Minor parties

The whole minor party thing in New York (Independence Party, Right to Life Party, Working Families Party) doesn't make sense to me. It's a concept called electoral fusion, which benefits the party, which gets perks and patronage in exchange for endorsements, and it benefits the individual endorsees because they get to run on more than one party line, and they get to count their aggregate votes. Only 10 states permit electoral fusion. So, 99.9% of the time New York's minor parties merely endorse candidates who are running already as dems or repubs. So what's the point? I'd be willing to be it's part money and part notoriety. I think it's idiotic and wasteful. Just one more bureaucracy. Just one more hand out. Just one more thing that the state and county boards of election have to deal with. It's no secret that Joe Illuzzi is very supportive of the Independence Party. Here's a quote from its chairman, Tony Orsini:

"I don't think we are going to be getting out ahead this year and saying we support a particular candidate unless we decide to support one of our own Independence Party members, which is also under consideration,' Orsini predicts. 'We are going to wait until we see what the Democrats and Republicans do first and then make our decision. That way we will have additional leverage."

That quote is made in this context: Orsini calling on people who want to run to go out there and just announce; "stop Monte Hall-ing it..." he says. "...take a chance!" Meanwhile, the IP itself isn't sticking its neck out until the major parties do so first. And the IP doesn't even have its own candidates to run yet. Pot. Kettle. Black. The whole thing just seems stupid to me.