Individualism and the American Two-Party System

[Isle Coolidge]

This thread is to discuss individual opinion and the 2 parties and their issues.

I have grown tired of GOP insider debate, and with the 2016 elections coming along, I have come to realize that there is at most two GOP somewhat decent GOP candidates who have even somewhat of a chance at victory. Who those are is up to you. This thread isn't for debate over presidential candidates.

The Grand Old Party has nearly as many problems with it as the whole United States does, however I will name two: Establishment politics and easy-going politics.

Establishment politics is fairly simple for anyone to understand the meaning of.

Easy-going politics is something rarely brought up.

The Republican Party "fights" until they lose; then they give up. It has happened numerous times, and it is beginning to occur with the nationwide defunding of Planned Parenthood. Regardless of whether or not you support Republican policies, the fact remains that they always give up. Whatever happened to 'never give up'? Remember the abolitionists fighting for nearly a century to abolish slavery despite the ignorant politicians and numerous setbacks? How many times has giving up resulted in success?

The Republican insiders censor those who aren't with them, keeping them out of debates and out of the spotlight, until recently when we have had a few stand up to this.

I've had enough.

And the Democrats haven't been clean either. Lawrence Lessig, founder of Creative Commons and professor at Harvard, has been denied attention and ignored by the Democrats, presumably because of his inexperience in the political field.

But I'll give credit, at least the Democrats are more united than the Republicans.

Ever since the Blue Dog Coalition has mostly died out, the Democrats are more united than ever, and the term 'conservative democrat' really no longer applies to anything.

Thus, I indefinitely boast that I no longer consider myself a republican. The GOP is broken, the two-party system is broken, and America is broken.

I am now an individual with a free opinion and a whole voice not limited by the pitiful Republican Party.

My opinions haven't changed, only my right to an opinion.

Again, this here isn't to debate any topics like the presidential elections, although there is no problem using those as an example, it is to discuss the political parties, mainly Democrats and Republicans, as well as independent opinion.

So, at least for now, I am an individual, until I find a political home that let's me stay that way, and a political home that doesn't censor and doesn't give up when the going get's tough.

What's your opinion on the political parties and their problems?

[HanFei]

They're a bunch of psychopaths, why you even relate with them is beyond me.

[Nordengrund]

I see no point in being a conservative Democrat since they pretty much died out and there is little a conservative would agree with the modern party.

[Palakistan]

I can't agree with the moral, economic, and political platform of the Democratic Party. Thus, I vote Conservative. I actually have a theory that the two party system in America is what makes us a superpower.

[Isle Coolidge]

I can't agree with the moral, economic, and political platform of the Democratic Party. Thus, I vote Conservative. I actually have a theory that the two party system in America is what makes us a superpower.

I can understand why you might think that, but honestly, I don't think it's the two party system in itself that's the problem, I think it's the two parties we have. I'm a conservative by all means, but I'm not proud to call myself a 'Republican'.

[Galloism]

What's funny is, I used to be fairly solidly conservative at one point. Now I'm very solidly liberal.

The truly ironic part is, I haven't changed hardly any of my positions - at least not any positions of any major import on my left-right spectrum. The system took a hard right, and I didn't move.

[Bogdanov Vishniac]

The US political scene's malaise is a function of the first-past-the-post electoral system you use, your fixed election cycles and your nomination process for party candidates. Fix any one of those and you'd undoubtedly improve the system as a whole.

[HanFei]

I don't think it's the two party system in itself that's the problem, I think it's the two parties we have. I'm a conservative by all means, but I'm not proud to call myself a 'Republican'.

All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. Frank Herbert

[New Werpland]

What's funny is, I used to be fairly solidly conservative at one point. Now I'm very solidly liberal.

The truly ironic part is, I haven't changed hardly any of my positions - at least not any positions of any major import on my left-right spectrum. The system took a hard right, and I didn't move.

And when was this?

[Isle Coolidge]

The US political scene's malaise is a function of the first-past-the-post electoral system you use, your fixed election cycles and your nomination process for party candidates. Fix any one of those and you'd undoubtedly improve the system as a whole.

This is correct. Nomination processes for candidates is a major problem, and has been since 1910 when the primary nomination system became the thing. The has limited rotation in office.

Convention system is the solution.

[HanFei]

Convention system is the solution.

Could also stop allowing people office solely on the basis of popularity. Just saying.

[Isle Coolidge]

Convention system is the solution.

Could also stop allowing people office solely on the basis of popularity. Just saying.

Which is a flaw of the primary system. It allows people to win simply because of name recognition.

[Conscentia]

I don't think it's the two party system in itself that's the problem, I think it's the two parties we have. I'm a conservative by all means, but I'm not proud to call myself a 'Republican'.

All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Frank Herbert

The science says otherwise.

[HanFei]

The science says otherwise.

I laud your well sourced analysis and broad demographic base. But given that that half the sentence was hardly the point of the quote, I might as well remove it.

[Conscentia]

The science says otherwise.

I laud your well sourced analysis and broad demographic base. But given that that half the sentence was hardly the point of the quote, I might as well remove it.

Check "Science Misc.".

[HanFei]

Check "Science Misc.".

Ah, but the circumstance was pathological.

[Isle Coolidge]

Well, back on topic...I guess the question to be asked is where should someone who is tired of the party establishment go? I think that's the problem, is plenty of people are tired of the GOP and DNC, but haven't left because they don't really know where to go, if that makes sense.

[Conscentia]

Well, back on topic...I guess the question to be asked is where should someone who is tired of the party establishment go? I think that's the problem, is plenty of people are tired of the GOP and DNC, but haven't left because they don't really know where to go, if that makes sense.

Canada.

[Isle Coolidge]

Well, back on topic...I guess the question to be asked is where should someone who is tired of the party establishment go? I think that's the problem, is plenty of people are tired of the GOP and DNC, but haven't left because they don't really know where to go, if that makes sense.

Canada.

XD

Except...that...doesn't work...

okay.

[HanFei]

Well, back on topic...I guess the question to be asked is where should someone who is tired of the party establishment go?

Han Fei. Go Han Fei.
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/saxon/ser ... =bilingual

[Olivaero]

I actually don't think the party system is the problem with America, your two parties are what two party systems should be, they're big tent with lots of room for personal disagreement even if you have a certain letter after your name, believe me you wouldn't like them if they weren't and one faction dominated at any one time and dissent against that faction was completely ignored. Sure an alternate system might be better but as it is it's better to have big tents than small ones masquerading as big ones.

[Geilinor]

Well, back on topic...I guess the question to be asked is where should someone who is tired of the party establishment go? I think that's the problem, is plenty of people are tired of the GOP and DNC, but haven't left because they don't really know where to go, if that makes sense.

I agree with the theory. I hear and know lots of people who are tired of politics but don't have a realistic option.

[The Liberated Territories]

This thread is to discuss individual opinion and the 2 parties and their issues.

I have grown tired of GOP insider debate, and with the 2016 elections coming along, I have come to realize that there is at most two GOP somewhat decent GOP candidates who have even somewhat of a chance at victory. Who those are is up to you. This thread isn't for debate over presidential candidates.

The Grand Old Party has nearly as many problems with it as the whole United States does, however I will name two: Establishment politics and easy-going politics.

Establishment politics is fairly simple for anyone to understand the meaning of.

Easy-going politics is something rarely brought up.

The Republican Party "fights" until they lose; then they give up. It has happened numerous times, and it is beginning to occur with the nationwide defunding of Planned Parenthood. Regardless of whether or not you support Republican policies, the fact remains that they always give up. Whatever happened to 'never give up'? Remember the abolitionists fighting for nearly a century to abolish slavery despite the ignorant politicians and numerous setbacks? How many times has giving up resulted in success?

The Republican insiders censor those who aren't with them, keeping them out of debates and out of the spotlight, until recently when we have had a few stand up to this.

I've had enough.

And the Democrats haven't been clean either. Lawrence Lessig, founder of Creative Commons and professor at Harvard, has been denied attention and ignored by the Democrats, presumably because of his inexperience in the political field.

But I'll give credit, at least the Democrats are more united than the Republicans.

Ever since the Blue Dog Coalition has mostly died out, the Democrats are more united than ever, and the term 'conservative democrat' really no longer applies to anything.

Thus, I indefinitely boast that I no longer consider myself a republican. The GOP is broken, the two-party system is broken, and America is broken.

I am now an individual with a free opinion and a whole voice not limited by the pitiful Republican Party.

My opinions haven't changed, only my right to an opinion.

Again, this here isn't to debate any topics like the presidential elections, although there is no problem using those as an example, it is to discuss the political parties, mainly Democrats and Republicans, as well as independent opinion.

So, at least for now, I am an individual, until I find a political home that let's me stay that way, and a political home that doesn't censor and doesn't give up when the going get's tough.

What's your opinion on the political parties and their problems?

I'm with you man. You are up against a system which has guaranteed itself to always win - even if that means making deals with the devil in order to do so.

Otherwise, I remain an independent, as much as I sympathize with the LP, I prefer to be non-affiliated as a whole. Party Politics just isn't my thing.

Also, Cool Cal is my favorite prez. +1

[Renewed Dissonance]

...
The truly ironic part is, I haven't changed hardly any of my positions - at least not any positions of any major import on my left-right spectrum. The system took a hard right, and I didn't move.

I noted that same thing. Only from the perspective of those absurd "third" parties no one ever votes for anyway.

Somewhere beginning around Sept. 12th, 2001, I woke up that morning to find all my "libertarian" "friends" calling me socialist.

Anyway, I haven't voted for any elected office for at least a decade.

[Rusozak]

Honestly, I don't think the 2 party system is going anywhere unless there is either a major split in both parties, or some kind of revolution, armed or not. The people who benefit the most from the system are the ones with the power to change it.