Leid Stories - Smash the Duopoly!: The Case for New Political Parties - 04/09/14

2014-04-09

Smash the Duopoly!: The Case for New Political PartiesBuying a car? Hundreds of models to choose from. Looking for a new suit? You can spend a month just looking at thousands of styles. Want to cast a smart vote? Well, now you’re in trouble. There’s Party A or Party B. Pull that lever and rejoice that a whole bunch of people have taken the time to make “democracy” real easy for you.

Smash the Duopoly!: The Case for New Political Parties

Buying a car? Hundreds of models to choose from. Looking for a new suit? You can spend a month just looking at thousands of styles. Want to cast a smart vote? Well, now you’re in trouble. There’s Party A or Party B. Pull that lever and rejoice that a whole bunch of people have taken the time to make “democracy” real easy for you.

The Republican-Democrat duopoly has had a stranglehold on Americans’ political choices for way too long, says our guest, Prof. J. David Gillespie, author of Challengers to Duopoly: Why Third Parties Matter in American Two-Party Politics. The lack of political-party choices, he says, is not by happenstance; it’s planned that way, he says.

Tune in and learn how and why the seismic shift to two-party politics is “the norm;” how fledgling parties were targeted for annihilation; and why it’s important that Americans engage in the formation of new parties that reflect their unique concerns.

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