As the 2024 presidential elections loom ahead, a significant portion—over 40%—of Americans continue to reject the notion that the current president, who won the 2020 presidential race, is the legitimate winner. There is growing mistrust in the claims of fairness and transparency that we so often hear. In light of this, one might wonder if, this time, third-party candidates really have the potential to save the next American elections.
“Politics stops at the water’s edge” is a well-known American proverb within political circles. It signifies that partisan conflicts should be limited to domestic policies, while unity is necessary when dealing with foreign affairs. However, the two major political parties in the United States have created an illusion of complete ideological polarization when it comes to internal matters. They even accuse each other of posing threats to the country. In recent years, Democrats and Republicans are increasingly divided on significant foreign policy issues as well. This indicates a growing “extremism” in America’s foreign policy.
It may seem like this duopoly within the party system has always existed, but that’s not the case. Surprisingly, the United States Constitution is silent on this matter. The Founding Fathers did not initially envision American politics to be driven by partisanship.
Our first president, George Washington, did not align himself with any political party during his election or throughout his presidential term. Moreover, he strongly opposed the formation of political parties, fearing they would lead to conflict and stagnation in the country.
A staggering 62% of Americans believe that the nation would benefit from the presence of a third major party. Throughout U.S. history, several “third parties” have emerged, with the Libertarian and Green Parties being the largest since the mid-20th century.
Although the two-party system has dominated American politics, third political parties have occasionally surfaced, albeit rarely lasting more than a decade. Some candidates and voters prefer not to associate themselves with any specific party. However, in certain states, independents are not permitted to vote in primary elections. Third parties face numerous obstacles when it comes to securing a spot on the ballot at various levels of government and encounter barriers like being denied access to general election debates.
In 1987, the Commission on Presidential Debates was established by the Republican and Democratic parties. This commission has set its own rules for participation and only invited a third-party candidate, Ross Perot, to a televised debate in 1992. The exclusion of third-party candidates from these discussions has been met with controversy and even legal challenges. Unfortunately, no significant changes have been made to address this issue over time.
The American political system is a “game of the rich.” According to a report by the Brennan Center for Justice, the top 21 donor families, spanning both sides of the political spectrum, individually contributed a minimum of $15 million each, resulting in a total of $783 million. This amount surpasses the combined contributions made by at least 3.7 million small donors. Additionally, billionaires accounted for 15 percent of all federal election financing. The majority of these funds have been directed towards super PACs, which have the ability to accept unrestricted contribution amounts.
It is clear that money plays the most important role in American politics, almost acting as the lifeblood of the system. Given this reality, it is no wonder that working-class individuals are growing disillusioned and losing hope in the pursuit of fair representation.
Americans’ pride in their democracy has experienced a significant decline, as revealed by a joint survey conducted by The Washington Post and the University of Maryland. The survey results indicate a drop from 90% in 2002 to 54% in 2022. Irrespective of which of the two main political parties is in power, the concerns of the population remain consistent. The economy continues to dominate as the most pressing issue facing the country, closely followed by the preservation of democracy.
This steadfast picture can only lead to one conclusion: both major parties bear responsibility for the state of affairs. It becomes evident that they are working in tandem, making life increasingly difficult for ordinary people. Our elected representatives are not truly representing us, but rather prioritizing the interests of their own capitalist class.
So can any third-party candidate change the political atmosphere in the country? To some degree, yes. They can draw attention to issues never discussed among major party politicians, to say the least. Cornel West, for example, in his interview on Fox News declared: “The Democratic Party has had a long history of being committed to war: You can go back all the way to Vietnam. But unfortunately, we have to tell the truth – the promise would be that NATO would not move one inch toward Russian territory. A few years later, 14 former Soviet [states] are a part of NATO. So you can imagine any empire, the American empire, the most powerful… if there were Russian missiles in Mexico; Russian missiles in Canada, they would be blown to smithereens very, very quickly.” We should argue with anyone opposing his plans to stop all foreign military aid, close the bases and to disband Nato. He is still wrong in believing that the Ukraine war is a “clash of two empires” between the United States and Russia.
But it seems Dr. West may be on the right track. During his interview on the Convo Couch, he admitted not being aware of Russia’s efforts to exhaust diplomatic options for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. He also expressed openness to reconsider his stance if convinced that diplomacy had indeed been exhausted.
The decision to vote or abstain from voting is a personal choice for each citizen. Some argue that despite the flaws in the electoral system, it is necessary to work within it to lay the groundwork for socialism. Others contend that voting is not an effective means of harm reduction. It is crucial to remember that no mere reforms can provide real, lasting solutions. Only a revolution has the potential to transform the decaying capitalist economic system into one that benefits the working class through socialism. While we can support politicians who advocate for policies that align with our beliefs, it is akin to applying a bandage to a wound that truly requires stitches – it may offer temporary relief, but it does not address the root issue.
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