Here we go again. A billionaire suddenly discovers our two-party system is dysfunctional. Instead of serving the desires of most Americans, each party reflects its extremes. This time it’s Elon Musk. It brought back memories of my association with Starbucks founder Howard Schultz’s brief Third-Party campaign. That campaign asked for people with fresh ideas to submit them.

At the time, I was creating my Future Party series. I concluded that any new party has to stand for something or a set of things. Just being against the other guys won’t work. Rather than dealing with personalities, people unhappy with the current two parties need to unite around common goals. The Republicans opposed the spread of slavery when the Democrats and Whigs equivocated.

I communicated this conclusion, along with a link to Dave’s Healthcare Plan, on this site. After all, it isn’t right to pontificate without contributing to a solution. To my surprise, the campaign asked me to join an “outside the box”ideas group. Someone there liked the Plan, and I will hear the details shortly.

What I heard next was that Howard Shultz was dropping his third-party crusade. I received an email stating that the idea group wanted to continue, but there was no further correspondence.  

I often wondered what would’ve happened if, instead of the “Third Way” pablum Schultz spouted, he had put forth bold ideas to solve real problems, rather than being perceived as just a spoiler. Dave’s Plan offers completely portable, universal healthcare and retirement benefits. It utilizes the money and structures we already have in place. It might’ve provoked discussion and attention. It’s not Democrat or Republican, just a comprehensive answer to big problems.

I can only offer the same advice to Elon Musk. Show you have better ideas. Be different. Unlike Schultz, who seemed to veer left, Musk has the experience of trying to cut the size of government. He thought the Democrats were spenders, but found Republicans are no pikers in that area either.

With both established parties moving towards industrial policies, such as the Green New Deal and Tariffs, there is plenty of room for someone with classical liberal ideas. Given Musk’s camaraderie with Argentina’s President Javier Milei, it’s reasonable to assume he is comfortable with libertarian capitalist ideas. The fact that capitalist-libertarian nations perform better indicates where the opening lies.

While those desiring to turn ever more of the economy to the government in the belief it can do a superior job, there is absolutely no basis in experience supporting this delusion. Milei has to take a chainsaw to the Argentine government to arrest the nation’s decline. Musk must see where we’re heading if we don’t change direction.

Both established parties have adopted minority positions, opening the door for someone to appeal to the majority. Overall, Trump’s high tariffs aren’t favored. Boys in girls’ sports, and anti-semitism find little support. Even immigration has room for the long-term law-abiding, employed undocumented to remain. You can only establish a new party by gaining majority approval, but with the right policies, it’s up for grabs.

I think Musk has it backward. he says he wants to back candidates in certain races. The last time around, the “No Labels Party” stood for little other than they weren’t the other two. It couldn’t even find a candidate under those circumstances. Why give up your position in the present parties without winning ideas?

A platform of new, exciting ideas that align with the majority’s desires can attract successful leaders who find no way forward in their present parties. Politicians who can win the general election, but face bruising primaries against more extreme opponents in their party.

In my home state, we had a highly successful governor, Doug Ducey, who would’ve been a shoo-in for the Senate, but chose not to run. Trump repeatedly attacked him for not supporting his claims of a 2020 victory in Arizona. Facing an ugly primary, rather than the support he deserved, he sat it out.

The result in Arizona is that the Democrats have two Senators, the Governorship, and most of the other state offices—this outcome in a state where Republicans have a healthy registration edge.

A similar situation is developing in Georgia, where the popular Governor, Brian Kemp, also incurred the wrath of Trump over the 2020 election. Trump’s interference has already cost the Republicans two senators. Again, the governor is the favorite for any office in a general election, but isn’t running.

As readers of this blog know, I thought Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro might’ve won a mini-primary if the Democrats had held one after Biden dropped out. If he got the nod, I still think he could’ve topped Trump. Silly me, I thought that was the Plan.

One would think, sans a major screwup, he is in a strong position for the Democratic Presidential nomination, but he’s a Jew. In a long, drawn-out primary season, it could get ugly. Like the Labor Party in the U.K., progressives have taken on an anti-semitic look.

Given how quickly he rebuilt a key bridge, he is a doer, more in line with the “Abundance” wing of the party than the Democratic Socialist progressives. As the New York City primary shows, the latter turn out, and in a multi-candidate field, they can prevail. How comfortable is he at his party? Does he have more in common with Doug Ducey or Zohan Mamdani?

According to polls at the time, Nikki Haley would’ve easily won the 2024 general election, but failed in the primaries. Given the primary system, majority-backed candidates may never reach the General Election. Some run and win as independents, but it’s rare and complex, and never at the Presidential level.

A party with an appealing message may attract prominent figures, especially if it has already secured its ballot line in all 50 states. Rather than being seen as running away from a party with a difficult path, moving to a party with a better program is a more favorable approach. Moving forward appears better than running away.

Being barred from running for President, Elon Musk has credibility. If he uses his money to get his party on all the ballots, his party will look more attractive to solid candidates. Well-thought-out policies, backed by data, will increase the attraction. Who better than Musk to do this job? Just do it the right way.