Is the two-party system good?

[BrewCrew09!]

Is the two party system benefitial for America? Or is a multiparty system better?

I've heard that the two-party system is a product of the winner-take-all voting system, and other voting systems, collectively called "proportional representation," encourage multiparty systems.

 

[♥bay-face♥]

I'd prefer more major parties in America. It's kind of restrictive when you basically know that only one of the two current major parties will win the election.

 

[NickyV]

my question is are any of you looking at voting for some one other than the big 2?

 

[mikey m]

The problem with our current system is that although other parties can run, but they "take away" votes from other canidates. Everyone assumes one of the 2 major parties will win, even when it is this attitude which makes it so everyone votes for one of the 2 majority parties. An example is that now if someone votes for Nader, they are probably taking a vote away from Kerry. A better voting system is I think instead of one person, one vote, we could do one canidate, one person, one vote. So you can vote for as many canidates as you want. So if you want to vote for Kerry and Nader you can and then you are voting for a canidate you want to win while not taking votes away from another canidate. Of course this will never happen because the 2 major parties are currently in office and would never allow something like this to happen which would mean more competition.

 

[hearttech22]

Representation subverts democracy.

 

[fijibabie]

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/polit/damy/BeginnningReading/howprwor.htm

Here's a link to a website that explains alternate voting systems that encourage more multiparty systems.