For Americans Elect third party bid to be reality, time is of the essence

Wesley, I think you know my answer to your question since I've answered it quite definitively in past posts! Yes, yes, yes: Young people crave a third party.

I just wrote an article on the subject that will appear in this Sunday's Perspective section of the Tampa Bay Times, to which I regularly contribute.

Most young people continue to vote Paul not because they agree with his specific Libertarian ideology or his social positions (many of which are out of sync with mainstream millennial thought), but because he represents a path to a third party. His focus on economics here at home, a wish to avert American attention from foreign debt and political entanglements, also resonate....since the belief among most Americans is that Democrats and Republicans care about those matters than YOU, THE CITIZEN.

It is more complicated than this, of course, and I will link to my piece here over the weekend.

Americans Elect needs to wage a formidable national media campaign. Right now, cable spots promoting their agenda are woefully inadequate. They need full-page newspaper ads nationwide, celebrity spokespeople and endorsements from bipartisan-spirited pols.



Most importantly, they need to signal that the virtually nominated ticket will not be two marginal candidates but legitimate statesmen and that they will be represented on the ballots of all fifty states. Don't get me wrong: As this Sunshine State news article reports, serious political figures have undertaken this effort.

Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman is affiliated with the group. David Walker, who served under three presidents and was chief auditor and in charge of the U.S. Government Accountability Office, is also affiliated with Americans Elect and is receiving some buzz as a possible candidate for their nomination. 

But Presidents Elect will not nominate its ticket until June, and in the money and momentum war, that may be too late to overcome the Democratic and Republican cash advantage. However, if Romney fails to bring imminent order to GOP mayhem, the group may be have a rare opportunity to infiltrate itself into the nation's political marketplace of ideas...and cold cash.

Besides the continued discontent with toxic partisanship and the desire for a third way, both of which are a given, there are five conditions under which Americans Elect could gain enough traction to be a factor this cycle:

- Their PR gains nationwide buzz, and soon
- Romney remains unable to seal the deal for GOP nod (at least for another month)
- Americans Elect ticket gets on all fifty state ballots
- They nominate a credible ticket
- The candidates chosen opt to participate

John Hudson of the Atlantic contends Olympia Snowe's departure from the Senate could possibly propel her to the post-partisan limelight, noting contenders with real governing-chops: Jon Huntsman, Michael Bloomberg, Evan Bayh, and Buddy Roemer. Those, especially the first three, are serious and smart contenders.



(Colbert and Stewart are smart but would likely be margin in their exclusive millennial appeal. But if Ronald Reagan can pull it off, this suaver entertainment duo could probably, too.)

Given the two-party entrenchment, it's unrealistic that anyone of these candidates, even Bloomberg with his personal net-worth, will launch a third party. It's just that impractical in their eyes. 

Beyond drafting two third party candidates, what Americans Elect is trying to do is establish the infrastructure to support such a quest, one a Bloomberg or Huntsman may dream of. Young people especially acknowledge Americans Elect as a noble pursuit...even if it is propped up by hedge fund money, as anti-Wall Street critics lament.

But I don't get their cynicism. This 1% band is supporting a virtual primary because they want to awaken direct as democracy in America. And, yes, some wealthy Americans, too, want real change (beyond D-to-R-and-back) in the nation's increasingly self-destructive politics.

Wesley, it is still unlikely, to the chagrin of young voters and most Americans, that this will be the "year of the third party."

But Americans Elect is working to protect the American political system, so candidates free of major party control, like Ross Perot, will one again come into view for voters...on the debate stage and in the ballot box. How hard are they working?

We'll know if the days to come.

Now, Wesley, what is the kerfuffle over this Washington caucus...is it as decisive for the Paul and Santorum camps as most pundits are contending?