How third parties can effect change

Burt Constable told us correctly that a third party candidate cannot win this election ("Like victory in Iraq, 3rd-party president still distant dream", Sept. 13).

Yet the examples of third parties acting as spoilers in elections where they earn many votes is incorrect. Rather, their high vote totals come as a result of elections whose outcomes are already pretty certain.

There are two ways people in third parties can be effective in effecting change. They can organize themselves as a bloc and vote for one of the major parties, or they can attempt to split a major party on a big issue and replace it as a first or second party. Why don't Libertarians focus on one of these strategies rather than effectively removing themselves from political consideration by supporting a third party candidate?

Tim Vock

Carol Stream