The Duopoly: Case for American Electorate to Mandate 3rd Parties

October's government "Showdown/Shut down"(October Surprise) may be the biggest reason why Americans are scratching their head puzzled by the credibility of their elected officials and their representing their constituency. Both political parties ignored the victim in this situation which is the American public who wishes to have a sense of security in the current crisis in the Global Economy. After several government services were interrupted, several million dollars lost on shutting down the national parks, several being furloughed and the healthcare website not really activated, Americans have just about had enough of this tug and pull. To make matters worse, lawmakers have only "kicked-the-

can" down the road. We will be facing the very same exact scenario on January 15th for keeping our government open and again on February 7th when a vote on the debt ceiling is brought back( remember these issues occurred in March of 2013). The exhaustion of a repeat has brought the typical citizen to question the value of their vote and the bigger question of placing their votes in a more representative and responsive and responsible congressmen. Americans saw the impact what a 3rd party could do when Williams Jennings Bryant who ran as a Populist ran a very tight race in the 1896 election and early 1900s. Again, 3rd parties revealed how significant a role than can play when the Bull Moose party led by "Teddy" Roosevelt won his party's candidacy for president of the United States. These were examples of how independent-minded yet objective American political views could play a pivotal role in political ring. Many saw the Green Party's effort as the start of the workings of a serious pitch even though with less than 3 % of the electorate, Ralph Nader may have captivated the imagination of the American voter. Gary Johnson's Independent Party in 2012 at least put on the ballot an opportunity for Americans to have choice and gave a sense of empowerment that's been long lost. So, what is the American electorate to do? In Europe, real checks and balances are affected by several parties being placed on the ballot and are given equal media exposure along with balanced campaign finance. No one or two parties appear to be dominant and the tide in government by several opposition parties cause the shift in government more readily. Politicians can't afford to be too comfortable. If 3rd parties are given this opportunity this may cause elected officials to limit only voting their parties position or those who don't vote with their constituency rethink their policies , it may also limit their siding with special interests. Term limits haven't curbed this nor the gerrymandering of voting maps. The electorates hand may need to be forced to equal the playing field for potential candidates and reveal the true equality in our democratic system. If the electorate only represents two parties we will resign ourselves for what it has really become, a Duopoly and not a Democracy.