Question: Who should be the presidential candidate for the Reform Party, and will that person earn the support of the American voters?Shiner: Right now, the Reform Party is less a political party than a chaotic mess. There are very few shared views among the party's nominees, just as there are very few shared views among its members. That is why Pat Buchanan -- a staunch religious conservative who is an economic nationalist -- could be debating Donald Trump, who supports NAFTA and is, by his own accounts, a social liberal. In fact, the sole defining trait of Reform Party members is dissatisfaction with the political process. And that is something to which we must pay attention, because it tells us something very significant about our country. Less than half of those eligible voted in the 1996 presidential elections. There is considerable cynicism about politics in our country, and both major political parties are to blame.
So it is understandable that some people are looking to a new party. But consider the Reform Party candidates. Pat Buchanan has become an advocate of such an extreme isolationism that he questions whether America should have entered World War II. Donald Trump lacks any true political experience and most people consider his nascent campaign a publicity stunt. Jesse Ventura (who has continually denied he is considering a run) has called religion a "sham and a crutch for weak-minded people" and promoted the decriminalization of marijuana. These are the major potential nominees, so it is not surprising that more than half of Americans say they would not consider voting for the Reform Party candidate.
Bonnie Erbe: History is in the making! My colleague and I agree the Reform Party is a "chaotic mess." But I have a different take on why, and whether it should right itself.
But bereft of a strong national organization and a clear agenda, the Reform Party is now being pushed and pulled by the whims and egos of a variety of completely disparate politicians. Jesse Ventura is an interesting side show. Donald Trump, whom my colleague characterizes as a "social liberal," I would define as more of a self-promoter par excellence and not much more.
Pat Buchanan, on the other hand, has a clear agenda and an impressive electoral following (3 million primary votes in his first run for office). But Buchanan is such an overt racist, homophobe and jingoist, that he will single-handedly tank the party for good if party "fathers" are dense enough to anoint him.
That would not be so bad. However disappointing our two-party system is, it still works. Countries that form governments through tortured multi-party negotiations endure a much more time-consuming and unworkable form of governance. As frustrating as our system is, it still works better.
Bonnie Erbe is host of the PBS program "To the Contrary." Josette Shiner is president of Empower America.