Why Doesn't a Two Party System Work?

1. There are usually more than two sides to every issue.

Not every issue can be so easily placed into its appropriate camp. Typically, things are not so black and white. We need a legislature that can adequately represent the diversity of the people. This includes more than two agendas. Some issues get left out of the public discussion all together because they do not fit into either party's platform.

2. The lack of choice creates a "lesser of two evils" voting strategy.

It is simply an embarrassment to our legislature when people are elected into office not because they were the best person for the job but because they were not the worst. With every race coming down to only two front runners, the public doesn't have any real alternative to business as usual. Voters need to have a real decision to make. A two party system doesn't provide this.

3. It results in an "Us vs. Them" battle on every issue.

Just because the Democrats are for an issue, that doesn't mean that it should be voted down by the Republicans. When politicians vote along party lines they are doing everyone a disservice. Our representatives are elected so that they can judge for themselves what is at stake with each topic and then make a decision based on their conclusions. Because of the two party system, this rarely happens. Politicians feel pressured to vote along with the rest of the party, regardless of what they think. The result of this is decisions get made by a few of the party leaders rather than by the individual party members. In a two party system, the party in control of the legislature has too much power.

What can you do about it?

1. Begin voting for third party candidates.

People sometimes feel that voting for a third part candidate is wasting their vote. This can't be further from the truth. The point of an election is for you to decide for yourself who you feel will do the best job in the office in question. It is not for you to try to guess who is going to win. Take a good look at all the candidates running. Educate yourself with their views on the issues that concern you most. When you find that candidate that you feel will best represent you, vote for him or her. Perhaps your candidate won't win. Perhaps they won't even receive 1% of the returns, but change is hard and it takes time.

2. Find the political party that suits you best and get involved.

One of the biggest complaints of both the Democratic and Republican parties is that they fail to represent their constituents. If you do not completely identify with either of the two major parties, find one that you do identify with. There are over fifty political parties in the United States. Thirty six have recently endorsed or fielded a candidate for office. Some parties are serious (The Green Party), some are scary (The American Nazi Party) and some are funny (The Pot Party). One of them might be for you. Try starting you search here. If you find a party that you can associate yourself with, volunteer. They most likely desperately need your help. You may find that most associate yourself with one of the two major parties. That's fine, just be aware of the alternatives and informed about what you are supporting.

3. Inform yourself about what is going on and get involved in any way you can.

The biggest problem with the American political system is the public's apathy. The average American doesn't really have a desire to become political. Most people don't have a real serious viewpoint on any issue in particular. That's fine, but the people who are left to make the decisions for all of us are the gun nuts and the anti-abortion freaks. I too don't have any real political agenda, but I do have an opinion. It is important that everyone speak so that the true will of the people is heard. If you don't speak up, there is a bible-quoting, gun-rack-shinning, abortion-clinic-bombing, homophobic hypocrite who will for you.