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Unfortunately, until one of those parties self destructs, there is no viable alternative. Then there will be a new duopoly. The constitutionally prescribed st

Unfortunately, until one of those parties self destructs, there is no viable alternative. Then there will be a new duopoly. The constitutionally prescribed structure of the US government and the way in which elections are determined inevitably yields this outcome due to the game theory at play. The only way out is a more proportional representation system. This would result in a dilution of the power of the only people able to enact the change, so their incentives are aligned against improving the system.

mt-t 3y ago
simply stage a revolution
the_snooze 3y ago
>there is no viable alternative There is an alternative. Vote in the primaries for whatever party is dominant in your district/state. And encourage your friends to do so. Primaries tend to be thinly-attended, and the people who currently vote in them tend to be the most active (read: extreme) voices for their side. They're the reason why general elections seem to boil down to two bad choices; it's because the crazies get to pick who's on the ballot. If you're not voting in primaries, then you're ceding all that power to extremists.
- rjbwork 3y ago
  That's not an alternative to the two parties. That's just voting for the other one in primaries. FWIW, I already do this.
  - the_snooze 3y ago
    The parties have a lot of internal diversity within them, but partisan primaries select for the craziest views because that's who the current primary electorate is. Voting in primaries is already something in everyone's power, and doesn't require office-holders to vote in structural changes that aren't in their best interests. It's the most immediately practical way to effect change. I'm glad that you vote in primaries too; too many people don't, and seem to prefer to wallow in cynicism and inaction.
pastacacioepepe 3y ago
Basically people are able to choose 2 flavors of the same thing. Pretty much like in China Communism is the established system and people can't vote it away (nor they seem to want to), the same happens in the US with Capitalism, with the difference that dissent in the US is much much higher.
addisonl 3y ago
Ranked choice voting appears to be an easy solution, am I wrong?
- mrguyorama 3y ago
  Physically easy to implement is not the same as easy to convince republican voters to allow it to happen. Republican pushback to ranked choice voting is extreme. They cry crocodile tears of "it's too complicated" while literal children in elementary school use it just fine for class and mock elections, or they scream nonsense about "one person one vote" as if reassigning your vote to your second choice was somehow a second vote?

mt-t 3y ago

simply stage a revolution

the_snooze 3y ago

>there is no viable alternative There is an alternative. Vote in the primaries for whatever party is dominant in your district/state. And encourage your friends to do so. Primaries tend to be thinly-attended, and the people who currently vote in them tend to be the most active (read: extreme) voices for their side. They're the reason why general elections seem to boil down to two bad choices; it's because the crazies get to pick who's on the ballot. If you're not voting in primaries, then you're ceding all that power to extremists.

rjbwork 3y ago
That's not an alternative to the two parties. That's just voting for the other one in primaries. FWIW, I already do this.
- the_snooze 3y ago
  The parties have a lot of internal diversity within them, but partisan primaries select for the craziest views because that's who the current primary electorate is. Voting in primaries is already something in everyone's power, and doesn't require office-holders to vote in structural changes that aren't in their best interests. It's the most immediately practical way to effect change. I'm glad that you vote in primaries too; too many people don't, and seem to prefer to wallow in cynicism and inaction.

pastacacioepepe 3y ago

Basically people are able to choose 2 flavors of the same thing. Pretty much like in China Communism is the established system and people can't vote it away (nor they seem to want to), the same happens in the US with Capitalism, with the difference that dissent in the US is much much higher.

addisonl 3y ago

Ranked choice voting appears to be an easy solution, am I wrong?

mrguyorama 3y ago
Physically easy to implement is not the same as easy to convince republican voters to allow it to happen. Republican pushback to ranked choice voting is extreme. They cry crocodile tears of "it's too complicated" while literal children in elementary school use it just fine for class and mock elections, or they scream nonsense about "one person one vote" as if reassigning your vote to your second choice was somehow a second vote?