Could a mainstream DEM breakaway and become a true liberal independant?

[iconoclastNYC]

Say Al Gore has an epiphany and leaves the party and runs as a true-blue progressive and rails against the DLC pink tu-tu establishment types in the Democratic party.

Would the progressive wing of the Democratic support him long enuf to help him build a truely populist outsider run?

Could someone from the establishment really push the reform of the Democratic party by running as a third party candidate?

[Teaser]

1. No.

We need to worry about structural reforms before we begin even worrying about ideological reforms. Dean knows this. Everyone should know this.

[burythehatchet]

3. how are they mutually exclusive?

[iamjoy]

2. Sure Didn't Work With Nader

True, Nader was never really part of the establishment, but he had a large grassroots following.

He ran in 2000 largely contending that there was no difference between Bush and Gore.

Apparently, he still thinks there is no difference, because he ran again in 2004.

So I don't see how a true progressive third party candidate is going to do anything but destroy the Democratic Party.

[TheModernTerrorist]

4. or even the reverse...

could a thrid-party candidate pick up the Democratic nomination and THEN turn the party around, from the inside, or even help create a viable third party, through the mainstream channels of government? I would LOVE to see 3, 4, 10 parties, all equally funded and represented, all on the same ballot, all in the same debate, because I think it would add more viability to the election and to our govt. Reforming the electoral college would also be nice.

[onehandle]

5. No. nt

[Demit]

6. Interesting question. Other political parties in US history have died.

I'm not enough of a student of history to know how long it took, or what events brought it about. Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose (?) party didn't last. But the two current parties morphed out of different ones. I imagine there has to be a perfect alignment of events and charismatic leader, but what other elements are necessary? Huge gobs of money. Do corporations have too much of a stranglehold on politics now, for anything to happen without them?

[Radical Activist]

7. Someone from the establishment wouldn't do that.

By definition, if you are an establishment figure you won't do that sort of thing because you have too much to lose by virtue of your place in the establishment.

This would only be done by someone who isn't taken seriously by the establishment Democrats. The person will be ridiculed and not taken seriously, like the way Ralph Nader was treated.

[Dawgs]

8. No...

Get over it. Everyone has there own mini-agenda. We need to work together now. Not try to reform or change into a new party.