Does our 2 party system need an overhaul?

I don't know about everyone else, but I am getting sick of having only 2 parties. The bickering between republicans and democrats prevents most issues from being dealt with in a proper manner, because even if an idea is perfect, the opposing side will not agree with it, because they would be agreeing with the "enemy". Both sides are being childish, and it really prevents progress. If we could somehow popularize a 3rd party, I think our country would be more of a democracy. What are your thoughts?

 

I don't know about everyone else, but I like having only two parties. If we had three parties, all we'd get is bickering between Republicans, Democrats, and X Party, and this would prevent most issues from being dealt with in a proper manner, because even if an idea is perfect, the opposing sides would not agree with it, because they would be agreeing with the "enemies". All three sides would be being childish, and it would really prevent progress. If we could somehow popularize a thrid party, I don't think our country would be any more of a democracy. These are my thoughts.

 

Yea I would like to see the democratic party come back again and be the third party next to the extreme leftwing Dean/Kennedy/Clinton party and the limp wrist, we do not want to offend anyone Republicans. Actually I want to see four parties for I miss the old republican party as well.

If you want a more serious answer:

I would like to see a strong third political party. I would also like to see a limit on how much money can be spent on an election as well as ten debates where reporters do not ask the questions but the candidates have to make an effort to think and present their viewpoints with each other presenting and defending their positions from one another. I guess a moderator or ref would be needed thru. I don't know about you but I have not been happy with either party for quite a while and feel new blood is needed.

However, I could see AJ's point of view of political caos due to not enough votes to get anything done. After all you can't threaten someone to vote the party line or else if they are not a member of your party. Then again, maybe that is the reason why we could use a third party. hmmmm....

 

Why? All we'll have then is three groups or more voting party lines, and nothing getting done!

 

Perhaps you are right and I can not take a strong position on this for the proof of what you say has been shown in Italy and other democracies as well. I just think that our two current parties have failed to represent the American people for the last 18 years or so which is one reason why they are dividing us.

 

I disagree: I don't think our two parties have failed to represent us. We're only divided because of a few people who lead those parties as their posterboys (and girls) and the mass public's dislike of those candidates. If the Republican party had a much more likeable presidential candidate who was also a strong leader, or if the Democratic party had a ... well, if they had any kind of candidate right about now, then the American public would be less polarized.

Also, a big problem involved in this is the mass media being extremely polarizing toward all candidates. All they portray about politics is negativism, and that, more than anything else, I believe, is what divides the public. When the public hears that Republicans are all evil right-wing war mongerers, or that the Democrats are all murdering, leftist hippies who love gay people, the public turns themselves off to politics and picks a side to back without looking into the real ideology behind candidates or party ideologies.

~AJ

 

I agree about the media but as you know from my posts I suspect the mainstream media of actually having an unamerican agenda.

So do you think it is going to be one of the standard names or current front runners as their party's presidential candidate or will it be the unknown who has not emerged yet, say like a Jimmy Carter in the seventies or Bill Clinton in the nineties did.

 

A lot of people think John McCain (my senator here in AZ), or former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani could win nomination for the Rep. party, and that Hillary Clinton might win for the Dems.

I could see Giuliani (dang that's hard to spell!) getting it for the GOP, but not McCain. He's a little bit too moderate. Hillary might get it for the Dems, but I really don't think she could ever win the presidency. All she wants it for is to put it on her resume. I do not think she could lead the country. It would be interesting to see Senator Barack Obama (D-NE) go for the nomination for the Democrats; I think he could do well.

But at the moment, I don't like any of the potential candidates, and I am hoping to see a few more newcomers to the stage in the next couple years.

~AJ

 

I've always thought that if we had 3 strong parties and there were to be a close Presidential vote, say 37-33-30, then we would have a 63% majority of our country that doesn't want that President....Yet his party would hold the office. Just a thought, I think about things in weird ways sometimes.

 

You know, I kind of like it with just two partys. Neither will agree with what the other side comes up with, for fear that it may work and they won't get credit for thinking it up. So nothing gets done! For the most part we should be thankful for that much at least.

It also has been my experience that IF you didn't want something to get accomplished/passed you appointed more than two persons to the group making the decision. In fact, IF you didn't want to hear about the subject again, you appointed nine or ten people.

So maybe we are just as well off and the founding fathers could make it.

 

I think the problem is that we don't even have two parties anymore - we have one party - the statistical party. This party tells the candidates exactly what they need to say in order to sway the most votes to their name. Political campaigns are determined by a machine. 'seperate yourself from your oponent, but not too much, because you don't want to alienate potential hedge voters that like conservative liberalism, or liberal conservativism.'

I'd like to see no more games. I'd like the media to run down a candidates history, and I think that should be weighed heavier than whatever they can say when they are in the spotlight at 9:46 on a Tuesday night.

So I think we need a two party system before we can entertain any more!

 

I think McCains got a lot more future as a political analyst anyway.

 

Yeah, I agree. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy, and personally, I would probably vote from him since I'm from Arizona, but outside of our state, I just don't think he could get the votes.

 

agreed. I like him, too. he talks straight sense - which is why the media seems to like him so much.

 

All this may be true, but I believe the media likes him because they know he will 'spill his guts' to them on anything, and they can get something started which will (what used to be called) sell more papers. It's the ratings and the money that makes the difference any more.

 

This reminds me of my father. He is so Republican that he would vote for a monkey if it ran on the Republican ticket. I always tease him that it takes him 1 min. to vote. He couldn't even tell you any names on the Democratic ticket because it doesn't matter, they're Democrats! And he will be the first to admit it. I always like to think I am voting for the right candidate and not just because he is a Rep. or a Dem., male or female, black or white, etc., or Governor from my homestate. No offense AJM, but I think a lot of good votes are wasted because of these practices. If my Gov. were running, I know I would turn and run the other way!

 

I work with McCain, and I believe him to be a good man. You are implying that I would vote for him without checking him out simply because he is my senator, which is untrue. You're putting words into my mouth here without getting the full scoop!

~AJ

 

Don't get defensive, I think these were your words. I can't read minds, just what is written!!

 

Well put, but my implication was different than that. You're right, I should have been more clear.

 

We're cool. I shouldn't have brought you into that but it just made my dad and his die hard tactics pop into mind.