Third Parties

INTRODUCTION

When the Presidential Election comes every four years, the people of the United States begin to think about either Democrat or Republican. In all actuality, there are other parties to be thought of. One must look at all aspects of what someone is standing for and dig deep into the background of the candidate and party and see if their whole platform is what someone would want in office.

This project is being done to open the eyes of the students in the classroom and so that they may open the eyes of more people when elections come around. The researcher received a majority of her information off of the internet and from a publication from the libarary. This paper is strictly limited to the parties that were either involved or tried to be involved in the 1996 and 2000 Presidential Elections.

SUMMARY

The researcher of this paper, has pulled all the parties existing or non existing anymore that either had a candidate or nominee or endorsed someone for the 1996 and 2000 Presidential Election.

The information that will be found is who and when was the party founded, are they still in existence, who did they endorse for each on of those elections and what do they stand for. This information is provided only if it was available.

THIRD PARITES

AMERICAN PARTY:

This party is a small, very conservative, Christian party formed after a break from the American Independent party in 1972. Their 1996 candidate for President was anti-gay activist and attorney Diane Templin. The 2000 candidate was former GOP California State Senator Don Rogers. They are pro-life, pro-gun, anti-tax; they also advocate an end to farm price supports/subsidies, privatization of the US Postal Service, oppose federal involvement in education, support abolition of the Environmental Protection agency, support repeal of NAFTA, opposes minimum wage laws, oppose land use zoning regulations and opposes convening a Constitutional Convention. They also oppose the United Nations, the New World Order, communism, socialism and the Trilateral Commission.

The American Party rarely field more than five or so nominees nationwide, and now has largely faded into obscurity.

AMERICAN HERITAGE PARTY:

This party was formerly known as the Washington State afflation of the USTP/Constitution Party, which they broke away from in 2000 due to religious grounds. They ran on local candidate in 2000, name unknown. They describe themselves them selves as "a political party that adopts the Bible as its political textbook and is unashamed to be explicitly Christian...(and) who principles are drawn from Scripture."

The American Heritage Party now seems more focused on teaching their views through a 60 hour study course.

AMRERICAN REFORM PARTY:

This party was known as the National Reform Party Committee, and broke away from Ross Perot's Reform Party in 1997. In 2000 this party shifted to the left and decided to endorse not co-nominate the Green Party nominee Ralph Nader. A small part of this party's platform is to restore trust and integrity in government. Pay down the national debt; develop long-term programs to protect Social Security. "To renew democracy, our mission is to stimulate citizen participation in the political process, break the two party monopoly and guarantee free elections."

The American Reform Party has become virtually invisible on the political scene and they will co-endorse other third party candidates.

CONSTITUTION PARTY:

Howard Phillips founded the US Taxpayers party in 1992 and it was renamed the Constitution Party in 1999. Phillips ran as the as the USTP nominee in 1996 and then as the Constitution Party nominee in 2000. They are strongly pro-life, anti gun control, anti-tax, anti-immigration, protectionist, ant New World Order, anti United Nations, anti gay rights, anti welfare, pro school prayer and are basically a hardcore Religious Right Platform.

GRASS ROOTS PARTY:

This party was originally launched as Minnesota based liberal party. The first Presidential nominee was Dennis Peron in 1996 and in 2000 it was Denny Lane. They stand for the legalization of marijuana; promotes hemp farming and the establishment of a national system of universal health care. They are very similar to the Greens with a much stronger emphasis on the marijuana and hemp legalization.

In 2002 they disbanded and merged into the Liberal Party of Minnesota.

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES (GREEN PARTY):

This party is the informal US affiliate of the left-wing, environmentalist European Greens movement. Their first Presidential nominee was in 1996 with Ralph Nader, who was again their nominee in 2000. With the amount of votes Nader took in 2000 in the states of Florida, New Hampshire; Gore would have won if Nader had not ran. "We submit a bold vision of our country's future, a Platform on which we stand: Our Ten Key Values as a guide to a politics of vision and action, A creative, pragmatic plan for a prospering, sustainable economy, and, A call to restore and protect a healthy, diverse environment and to cultivate a sense of community at all levels, from the local to the planetary.

LIBERTARIN PARTY:

The libertarian Party was founded in 1971 and feels that they are neither left nor right. Harry Browned was the presidential nominee in both 1996 and in 2000. They believe in total individual liberty, pro dug legalization, pro choice, pro gay marriage, pro home schooling, antigun control and total economic freedom, anti welfare, antigovernment regulation of business, anti minimum wage anti income tax and pro fee trade. They also believe in more freedom, less government and lower taxes.

You can take a libertarian test at the website www.self-gov.org/quiz.html to find out if you are a libertarian or where you fall on the political scale.

LIGHT PARTY:

The light party was founded by Da Vid, MD., Whoistic Physician, Human Ecologist and Artist. He was also the write in candidate for several years including 1996 and 2000. This San Francisco based party promotes holistic medicine, national health insurance, organic foods, solar energy, nuclear disarmament and a flat tax.

This party does not want to serious seek an election but advance an agenda.

NATURAL