Despite constantly being underdogs and losers in major elections, third parties make a significant contribution to the political spectrum in the United States. Third-party agendas are taken seriously by both the Democratic and Republican parties, and specific elements of third-party agendas are sometimes adopted by both major parties. Third parties offer other alternatives to disaffected voters. The Republican and Democratic parties are known to operate in similar styles and third parties give the voter the opportunity to express their discontent. In the United States, third parties defend policy and are often more specific about their ideological position. Often, the Republican and Democratic parties attempt to take a moderate approach on political issues, while third-party parties are more conservative or liberal when it comes to political issues. Furthermore, third parties tend to do just the opposite when their agenda concerns social issues. Then there’s the “spoiler factor”? a third-party candidate can garner enough votes to change the outcome of a presidential election. In the United States, political scientists and other researchers have classified third parties into four specific categories with various political functions. First, third parties are sometimes created to solve sectoral problems. This means that a geographic area presents one or more political or social issues that are not satisfied by the two main parties. Sectional parties are often created and used to express the rights of certain American states. One of the best examples of a sectional party was the Dixiecrat Party of the South. The party was formed in the southern states on the issue of civil rights and integration into the United States. Second, historically, third parties have been formed to solve specific problems. In the United States, these issues include things like slavery, prohibition, agricultural concerns, and other social issues. The Republican Party was originally a single-issue third party. The issue around which the Republican Party formed was the expansion of slavery into the newly created states and territories. The Free Soil Party is a good example of a single-issue party formed with the goal of abolishing slavery in the United States. Third, factions sometimes emerge within the major parties themselves. These factions are often referred to as a party...... middle of paper...... attractive. They have a strong and well-established political agenda and their views on economic and social issues are strong. These parties are more permanent on the political spectrum, they do not position their opinions as moderate or intermediate. Third parties formed on ideological principles follow their programs. My political views are most consistent with those of the Libertarian Party. The Libertarian Party fights for the personal freedoms of every American. The Libertarian agenda includes restoring constitutional government, legalizing narcotics, no gun control, eliminating the federal income tax, reducing defense spending and spending, and driving campaigns through private donations. The Libertarian Party believes in absolute economic and social freedom. The party believes that the only role of government should be to protect people and property from harm. The party believes that the government should not regulate the economy at all. The government should only protect the property and resources of a business owner. Compared to the two parties currently in power, the Libertarian Party would not be consistent with the agenda of either..