The problem is that parties are pretty set in their ways. The leaders (not THE leader) of the parties have enough power of persuasion to make sure that those that THEY do not like do not get in.

To be effective in this matter would mean that you have to be organized even before you entered the party... And that sort of defeats the purpose of getting in there as you could just start your own party, and then we are back to the same problem.
This is only true because we allow it to be so. If all the people who thought that the current choices were unacceptable either joined a party or starte their own party then things would change.

If you don't mind only winning meanignless town elections...
In the UK two independent MP's have been returned in recent(ish) elections.

And working within the parties doesn't work very well because they are pretty much out to get the votes, and unless a lot of people think the same way you do you won't get them to change their policies. It wouldn't be nearly as bad if we had a few more parties over here....
Today 01:41
I don't think you can criticise political parties for trying to attract votes, or complain that you can't get your ideas adopted because only a few people would support them. That's democracy. However if you don't get involved, you should not moan about the paucity of choices, or at least if you do, your behaviour is lame. (I admit it. I am lame too.)

First off, defining the term "Gah". For me (atleast) it was a greeting created by a warrior in STW called Krast. He confided that it meant "wtf I got nothing better to do", and why is that (gah)? Gah! It is a euphanism (sp) for "my god, I got nothing better to do than deal with nerds I don't know, in a game I hate".

Now, suddenly it is being used to explain political positions - no doubt Krast is proud. Imagine, using a word as an insult (or endearment to those that know you) now being used as a cause all or definition. Politically? Must be time for Krast to crawl back into his coffin .... creeeeeeeeaak. It was Krast, Gah was a greeting. Nothing more.

Nerds.
Words' meaningd develop. Gah was a greeting. Its meaning has now developed.