I came across an interesting article on National Public Radio this week. It seemed to highlight what most people already know, but it got me to thinking about American politics and the way the country is run. The article, “As Political Disenchantment Soars, Lines at the Polls Grow Shorter,” focuses on why people are losing their interest in American politics, but does little to explore the sources of the issues.
American politics features the two-party system, one in which a third party will see little to no success. In recent years, this system has generated an immense amount of gridlock and even caused a few government shutdowns, the most recent being in October 2013. Without seeing much action from Washington, it’s no shock that voters aren’t showing up to the polls. If it seems like nothing is getting done, then coming out to vote, or even supporting a candidate in the first place, seems pointless.
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So why does the two party system matter? In my opinion, based off of what I’ve learned in a few Comparative Politics classes, our system is set up perfectly to ensure gridlock. The system of checks and balances in our country has been tailored to make sure nobody has too much power, which is theoretically a great idea. At times like these, however, it can almost guarantee that no branch of government finds success, and that the American people are left feeling as though progress is nonexistent.
I also find issue with people being forced to, essentially, pick between two parties. If a new party is created, or someone supports a party that is not one of the primary two, political success seems to be unachievable even as far as representation is concerned. In other countries, like Great Britain, a two-party system does not necessarily mean the same thing. In their parliamentary system, there is still a majority party, but even the smaller parties will have opportunities for political success and representation.
When looking at all the variables, it’s not hard to believe that political interest is at an all-time low. America’s two-party system forces people to put their beliefs on one side of the line or the other if they want any chance of representation. Without seeing action from Washington, support will continue to diminish. It’s far too late to go back and alter the party system, so action from Congress will be needed to really generate interest on both sides of the party line in the coming elections.
Jessica wagner 