NationStates Jolt Archive

Is it? Look at the vast difference in the groups that are primarily seen as being in one party or another. Can two parties truly represent the diversity of this country. Most of the other "succsefull" republics/democracies in this world have many parties. Can just two accuratley represent us?

(I know there are more, but classifying them as having any sway or power is a joke. You could combine all of them and still not hold a candle to the big two)

Of course it's not representative. But it may have other virtues.

A good argument can be made that while a two-party system is inherently less representative than a multiple-party system, it is also more accountable. With several reasonably powerful parties, it is possible that at any one time none of them will have majority control. Then when the government fails miserably, at the next election everyone just blames everybody else.

With a solid two-party system (preferably parliamentary), the voters know whom to kick out of office.

In the past election, many americans hated both political candidates and as a result had to "choose the lesser of two evils" despite being essentially the same. Puppet on the right or Puppet on the left syndrome. In this nation of ours people should never be forced to choose merely because one is less bad than the other, What america really needs right now in history is a stiff drink and a blow-job.

A two party system virtually guarantees that there is little to no substantive difference between the parties - it's basic game theory.

Simplistically, think of the political spectrum as a line from very conservative to very liberal. There will be a point somewhere along that line which separates the voters into two equal groups. The two parties' views will be clustered around that point. If either one moves away from it to differentiate themselves, the other one will change their policies to follow, thereby grabbing the majority of the electorate.

Of course, the model is overly simplistic, but it's a fairly accurate picture of reality. Some policies differ, but the overall ideals are fairly similar. As an example, the US constituency has become more conservative over the past decade. As a result, both the Democrats and the Republicans have shifted the same direction. It also explains why elections are decided by 5-10% of the vote, rather than by anything resembling a large margin.

You need three viable parties to provide choice. Then the options become more interesting, but there are incentives to be different rather than to be the same, plus the time delays of changing policy prove important.

I think a multi-party system would encourage more debate between politicans. It would also end HUGE faction fighting in the established parties (i.e Australia's ALP party)

A multiparty system appears to be serving us well, and considering the newness of the system, I'd have to say that it has performed very well in application.

No way. We should have more parties. And have a system where it's not winner take all. The parties should be represented in the same percetage as the votes they got. A proportional system would certainly make 49% of us feel better.

A multiparty system appears to be serving us well, and considering the newness of the system, I'd have to say that it has performed very well in application.

Yes. MMP is a hell of a lot better.

What in the nine Hells?
It says there have been 7 replies to this thread and 8 views, yet there are over thirty votes in the poll.
Shall I pop off to Technical and report a bug?

I guess some people don't have any explanation for their views.

With a solid two-party system (preferably parliamentary), the voters know whom to kick out of office.

assuming that a large percentage of the voters aren't so deluded that it doesn't actually matter what 'their guys' do as long as they use the appropriate code-words.

I guess some people don't have any explanation for their views.
Well, it said by that that most people were somehow able to post without seeing the thread ever.
View count should go up independent of post count.

Considering how many people talk about 'the lesser of 2 evils' I wouldn't have thought so.

2 parties? The way I see it, there is only really one party, since the two are so ridiculously similar in most aspects. It's hardly even democracy at all.

In Sweden we have 7 parties to choose from, as well as a multitude of smaller local parties for our county elections. Party debates are always interesting and the political views are greatly varied.

In Sweden we have 7 parties to choose from, as well as a multitude of smaller local parties for our county elections. Party debates are always interesting and the political views are greatly varied.
That is *so* cool!
Go Sweden!

2 parties? The way I see it, there is only really one party, since the two are so ridiculously similar in most aspects. It's hardly even democracy at all.

In Sweden we have 7 parties to choose from, as well as a multitude of smaller local parties for our county elections. Party debates are always interesting and the political views are greatly varied.

We have 8 and an independant currently in our parliment.

We have 8 and an independant currently in our parliment.
Where are you from?

Where are you from?

New Zealand.

The Labour, Green, National, NZ first, Maori, Progressive, ACT and United Future parties are all in ATM, as well as some lady whos name I've forgotten who was chucked out of ACT but kept her seat.

New Zealand.

The Labour, Green, National, NZ first, Maori, Progressive, ACT and United Future parties are all in ATM, as well as some lady whos name I've forgotten who was chucked out of ACT but kept her seat.
Ooh, New Zealand?
I have a friend whose family lives down there.

Down with the two party system!!!!! Libertarians unite!

Obviously many of you do not agree with the two-party system, but at least half of the country will agree on one party. I have friends in Canada who hate their system because there are 4 major parties (and numerous smaller ones) usually resulting in a minority goverment (the party got the most votes but its not over 50%). So, a multi-party system will only divide our country further. Americans need to be united, not divided further.
What good is a goverment that only 38% of the people favor?
Like I said, with our current system, at least half of us will be in favor of our leader.

We weren't last time.

Rise With The Green Party

Rise With The Green Party
Not to mention Libertarians . . .

Hell no! The sad thing is people will say, I will vote for him, he may suck but he is the lesser of two evils. While they could vote for someone else like Ralph Nadar, who is much better for the country.

Rise With The Green Party

No way, Dave Cobb is a socialist.

I'd say you'd need at least 5 to be the least representative.