• LibertyLizard
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    18 days ago

    You are not wrong, but missing essential context. The American electoral system more or less ensures there can never be more than 2 competitive parties in any given election.

    In some cases where republicans are not competitive, voting third party may be a reasonable strategy, but this is usually only the case in local races in very partisan districts.

    If you want multiparty democracy (which I agree would be an improvement), it’s far more important to advocate for electoral reforms that would allow such a thing than to actually vote for third parties. To do so actually gives up your influence and can be an act of self-sabotage, even if your goal is to support third parties.

    • Instantnudel@discuss.tchncs.de
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      18 days ago

      The American electoral system more or less ensures there can never be more than 2 competitive parties in any given election.

      Wait. So even with a larger amount of Votes on a 3rd Party, they would only allow the two biggest Parties in the Congress? I hope I just totally understood you wrong. Because if that’s what you just said, then this is REALLY undemocratic.

      • LibertyLizard
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        9
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        18 days ago

        No, I’m saying that the system prevents this from happening in the first place. If it ever did, the third party would then become one of the dominant two parties from that point forward. This last happened with the Republican Party replacing the Whig Party in the 1850s, so it is a very uncommon occurrence.