What new parties does the US need?

[Saigon]

Imagine if the US were to switch to multi-party democracy for this election. What parties do you think would stand, and what parties would you like to see stand?

I think both major parties would split - GOP into Tea Party and a more business-focused urban party; the Dems into a genuine Social Democrat Party and a centrist party focusing on small businesses and urban professionals.

Plus I guess there would also be a Greens Party, and maybe Christian Democrats.

Would there be an NAACP party? A pro-Israel party?

Any other party who might gather 5% of a national vote.

 

[Unkotare]

We don't "need" any because it's not going to happen.

 

[Saigon]

Here is an overview of German parties, for instance:

CDU - Christian liberal conservative (Right)
CSU - Christian conservative (Right)

SDP - Social Democrat (Centre left)
FDP - Liberal (Centre)

The Left - Left
Greens - Left

And in state parliaments:

Free Voters - Populist
Pirate Party - Youth Populist
NDP - Crypto-fascist
SSVW - left wing, minority issues
BiW - right wing extremists
DKP - communists

 

[Unkotare]

We are not Germany, idiot.

 

[Seawytch]

Maybe the way the US will go is no parties. CA recently voted itself open primaries through its initiative system.

If there were no parties, perhaps instead of going on ideology, candidates would simply have to state their platforms and let people decide.

That still won't happen in CA unfortunately because their political party is still listed under their name, just everyone gets to vote for whoever they want in the primary and the top two vote getters go on to the General.

I'm waiting for the first election where the top two are in the same party.

 

[dblack]

We don't "need" any because it's not going to happen.

Is this a parody?

 

[dblack]

Imagine if the US were to switch to multi-party democracy for this election. What parties do you think would stand, and what parties would you like to see stand?

I think both major parties would split - GOP into Tea Party and a more business-focused urban party; the Dems into a genuine Social Democrat Party and a centrist party focusing on small businesses and urban professionals.

Plus I guess there would also be a Greens Party, and maybe Christian Democrats.

Would there be an NAACP party? A pro-Israel party?

Any other party who might gather 5% of a national vote.

As long as our major elections are based on winner-take-all, plurality voting, there will be a strong tendency toward to major parties. So, until we change that, I don't think we'll get any kind of 'multi-party' democracy.

What I do see changing, or a least hope will change, is more emphasis on the authoritarian/libertarian distinction rather than the traditional left/right split (which is becoming increasingly blurred). The problem with that is, though I see a growing demand from voters calling for libertarian policies, neither current party is willing to claim them.

 

[Steelplate]

My opinion? I think we need the Democratic and Republican Party to hold down the Center and branch off from there. Tea Party to the right, Socialists to the left.

Of course that still leaves Libertarians out in limbo...they are so far right on aime issues and so far left on others that it’s hard to classify them.

 

[Saigon]

Maybe the way the US will go is no parties. CA recently voted itself open primaries through its initiative system.

If there were no parties, perhaps instead of going on ideology, candidates would simply have to state their platforms and let people decide.

That still won't happen in CA unfortunately because their political party is still listed under their name, just everyone gets to vote for whoever they want in the primary and the top two vote getters go on to the General.

I'm waiting for the first election where the top two are in the same party.

It' a nice idea, but in practice it makes sense for like-minded candidate to band together. I can't imagine any major economy would every have, for instance, a Congress with a hundred different candidates and no parties. It could be chaos.

 

[MeBelle]

I vote for the Beer Party!

 

[Saigon]

My opinion? I think we need the Democratic and Republican Party to hold down the Center and branch off from there. Tea Party to the right, Socialists to the left.

Of course that still leaves Libertarians out in limbo...they are so far right on aime issues and so far left on others that it’s hard to classify them.

I agree - I think US voters would like to have choices, and parties like Libertarians, Tea Party would get a lot of votes.

 

[MeBelle]

<snip>

I'm waiting for the first election where the top two are in the same party.

I know you said General...but this is happening in Placer County.

 

[Truthmatters]

no they would not get alot of votes.

they are merely reactions to the completely morally bankrupted republican party

 

[dblack]

My opinion? I think we need the Democratic and Republican Party to hold down the Center and branch off from there. Tea Party to the right, Socialists to the left.

Of course that still leaves Libertarians out in limbo...they are so far right on some issues and so far left on others that it&#8217;s hard to classify them.

It's only hard to classify them on the stilted, one-dimensional left/right map. The Nolan chart makes it fairly easy to see where they're coming from:

 

[The Rabbi]

When I look at how Euro style multi party systems actually work I'm glad we dont have that shit here. After the election they are scrambling to sell out their values faster than day old fish in order to cobble together a coalition majority.
In the US what would haev been separate parties become wings within the Dems or GOP. So they're jockying takes place within the party, saving us from the spectacle of back room dealing after the election.

 

[Seawytch]

<snip>

I'm waiting for the first election where the top two are in the same party.

I know you said General...but this is happening in Placer County.

In Placer the top two going into a General for a partisan office are in the same party?

We get that all the time for non partisan offices like Assessor, Coroner, etc. It is a strongly Democratic county.

 

[Billo_Really]

Imagine if the US were to switch to multi-party democracy for this election. What parties do you think would stand, and what parties would you like to see stand?

I think both major parties would split - GOP into Tea Party and a more business-focused urban party; the Dems into a genuine Social Democrat Party and a centrist party focusing on small businesses and urban professionals.

Plus I guess there would also be a Greens Party, and maybe Christian Democrats.

Would there be an NAACP party? A pro-Israel party?

Any other party who might gather 5% of a national vote.

Well, off the top of my head how bout...

American's for America Party
Platform: Companies getting government contracts must spend the money within the continental United States, no foreign investment allowed with public money.

The Anti-War Party
Platform: US troops belong on US soil. US bases belong on US land. Foreign Policy should not be militarized.

The 99% Party
Platform: Ending corporate welfare the top 1% have been enjoying for years.

The Anti-Lobby Party
Platform: Enacting legislation that criminalizes lobby groups from having private, closed-door meetings with elected officials away from public scrutiny. It also bans officials leaving office to work with any lobby group for the next 10 years.

American Beer Party
Platform: Increase taxes on cigarettes; reduce taxes on beer.

American Pot Party
Platform: Legalizing weed throughout the country and taxing the shit out of drug dealers.

The STFU Party
Platform: Organizing resistance against dumbass American's with 3rd grade educations who think they can participate in politics without the resume required for the job.

The Anti-Celtic Party
Platform: Protecting the country against the domestic threat coming from those basturds in Beantown.

 

[Seawytch]

I vote for the Beer Party!

I think there has already been a beer party that attempted to qualify.

I work in Voter Registration...you should see the drop down list of parties that have attempted to qualify. Some of the ones I can remember of the top of my head (although I may end up conflating some. If so, I do apologize to those parties)

The Super Happy Party
We Love Women Party
The Neuroscience Party
The Pot Party (of course, it's CA after all)

Now, the one that pisses me off the most is the American Independent Party. They are actually a qualified party in CA...tout themselves as the "fastest growing" party in CA.

Can you see why they are the fastest? It certainly isn't their platform...

American Independent Party

 

[Billo_Really]

I vote for the Beer Party!

I think there has already been a beer party that attempted to qualify.

I work in Voter Registration...you should see the drop down list of parties that have attempted to qualify. Some of the ones I can remember of the top of my head (although I may end up conflating some. If so, I do apologize to those parties)

The Super Happy Party
We Love Women Party
The Neuroscience Party
The Pot Party (of course, it's CA after all)

Now, the one that pisses me off the most is the American Independent Party. They are actually a qualified party in CA...tout themselves as the "fastest growing" party in CA.

Can you see why they are the fastest? It certainly isn't their platform...

American Independent Party

How bout "The Hot Chicks Party"?

They deserve representation too!

Or would that give California too much influence in setting the policy agenda?

 

[Unkotare]

We don't "need" any because it's not going to happen.

Is this a parody?

Reality.