Two-party system, Electoral Process, America
As one of the oldest democratic countries in the world, America‘s political scene consists of only two main political parties; the Democratic Party (DP) and the Republican Party (RP). These two political parties enjoy a duopoly privilege, meaning they equally share political power in the country (Berlatsky 2010). However, these two parties sharply contrast each other when it comes to their ideologies and philosophies. Being the very oldest political party in the world, the democratic party has always promoted social liberalism and progressive platform (Berlatsky 2010). The Democratic Party attracts liberalists, centralists and progressives as party members.
The Republican Party is conservative in its ideologies and principles. On a social stand, the two parties often disagree on critical matters such as gay marriages and abortion. While the majority of the democrats support the legalization of both gay marriages and abortion, Republicans shun the two practices and campaign for their ban. Democrats have always supported a communal living propelled by social responsibility while, for Republicans, an ideal society is one based on individual rights and justice (Berlatsky 2010). The two parties have also differed greatly when it comes to economic ideas and governments spending.
[...] Often, the presidential electoral system discourages voters from registering with third parties in order to participate in the primaries. As a result, direct primary creates a voter system accustomed to only two major aspiring presidential candidates (Domhoff 2013). Role of the campaign process in keeping the two-party system. Although a non- institutional factor, media coverage is also a key factor that deters active participation of third parties during the campaign period. Rather than an objective, equal media coverage of all the presidential candidates , media houses have taken it upon themselves to focus only candidates from major political parties, and ignore the rest. [...]
[...] Government expenditure on the military is also a major area of concern between the two parties; whereas Democrats favor decreased government spending on the military, Republicans support increased government spending on the military (Berlatsky 2010). Why third parties never succeed at the presidential level vote. Despite their contrasting beliefs and ideologies, the two parties have maintained a strong lead when it comes to the country's political race making it impenetrable for any interested third party in national. The legislative electoral system is an institutional barrier that prohibits the success of third parties in presidential elections. The country's current electoral environment favors a majority win identified geographically by single- member districts. [...]
[...] In fact, it is the underlying reason behind the little or no coverage of third parties by mass media. Expenditure of a third party's candidate cannot compare to the profuse amount of revenue invested by major party candidates into their election campaigns. Ross Perot in 1992, remains the only third party candidate to ever access campaign funding as equal to candidates from the major parties (Bibby & Maisel 2003). Financial constraints deter many successful third party candidates from joining the presidential race. [...]
[...] Why third parties never succeed at the presidential level vote. III. Role of the campaign process in keeping the two-party system. Ideological differences between the United states of America's two major political parties As one of the oldest democratic countries in the world, America‘s political scene consists of only two main political parties; the Democratic Party and the Republican Party (RP). These two political parties enjoy a duopoly privilege, meaning they equally share political power in the country (Berlatsky 2010). [...]
[...] The current two- party political system is a product of winner-takes- it- electoral system (Disch 2013). The legislative electoral system in the country supports single-member party pluralism, which do not only promote the overdominance of the two main political parties, but also a reason for the struggle of third parties during presidential elections. The presidential electoral system is also a factor that promotes a two- party political system. Because of the superiority that dictates the presidency, it is impossible to form a government under a coalition basis. [...]
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