As early as the 1790s, the US has had multiple political parties as a result of conflicting ideas of how the country should be run. From Henry Clay and the Whigs to the Liberty Party started by James G. Birney, these parties have changed throughout the years, and the two that remain today are two of the most iconic parties ever created. The Democratic and Republican parties. But how well is the entirety of the United States population represented by these two parties? According to a 2022 survey done by Gallup published on Oct. 6, not that well.
Nearly 56% of registered voters believe that the US needs a third major party, and I can’t help but agree.
Almost every election in recent years has simply been a beauty pageant between Republicans and Democrats, with both parties trying to appeal to each state and outspend each other on fancy billboards and video advertisements. This culture will continue to be a staple of elections if nothing changes. However, a third major party representing most of the population’s interest could help shift the dynamic and introduce a brand new, diverse set of ideas and perspectives that align with the interests of a broader group of people.
A new political party would offer more accountability and foster healthy competition which is much needed in the world of politics. By creating new policies, introducing fresh ideas, and highlighting new problems, both Democrats and Republicans would have to compete to address these issues, pushing for their ideas through policy collaborations, thus fostering competition. If you still don’t understand, imagine two stores: one selling high-quality sweaters and the other selling high-quality blankets. People can only choose to go to one store so the one that ends up getting more people to go to theirs, profits while the other one, not so much. However, a third store moves into town and they sell high-quality jackets. Now people are split between these three stores and now you have to do more to keep customers at your store, so now all three stores start selling jackets, sweatshirts, and blankets, each having a specialty, high-quality item. This is an example of how a third party would create competition in politics and promote accountability.
However, one concern people might have with a third party is the idea of further dividing the nation. With a third party, more conflicting policies may arise and the American population will be split more. These are valid concerns and it’s uncertain what the outcome of a third party being introduced would be; however, the outcome is unlikely to be negative. A third party could help different political parties find common ground, enabling each to have policies that others would find favorable, thereby reducing division.
Currently, the majority of Americans are divided into two parties, and let’s say, for example, Democrats have 60% of the voter population and Republicans have 40%. Democratic policies and special interest groups under this distribution of the voter population would have more say in the government than Republican policies and special interest groups. Now imagine a third party was thrown into the mix, leaving the distribution of the voter population as 32% Republican, 37% Democrat, and 31% in a third party. The population is now much more diverse and there’s a much higher probability that politicians will elect to compromise on policies so that others would benefit from and find appealing to give their own, more controversial policies, more traction.
We students at Central Hardin are the future of the United States of America and only we can change the tide of United States politics to better benefit our lives. We shouldn’t be afraid of change and should be striving to create a third party to hold the government accountable for doing what is best for its citizens. The fate of our future depends on it.
