I think that Libertarians and Greens have the correct idea -- which is, when your views differ far enough from one of the two parties, form your own (even as hard as it may be to gain ballot access and matching funds).
Why? Because as long as a party is owned and funded by people and (more importantly) corporations that do not share your views, you can never have enough influence in that party.
Both the Republicans and Democrats are funded in large portions by corporations. Many progressive viewpoints (as I understand them) are anti-corporate. Therefore, I seriously have doubts that progressive politics will ever come to reality through the Democratic party.
Another thing that really makes me wonder is that as long as the government has enough power to enact progressive viewpoints, it will always be corrupted such that it will never have those viewpoints. There simply are not enough true patriots with the charisma to win elections on a platform that does not appeal to those who give the most money. Sure Dean and others may espouse those viewpoints, but once they are in office if they were to be elected to positions of serious power (such as President), they will be corrupted because of the power they have.
I am also curious why people of any viewpoint would vote for one of the two main parties because of their blockage of expansion of the political debate in America through:
- ballot access
- matching funds
- support of the corporations that control our media
- etc.
I am very curious to see what others on this site think about this.