January 20, 2010 08:24 PM UTC

The Independence Party

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• by: Vincent Lynn

Progressives are upset with Democrats, Conservatives are upset with Republicans, Independents are upset with both sides and no one likes Josh McDaniels.  These are the truths of the political scene in early 2010.  

Mainstream skepticism of politics is not a new phenomenon by any means, but the skepticism is usually reserved for one party or the other.  Right now, no party is getting it right if approval ratings are any indicator http://www.gallup.com/poll/123…  

The Tea Party movement has tapped into the growing number of Conservatives who are upset with Republicans, but who would also never vote for a Democrat.  However, this has largely been an effort to make Republican candidates more conservative rather than running as a completely different party.  

The liberals have yet to find an outlet for their disappointment in Democratic leadership.  Here in Colorado you could say that Andrew Romanoff’s primary challenge to Michael Bennett in the senate is the liberal counter to the Tea Party.  From early polling, it is obvious that this movement does not have nearly the organization or sense of urgency that the Tea Party has been able to muster.

Last, the middle of the road independents have no place to turn to vent their anger.  Although conservatives are upset with Republicans, the Republicans are by no means middle of the road.  The same can be said for the Democrats in office.

So what is the point of airing all of these mostly self-evident truths?  The environment is right for legitimate third and fourth parties to emerge.  

It is hard to run against the Democratic and Republican machines, but recent polls have the Tea Party’s popularity higher than the Republican Party.  If the goal was to have a seperate party, the Tea Party could realistically split the Republican Party in half.  This would of course result in losing elections versus a united Democratic front, but the Democratic front is anything but united.

The country would be better off if the Tea Party came to resemble a true political party, rather than a GOP PAC.  This would provide the opportunity for both a liberal and a middle of the road political party to emerge without the risk of sacrificing the better for the perfect.  

Everyone likes an underdog and no one likes Democrats or Republicans…seems to be a golden opportunity waiting for someone to pick it up.  Naming rights are still available for both new parties, but please, no sexual innuendos this time.