Tom Delay and Lewis Libby, two high-ranking Republican officials, have been indicted.

Bill Frist and Karl Rove, two more high-ranking Republicans, are under investigation for serious crimes.

According to a joint NBC/Wall Street Journal survey, President Bush’s approval rating has reached an all-time low of 38 percent and only 33 percent of those surveyed believed the president was being honest with the American public.

On Wednesday, the Republican Party lost both gubernatorial races in which they competed.

The Republican Party seems to be in disarray.

Not only is the party filled with strife, but it also seems to no longer stand for the ideals of many conservatives.

Many people who once aligned themselves with the Republican Party are now finding it more and more difficult to do so.

Newt Gingrich was quoted in the Oct. 24 Boston Globe as saying, “To a real degree, the Republican Party has become a party of governance, not of reform.”

Americans are starting to agree with Gingrich, and this is leaving them with a difficult question of where to turn.

Many conservatives, finding themselves alienated by the Republican leadership, have turned to third parties. In particular, many have turned to the Libertarian Party.

While still small, the Libertarian Party is slowly gaining speed. According to its official Web site, the Libertarian Party grew in membership by 7 percent from March 2004 to March 2005.

This may not seem like a lot, but when one considers the Libertarians had lost membership for the previous four years, it’s clear to see the tide is turning.

Other third parties are gaining popularity as well. The Constitutional Party garnered 33 percent more votes in the 2004 Presidential election than in 2000.

So why is it important these third parties are gaining power?

The answer is simple. A viable third party would force the two major parties to change.

As Brian Miller, secretary/treasurer of the Libertarians at Virginia Tech University, states: “In general, an active and viable third party of any kind would force the Republicans and Democrats to take firm positions as parties. It would also force them to focus on the American people rather than in-fighting and petty partisan bickering. Because instead of being the lesser of two evils then the populace would have a viable third option to turn to.”

Miller went on to say: “specifically with the Libertarian Party, I can imagine the two major parties would be held to task primarily in regards to the Constitution. Both Democrats and Republicans have no problems with disregarding parts of the Constitution as it suits them, and a prominent Libertarian Party would force them to address these violations or it may change the course of their actions in the first place.”

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like this is exactly what our country needs right now – a group with enough of a voice to rattle the cages of the two major parties. A group that, while not the majority, has enough power that it must be acknowledged.

The idea of a third party gaining this type of power may seem unreal to most Americans, but it isn’t as abstract as one would think.

If a third party were to garner just 5 percent of the popular vote in the 2008 presidential election it would become eligible for partial public funding of its general election campaigns.

They don’t have to win the presidency, or even win a single state, just 5 percent of the popular vote. That type of showing in the next presidential election would not only garner additional funds for future elections, but it would also get the Libertarian Party significant recognition.

We cannot expect the Libertarian Party, or any third party, to simply jump into the 2008 elections and garner that type of support.

The time to start working toward this goal is now – with mid-term elections approaching, and plenty of time left to start a grass-roots effort.

There are plenty of reasons why the American government could use a viable third party, and there’s plenty of Americans out there searching for a party that fits them better than the Republicans or Democrats.

For many, that party is the Libertarians. That may not be the answer for you, but now is the time to learn about these third parties.

Don’t automatically align yourself with the Republicans or Democrats. Find a party that suits you, learn more about it, support it in the ‘06 mid-term elections and watch the snowball grow into significant change in ‘08.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.