Should we get rid of political parties?

Question

Should we stop with the party system, and have canidates run on the issues only?

Answer 1

A good ideal, but not likely to happen.

A alternative is to make the parties more responsive to the public and less so to special interests. In California, they tried to make primaries open so that you can choose candidates from either party. Both parties united and manuevered to have this overturned in court. Still, if you register as an "independent", you can ask for any party's ballot at the poll. Independents can swing close elections. Since independents tend to be moderate, they can swing the parties back from the extremes.

Another idea is to keep campaign donation restrictions only on party giving, and not individual candidates. Campaign reform has lead to getting small contributions for scores of people. Let the big dogs dry up the money and the incumbent assemblyman will have to get by on less.

Answer 2

You're right. Political parties often get in the way of getting things done. However, they do serve a purpose other than patronage.

Before going on ask yourself, "What is it I want the government to do?" I'll wait. ------- ----- ----- ----- ----- Do you have something? Here's mine.

Suppose that you think that the tsunami in December 2004 was the worst thing that ever happened, at least 250,000 people killed. Now, what would you do to prevent it from happening again? What would you do to provide assistance after it happened? How could we provide a better warning system? How could we provide protection from the next one?

How are you going to get the government to take any action? Who cares?

What you need are LOTS of people who share you vision. You rally them around you. You raise money to run a campaign. You, my friend, have just created a political party.

Actually, I have created that party. Just click on SPLATT to the left and read all about it in my profile.

Answer 3

Great idea! Govt has become so corrupt these days--both parties.

Republicans-work only for the very rich--giving them all the tax breaks & loopholes needed to prevent them from paying taxes.

Democrats- who claim they work for the minorities (the poor & the middle class), but ignore the wishes of the American people, for the sake of votes.

Both sides have become so corrupt, it is hard to say where one starts & the other begins. Our rights as Americans, is slowly being squandered away to corporate America in the name of greed & corruption. It will never change until American citizens revolt, over throw the Govt and start a new order of democracy.

How can we possibly spread democracy to the world when we have none in the United States?

Answer 4

That would really change things, for sure....Although, I think that naturally, people would fall into "parties" because they have like ideas. I think that a better solution would be allowing 3rd and 4th and 5th parties to enter the fray, rather than limiting it to the republicans and democrats (there are a lot of laws that keep other parties out of the running like signing requirements, etc.).

Answer 5

That would be a bit of a mess - you'd have to limit the number of candidates, and then you'd just end up with another party.
Best to get rid of the Bush administration and hopefully the next administration will show some common sense and avoid causing wars and bloodshed.

Answer 6

The political parties don't run for office -- individual candidates, some of whom run with the support of their respective parties do. Candidates should already be running on the issues.

Answer 7

We are. We Republicans have installed Howard Dean, Al Gore, Ted- I killed a young woman and got away with it--Kennedy, John Kerry, Hillary, and the lot into the Democratic party. If they continue their hard work, we should have about 98% of the House and Senate soon.

Answer 8

I think we should get rid of them. Politicians end up going along with the party platform instead of what they really believe in. Bad candidates end up getting elected because people vote straight ticket for one party or another. We need more independent thinkers with better solutions to problems.

Answer 9

You bet. Every time I go to one I have a bad hangover the next day. Inside info: don't believe what the label says. They are serving well in top shelf bottles.

Answer 10

How would we ban them? Are you going to restrict people's right to assemble? What's to prevent anyone from organizing a group that is issue pased, sounds alot like a party to me....