Anonymous asked: Imagine an America where we're not locked into a two-party system that forces us to make terrible choices like in the 2004 election (and looking like this upcoming one as well). Do you think we could ever again reach that sort of place, and perhaps sustain it this time? Would it be beneficial to the quagmire that is Congress? What do you think would be required for this to happen?
The two-party system we know so well is unique to the United States. It does not provide a hospitable environment for the success of other parties. Essentially, third parties exist simply to rise awareness about certain issues (for example, if the green party is getting huge support, republican and democrat candidates will integrate that more into their platform). Will a third part ever be able to compete? No. It’s hard to imagine a system that supports more than two parties. But it is not necessarily the two-party system itself that keeps us gridlocked as much as the parties themselves. You could have 10 parties and Americans would still be at each other’s necks. You vote for the party that MOST coordinates with your personal political ideology. It sucks, and we’re never going to be collectively happy. But then again, I challenge you to find a nation that is.
Would it be beneficial? Maybe. Parties would be required to specify their platforms even more, and to raise their standard of accountability. Even so, more is not always better. The public has enough issues understanding TWO platforms. Imagine if we threw two more into the mix.
Government is gridlocked..both here and in any other state. Not much we can do about it. We’re the victims of a rigid history that isn’t about to change.
