Would America be better served by more than two political parties?
I don’t know the answer, but I think we might be better served by a multiparty system. Most democracies utilize them. Most also have higher voter turnout. Maybe more people care when their specific concerns are better represented.
Bringing us to our present time...
One of our only two parties has decided it no longer wants to participate in our government. The incredible move of not confirming a new Supreme Court Justice puts our democracy in direct danger. A constitutional election crisis—like the one in 2000—could easily end the American experiment with democracy. That’s inexcusable. It’s actually treasonous.
At the same time, Congress’s approval rating is 11%. 2014 was the lowest voter turnout since WWII. The GOP is running ads against its own likely nominee. If Trump and Sanders were to win, insurrection was floated by elites in both parties. Citizens United has unleashed new levels of corruption and disgrace.
If there was ever a time in your lifetime ripe enough to split both parties, this is it!
As Americans, I’m not so sure we don’t have a duty to try to wrestle some control away from these two parties. I don’t mind the Democrats much—although their sucking up to corporations is unnecessary—but the GOP is just ridiculous. The way the Democratic National Committee (DNC) operates, and the fact both parties exploit Citizens United, helps make a case that neither of them deserves their incredibly high ranking.
As a Illinoisan, I’ve seen the negative effects of one-party control, followed by reactionary moves by desperate voters. I constantly hear people complaining that Millennials don’t vote, but neither party even tries to appeal to them. We appear the wealthiest country in the world, that piles debts on its children.
These two parties could use a little competition.
Bill Clinton proved 3rd parties will always lose. That’s because Ross Perot took almost 20% of the vote that year, handing it to Clinton. Most of Ross Perot voters came from George Bush voters [like my dad]. In 2000, the same thing happened to liberals with Ralph Nader [still glad I saw Eddie Vedder play at one of his rallies]. Now, nobody even wants to try the idea of a 3rd party, and for good reason. Nobody wants to hand the other side a victory.
That’s why 2016 is different. I know it’s an idealistic thing to say, but maybe we should be seizing this opportunity to split both parties. Maybe we should be reaching across the isle to Tea Party groups and Libertarians. Because….
Only one way to get new parties in America; split both of ours at the same time.
This is all pie in the sky stuff, but I love pie. This is a rare moment in American history. We can add new political parties. Consciousness of the process would be required, of course. The successful media (MSM) and tied-in corporations would fight back. But we still live in a democracy, and the internet is the greatest tool for communication ever invented.
Don’t be afraid to think big. We’ve been making this up as we go along. We’ve got a playbook, and a rare moment when one team is actually ducking out. Maybe we should be branching in?
