The ONLY way you can win a seat to debate against the Democrats and Republicans in a Presidential race is to gain 15% of the votes in at least six different independent polls, for example, like those conducted by major metropolitan newspapers, well-respected national news magazines or national network TV news organizations. Critics complain that this is like Pepsi or Coke saying you need to demonstrate that you have a 15% market share before you can stand alongside them on grocery shelves. Restricting participation is canny logic designed to protect the status quo in politics. Critics charge, the game is fixed.
The deck is stacked against political insurgents and may never change because it is almost impossible for a candidate to win broad support without privileged exposure on national network TV, in major metropolitan newspapers and national magazines, exposure that the media could and should provide. How much third party candidacy coverage do you ever see on national network TV nightly newscasts? Virtually none but remember who owns the largest TV news, newspaper and news magazine organizations these days…corporate conglomerates which have little if any interest whatsoever in seeing third party candidates take hold in U.S. politics, unless of course it can make the media conglomerates even more powerful or more profitable.
SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE: ADBUSTERS MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2000