Ask HN: App that helps pick a political platform/candidate, worth pursuing?

[Inc82]

“Business as usual” is the name of the game for politics in a 2 party system. The 2008 and 2012 elections convinced me that given the right tools and people the internet could produce a viable third party candidate for the 2016 presidential election. As a programmer, I’d like to build a website that makes this possible. Here is how I imagine this website functioning:

* Users vote up platform ideas within a variety of topics. At a predetermined date the top ideas are coalesced into a platform document. The voting platform remains open where platform modifications are suggested and voted upon before being merged into the platform document.

* Candidates are either nominated or directly apply to be candidates for this platform, agreeing to uphold the party platform to the best of their abilities. At a given date no new candidates are allowed, and nominated candidates must confirm whether they would like to run or not. Users are allowed to support 3 candidates for president. At a predetermined cutoff date the list of candidates is narrowed to 10 based on the most supporters. Candidates are expected then to produce a video describing why they believe they are a good fit to represent the users. The list of 10 is narrowed down to 3 in a fresh round of voting. Live debates are held using Google Hangouts on Air, and a final vote is cast to determine the party’s candidate.

* A signature campaign is run to get the candidate on all 50 ballots.

* A fund raising campaign would be fun for the candidate as well.

I believe that a Kickstarter campaign should first be run to raise money to build this website and to garner initial feedback and support. With money from the Kickstarter, the website would be built, a timeline would be developed and wheels would be set in motion. I’m wondering if you think this is a good idea and it is worth attempting?

[dragonwriter]

There are significant laws governing elections and political parties in the US, and particularly gathering raising money and spending it on things connected with elections and parties. ISTR a proposed TV reality show based on basically the same kind of idea foundering because the backers couldn't find a way to do the same kind of thing within the regulatory hurdles involved (particularly, as I recall, there was a problem that much of the funds expended in the process could be viewed as campaign contributions in the form of in kind donations to the various candidates, which both limits their legal sources, limits the allowed quantity, and requires special accounting and reporting.)

[27182818284]

On the one hand, I wanted to encourage you with my reply, but on the other hand, I wanted to tell you all the reasons why nothing you just presented is special or novel and why it isn't going to work.

I don't think it is a good idea because you haven't thought it through or you don't have enough experience. There is nothing in your post that hasn't been thought about by 1000s of poli sci students already.

In startup-Steve-Blank-terms, you haven't done nearly enough customer development interviews. How much time have you spent—be honest here—in the trenches on political campaigns at the county, state, or otherwise level?

[sam152]

Sounds like an interesting concept. Few thoughts:

- You would need a large user base to get enough momentum for all of the voting and rounds.

- Wouldn't the user-voted platform have the potential to produce a candidate that appealed to an individual equally or even less than existing candidates?

- I don't know if this is the kind of thing which people would put money into on Kickstarter.

Would be interested to hear other peoples thoughts.