Reforming American Democracy

[Patrick2]

So many Americans are fed up with the two parties. But because of the way our democracy works, we are cemented in a two party system. Third parties and independents have little say in American politics. I feel like this needs to change.

Any thoughts?

You offer no reason why you don't like the two party system. Some governments, eg Italy, go into regular gridlock because of the inability to form a coalition. The coalitions between fragmented parties in parliamentary systems have a counterpart in intraparty compromise and negotiation within the US system. I don't think it's a big issue.

 

[Steelplate]

We sort of do have more than 2 parties. We have your established big 2. Dems & GOP...

Then we have the Progressive Caucus and the Tea Party Caucus that cover the extremes on either side of the liberal/Conservative coin.

They still technically have a (D) or an (R) behind their name, but they both are different animals than the traditional Dems and Reps.

It wouldn't take much to change it to a 4 party system. However, spreading the campaign money around would be a challenge. The only way to logically do this is taxpayer funded elections with a hard cap on what each candidate gets. Truthfully, it would probably SAVE the country money in the long run. Because there wouldn't be any "calling in the chips" of big donors like there is now. So what we spent on elections would be saved(and then some) by way of not pandering. I think you'd see more honest elections too. more debates, less ridiculously overblown and sometimes totally untruthful commercials.

 

[CitizenPained]

Fuck tax payer funded elections. If I want to support Candidate X, I should be able to give to Candidate X.

I do support closing loopholes and 'bundles', however. It's really fucked that the DNC can finagle 10 grand out of a donor so the donor can 'meet the President'.

 

[Anachronism]

Because taking away the political power of the people curtails democracy. If you mean 'taking away democracy' when you say 'reform', then a-ok.

Unless you are of the opinion that Money = Political Power, I'm not sure how you can say that.

Personally, I have no use for True Democracy and very little use for the Republic style of government that we currently use. Too often "The People" are the last group that should be granted ANY say in what should be done because they are mostly imbeciles and morons without the education or information necessary to make the RIGHT Decision.

 

[editec]

So many Americans are fed up with the two parties. But because of the way our democracy works, we are cemented in a two party system. Third parties and independents have little say in American politics. I feel like this needs to change.

Any thoughts?

Agreed.

However anything short of a seachange in the POV of most Americans is not going to be enough change this political dynamic.

I think we have a better chance of a bloody revolution than we do of seeing a third party gain ascendency.

 

[Robert]

So many Americans are fed up with the two parties. But because of the way our democracy works, we are cemented in a two party system. Third parties and independents have little say in American politics. I feel like this needs to change.

Any thoughts?

Then do what everyone else does submit a candidate that can be elected.

 

[editec]

So many Americans are fed up with the two parties. But because of the way our democracy works, we are cemented in a two party system. Third parties and independents have little say in American politics. I feel like this needs to change.

Any thoughts?

Then do what everyone else does submit a candidate that can be elected.

Yeah, right.

 

[Robert]

So many Americans are fed up with the two parties. But because of the way our democracy works, we are cemented in a two party system. Third parties and independents have little say in American politics. I feel like this needs to change.

Any thoughts?

Then do what everyone else does submit a candidate that can be elected.

Yeah, right.

To date the problem with thrid party candidates has been they have been noting but odd balls and kooks. As such they will not be elected.

 

[Avatar4321]

Here are my thoughts:

1) I'm incredibly grateful that we live in a Republic and not a Democracy.
2) The issue isn't the parties or the factions. It's that we've eliminated the checks on the Federal Government by taking the States out of the picture and giving them the power to tax our income without effecting representation.
3) Some of the people here have dangerous and foolish ideas to fix non existant problems.