It has often been said that although most of the third parties in the US rarely get mainstream political support, they are able to influence policy because they bring previously overlooked issues to the forefront.
Anyone have any examples of this? The only examples I can think about right now is Perot bringing up the deficit, and I’m getting a vague idea of the Populist/Progressive/Socialist parties of the late 19th and early 20th century.
Thanks.
The Republicans started as a third party as there still was something resembling a Whig Party back in 1854. The Republicans, unlike the Whigs, had the advantage of actually standing for something.
The Progressive Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was very influential. Progressives got elected governor and senator. Theodore Roosevelt came in second place running as a Progressive in 1912.
We live with a lot of remnants of this defunct party, especially here in California, where Hiram Johnson effected many changes to the political landscape here during his term as governor.
Also some third parties have been decisive in other close presidential elections. The Greenback party kept Winfield Scott Hancock, a Democrat, out of the White House back in 1880 in a very close election. (An historian specializing in that era described that election as being “the least inconsquential presidential election in history.”)
Hey, the info on the third party politicians themselves was great, but I was more interested in what issues they brought to the limelight, i.e. Perot, deficit.
I remember because of the Populist influence on the Progressivism of the early 20th century, changes such as the graduated income tax and direct election of senators were implemented. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of that much more.
Something about free silver and William Jennings Bryan comes to mind…
Thanks.