Although
the
party
is
currently
active
and
maintains
a
lively
internet
presence
and
forum
for
discussion,
their
focus
is
on
the
2004
presidential
election
as
the
first
one
of
the
new
millenium,
rather
than
the
year
2000
election.
They
are
trying
to
create
an
alternative
to
the
two
major
political
parties
and,
from
the
looks
of
things,
they
want
this
party
be
be
devoid
of
media
hype
and
hoopla
and
more
focused
on
individual
opinion.
The
party
was
founded
during
the
late
1990's
by
Jeffrey
E.
Poehlmann
and
Kevin
M.
Isbister,
a
pair
of
old
school
friends
from
Woodstock,
Illinois
with
a
mutual
interest
in
politics
and
the
media.
Whether
either
of
them
are
in
the
running
for
2004
has
yet
to
be
seen.
Much
of
the
Third
Party's
literature
emphasizes
the
separation
of
church
and
state.
Numerous
essays
and
opinion
statements
decry
the
frequent
expounding
by
politicians
about
"the
will
of
God."
Nowhere
do
they
put
down
religion
-
they
just
want
it
kept
out
of
politics
altogether
and
appear
to
take
the
rather
astonishing
position
that
human
common
sense
will
create
legislation
that
is
just
as
effective
as
"divine
mandate."
This
is
another
one
of
those
practical
political
parties
that
seems
to
walk
a
moderate
tightrope.
Their
main
emphasis
is
on
being
reasonable
and
engaging
in
dialogue
about
important
issues
of
the
day.
They
are
more
concerned
with
secular
education
than
moral
training.
However,
in
order
to
create
a
serious
political
presence,
they're
eventually
going
to
have
to
take
a
stand
on
subjects
more
controversial
and
extensive
than
keeping
religion
out
of
the
schools.
Right
now
they're
mostly
thinking
about
thinking
and
talking
about
talking.
So
far,
no
official
platform
has
been
posted,
however
we
present
here
their
Mission
Statement
for
2004:
