Netroots Seen as Threat to Two-Party System

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Posted on Jun 5, 2006

Democratic strategist Joe Trippi writes that the rise of the Netroots-based organization Unite08 may be the harbinger of the end of the traditional two-party system in American politics.

The Guardian:

America’s two political parties may not realise it yet, but in their current form they are nearing obsolescence. As technological advancements continue to bring more and better tools for communication, citizens are increasingly empowered to come together in common purpose and reject the current political system that seems designed by the two parties to keep us apart.

There was a time when to have any hope of winning office a candidate needed to run within either the Republican or Democratic party. To come from one of the major parties meant that a candidate inherited a dedicated donor base and an organisational base as well.

The 2004 presidential campaign proved that those days are nearing an end - and it is the ability of hundreds of thousands using the internet to connect with each other that makes it so.

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TAGS: democrat guardian joe republican trippi two-party unite08

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By J. Vaccaro, March 4, 2007 at 12:35 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Dear Sir,
Who says we have a 2 party system in America. Seems to me we have 1 political party and 2 factions of that party. That one party plays mind games with the Americans and leaves everybody feeling likes fools.
Sincerely Yours, JV

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By Mace Price, June 6, 2006 at 10:18 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

How are you going ignore a guy like Trippi? especially after doing something as...what should I say? Machiavellian as taking off Howlin’ Howard’s muzzle and letting him put his ego in his mouth. But for that stunt Dean could’ve won the nomination.

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By Ah Clem, June 6, 2006 at 4:02 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Actually, nobody will be fighting over real estate in the Arctic.  There’s nothing under the polar ice cap but water.  And the US government already has the South Pole pretty well staked out.  In this, as so many other areas, the citizenry will be on its own…

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By harald hardrada, June 5, 2006 at 6:24 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

let’s trust that the two party system goes away—it’s landed us in the soup

1) when it comes to setting foreign policy, both parties sell us out, excepting mavericks like russ feingold

2) both parties steal our savings by mortgaging it many times over

3) leading politicians of both parties voted for war & now want us to attack iran but nobody in congress or in the executive has offspring serving in iraq

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By Robert, June 5, 2006 at 4:20 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

What’ll replace the two party system?  Direct, do it ourselves democracy, that’s what; by way of modern communication technology, details to be worked out.  In the knick of time, too, being that, unless we get on with changing the world, our children & our grandchildren, assuming they’re lucky enough to make to the end of this century, will be competing with one another for real estate in either the Arctic or Antarctica; since, on account of global warming, those will be the only habitable places on earth.

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By illegimati, June 5, 2006 at 3:49 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Larry Order’s comment apparently confuses the messenger with the message. What Trippi did or didn’t do in ‘04 (and I’m NO fan of political consultants) has no relevance to his points re the two parties v’v Unite08.

Pardon the cliche, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. On the need to bypass the two-party hegemony in U.S. politics, AND how the ‘Net and other technologies might do this, Trippi offers some intriguing points.

Ad hominem put-downs are precisely why most Americans are fed up with the 1-and-a-half party system. Let’s stick to the merits of the positions and arguments here at Truthdig. Otherwise, this site becomes as meaningful as the wacko chat boards on Yahoo, et al.

It’s ISSUES and ACTIONS that are relevant, not the individual. What they stand for, what they do, not who they are. George W. Bush may be a completely incompetent ass, e.g., but it’s the damage he’s done in office that is relevant, not his shortcomings.

All in my humble opinion, of course.

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By Larry Order, June 5, 2006 at 12:38 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Sorry, but Joe Trippi has ZERO credentials on this subject.  He failed to get Gephardt through Iowa in 2000, and then he failed to get Dean through in 04.  When I arrived in Iowa for Perfect Storm the airwaves were filled with Dean commercials, purchased by Joe Trippi and on which he got a commission, publicly beating the dead horse of the most recent Gep campaign.  Maybe he’s proud he set Gep back to...what was it...12%, but if he does he can also take credit for dropping Dean to third place.  Sure, Dean fouled up numerous times in the campaign, but let’s remember too that Trippi was the guy who convinced Dean he had to go out in front of the Iowa faithful to give his now infamous “pep talk.” Trippi is to be ignored.

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