Why do third parties do so poorly in US elections?

[wasteofo2]

let's see

From the "In retrospect" threads, it's obvious that the politicians who most people are voting for aren't the people that they'd really prefer to be voting for, but just the lesser of 2 evils as they see it. It makes me wonder why 3rd parties do so horribly. Obviously, not everyone wants Nader, but it just seems that there should be more than 2 parties to represent everyone in the USA, especially when so many of them are so dissatisfied with who they'll end up voting for.

Does it really just boil down to the Democrats and Republicans have the money, and therefore have a duopoly on political parties? I mean, most people don't vote for third party candidates because they feel no one else will/does and their vote won't matter, but since it seems most people don't like the Democratic or Republican candidate too much, it's really shocking there hasn't been a public uprising of voting against Dems and Reps.

Bassically, I'm just looking for comment on why 3rd parties generally fair so poorly when most people don't really like who they're going to vote for. Also, what would you look for in an ideal President?

 

[ray b]

jesse ventura a true independent

 

[russ_watters]

From the other thread, Powell, McCain, Rice, in that order. And with better controls on the power of the parties, McCain would be president today.

 

[The_Professional]

If Giuliani would run as an independent against Hillary, he may change my mind and vote for him. I simply think he's a great leader.

 

[wasteofo2]

Against Hillary for Senator, or President in 2008 or 2012 (depending on circumstances).

After seeing his speech at the RNC, I don't think anyone would consider him a very "Independent" politician. Too bad, he stayed out of partisan name-calling until around late summer 2004...

 

[megashawn]

I still wish Hulk Hogan would have followed through with his plan to run for president.

 

[member 5645]

I still wish Hulk Hogan would have followed through with his plan to run for president.

I'd vote for him just becasue he had his own cartoon:
http://www.vegalleries.com/misccels/37hulkhogan01.jpg

 

[Moonbear]

I really would have preferred McCain if he was running.

As for the lesser of two evils thing...yeah...but the only independent running is that wacko Nader. He didn't even get on the ballots in OH...apparently not all of his signatures were legitimate, so he didn't make the minimum necessary. When I hear things like that, I wonder if there is actual fraud involved on the part of the candidate and their signature collectors, or if it's a problem with nitwits on the street signing fake names just to be funny.