Will America ever get out of the two party system?

[D.C.]

Britain has dozens of parties. Including the 'Monster loony raving party' who plan to plant Spaghetti trees.

Makes me proud to be British. I actually almost voted for them, but they didn't have a candidate in my constituancy. Is it one or two seats they have in Parliment?

OT: Britain for a long time only had 2 parties; Conservatives and Liberals, Then after a long time the Irish Nationalists came and went, Labour popped up just before WW1, and then eventually took over the Libs in popularity.
Now in Britain we have 2 major parties And the Liberals as a third incase the other 2 just arnt worth voting for, then lots of minor paties who wont stand a chance.

America will (hopefully) evolve into more than a 2 Party State but it will take a very long time.

 

[pp2]

There party system in politics is a red herring today. Its become a class system, the haves and the have nots. The governments are run by corporations and special interests anymore.

The only reason politicians will ever go back to spewing party philosophy is to distract us, to get us fighting amongst ourselves by bickering over stupid issues thereby distracting us from what they're doing to us.

And before you dismiss out of hand what I just wrote, go back and read it again a time or two. Then think about your government, no matter what country you live in. Its the truth.

 

[El Poncho]

I think the American system is fine, and this is coming from an Italian. We have way too many parties.

I'm sure berlasconi(sp?) is doing good recruiting all of those young smart woman am I right?

 

[Seanchaidh]

The reason for the two party system in America is structural. Whereas many other countries have proportional representation and award seats in the national legislative body (usually a parliament) proportionally to the total number of votes the party receives, we have a winner-takes-all system in which we vote for particular candidates for particular offices. That makes our two major parties tend to have less control over the votes of their members and also have a wider variety of opinions within each party. When there are three candidates for an office in a system like America's, the competition between the two more similar candidates will tend to result in a win for the other one (for instance, a successful Green candidate can hurt a Democrat.) Voters are at least somewhat rational, so they usually self-regulate and choose the most popular rather than the most precise approximation of their views. Some people call this the lesser of two evils approach, but it is the rational response to the system in which voters find themselves if they want their opinions to be represented at all. If a third party emerges as a contender, it will most likely supplant one of the two major parties. Of course, rather than be supplanted, parties tend to shift with public opinion rather than stay where they are.

 

[Kiutu]

All I want is someone who wont ruin us. If a republican is actually gonna not do that (ruin us) I will vote for them.

 

[Halfbreed13]

America, or any government, will always have two parties in the linear way of thinking. Parties originated from people having similar views, and even if you officially dismiss the party system, it will still be there in reality.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I think the American system is fine, and this is coming from an Italian. We have way too many parties.

No such thing.



Oh, wait, are we talking politics?

 

[matnatz]

I think the American system is fine, and this is coming from an Italian. We have way too many parties.

At least everyone is represented then, right?

Berlusconi is how I'd be if I were a politician .

 

[eggcarrier]

There are at least four parties; don't forget Independant and Reformist and so on. There's even an American Communist Party. Democrat and Republican are just what's known. Its all about attention.

 

[ShadowKatt]

We have more than two parties. But none of it really matters since whoever we elect to office just does the same fucking thing anyway. Set up their own agenda, steal lots of money, and piss on the taxpayers.

 

[kawligia]

I *HATE* the party system because it's counter-productive to the idea of representative government. The parties have collections of views on multiple areas and will only nominate someone who has the "correct" stance on those issues.

But most people don't agree with every one of those viewpoints. Most people will like some things about Party 1 but other things about Party 2. When those are your only two options, it's an all or nothing proposition. Only a small number of people who are all the way in one direction or another are fully represented.

For example, I like the more expansive view of civil liberties of the left, but I hate the socialism and anti-2nd Amendment movements that are a strong part of the Democratic agenda. I like the permissive views on economic rights and gun ownership on the right but I hate when they try to act as the moral police for the rest of us.

And I hate how both of them try to use censorship to accomplish their goals. (Political correctness and "social engineering" on the left and moral policing on the right.)

 

[shufflemonkey16]

I think the Republican party is on its way out, and they have Bush to blame for it. Good job GWB, you single-handedly became the harbinger for your party's destruction.

What I think will probably happen is that in a few decades either the Republican party will be gone or go through another massive platform upheaval that will attract conservative Democrats and, essentially, recreate the Republican party. Then what will probably happen to the Democratic party is that its more liberal members will begin to give more support to the Green party. And if the economic crisis keeps on, probably that will further polarize free market advocates and collective economy activists in the US.

In other words: don't worry about the two party system. Bush, the Iraq War, economic crisis, and Obama will have all created a huge political remodeling in the US over the next few decades.

 

[Shaoken]

Since I'm feeling generous, allow me to introduce to you a list of countries that have, and enforce, something called "compulsory voting":

• 
  Australia

These countries I listed have penalties for not voting, which range from fines to prison.

Just to bring up the example I am most familar with, by being apart of it and all. Technically you don't have to vote in Australia. What you have to do is register and then go to a voting booth and get your name marked off. Once that is done you've fulfilled your obligation and can legally walk straight out without voting. Esientially it's a way of saying "I had the option to vote and I am not excersing it."

I'm not sure how any of the other countries on that list might work, but it's possible at least some follow this system.

 

[toapat]

Not unless we are able to silence big business and stop the electoral college.

this

and this should be a poll with 2 options:

NO

No and go fuck yourself for thinking that thats going to happen

 

[Tarakos]

We'll be a two-party country forever. Ever watch a presidential debate? Do you see any independants? Exactly. With the media what it is, the other parties will never get enough exposure to garner a following and pose a serious threat to the GOP or Democrats. It's sad because this system has virtually broken the country.

 

[.Duck149.]

America has come close quite recently to attaining a three-party system with independent candidates getting as much as 19% of the vote, the UK's labour party formed a government on ~60% of the vote on ~50% turnout, meaning that the current government is established with less than 30% of popular support, so in proportion 19% is a noteable proportion

 

[Superbeast]

Britain has dozens of parties. Including the 'Monster loony raving party' who plan to plant Spaghetti trees.

Take a look at their tips for winning an election.

http://www.omrlp.com/index.php?page=how-to-win-an-election

Do you know my favourite thing about the MRLP?

In the elections (I do not know if it was local or referring to the eventual General election) they announded that they will not be running for election due to "too much competition from lunatics already" or words to that effect.

You've gotta love a party with a reputation nay, sole policy of existence based on being insane, refusing to run because the "mainstream" parties are too crazy to compete with