More Than 60 Percent of Americans Want a Third Party
It is authoritarian and anti-democratic to call any person's vote 'wasted' or any candidate a 'spoiler.'
To bring about true change, we need direct action, strikes, mutual aid, protests, and other non-electoral modes of eradicating oppressive systems. That said, Americans vote. And the two ruling parties have done everything in their power to demonize and discourage third party voters, who threaten their dominance.
One egregious gaslighting technique is to dismiss third party votes as “wasted” and third party candidates as “spoilers.” It is frustratingly common among establishment Democrats, whose typical refrain is “a third party vote is a vote for Republicans.” This kind of propaganda is effectively voter suppression, designed to strengthen the duopoly’s iron grip.
The establishment's circular reasoning that you shouldn't vote for third party candidates because they can't win is absurd on its face. If enough people vote for third parties, they can and will win. In fact, there’s a large enough pool of eligible non-voters — nearly a hundred million who sat out each of the past two presidential elections — to take the White House.
Notably, large majorities of Americans favor ending the two-party monopoly:
Sixty-two percent of U.S. adults say the "parties do such a poor job representing the American people that a third party is needed," an increase from 57% in September. Support for a third party has been elevated in recent years, including readings of 60% in 2013 and 2015 and 61% in 2017. Meanwhile, 33% of Americans believe the two major political parties are doing an adequate job representing the public, the smallest percentage expressing this view apart from the 26% reading in October 2013.
But both ruling parties are intent on preempting any challenges to their power. As the New York Times reports:
The number of competitive congressional districts is on track to dive near — and possibly below — the lowest level in at least three decades, as Republicans and Democrats draw new political maps designed to ensure that the vast majority of House races are over before the general election starts.
According to Gallup’s most recent polling on party affiliation, Independents outnumber Republicans and Democrats by wide margins. The idea that third parties are a fringe is a self-fulfilling notion planted by the establishment to disenfranchise voters who want more choices.
Democrats assail the GOP for being anti-democracy. Which makes their attacks on leftists pure hypocrisy. Accusing third party voters of “helping Republicans” ignores the ugly reality that it is Democratic leaders who are helping Republicans, and that leftists oppose both fascists and fascist enablers.
While corporate Democrats and liberals are busy attacking leftists as “Trump enablers,” the Democratic Party is in court defending Donald Trump and perpetuating his most atrocious policies. And while leftists blast both parties for being tools of the oligarchy, Democratic leaders are praising the GOP and calling for a stronger Republican Party.
“You’re a man of word and a man of honor. Thank you for being my friend.” — Joe Biden to Mitch McConnell, February 2022
“This country needs a strong Republican Party. They've made great contributions to our country.” — Nancy Pelosi, February 2022
“You’re the grand old party of America, you’ve done wonderful things for our country.” — Nancy Pelosi, September 2021
“I think our country needs a strong Republican party. It's very important." — Nancy Pelosi, February 2021
"We need a Republican Party.” — Joe Biden, January 2021
“The country needs a strong Republican Party that’s done so much for our country.” — Nancy Pelosi, September 2021
Worried that the GOP might get “clobbered” in 2020. “I’m really worried that no party should have too much power.” — Joe Biden, December 2019
“In my view, we need a strong Republican Party. We need a Republican Party that’s united.” — Joe Biden, November 2011
The dance of the duopoly, where Republicans and Democrats trade power to protect their corporate donors, is becoming more transparent by the day. As I’ve written previously, ruling party leaders see their supporters as unwitting dupes who are kept in line by being told that voting (and donating) harder for the blue or red team will solve America’s problems. Yet somehow, decade after decade — no matter which party is in the majority — the poor remain poor, the homeless remain homeless, millions lack healthcare, gun violence ravages the nation, migrants are abused, systemic racism maintains its ugly grip, police brutality continues, trillions go to bloated military budgets, Wall Street gets bailed out, and the climate emergency goes largely unaddressed.
Seeing pervasive injustice and inequality all around them, it would be bizarre if voters didn’t want a better choice than the two-party monopoly. Anyone trying to block that freedom of choice is protecting an oppressive and corrupt system.
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