The American Two Party system

[Belsnickel]

(03-05-2023, 08:44 PM)hollodero Wrote: I get the value of the argument. I wonder though whether your implicit proposal would change anything for the better. First, for practitcal reasons. If you employ 435 representatives times 7, so around 3.000 representatives, things would not get done any easier. Even if halving that number, you'd have to persuade around a thousand people for any proposal, which also means a thousand backroom deals, a thousand goodies, and amendments and whatnot. Imho completely unpracticable, and in the end probably only solved through strictening party discipline. And then what about the guy who speaks for his constituents. His voice isn't as loud anymore. 
But mostly, it does not tackle what I deem the main issue. It's still two molochs, you'd just add more people into them. People that by design don't represent their constituents, but neglect up to 50% of their constituent's will, those that picked the only other option available. And more often than not, a person that was picked for the sole quality of not being a QAnon believing, Trump-loving election denier, or most often just because the color fits the district and it doesn't matter who runs. How would more of those people turn anything for the better.  

Now if things were different, like 15% of people with a certain philosophy actually being represented by 15% of congresspeople, instead of having all of their votes counted for someone else, then I can see the point in arguing over that particular aspect. If you were a bit more like Canada or Germany in that regard. But as things stand, I feel bringing up the low number of congresspeople in the end is a distraction from the overarching issue.



That is certainly true. Doesn't change that the two-party system needs fixing. And to me it seems it's the biggest issue of them all. And most other issues might not be fixable as long as the two-party system stands as is.

I find it hard to understand at times how Americans don't quite seem willing to just agree to that.

I think you misunderstand me a little. I am simply pointing out that our woes go well beyond just the two-party system. I really want to change that and I think our party structure is in dire need of reform. There are just a lot of other compounding factors that we have to figure out where to start. For example, increasing the number of representatives dilutes the authority any one member of Congress holds. With that in mind, and political parties being all about gaining and holding onto power in this country rather than any sort of actual platform, could increasing the numbers in Congress then cause a party upheaval? Would it make it easier or more difficult to pass election reforms like RCV or other tools that could make third parties more viable? More Representatives also means a higher number of third-party and independent members of Congress because that is where we would see them emerge, especially in smaller districts. Do they come together and form coalitions that end up becoming closer in design to the parties we see in other WEIRD nations?

I study political science and work at a university, believe me, these are conversations I have had way too many times around here.