"Maybe that's the answer: The So Tired of Politics (S.T.O.P.) Party."

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Andreatta: Voters beware! Politicians' new trick to fool you.
By David Andreatta, August 23, 2014

If you're fed up voting for Democrats and Republicans, you're in luck. They've invented new political parties just for you.

Candidates of both parties will masquerade on the ballot this fall under party lines their campaigns dreamed up so you can pull the lever for them without the shame of supporting a party you gave up on ages ago.

It's a costume party, and lots of big names will be there.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo will make a showing under the Women's Equality Party. His Republican challenger, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, will appear under the Stop Common Core Party banner with Rich Funke, a local Republican candidate for state Senate.

State Sen. Ted O'Brien, a Democrat from Irondequoit, will arrive on the appealingly named Upstate Tax Relief Party line. He's taking a lot of heat for that one from the Republican and Conservative parties, but I think they're just jealous.

Never mind that these parties have few or no members and aren't certified political parties, but rather what the state Board of Elections calls "independent bodies."

In that sense, they're more like pity parties.

They're designed to rally disillusioned voters around a single issue — women's equality, the Common Core curriculum, tax relief — and get candidates' names on the ballot one more time.

It's a shrewd strategy that takes advantage of a New York law allowing anyone who gathers enough signatures of support to get on the ballot.

The law is intended to promote democracy by giving candidates without the backing of a major party a chance to run. That's what happened in 2010, when Jimmy McMillan ran for governor on The Rent is Too Damn High Party line.

By distorting the law in this fashion, though, these politicians are perverting democracy.

They're hoping the electorate is in the slumber party and will buy into it. Wake up, and don't.

To paraphrase the late comedian and Straight Talking American Government (S.T.A.G.) Party founder Pat Paulsen — up your standards, and up theirs.

There are legitimate but fledgling political parties trying to make a go of it in New York that deserve more recognition than one-offs like the Tax Revolt Party and the Tax Relief Now Party created solely to bolster the name recognition of major party candidates.

There's the Libertarian Party, for instance, and something called the Sapient Party, which I would highly advise choose another name.

Parties keep their place on the ballot for the next election if they receive 50,000 votes in the gubernatorial race. Six parties have earned that status for this election cycle — Conservative, Democratic, Green, Independence, Republican and Working Families.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of parties.

Pizza parties, dance parties, surprise parties are a great time. Bachelorette parties look like a real hoot, what with all the white tulle and adult-themed straws.

Political parties, though, ought to be something people can get behind, like a great-grandfather who needs help blowing out the candles at his birthday party.

They should be broad in scope and appeal to the masses who are so tired of politics and want the madness to stop.

Maybe that's the answer: The So Tired of Politics (S.T.O.P.) Party.

Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?
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