Readers on Third Party or GOP?

Editor: Third party? No way! Don't jeopardize GW's election. After that we can pressure him to be more conservative. If he doesn't respond, then let's groom a true conservative to challenge Hillary. BUT, now's not the time. Heed Zel Miller's statement: "The three scariest words are John Kerry President". DON'T WEAKEN OUR RESOLVE IN IRAQ!!! You scare me with even with talk of a 3rd party, (unless it's Nader).

Respectfully, Neil F. Innes, LtCol USAF Retired

Editor: If the Republicans were still the party of Goldwater I would probably still be one. But it's not, so I'm not. I have become, in the words of Michael Tanner of Cato, a "bleeding heart" Libertarian, THE third party in the USA. I notice you carefully failed to mention our existence in your essay. I hope and anticipate that we will cause Bush to be butted back to TX
where he can do no more damage.

Bob Armstrong

Editor: Bush is doing well. Anyone is crazy to think there should be a third party. Read the polls!

Nancy

Editor: You have to ask yourself: "Self, is it easier to start a 'new political party', from scratch, or take back the GOP?" Personally, I don't think politics matter much anymore, as the judiciary in this country are now America's benevolent "philosophical aristocracy". As Plato's Republic put it: "The ruler may impose the laws and institutions which we have been describing, and the citizens may possibly be willing to obey them?" Perhaps as the Founding Father's came see in 1776, the time of talking politics may have already past, and it now time for a little of the "blood of tyrants"!

Regards, Neal J. Lang, Boca Raton, FL

Editor: It's not necessary to have another (third) party - two is enough. But I feel the conservatives might attract more of their own if they called themselves the COMMON SENSE party vs the party of the Liberals/Democrats.

Harriet Haspell

Editor: Forget that third party talk. That is 4+ stupid. Dick Ellis of Maryland

Editor: I think it's time to eliminate parties. Then we could evaluate a candidate by his personal ideas. Parties make the candidate beholden to them is he wins and ;you get the government the party dictates. Years ago parties weren't as strong and we voted for the best man NOT the best party.

Ronald Weber

Editor: We have a Conservative Party here in New York State that gives Conservative Republicans our line and challenging liberal Republicans in the Republican Party's primary. Perhaps Pennsylvania should consider doing the same for Rep. Toomey and other Conservative Republicans.

Jack Coughlin, Member, Suffolk County (NY) Conservative Committee

Editor: I would point out that there's already a viable "third" party that my wife and I joined back in the late 1970's. It's called the Libertarian Party. I've long urged other members to do exactly the same thing that Ron Paul did when he met the "REPUBLICRAT" challenge in a Presidential race and was defeated because his expressed views (every one of them, sound Constitutional views, by the way...) were thought too Draconian by mainstream conservatives. Ron Paul (who I bought a dinner for, in Manchester, NH), did what I've told other libertarian candidates to do - join the Republican Party and GET ELECTED! Then one is empowered to act as all libertarians would if they held a political office. I consider myself to be a conservative in terms of everything I do to support both state and the federal Constitution of these United States of America. Both my wife and I have long been very active in the Libertarian Party, to the extent that my wife is currently the Treasurer for the Libertarian Party of NH - already serving her second term in office. Back in the days when he ran for the Presidency, I strongly supported Barry Goldwater, and later strongly supported Ronald Reagan and the Sr. George Bush. I fought just as aggressively in opposition to Bill Clinton and I think that's when I lost faith in the voting public in the US. Eight interminably long years with Clinton in the Oval Office suggested to me that I might as well quit writing and talking, except with my libertarian "members of the choir. It's an almost futile exercise to try and talk to the mind-numbed kids; themselves the victims of a government-controlled "public education system." Much like Bill Clinton, they're hard pressed to understand what "is" is.

Jack (George) Keiper, Amherst, NH

Editor: Okay, as far as you take it, you are right. But --- there is not a dime's worth of difference between the major parties. Please check out www.americafoundingfathersparty.org to see what some of us are doing. No presidential candidates, no candidates at all (the two major parties laid down the rules of this game, remember?). It must be done; it can be done; it will be done.
Melanie K. Wooten, AFFPIA

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