recursion

Aaron Swartz proposes a Common Sense Party (which, incidentally, sounds a lot like the Democratic Party). He thinks it'd be a real winner. Ignoring the fact that third parties are a dead end in the American political system, here's what the right wing would do to his party.

We're for severely cutting, if not eliminating, taxes on you, the average American. (We'll pay for this by raising taxes on the rich and cutting wasteful government programs like the military, but we don't have to tell you this.)

Class warfare! (Actually, this is quite close to the conservative position, with a little fudging about who gets the cuts.)

We're for giving you increased benefits. You're an American! You should get free health care, free education, free food, free room and board -- whatever you need. This will save you money.

Socialism! Communism!

We're for a strong economy. We're going to lower the deficit and stop going to war with weird countries so that you get a good job and make more money.

Weak on defense! Unpatriotic! War on Terror!

We're for strong environmental regulations, so that you have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. We're for strong corporate regulations, so that you don't get your money stolen from swindlers like Enron again. We're for safety regulations so you don't die in a car crash or from some poisonous product.

Big Government regulations interfering with ordinary Americans' right to do what they want with their property! Anti-business! Free market!

We're for personal freedom. Does it make sense to spend your money on preventing people from having an abortion? To go after pornographers and copyright infringers? To pay food and board for thousands of drug addicts? Rehab is much cheaper! Imprisonment is a waste of your money!

Immorality! Anti-family agenda! God! Christian nation!

We're for common-sense security. Does it make sense to attack Iraq and then spend $87 billion of your money rebuilding it? Does it make sense to slow you down at the airport when the terrorists had valid IDs and box cutters? Does it make sense to go on a war against terror when you're far more likely to be killed in a car accident than in a terrorist attack?

Weak on defense! Unpatriotic!

I recommend reading Moral Politics by George Lakoff for more insight on the conservative and liberal psyche. Here's a short synopsis.

The Common Sense Party wouldn't be able to win over the hard core conservatives, because it violates their strict family morality (it's not tough on crime, abortion, censorship, and personal responsibility). With their huge money advantage, the GOP would paint the CSP as dope-smoking hippies intent on destroying everything good about America.

Sort of like what they do to the Democrats.

If you support a third party, I encourage you to join the Democratic Party (motto: "We're not really that bad!") and advocate for instant runoff voting. Only when we get election reform will third parties matter in America.