Neo-Mugwump Libertarian-Socialist Party

I actually heard a lecturing history professor say in class that the term Mugwump came from a cartoon like the one above.  Good story – too good to be true – the word actually derived from the Algonquin mugquomp which meant big chief, war leader, or something similar.  In case you don’t remember, they were the Republican leaders who supported Grover Cleveland instead of James Blaine, the Republican candidate, in 1884 – sort of the Shivercrats (Texas) or Reagan Democrats (national) of the 19th century.

I mention them today because I have been getting more and more disenchanted with American Politics in general and the Republican Party in particular. 

My politics haven’t significantly changed – I’m still a Constitutionalist, and a conservative on matters of  fiscal policy and national defense.  I believe in State’s rights and property rights, but I tend to veer to the left on matters concerning civil rights and religion.

I guess the problem is that I’ve come to believe that the leaders of both major parties, and the recognized spokespersons for both the right and the left, whether in politics or in the media, are simply embarrassing. 

Seriously, who would want their name associated with a movement championed by someone like Joe Biden or Glenn Beck?

If you are in the market for a new political party, there are a boat load of them out there.  Did you know, for example that the Whig Party has been reborn?  You can check them out at  modernwhig.org.

I also came across a group called Third Way which describes itself as the “Moderate Faction of the Progressive Movement.”  I’m not sure what that means, but it sounds like an oxymoron to me.

The American Reform Party came into being when they decided Ross Perot wasn’t quite far enough to the right for their liking.

If you’re both a Feminist and a Socialist, then the Freedom Socialist Party is the one for you. 

Of all the parties I’ve come across, this one most tickles my fancy - the Natural Law Party.  When they failed to win the 2000 election, they declared themselves the (imaginary) winner,  formed a shadow government, and then dissolved the national party in 2004.  In spite of that, according to their website, they are literally still active coast-to-coast, with state organizations in California and Rhode Island.

And of course there are TONS of single-issue movements out there that call themselves parties.  Anything from the Pirate Party that champions downloading music and videos as a free-speech issue, to the Christian Phalangist Party  that advocates crushing Islam in another crusade. 

Guess I’ll have to consider myself an Independent.