Quote:
Originally posted by DavePlays
If you say so....
In a few decades, we may have a 3 or 4 party system - right now, I think if you really want to get anything done and really want to be effective, you have to work within the 2 parties.
And political debate is a wonderful thing -... it's SO American 
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If I say so? Name any instance where less choices and less representation of different ideas is better.
Right now, being forced to work within the two parties <B>is</B> the problem. You're right, political debate is very American and right now, the debate is limited to Democratic rhetoric and Republican rhetoric. There are a great many people not served by either. For instance, I identify and agree with Democratic ideas about personal freedom. However, I am firmly on the Republican side of the fence as far as our military is concerned. I don't think EITHER party is even close on thingslike health care or general finance. There are other parties that represent my ideas better than either Republicans or Democrats, but because of the stranglehold the two-party system has on our government, I am forced to basically pick the one I disagree with the least.
There is no way that two parties forever at odds with each other can possibly accurately represent all or even most of a country with 280 million people in it. Far from keeping in balance, one party usually has a majority of control in the nation and the other party spends all its time trying to thwart the first party's efforts. Then, when power shifts, the thwarters become the thwartees and the cycle repeats ad infinitum.
The only reason it will take decades to get a real and viable third party into American politics is because of the close-mindedness of the rabid two-partiers who believe you are either Republican or Democrat with nothing in between.
SpaceAce