Many countries around the world have more than two parties, which participate in elections. However, in the United States of American, the situation is opposite because there are only two political parties that compete during elections (Bawn et al., 2012). The role played in many parties in a country is crucial because they allow political systems “to adjust to social and political problems and help people who might be absorbed in personal concerns into political actions” (Bawn et al., 2012, p. 580). The third party system restores vitality and that of the system as a whole. From the perspective of the US, a third party is any party, which is not Republicans or Democrats.
Whether to have a third party is one of the heated debates in the US and different citizens have varying opinions about the issue (Bawn et al., 2012). This is because the third party faces many obstacles during elections in the US because of the way people behave during the election. This is for the reason that, despite the fact that the two political parties are giant, each struggle to win and recognize they will mutually gain if they keep a third party from gaining a significant market share in the election (Bawn et al., 2012). This has resulted in hot debates about whether Americans should turn to a third party, which may be more competitive compared to the existing two parties. To shed more light on the issue, this paper focuses on discussing whether Americans should welcome a third competitive party.
Notably, despite the fact that third parties have failed to succeed in polls, they can influence the American politics in many ways. First, they can introduce new idea through their policies and practices as it was evident in the Populist Party, which introduced new policies that significantly influenced economic policies of the New Deal (Jones, 2014). This implies that allowing them will inject new blood into politics, which may contribute their ideas that may influence various developments in the US.
Another positive role of a third party is ensuring that the major parties are honest by acting as a watchdog to challenge them whenever they go wrong (Jones, 2014). However, the third party system can spoil elections, implying that it can cost the other party’s election. This is because it can draw many votes from a majority party, preventing it from winning. According to the research conducted by Jones (2014) to find out whether a third party was necessary for the United States, the researcher found that “58% advocated a third party and argued that the Republican and Democratic parties are not doing adequate jobs to represent the American people” (Jone, 2014, par 2).
The researcher notes that the views changed from 2007 (Jones, 2014). Their current desire for the third party is consistent with their negative perceptions about the two dominant parties, whereby only 10% view each positively (Jones, 2014). The independents have shown a preference for the third party, whereby 71% say that a third party is necessary on the upper end of the trend line (Jones, 2014). It is critical to underscore that although the US is advocating a third party, their system does not allow a third party to hold elected office given the electoral college system of electing presidents and election members in the Congress from individual states and district based on the candidate getting the most votes. In fact, the system favors only two parties.
News has demonstrated that there is a revolution that was brewing in the country, which was not just a right wing, but in the radical center. The news indicated that there were two dangerous groups that rose to develop a third party with the aim of challenging the two stagnated parties in the US, which have seen the country witness an incremental decline (Douthat, 2011). Although the reporter has acknowledged the president’s achievements, he has noted that he only expanded healthcare that is suboptimal amalgam of tortures and compromises in which no one is sure whether it will work or be affordable (Douthat, 2011).
The need for a third party is facilitated by the fact that both sides are bankrupt and are continuing to bankrupt the country. The justification is further based on a lack of integrity, creativity, and a sense of courage to confront the problems the US is facing (Douthat, 2011). This is because the two parties have short-term goals, whereby if one loses the other gains. The two political parties are characterized by empty promises to the citizens, and there is a need to have a third party, which is competitive to compete with the two parties (Friedman, 2010). In the news, the reporter compares a third party with bees, which goes after stinging. However, He notes that sometimes they play important roles in monitoring what the main parties are doing (Friedman, 2010).
The rigid partisanship has prevented the Republican and Democrats from fulfilling their promises regarding the solutions to crucial registration, resulting in a lack of confidence in the political and economic system (Levin, 2011). Due to the two party systems, there is a stagnated economy, high rate of unemployment, budget deficit, and an increase in national debt (Levin, 2011). This shows that there is a need for a third party.
In conclusion, whether the US should allow a third competitive party lies in the hands of the Americans. A third party may be or may not be a solution to their problems. Notably, the Americans are advocating for the third party because leaders are not doing as they promise during the campaigns because they have short-term goals. A third party will be critical to making them offer the best to the problems and handle issues in the right way when they occur. However, a third party may not be sufficient if it is interested in spoiling the votes of another party. In addition, it may not be easy for Americans to have a third party because of the historical background and the provisions in the constitution, whereby the two parties are allowed to vote.
