2012 Presidential Debate Thread - Obama/Biden vs. Romney/Ryan - October 3rd-22nd: Live 9 PM EST Toni

[Evilan]

[QUOTE=Medevilae;38157557]It's only a "two-party system" because the majority of people vote Dem or Repub

If you'd like a third party to become relevant telling people to not vote for one is counterproductive[/QUOTE]

Not even close. The reason why a two party system exists is because of the winner take all politics that are in place for elections. If there were say, a proportional representation system then there is the chance for multiple parties to legitimately take on the Democrats and Republicans. Similar to the situations in multiple countries in Europe where there are multiple parties with seats in Congress/Parliament/electoral bodies.

[editline]23rd October 2012[/editline]

[QUOTE=Medevilae;38157904]In order of loopiness, least to most

Green Party -> Justice Party -------------------> Libertarian Party -----------------------> Constitution Party[/QUOTE]

I'm guessing the Democrats belong between the Justice Party/Libertarian Party and the Republicans belong between the Libertarian Party/Constitution Party.

[laserguided]

Gary Johnson has some pretty messed up views.. he wants to end the war in Afghanistan immediately and abolish the department of education?

[Fhenexx]

[QUOTE=laserguided;38158045]Gary Johnson has some pretty messed up views.. he wants to end the war in Afghanistan immediately and abolish the department of education?[/QUOTE]
That's kind of what I was getting at. Libertarians have some really decent views, but then they have the government reforms and repeals that go completely overboard in all of the wrong places (education, for example) that ruin their position. It's mostly in part for them trying to apply their philosophy to everything as to not be hypocrites, and I must commend that to an extent, but it keeps me from standing behind them.

[Mr Skeltal]

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;38157654]No, it's a two-party system because that's all our voting system will support.

Say there were 3 parties. Republicans, Democrats, and lets say another Liberal Party. The votes of the left will be split down the middle between the Democrats and the Liberals come, while the Right will all go toward the Republican Party. This means that even with a majority of liberals, the conservatives will win the election. This will force the Democrats and Liberals to merge into one party to outnumber the Republican votes, because they cannot win divided.[/QUOTE]

Something like this happened with Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose party

[Fhenexx]

It also happened with George Wallace, too, in 1968. In fact, some people actually believed he might have had a real chance of winning if it wasn't for his running debate, who had some horribly radical views like nuking Vietnam.