Is there anything I am missing here, or - putting it mildly - thinking strategically is not the strongest point of American politics, especially its left wing? wojtek
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There seem to have been two scenarios in U.S. history. Third parties stake out a position outside the mainstream and if it proves to be popular and well-promoted, it gets adopted by the mainstream, albeit in less than pristine form. Thus much of the platforms of the Peoples' Party and the 1930's socialists found its way into the Democratic party and eventually into law.
Alternatively, they begin with dissenting views but set out to have an ambiguous relationship with a larger party, in hopes of siphoning off support. In the process, their ideas become ignored since their threat effect is minimal. This strategy seems never to have worked, though I'd be happy to be contradicted.
Problem is strategy #1 encounters the cost of reducing support for the lesser of evils. Usually there is a lesser, and its silly to pretend there isn't. For instance, right now GW Bush proposes to put half a trillion down the toilet, in the form of tax cuts to the top decile of the population.
On the other hand, there is never a good time to do strategy #1, so to invoke the lesser argument is tantamount to perpetual reconciliation with the status quo.
mbs