I posted a response to this Observer article. It's worth mentioning here to.
This is one of the reasons the LP has so much trouble in NY. Next year we'll be faced with the prospect of producing a candidate for governor who represents either a compromise of party values in order to get the magic number to qualify as a 'party' (50K - even then it's a crap shoot . . . most voters invest in their heart strings and pocket books before long term strategic electoral value) or we'll run one of our faithful, who will be buried in obscurity, no money or name recognition.
The ballot qualified parties (WFP, Conservative & Independence) will gladly squander their opportunity to produce an independent candidate who speaks to their party's 'ideas/interests'. This in order to gain a little influence for some of the key party members, usually in the form of some patronage for delivering the votes.
The one glimmer of hope is that two Senate seats will be available, this might provide an interesting case for the Greens and Libertarians to cross endorse with each other. Not only would that allow for an opportunity to challenge some of the fusion assumptions (ie small fuses with big), but it would also allow each party to maintain their identity in each candidate without compromise core issues (ie Greens - Universal health care, Libertarians - not Universal health care, etc).
Sincerely,
Eric Sundwall
Chair, LPNY
I would not sign a petition with a Green watermelon candidate (Green on the outside, Pink or Red on the inside).
They are not our friends, not our colleagues. They are a menace to the world.
They share a similar third party circumstance and run their own candidates. They hold no power and frequently cite a willingness to support spending cuts whereas the Repubs and Dems never do. I am friends with many Greens and have made decent headway with the alliance.
Of course there are many amongst the Greens who feel that Libertarians are selfish uncompromising brutes who can't functoin beyond their own insular ways, you're certainly contributing to that sterotype with such comments.