The Death of the Two-Party System

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Clarissa

May 26, 2014

Another important election yesterday revealed a lot about Spain. In the European election, Spaniards demonstrated that they are ready to let go of the two-party system.

I strongly believe that it’s time to let bipartidism go in the US. Both parties have discredited themselves on every level and have degenerated to the point of forming dynasties. They are too inert even to pretend they are trying. When Bush #3 and Clinton #2 are offered to us as the only choices.

And yes, I like Hillary. But my question is: would I like her as much if there were anybody else to choose from?

These two parties are done. Nobody cares about them, nobody wants to come to the elections. They need to go away.

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6 responses to “The Death of the Two-Party System”

Vic cRAIN

May 26, 2014

The problem is that the rules on who can appear on a national election ballot as well as the number of candidates that can appear are set by state legislatures, not by Congress. Further, state elections tend to have extremely low turnout in the US and state governments tend to be dominated by party hacks. Thus, election reform required getting those in control to voluntarily give up that control, or unseating them.

As you probably recall, Ralph Nader was the last significant third party candidate in the US. In 2004, he was on the election ballot in only 34 states, and excluded in major states such as California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. The exclusions eliminated any remote chance of winning.

What no one seems to want to understand is that reform in the US has to start at the state level. It can be done; there’s a good example of a recent political uprising in Pennsylvania. However, it requires time and dedication and the effort can be boring. The video game generation may not have the stomach for it.

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E.D.

May 26, 2014

true all over the western world, i am afraid.. eve

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Benoni

May 26, 2014

There’s no way the Democrats and the Republicans are ever going to die with a first-past-the-post voting system. The largest third party in America won less than 1% of the popular vote in 2012. Everyone is either stupid enough to vote for the Republicans or too scared of them to think of voting for anyone other than the Democrats.

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David Gendron

May 26, 2014

Without a proportional system and within a cash-unlimited mediocracy, it’s almost impossible to have more than two parties.

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1. Clarissa
  
  May 26, 2014
  
  Money has nothing to do with this. The myth of “everybody and everything’s been bought” serves the purpose of justifying laziness and inertia. Let’s at least be honest about this.
  
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David Gendron

May 26, 2014

Or maybe the Tea Party would become a third party, but they’re are too confomists to do so.

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