Why do we allow a two party system in the US?

Lord Starch | Ascended Posting Rampage
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Lord Starch
IP: Logged

1,278 posts
 
I've always wondered why there are two dominant parties that represent the extreme left or right of the political spectrum, when the political opinion of the nation varies beyond the ideals of the two party system. The other smaller parties should get more attention and maybe the country wouldn't be so polarized and divided since the representation of the people would be broader. What do you think?
Last Edit: October 20, 2015, 01:41:31 AM by Lord Starch


 
Elai
| Gay Tupac
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Prehistoric
IP: Logged

18,968 posts
male, he/him

dracula can eat my whole ass!
Because it costs like $200,000 for 4 minutes of speaking time or something and the smaller parties can't afford that.

That's what I've read, at least.


 
DAS B00T x2
| Cultural Appropriator
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: DAS B00T x2
IP: Logged

37,627 posts
This is not the greatest sig in the world, no. This is just a tribute.
Even from the beginning, we were a two-party system, with the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists (who then briefly became the anti-administration party after the Bill of Rights was passed and then shortly after the Democratic-Republican party). Most any other party was largely a single issue one, like today's Green party.
Yeah, I know what you're thinking now. "But Das, muh Whigs." Okay, the Whigs came about in the early 1800's as a merger between the Nat. Republican party of the day, and the single issue Anti Masonic party. They also were only around for about twenty years.
Spoiler
There have always been two major factions in American politics, with small players overlooked on the field. Reason being that a lot of third parties are single issue parties. They are also discouraged by the major party closest to it from actively splitting the voter base and giving more power to the other side in house/senate elections.


Tackel | Heroic Unstoppable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Tackel
IP: Logged

2,580 posts
 
Because it costs like $200,000 for 4 minutes of speaking time or something and the smaller parties can't afford that.

That's what I've read, at least.

True, but with the power of digital distribution now, you wouldn't need thousands to millions of dollars to speak on air for a few moments. You can do it as much as you want now, for free.

Of course, the challenge is being recognized and getting a following, but it's perfectly possible. I wouldn't be surprised if more third party groups started to gain more momentum in the next decade because of it.


Ajax | Respected Posting Frenzy
 
more |
XBL:
PSN: Ajax1234
Steam:
ID: AllAmericanTragedy
IP: Logged

358 posts
 
Don't you mean the center left and center right?


 
More Than Mortal
| d-d-d-DANK ✡ 🔥🔥🔥 🌈
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam: MetaCognition
ID: Meta Cognition
IP: Logged

15,060 posts
This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.
The US is so polarised due to a long line of political changes beginning with the 1964 Civil Rights Act and culminating in Newt Gingrich's 1994 Contract With America.


terrorbite | Member
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: terrorbite
IP: Logged

92 posts
 
because we aren't smart enough to weigh multiple different options. we just want to pick a or b and get on with our day.


 
cxfhvxgkcf-56:7
| Marty Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: SoporificSlash
IP: Logged

15,656 posts
 
This user has been blacklisted from posting on the forums. Until the blacklist is lifted, all posts made by this user have been hidden and require a Sep7agon® SecondClass Premium Membership to view.
Last Edit: October 20, 2015, 10:08:49 AM by SoporificSlash


 
Sandtrap
| Mythic Sage
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Sandtrap
IP: Logged

11,702 posts
Rockets on my X
Because it costs like $200,000 for 4 minutes of speaking time or something and the smaller parties can't afford that.

That's what I've read, at least.

"It cost 400,000 dollars to present my platform. For 12 seconds."


MyNameIsCharlie | Mythic Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: MyNameIsCharlie
IP: Logged

7,789 posts
Get of my lawn
We could if we weren't so entrenched in our binary nature.

Face it, we live in Skyrim. Always two factions and we can't see there may be another option if we could do what we need to to break our own chains.


terrorbite | Member
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: terrorbite
IP: Logged

92 posts
 
i think it's also because of our voting system.



the left image doesn't really allow for anything more robust than the two party system


 
Alternative Facts
| Mythic Forum Ninja
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: IcyWind
IP: Logged

9,381 posts
 
Yay for our archaic election system.



🍁 Aria 🔮 | Mythic Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: D4C
IP: Logged

10,560 posts
His eyebrows sparkling, his white beard hangs down to his chest. The thatched mats, spread outside his chise, spread softly, his splendid attos. He polishes, cross-legged, his makiri, with his eyes completely absorbed.

He is Ainu.

The god of Ainu Mosir, Ae-Oine Kamuy, descendant of Okiku-Rumi, He perishes, a living corpse. The summers day, the white sunlight, unabrushed, ends simply through his breath alone.
Because it costs like $200,000 for 4 minutes of speaking time or something and the smaller parties can't afford that.

That's what I've read, at least.
Also, third parties have to register for the ballot per-district/state and meet a minimum petition signing (a strict limit or percentage of the previous vote) that only includes residents of that area.

Also, third parties only qualify for public funding if they receive 5% of the vote in the previous election. The Reform Party is a good example of that, what with the failure to receive public funding after the 2000 election and its subsequent drop into obscurity (relative to the mid-90s).

Add in the fact that we use a Single Member Plurality Electoral System, and you get the result of three US Senators and one member of the House of Representatives being Independent.
Last Edit: October 20, 2015, 02:45:20 PM by Prime Megaten


ΚΑΤΑΝΑΛΩΤΗΣ | Mythic Invincible!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: TrussingDoor
IP: Logged

7,667 posts
"A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, 'You are mad, you are not like us'."
-Saint Anthony the Great
This user has been blacklisted from posting on the forums. Until the blacklist is lifted, all posts made by this user have been hidden and require a Sep7agon® SecondClass Premium Membership to view.


terrorbite | Member
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: terrorbite
IP: Logged

92 posts
 
>allow
>as if you have a choice
>"lol guise cmon democracy is real and it works lol xD"
whats the better option?


Republicunt | Member
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Republicunt
IP: Logged

75 posts
 
Republicunts should all be rounded up into camps and gassed. Make it a one party system instead.


ΚΑΤΑΝΑΛΩΤΗΣ | Mythic Invincible!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: TrussingDoor
IP: Logged

7,667 posts
"A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, 'You are mad, you are not like us'."
-Saint Anthony the Great
This user has been blacklisted from posting on the forums. Until the blacklist is lifted, all posts made by this user have been hidden and require a Sep7agon® SecondClass Premium Membership to view.


terrorbite | Member
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: terrorbite
IP: Logged

92 posts
 
>allow
>as if you have a choice
>"lol guise cmon democracy is real and it works lol xD"
whats the better option?
we've been over this
i'll gladly read up on a thread if you have one handy