What political party do you subscribe to?

[Manoil]

I actually read up on that tax evasion rodeo while looking for a decent picture of him. Hogan's really aged just... horribly. He already had an old face in the 80's, and Father Time has just been the most sadistic bastard possible to Ol' Paulie

[Blargh]

WE CAN'T ALL BE GORGEOUS NONAGENARIANS

[rad resistance]

Looks like Hogan is wearing dentures.

[Redeye]

With two-party system it'd probably be a fight between A (democrats) and B (republicans), with some third party trying to gather the scraps but to no avail, since the one who gets the majority gets to rule alone without consensus. In a multi-party system a party like D (with issues Y,N,Y) could come along, not win the election, but enforce issues behind which the majority of the actual people are as part of the coalition government. No such option exists in a system which promotes the idea of 'the winner takes it all and leaves no room for deliberation'.

In the US, the majority often has plenty of seats that are in jeopardy, so policies have to be moderated to court Swing Voters and keep the seat. (They can still vote Party Line on high priority things.)

The separation of powers further moderates majority power by breaking up confirmation/adoption processes and providing avenues for override, modification, and obfuscation.

Still, the streamlining of focus in a 2-party system is a major handicap to expression of nuanced viewpoints and varied interests.
("Home District Flavor" in the congress is a weak force in those directions.)


See also:
Spoils system

Agency Capture

These two intertwine.

In the US, Republicans engage in these practices for industry friends and some fundamentalist/etc. elements; Democrats do it for "left" elements and population blocks "in need of help".

[Kashluk]

Extremely good points, Redeye. Of course the last two (spoils system and agency capture) are not limited to two-party systems alone, but their effects are enhanced within them.

[Superhaze]

I just wanted to say that Ayn Rand is a bitch.

[SenisterDenister]

I just wanted to say that Ayn Rand is a bitch.

Second. Probably created the most destructive "philosophy" for anyone to follow outside of nihilism.

[Blargh]

All modes of <strike>philosophic</strike> thought are destructive. Just approach them with an inexorable tenacity.