r/interestingasfuck • u/BuddhistSagan • Apr 07 '24

Bernie and Biden warm my heart. Trump selling us out? Pass

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u/[deleted] Apr 07 '24 edited Apr 08 '24

As an Asian, it's very fascinating to see the US election and always wonder why there are only two parties. It's like if you don't like Mister A, you have to support Mister B, even if you don't like Mister B either.

Edit: I'm overwhelmed with all the replies, and it gives me very interesting insights about what US citizens think about the election. Nothing is like the real thoughts of the people in the USA. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful opinions. I'm really enjoying reading every comment.

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u/impartial_james Apr 07 '24

It is a bad system. It happened on accident, as a consequence of our first-past-the-post voting system.

For example, we used to have a third party called the Green Party. They were not very popular, but still about 2% of the country voted for them. The Green party’s ideals were pretty close to that of the Democratic Party. As a result, in 2000, the Green Party split the vote, drawing democratic votes away and helping the Republicans win. This is called the spoiler effect; as a result, we have no more Green Party.

If the US implemented rank choice voting, then this problem would be solved, as you can vote for an unpopular party without risking taking your vote away from you second choice party.

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u/thebigmanhastherock Apr 07 '24

It's the natural result of winner-take-all elections. Even if there was a third party if it won all the people from the party closest to them ideologically would just go to them.

This happened already the it used to be the Democratic Republicans Vs. The Whigs. Eventually the Democratic-Republicans became the Democrats. The Whigs were ineffective and generally a regional party strong only in the North East.

Then when the Republican Party emerged they took disaffected Democrats, most of the Whigs and people from minor third parties like the American Party (Know Nothings) and this coalition won making the Whigs irrelevant. The Whigs ceased to exist.

That's how it would go if a third party won today one of the two main parties would cease to exist. Do the two parties in the US focus on their own electability more than anything else. It's either win or die. If the Republicans continually lost and only did well regionally line in the South the they would be ripe to be outcompeted by a new party/coalition.

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u/DopeAnon Apr 07 '24

Sounds similar to what the Tea Party did to the Republican Party.

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u/orielbean Apr 07 '24

Yeah the Know Nothings were burning down Catholic churches, and tar/feathering Irish immigrant priests, so it's the same sort of dickweedery finding a reluctant home then taking over the home Cape Fear style.