for one of them.

I understand why this belief persists. It is because the media, beholden to the two biggest parties, refuse to cover the Greens and Libertarians. The Democrats are afraid they will lose votes if the Greens become popular, and the Republicans are afraid they will lose votes if the Libertarians become popular -- and they are both probably right.

But that is not a sufficient reason for the media to refuse to cover the Greens and Libertarians. In doing so, they are failing the American people -- and failing to fulfill their obligation, which is to fairly cover the political process. We don't need the media to be the "gatekeeper" of electoral politics. We need them to fairly report on ALL of the choices available to American voters.

And while I'm on this subject, the presidential debates should include the candidates of all political parties that theoretically have a chance to get 270 electoral votes. That means it should include candidates of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Green Party, and the Libertarian Party. Anything less is simply not fair to the American people.