From Wikinews:

Three men are currently seeking the presidential nomination of the Reform Party of the United States of America: small business owner Andre Barnett, Earth Intelligence Network CEO Robert Steele, and former college football coach Robby Wells. Wikinews reached out to these candidates and asked each of them five questions about their campaigns . . .

Why did you decide to run for president?

Andre Barnett: Though it may seem a bit selfish, my decision was more of a conviction of heart, mind and spirit after seeing what my own family and friends were enduring during this economic downturn. As I began speaking with my fellow veterans and hearing about the lost jobs, homes, and families many issues came into focus. The time I spent living overseas in different countries allowed me to studying their economies, governments, military capabilities, and learn what other countries really think about the US.

We can no longer accept the notion we are on a path of no return. Our government has an obligation to the people of this nation to address the needs and concerns they are facing.

When people speak about the need for viable third party and independent candidates, more often than not the typical response of the objectionists in the major parties is that a third party or independent candidate could never win the presidency and, even if one did, he or she would be hamstrung by a Congress controlled by the Democratic and Republican parties.  Such a response reveals how deeply presidential messianism and the cult of the executive in the major parties warps political thought and imagination in the United States.  For these individuals, all politics is presidential politics.  Third party and independent strategists should be focusing on local and state offices and the US House.  At The Hill, Peter Modigliani makes the case that by winning just a handful of seats in the Congress, any third party could fundamentally change the character of our politics.  Excerpt:

The first major achievement will come when the two major parties fail to win 50% of the seats in Congress and the majority is determined by the third party.  Imagine if the next House of Representatives comprised of 215 Republicans, 215 Democrats, and five members of the third party.  Those five members could determine whether the Speaker of the House is a Republican or Democrat.  For every major piece of legislation, no one party could drive bills through on party lines.  They would need to develop bi-partisan or tri-partisan solutions to our nation’s issues. 

Earlier this month, former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson announced that he will be running for president in 2012 under the banner of a new party, The Justice Party.  Last week, Anderson was interviewed by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now.  Excerpt:

AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, Rocky Anderson. Why have you launched this party and a presidential bid?

ROCKY ANDERSON: Good morning, Amy.

We launched the Justice Party because the entire system is so corrupt. It’s so diseased. We know that the public interest is not being served by anyone in the system right now, particularly the two dominant parties who have sustained this corrupt system and who are sustained by it.

AMY GOODMAN: Third party, what does that mean now? How exactly will you run for president?

From USA Today:

In a new USA TODAY/Gallup Swing States Poll, 54% of Americans nationwide and 52% in the nation's top battlegrounds agree that the two major parties "do such a poor job that a third major party is needed."

In the dozen most competitive states, the political group most likely to back the idea of a third party are moderate and liberal Republicans — perhaps because they feel disenfranchised by the clout of a conservative Tea Party movement. Nearly two-thirds back the idea of a third party. Moderates and liberals make up nearly four in 10 Republicans.

Among Democrats, too, moderates and conservatives seem somewhat disaffected from the liberal activists who often define their party. Just over a third of moderate/conservative Democrats and moderate/liberal Republicans say they're enthusiastic about voting for president in 2012, among the lowest of any groups.

The Republican Party’s presidential primary race may prove to be a breeding ground for third party and Independent presidential candidates in the 2012 election.  There are no less than four current contenders for the GOP’s presidential nomination who may run for president as a third party or Independent candidate:  Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, Jon Huntsman and Buddy Roemer.  And, given the success of Americans Elect in its ongoing effort to obtain ballot access in all fifty states, we may see any number of these candidates square off once again to seek the upstart organization’s nomination for president next year.

Buddy Roemer, a former member of the House of Representatives and governor of Louisiana, has already declared his intention to seek the Americans Elect nomination for president in their online primary next year.  “Today I officially announce that I will seek the Americans Elect nomination as a proud Republican but as an even prouder American,” said Roemer in a statement last week.  Roemer’s announcement was likely precipitated by the fact that he has been excluded from the Republican presidential primary debates and has yet to gain traction among GOP primary voters.

“The Republican Party has not allowed me in the debates. Perhaps they don’t like my message about the corrupting influence of money in politics. But, I believe the American people want to hear the message, so I’m going to seek the nomination of Americans Elect which appears eager to welcome diverse and controversial opinions that may upset the status quo,” said Roemer, who will now simultaneously campaign for the GOP nomination as well as that of Americans Elect.

When confronted with the possibility of a serious third party or Independent challenge to the two-party system, the partisans of the Democratic and Republican parties can be found to rely on a handful of well-rehearsed talking points aimed at disarming any and all opposition to the status quo.

Given the contempt with which the American public views the Democratic and Republican parties, and the consistent demand for political alternatives across numerous polls and surveys in recent years, we can be almost certain that there will be third party and Independent alternatives on the 2012 ballot, for everything from the presidency to the proverbial dog catcher.  We can thus safely expect that supporters of the Republican-Democrat political establishment will be ready with their stock arguments in hand.  Let’s consider two of the most common talking points we’re likely to hear over the course of the next year.