In the aftermath of the Iraqi elections, the Kurds quite possibly came out the big winners. By obtaining 26% of the seats in Iraq's equivalent of Congress or Parliament, they virtually assured that the two other parties will need to go through them to gain the 2/3 majority necessary to pass Iraqi laws.

There's a lesson in this, and one that I have been harping on for some time. For a third party to gain significant power in the US, they don't need to win a majority, but simply to obtain enough House and Senate seats to cover the Republican/Democrat deficit. This way, the "big two" will need the votes of the third party to pass legislation.

Knowing this, third parties should be studying House districts where they have polled strongly historically, and begin sending campaign money to candidates in those districts. If the typical House member spends $1 million to get elected, this would require an outlay of $40 million, a reasonable fundraising goal for parties such as the Libertarian and Green parties.

The Senate is a little more difficult, partly because of the fewer seats available, partly because of the cost of getting elected. Gaining the Senate seats necessary may not be a reachable goal, but should still be studied carefully. Even an honorable but losing push for the Senate could yield favorable results if the results in the House are obtained. And the results in the midterm elections, which typically draw fewer voters, could well be a springboard to the presidential election of 2008.

To make this a true and lasting victory, however, viable candidates for local, county and state office need to be throwing their hat in the ring in order to produce measurable results that can assist their party's presidential candidate in his run for the White House.

So, to committed third party supporters, I would suggest this:

• Look in your city, county and state. Find political offices for which you are qualified and which you are interested and run.
• Represent your party platform and ideals well. Be a harder worker than your colleagues and realize that every move reflects on your party
• Remove yourself from the mindset of a "wasted vote", and support your candidate 100% from the get go.

By concentrating our efforts and being persistent, we CAN obtain meaningful goals.