Does American only have a two party system because most people are too scared to "waste a vote" by voting for someone running on a party other than Republican or Democrat or are we truely that happy with the candidates these two parties put forward?
2006-06-30 13:10:36 · 11 answers · asked by Pandora 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Civic Participation
It has to do with many factors. Mainly the representative system. Since we have only a "winner takes all" Congress (meaning that only one person represents a district instead of a proportional representation system) a tow-party system tends to arise since only one can win the prize. For that reason parties tend to be center oriented, trying to attract the highest possible amount of voters. In a proportional representation system more parties would arise since the chance of getting a share of the prize is higher.
Of course, while in theory American parties are center-oriented (and in practice they are), the fact that we have a low voter turnout, especially in mid-term elections can lead to a small share of the voting public to elect some wacko to the House of Representatives.
Another reason is that our institutions have been rigged by the historical two-party system and while we have many political parties in America we only have two national parties, and those parties have made it difficult for emerging political parties to become part of the game.
2006-06-30 13:54:02 · answer #1 · answered by Raul Vazquez 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The United States has a "first to a post" system. This means whoever gets the most votes wins and whoever gets second gains nothing. In a parliamentary system you get a certain amount of votes for your party and based on those votes you get a certain amount of representatives. Therefore you at least get something instead of nothing. That is why the UK has so many parties who have members of parliament.
2006-06-30 14:52:42 · answer #2 · answered by bumpocooper 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are dozens of parties in this country. However, they don't have the money or political power to even get on the ballot in all 50 states. The closest we had to a real 3-party race was when Ross Perot ran under the Independent ticket. Unfortunately, he was stupid in his ways and mucked it all up.
Vote Libertarian or Peace and Freedom.
Hopefully, Ralph Nader will get on the ball for next time.
2006-06-30 13:15:33 · answer #3 · answered by umwut? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The power elite can control two parties with money and ease.
You have the choice of Bud and Bud Light. There are overwhelming similarities and some differences, although not fundamental ones.
This is beautifully clarified by various authors--particularly Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn. Look them up for some true insight.
2006-06-30 13:16:52 · answer #4 · answered by sochiswim 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, exactly. Two parties pretty much the same. Then a fake fight over fake issues. Keeps the real change like green party from even having a chance. At UMASS they wouldn't even let Ralph Nader in to the debates awhile back. They wouldn't even let him go in to SEE the debate either. He didn't have a ticket, and when a student offered his to him, they still wouldn't let him in. Maybe they thought he something to say that would matter.
2006-06-30 13:15:54 · answer #5 · answered by kurticus1024 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
both parties have money to back them. that is how they get so much publicity. publicity usually starts while a person is in office of a lower position & they get there because someone usually backed them being one of the parties. this type of "gang" is hard to challange since they have people at every branch of the government. this makes it hard for outsiders to get in. that is also why you don't see parties switching sides as much because as with gangs you kinda get blacklisted. anyway the more publicy that is given to someone the more we think that we know about them ie look at american tv.... i expect bruce willis to save my life if i am next to him in a crisis situation. it is better to vote for someone that you know than an outsider that you don't know & you might not know the outsider since they do not have the publicty or experiance of a lessor positsion since those postiions were filled by people that were supported by democrats & republicans to be democarts & republicans
hope this helps
me? i just don't vote
SS
2006-06-30 13:23:04 · answer #6 · answered by Starscream 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes waste voting
2006-06-30 13:13:40 · answer #7 · answered by Joe B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are other parties and they do have people who get elected!
In MN the Independent party candidate Jesse Ventura beat out the 2 well-financed and better promoted Dems and Reps picked candidates....by a landslide!
2006-06-30 13:14:30 · answer #8 · answered by luckycorn1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's the way it is, maybe if people got their head out of both parties and saw beyond them, we might have a better ran country
2006-06-30 13:13:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
there is the green party or the independent party at times most people forget they exsist, soe there are actually 3
2006-06-30 13:15:14 · answer #10 · answered by Quasar1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋