The Demise Of The American Two Party System?

So, just what is it that we are observing in the political landscape?

Are we currently seeing the demise of the two party system?

That’s what it would appear to be as neither party seems to be responsive to large portions of their bases. The Democrats have fostered this “government is the answer to all your problems” approach for so long that they have now engendered a whole segment of the population that is Socialist at best and Communist at worst. They now expect the government to provide them with food, shelter, their new iPhone, etc. at no cost to them. They believe this is possible because the left has run our “education” system for so long that few of the younger folks actually understand how economies and finance work

This can be seen in the outpouring of support for Bernie Sanders. Millions of young folks from 18 to 35 are supporting the Bern with the hope that he will take power and make others pay off the debts they have accrued and or the things they desire. 

Bernie, who never had a steady job outside of leaching off the general populace, is doing his part by promising to make the “rich” pay for all this. He would fit right in with the Castro brothers, accept he seems to be a bit more of a true believer than they are. He doesn’t seem to be living high off the hog, just modestly above the hoi paloy, but still off the sweat of someone else’s brow.

The Republicans are also paying the price for what they have been telling their base for years. Their difference is, they have told folks that when they go to Washington they will be fiscally responsible and make the government smaller and get out of the way of people, but when they get their, they become Democrats Lite. They grow government just like the Dems, just at a slightly slower pace.

Surprising to both parties’ establishments, their bases are revolting. (It turns out we aren’t quite as dumb as they thought.) The left because they want cradle to grave coddling where others pay for what they feel they are owed. The right because they have been promised they will get to stop supporting the cradle to gravers, but it just continues on apace. 

Are we about to see the start of a 3 party system?

I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see the rise of a viable Communist/Socialist party and the growth of the Libertarian party to where they become viable political options. 

If this were to happen, I believe the remnants of the Republican and Democrat establishments would coalesce into the third leg of the stool that would be American politics. If this were to take place, it would then require coalitions between various groups in order to pass legislation. 

Having 3 viable parties would also seem to make the parties more responsive to their constituents since there are more alternatives they could choose from. It also would make it harder to draw the old dichotomies. Us good! Them evil! 

Hopefully then they would need to actually make their arguments based on their merits rather than demonizing the other side as evil bastards who want to steal my hard earned money or ones who want to poison the air and water.

Or so it would seem to an old farm boy.