2 party system a bad thing?

[FishHooks]

I think interest groups are what has really screwed up american politics. That was the main thing madison talked about/refered to in federalist 10 regarding factions. I think he would be amazed how much they have grown, and I myself also believe they are out of controll. But one of the things he talks about is not controlling the existence of factions but limiting their control, and he says thats basically the job of democracy. I really dont know how us voters let these interest groups have so much controll.

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I think interest groups are what has really screwed up american politics. That was the main thing madison talked about/refered to in federalist 10 regarding factions. I think he would be amazed how much they have grown, and I myself also believe they are out of controll. But one of the things he talks about is not controlling the existence of factions but limiting their control, and he says thats basically the job of democracy. I really dont know how us voters let these interest groups have so much controll.

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You, sir, are exactly right about the original intent of the two party system. I don't think he, or the other "old white guys" who put the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights together, would be amazed. I think they'd be disappointed and, possibly, disgusted.

They'd be disappointed at what's happened to this country. What we've allowed to happen. Slowly, small step by small step.

The original idea of limiting control of the "factions" was in line with the idea of limiting control of the government. That's also why they devised the system of checks and balances.

We voters allowed the special interest groups to gain so much control by not controlling the people we elected to represent us. Nominees make elaborate plans, promise everything, get elected and then settle in. Comfortable that once in office, they can pretty much do what they damned well please.

We voters tell them what they're doing/not doing is OK by us by re-electing them. We don't insist/demand they account for their actions.

I keep hearing/reading about, "It's all those other guys/women. Not my guy/lady." Well, it's all those guys/women.

OK, it's getting late. I'm packing up my soap box and heading to bed.

btw, I admire folks who can refer to one of the FP's and seem to actually have read it. Good job.

[lehighguy]

An uninformed and incompetent voting block should be assumed for democracy. Our elections are working as intended.

Our founders realized the flaw of mob-democracy and thus placed extremrely high limitations on the legislator. It was always assumed congress would be stupid but powerless. We have steadily given them more power over the years.

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It was always assumed congress would be stupid but powerless.

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The "stupid" congress? "Always assumed" by who(m).

I thought the original intent was that the Legislative Branch not be stupid. They were to have the good sense to write reasonable law.

"We, the people," elect them to represent us. We give them the freedom to make decisions in our behalf. Isn't that what's meant by a democratic republic?

[FishHooks]

Thanks those FP's are some good reading, but some can be hard to read. However I think it can also be said in terms of interest groups that many of the groups check each other. There are only a handfull of dominate interest groups, and those interest groups spur more interest groups that are against their cause and so on. I think this effect is very minimal but does have some merit if you believe in this theory. However no matter how you look at it, these groups are really out of control.

[mr_whomp]

for the posters who said that americans are too dumb to handle more than 2 parties, are the people in Canada that much smarter than you? We have multiple political parties including the Block Quebecois which is based in only one province and whos whole purpose is to try and get quebec seperated from canada. Since our past election the government has had less than 50% of the parliament seats, and so has had to compromise with other groups in order to get laws passed. While it crippled the governments ability in many respects it also seems to me it more fairly represented the people of Canada.

NOTE this is ignoring the fact that the canadian prime minister this past term is the guy who was directly involved in a corrupt government that stole taxpayer money.