>SNIP>
>>I'm still pinning my hopes on a popular group of candidates to become entirely exasperated and splinter off from one of the existing parties to form a new one. Somehow, I don't see that coming from our state or local legislature. And even if it did, I doubt they would get enough press coverage or business/monetary support to have any real, lasting effect. Or worse, they would get press coverage... amounting to, "Look what these nutballs are trying to do"
>
>As an outsider looking in, the system is stacked against that eventuality. In fact I'd say it's designed to preclude it.
>You do have other parties already, but where are they in debates, in the press, in recognition in laws/rules/customs. Can people in the U.S. be registered Reform or registered Libertarian or a registered Communist?
>I'd say the "other" parties are basically tolerated so as to give the illusion that you have an open system where everyone has a chance at being elected when in fact they have no chance by virtue of the big two's ingrainedness.


In governor, state legislature, and federal legislature races it is not uncommon to see four or more candidates in the televised debates.