Our too-party system

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Thursday, September 4, 2003 | Mark Crowley (letter to the editor)

[Willie Green]

I learned recently of tentative plans for a friendly softball game between two rival political groups in Allegheny County -- the Young Republicans and the Young Democrats. The game was suggested at a friendly mixer attended by members of both groups.

[A Broken Glass Republican]

The two party system may not be perfect (Or even good) but it's a lot better than multiple party systems where someone is elected with 20 or 30% of the vote and then calling for new elections every 6 months in order to create a governing coalition.

What a mess that is.

[TheBigB]

The Young Libertarians tried to field a team, but two members had set-in-stone plans to watch a STAR TREK marathon on TV, and the other two were indulging in some "medicinal marijuana" to the point that both became ill.

[Protagoras]

What a mess that is.

Freedom can be messy. And we don't have a two party system, it only works out that way a lot of the time. I would have welcomed a new election of the last three presidents.

[Protagoras]

The young Fascists also couldn't field a team because they were plotting more inroads into mainstream politics.

[dighton]

No One Makes It To Burning Man Festival

[Protagoras]

And you think Libertarians don't have ideas? You may not like them, but they are numerous.

Please name a few new ideas that Republicans or Democrats have had lately. You want progress? Like progressing to ever larger and more intrusive government like the two "major" parties always campaign for?

[StriperSniper]

I can't imagine a better metaphor for the pathetic monopoly that the two-party system has become than a SOFTball game between the next generation of young Rs and young Ds.

BUMP!

[A Broken Glass Republican]

LOL!

I'm not a Libertarian (Check the name) but I do lean that way quite a bit...That's why I don't disrespect true conservatives by claiming I am one. But, I'm just enough of a realist to understand the Libertarians have no chance on the national level. I LOVE watching the rats cry about Nader and the Greens and I REFUSE to be a party to the same thing happening to the Republicans.

[Russ]

He could have volunteered to umpire the game. Maybe he could have even found three other Libertarians in Allegheny County to join him. On the other hand, being Libertarian, he probably doesn't believe in umpires.

[wizardoz]

Dear Mark; you can be a cheerleader! Question is, who will you cheer for?

[Protagoras]

On the other hand, the young Republicrats don't believe in freedom but do believe in the welfare state and an all powerful government.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

we don't have a two party system, it only works out that way a lot of the time

Tell that to the SCNJ. They ruled that the Democratic Party--whose candidate was driven from the list by scandal rightly coming home to roost--was ENTITLED to have a competitive candidate on the ballot. No matter how many other partys' nominees were already legitimately on the ballot, and no matter that there was no legal provision for the Democrats to change horses in midstream.

[Protagoras]

The fact that some demented liberals have rigged a system to say that the two major parties have special status among parties doesn't change the fact that we don't yet have a two party system. Really a one party system. Soon enough all other parties will be outlawed and the two party system dream will become true. And the nightmare will begin in earnest.

[MineralMan]

"The fact that some demented liberals have rigged a system to say that the two major parties have special status among parties doesn't change the fact that we don't yet have a two party system. Really a one party system. Soon enough all other parties will be outlawed and the two party system dream will become true. And the nightmare will begin in earnest."

Nonsense. Utter nonsense. The fact that third parties have not been able to attract enough voters to win national offices does not mean that they will be banned. In fact, why bother banning them. For example, the Libertarian Party has never managed to get even 1% of the vote for President, nationally. Why even worry about the LP?

What you suggest is not going to happen. It's just an excuse for your favored party not being able to attract enough voters to make any difference.

[Protagoras]

Utter nonsense, I don't have a favored party.

And you should join the ostrich club if you think they haven't been attempting to ban other parties for years all over the country. Check out the ballot access laws and you will see it's eaiser to get on the ballot in Russia and South Africa than here. We currently have a defacto one party system in this country. The "government is the answer" party.

The factions (Repubs and Dems) only disagree on scope and details (and who gets the plunder) but not on fundamental philosophy.

[My2Cents]

As a registered Libertarian, I can't imagine a better metaphor for the pathetic monopoly that the two-party system

I can't think of a better metaphor for the Libertarian Party...They weren't even in the game.