Republicans have a massive electoral map problem that has nothing to do with Donald Trump

SFC Bernard Walko A BIT? WOW that's the understatement of the year...LOL Didn't watch Clinton change her accent depending who she is talking to? that's pandering BTW. Or saying they are going to cost lots of Coal Miner jobs when talking to one group and crawl-dadding when in VA.

But Gary Johnson cannot win, and so a vote for him is a vote wasted.

I don't like or completely agree with any of the original Democratic or GOP candidates, but in November's election voting for Clinton or Trump is essential to making sure the one I fear the most (Trump) doesn't make it to the White House.

I was actually ready to register Republican if Cruz remained in the race to make sure that he (Cruz) didn't get the GOP nomination as I fear him a lot more than I fear trump.

Rarely do we get what we want in a candidate, but not getting what you want isn't anywhere near as bad as getting stuck with what you despise.

You make a good point about how can two parties encompass a wide spectrum of beliefs. But IMO, the polarization of the parties, and particularly the republican party has caused this divide. It used to be there was a full spectrum of politicians from conservative republicans to moderate republicans to liberal republicans then conservative democrats, moderate democrats and liberal democrats. So these democrats and republicans would form alliances based on the particular issue being addressed. So votes would be taken and issues resolved where the results weren't predetermined to come out as a pure party line vote.

But over time, the party leaderships have set their goals to obstruct the other party no matter what they propose, even if they agree with it. Also, for republicans compromise has become a dirty word rather than the very basis of governing in a two party system. Polls have repeatedly shown that republicans believe it is more important to stick to their positions than to compromise to get things done. That's why we ended up with the mindless budget reductions of the sequestration, because no republicans were willing to compromise at all in order to keep the government running.

Steven, I agree with everything you said, though I admit that I don't know a lot about Gary Johnson, except I have a cousin with that name who was a helluva of a leader back when I was a kid.

LTC Mathews, you're spot on. My father was a Republican, he born and raised in Pennsylvania. The divisiveness with the parties began in earnest in the early 60's when civil right began to become a political issue. I truly believe we need a "reordering" of the party system...in fact, I think we are over due.