In today’s politics, a vote for a party other than the Democratic or Republican is often called a waste of a vote. In American history, there have always been two main political parties. While additional political parties existed, none have become President of the United States. It’s obvious that the Democratic and Republican parties dominate American democracy, but the ideology behind the two party system should be in question. In an America where it is rare for voters to lean completely left or right, the fundamental platforms of each party are seen as stagnant, even outdated.
A democracy is intended to be representative of the people it is serving. However, many voters today feel that they must default into one category or the other. The majority of voters fall into the independent spectrum. Any election relies on the independents. It can be said that whoever has been elected has done their job at persuading the majority of voters.
In contrast, the ideology of the two party system has resulted in voters settling for a candidate. Often times, they do not wholeheartedly support the candidate they are voting for, fearing that their vote is thrown away by voting for the third party. If the American political system were truly fair, the third party would have a chance at a seat in the White House.
The individuals who choose to vote for the third party can be compared to the truly conservative or liberal voters. These voters are in total support of the party they are voting for. They see their vote as the aforementioned do; a candidate is representing them. It is the third party voters’ right to stand behind their candidate, but in the two party system, they do not have a fair chance of seeing representation in politics.
Elections rest in the hands of the independents. We have been taught that a vote for the third party is a waste, but if everyone voted for who they truly believed in, the results would be vastly different.
