Roll out that third-party barrel

Third-party backers, boosters and touters, don't lose all hope. There's more of us out there than currently reflected at the ballot box — but, there's a problem or two with that, explained below.

(A) plurality (43%) of Likely U.S. Voters believes that neither Democrats nor Republicans in Congress are the party of the American people, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Nearly as many see a need for a new third party. ...

(And) 38% think Republicans and Democrats are so much alike that an entirely new party is needed to represent the American people. Fifty percent (50%) say a new third party is not needed. hirty-eight percent (38%) also think it is at least somewhat likely that a third party candidate will be elected president of the United States within the next 10 years, with 11% who say it is Very Likely. Fifty-eight percent (58%) say the election of a third party president is unlikely, but that includes just 13% who say it’s Not At All Likely.

That said, where are you people right now?

That's one reason I take this poll with a grain of salt. And, no, it can't be that if there's no third-party option available, many of these people are staying at home. Rasmussen said this is from a (self-identified, admittedly) sample of very likely voters. Do you vote selectively, you people? I'm curious.

Next question - if you think neither major party represents the people, do you think we need another major party further right, further left, or something entirely new.

Since more Republicans than Democrats in the poll (remember, though, it's GOP-leaning Rasmussen) agreed with the above sentiments, I'm guessing that more third-party yearners want to go further right. If pressed in detail, they'd probably want a more organized Tea Party, separate from the GOP. Given that nearly half of Republican voters feel this way, it's a good bet this is a kind of circular firing squad poll.

Further proof?

Of course, 72% of Republican voters continue to believe that GOP members of Congress have lost touch with the party base throughout the nation over the past several years. By contrast, 61% of Democratic voters think their representatives in Congress have done a good job of representing Democratic values over the past several years.

And, that's why establishmentarian Democrats of the Blue Dog variety are stupid as Forrest Gump to keep tacking right. It's a sucker's bid against a party that could partially implode if Democrats just had some individual and party discipline.

Sad note is that 61 percent of Democrats feel this way. Also, Rasmussen doesn't identify what these people said Democratic values were.