Sunday, April 8, 2012

Successful Third Party in US Politics

For better or for worse(and for many times, ultimately worse), a two party system in the United States has been very prominent in the United States. It is a choice of black or white, ying or yang, up or down, right or left, most choices have two options. The political party system in the United States is no different, as it has two choices and if you don't like the two choices, then really you don't have much to turn to turn to that would be successful.

So this raises a question. Could a thirty party work in the United States? That is a question that comes up around every election time.

Can a strong third party occur in the United States?

Variety is the spice of life but we don't have too much variety in the United States political arena. For as long as this country has been standing, for as long as we have pledged our allegiance to the flag and cast our ballots,  to vote for politicians of all levels, there has been, with the exception of one brief period, have been two distinct choices.

At first, the United States people chose between the Democratic-Republican Party and the Federalist party. And then the Federalist party died out over time, and for a few years, it appeared to be a one and done party system, but we knew that wasn't going to last. Then for a while, the Whigs were the second party, and then we had the Democrats and the Republicans, which has been pretty much the status quo since then, with the group who has managed to speak most to the people getting the vast majority of the power.

It has been all Republicans and all Democrats with momentary blips on the screen here and there but these blips have been mild, before it went back to business as usual. A third party candidate is normally used as a scapegoat for the losing party in an election, whether Presidential or otherwise in the United States, to save face. You see, they did not lose to the superior opponent, but rather they lost because some third wheel threw a monkey wrench into the ring and took away votes.

Many American people think that if they vote for a third party candidate, they will be wasting their vote. Of course since most people think, that it is true. And obviously one should vote for a candidate based on their own merits. Which is a major failing, of political parties in general, as people vote for the party, and not for the person. George Washington who did not like political parties had the right idea it seemed.

Is it possible for us to have a successful third party in the United States? I'm inclined to say not without major revamp of the way Americans look at politics. It would take someone with a lot of ambition, a lot of intelligence, and most importantly a lot of cash to pretty much break the two party dance that has been going on for the past hundred and fifty years.

The 2012 Presidential Election is coming up and we might as well flip a coin, given that we have two choices and neither of them seem all that appealing at this juncture. We do need change, but the change we need is the political parties as they have grown complacent and lazy and know that no one is going to buck the status quo. But perhaps someone eventually will.

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