How does the American system of registering Republican or Democrat work? Does it discourage a third party?
348713
You don't - you can pick 'third party' when you register.\n\nActually, it may be called 'unaffiliated'.
827266
America has a Two Party System mostly due to the issues that arose during the process of ratifing the Constitution. The country was split with one group, the Federalist, supporting the Constitution, and the other, the Antifederalist, fearing that the Constitution gave the National government too much power. \n\nAfter the ratification of the Constitution, there were still two conflicting major views of where the power should lie. One side said that the National government should have most of the power, and the otherside said the Local governments. These divisions were more or less the same as the divisions between the Federalists and the Antifederalist.\n\nHowever, two strong personalities began to gather followers. Alexander Hamilton of the Federalist; Thomas Jefferson of the Antifederalist. Thus the political theories of that time were called Hamiltonianism and Jeffersonianism. \n\nThere were other political theories floating around as well, but because of the power that Hamilton and Jefferson held, their groups became dominant. In fact, the two groups become so dominate that it was nearly impossible to get elected if a politician did not have the support of one of the groups. \n\nSince then, the major parties have just held so much power and name recognition that it still remains nearly impossible to gain the money and support to win an election without them.\n\nThat's the major reason we have a Two-Party System. There are a few others. For example, the Electorial College. In order to become President, a candidate must win 270 electorate votes. With only two parties, someone will always recieve the 270 votes. However, if there was a powerful third party that could steal electorial votes from both parties, then it would be possible for no candidate to recieve the 270 votes needed.\n\nAt which point, the House of Representatives picks the President for us.
231197
There's a problem with your suggestion. It'll allow third parties to get in the mix and win seats. Unfortunately, since Congress is controlled by Dems and Repubs, none of them will vote in favor of it. I like the idea, but it won't pass through Congress.
516164
Cosax is right. both parties have NOT represented the American citizens at all. just special interest groups. taxes would go down if we stop spending all the money on stupid s__t! and we need to protect the borders of the country!
394698
The 2 party system was not the idea of our founding fathers. George Washington was actually VERY opposed to it. There have been some contenders recently who has challenged it, Ross Perot and Ralph Nader most recently. I, for one, am sick of being forced to vote for either idiot #1 or idiot #2 when there is not really all that much difference between them. I don't think we need to strengthen the 2-party system. I think we need to abolish it and start over.
966531
oh wow!  There are 2 major parties in the United States. Democrats and Republicans. Some democrats, well usually most, no offence, can be liberals. Sometimes, they are liberals. Republicans are representated by an elephant. Go to the national republican or national democrat websites to learn about their history and facts. It is pretty interesting.
150495
The American electoral system is based on plurality, which fosters a two-party system. Third parties may collect a high number of votes; however, in reality, these votes are usually wasted on a losing candidate. \n\nIn contrast, most European electoral systems are based on proportional voting; in other words, actual votes for a party correspond to actual seats in a legislative body, such as Parliament.\n\nThe main reason an independent candidate can not win the presidency is due to the lack of financial resources. Unless someone like Donald Trump was running, a candidate mostly relies on party fundraising as his or her major financial resource. As an independent, the candidate would not have the resources of the two established parties.\n\nInterestingly, Geena Davis's character on ABC's Commander In Chief is an independent female President who took the oath due to the former President's death. Already an issue that has been brought up, it will be interesting to observe the focus on fundraising as an independent running for election.
537978
Yes, that is how it is. They are basically telling American citizens to blank themselves. They represent big business and not the American people. It's been that way for years though, maybe now American citizens will get a wake up call and start voting 3rd party in massive numbers instead of being stuck in the box of voting either one party or the other.
981708
The political process in this country has been locked down in favor of the two parties for a long time.  The road for a third party would be extremely difficult.  First, the democrats would have to fail miserably in the next couple of years for there to be any movement to a third party.  Then, the public would have to organize massively in their discontent around another grouping and put the weight of their numbers behind it.  If that were to happen, then a third party might be viable.  But not without great numbers of people supporting it.
1160215
No. Third Parties have never been able to cut to the chase in this country. And I think that may be a good thing. \n\nDespite the tendency for there to be more independents in this country than Democrats or Republicans, the fact is that the power to make changes rests in the structure of a two party system. \n\nA lot of people have tried and a lot of people have failed, but the two party system is here to stay, no matter how hard everyone tries to build a third party. \n\nIf you would all get out there and organize to try to build a third party, I would support you and join you. But until then, it's just two parties.
824557
You shouldn't be represented by a "party".  You should be represented by a person.  \n\nAs you look around the political landscape, you'll see examples of liberal Republicans, like Olympia Snow or Arlen Spector, conservative Democrats, like Zell Miller and Bob Casey, and moderates from both sides, like Joe Lieberman or John McCain.\n\nAll are popular with their constituencies, I'd guess more because of their positions than their party affiliation.  As it should be...right?
270915
They already are, but it takes a long time for alternate parties to gain the momentum required to win higher offices.  There are many local and state offices being filled by members of alternative parties.  Ocassionally a third party candidate manages to get the majority of votes for a congressional seat.  It will be a long time before we see a third party president.
796484
First, it's in your textbook.  Second, if you copy what anyone writes here, it's called plagiarism and you can get expelled for it.  That said, my opinion won't help much.\n\nThe idea that minor parties positively strengthen the United States' two-party system is a crock.  What it's done so far is steal votes from one side or the other, making it to the point that people now believe that if you don't vote against the party you hate the most (Hate Dems?  You have to vote Republican!  Hate the G.O.P.?  You have to vote Democrat!) you are throwing your vote away.  People regularly get incensed when a person mentions they plan to vote his or her conscience and accuse the voter of wasting his or her vote.  I suppose the fact most people are sheep and don't vote conscience but their "team" (a.k.a. party affiliation) has a greater effect on keeping the two-party system together, influencing independent-minded people who fear the bigger idiot getting into office enough to vote for the lesser one.\n\nNow, your teacher doesn't want to hear that, even if it is true.  So, somewhere in your book in that chapter you're studying in class (possibly in bold text) is the answer.
857798
Third parties are a bad idea. With a three party system, the winner is usually elected with a less than majority vote. Clinton won in 96 with a majority of people voting against him.
997505
I personally am opposed to the idea of voting for the other guy just because I don't like his opponent.  If you don't truly believe in the candidate you are voting for, find another one.  As much as people don't think much of third party candidates, I feel that if people voted for a candidate that they believed in instead of "you have to vote for one the two main parties or you through your vote away" we would have a much different country today.
953101
I think it it would force the parties to understand they have to start working together.\nCurrently both parties are focused on what is best for the party, NOT what is best for the people, a third party would force an end to this abomination.
507326
The only way I see americans voting someone other than the two leading parties is if a third party were to break away from one of the major parties. It's happened before. The Republican party was started from the Whig party. I could see \nAmericans voting for a third party who had a platform of ridding the government of rampant corruption and getting us out of Iraq.