I think we need to shift the focus toward campaign finance reform. As long as money is running the show, a third party will just become another receptacle for Big Money. Look at the Tea Party—financed by the Koch Brothers so they can continue polluting the environment and not have to pay taxes. There is no way a Third Party, no matter how honorable it’s original intentions, can actually win elections without raising a billion dollars to compete toe-to-toe in the media marketplace. Until we get the corporate cash out of the game we’re going to be the Corporate States of America.
Rather than playing their game, let’s take advantage of the broad general public disgust with the current political scene and arouse the electorate to demand campaign finance reform. That’s a campaign we can win because sane people from both Dems and Repubs are horrified by what’s going on now.
Sadly , you’re probably right that a third party would be quickly corrupted. Democracy seemed like a good idea, but the issues are too complex and the public is too disinterested to vote responsibly.
At the same time however, I’ve wondered if we could simply vote for political parties as only straight tickets. Perhaps then the parties would police themselves a bit. In that case it would be good to have several parties. If the republicans win, every office gets cleaned out. If the democrats win, same thing.
Parties wouldn’t have to compromise so things could happen quickly. If things don’t turn right though, the entire government might be replaced in the next election. And the party could add or drop politicians as they see fit. Perhaps they could even bid on the price to run the government for 12 months at a time.