[EM] (Kevin Venzke) and Richard Fobes.

[Richard Fobes]

On 2/19/2012 7:44 PM, Kevin Venzke wrote:
 > ...
 > It isn't obvious that a three-way race will still fight over the 
center though.
 > I am interested to study this, but it seems very hard to study voter 
strategy
 > and nomination strategy at the same time.

I regard politics as multidimensional.

As a consequence, it is very hard to isolate specific dimensions and 
study them one at a time.

As I see it, the people currently in control of politics use media 
influence to convince voters that religious issues and other 
emotion-inspiring issues are related to the economic issues that the 
controllers (the biggest campaign contributors) really want.  This 
successfully convinces voters that politics is one-dimensional, as if a 
person's political orientation can be represented as a number from 1 to 
10, where 1 is ultra-liberal and 10 is ultra-conservative.

The use of religious and other non-economic issues also serves to 
distract the news media and voters from more significant economic 
issues.  But when money gets tight, as it is now, voters stop getting 
distracted and increasingly focus on economic issues (such as job growth 
and excessive executive pay for financial "workers").

Yes, in a multi-dimensional world it is very difficult to study one 
dimension at a time.

Richard Fobes



On 2/19/2012 7:44 PM, Kevin Venzke wrote:
> (I've figured out how to quote since my last comment on that. I have no idea
> why quoting a message is merely an option...)
>
> ----- Mail original ----- (Richard wrote)
>> Unfortunately none of the third parties in the U.S. are understanding this
>> opportunity.  The "leaders" at the top of those third parties are more
>> concerned about maintaining their control than representing frustrated voters.
>
> I don't think that any parties so at odds with the Democrats or Republicans
> that they can't run under those labels, are the parties we are looking for.
>
> I think that if, under whatever rules were in place, there were room for three
> contenders in an election, you would find not-too-unfamiliar-looking candidates
> taking the third spot and trying to beat the Ds and Rs. With this situation, it
> is at least possible that a general viewpoint (about as coherent as those of
> the Ds and Rs) would come together and allow a third "party" including a label
> for it.
>
> It isn't obvious that a three-way race will still fight over the center though.
> I am interested to study this, but it seems very hard to study voter strategy
> and nomination strategy at the same time.
>
> If party discipline were strengthened (though I can't imagine how that would
> happen) I expect it would force some current Ds and Rs to leave and form new
> minor parties. But I don't think this in itself would benefit voters much. I
> think it would mean for many that there is even less of a real choice.
>
> Kevin