"Big changes in the Republican field. It's a 10-way tie for Not Romney." –Stephen
Colbert
"They say Chris Christie decided not to get into the presidential race because he
has no shot at winning. That’s not stopping President Obama though." –Jay Leno
"A month ago, all we heard about was Rick Perry and now, he’s off the map. He
had a worse September than the Red Sox." –David Letterman
"Hey, Congratulations to Donald Trump, who just welcomed his fourth
grandchild! You could tell it was Trump’s grandchild because as soon as it came
out, it demanded to see its own birth certificate." –Jimmy Fallon
"As the Republicans continue checking underneath every available flag pin and
Bible for viable candidates, presumed de facto frontrunner candidate Mitt
Romney has gotta be thinking, ‘What the fudge? This is starting to hurt where my
feelings should be.'" –Jon Stewart
"In a new interview, President Obama revealed that Steve Jobs gave him an
iPad last year before it was officially released. Unfortunately, it broke when Biden
thought it was an Etch A Sketch and started shaking it." –Jimmy Fallon

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





10. As always, he's following his gut
9. Wants to spend more time with pie
8. There isn't a Quiznos within five miles of the White
House
7. Afraid of going up against the Newt Gingrich
juggernaut
6. Doesn't own a tie without a mustard stain
5. He was advised against it by his closest
confidante, Duncan Hines
4. Constitution requires every candidate to be able
to see their feet
3. Can't understand response because of chewing
2. Hank Williams, Jr. just compared him to Stalin
1. He was born in Kenya
“Saying we should keep the two-party system simply
because it is working is like saying the Titanic voyage was
a success because a few people survived on life rafts.”
- Eugene McCarthy
Read Wilson, Chapter 8 (185-200) and take notes

Relatively unique in
the world, even
among democracies
› Both national parties
have been relatively
evenly balanced
during most of modern
history; but…
 More recently…who
owned the White
House?
 Who owns Congress?
› And at state and local
levels, parties
dominate different
areas
"A party of order or stability, and a
party of progress or reform, are both
necessary elements of a healthy state
of political life."
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859

Historical circumstance
› Two ways of seeing the Constitution
› It just so happened that two major factions emerged in our early years.
However, once this happened, it became difficult for any third faction to
for a third party to survive. This is because a third group would steal votes
from one of the other existing parties, thus splitting the votes and
dooming both of them. Thus, new groups usually merged into one of the
two existing factions.

Elections are slanted in favor of two party system
› Plurality and winner-take-all in both state and federal elections.
› Single-member districts for MoCs
› Electoral College and WTA system – voters don’t want to “waste” their
votes.
› Electoral laws make it more difficult for third parties to get on the ballot in
many states;
 In addition, Dems often battle their ideological “brethren” Greens, and
Reps battle Libertarians to keep them off the ballot.

Opinions of the voters
› For some reason, voters seem to split with the two major parties on most
of the important issues in our country

Alternative/Possible party coalitions have not formed or do not
last
› Churches or Aristocracy, Civil Rights or Anti-War, Economic system

Generally speaking, which party…
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
Supports gay marriage?
Supports gun ownership by individuals?
Is pro-life?
Favors government regulation of economy
Favors harsher penalties for illegal immigrants
Continue defense spending at current levels
Believe taxes on wealthy are “job killers”?
Believe health care should be available to all via a
government-run system
Is anti-globalization
Calls for passage of Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
Favors repealing the 17th amendment
Full public financing of campaigns
Opposes compulsory government service

Do they play a significant role in our 2-party
system?
› If so, how? If not, why not?
Party
Seats
+/–
Kadima
28
−1
Likud
27
+15
Yisrael Beiteinu
15
+4
Labor Party
13
–6
Shas
11
–1
United Torah Judaism
5
–1
United Arab List
4
—
Hadash
4
+1
Meretz
3
–2
Balad
3
—

Both systems, being democratic, rest on
compromise.
› – In a two party system, compromise takes place
prior to elections as parties select moderate
candidates who they believe can win a majority.
› – In multiparty systems, ideologically pure parties
are forced to compromise after elections in order
to form a majority coalition to pass laws (and often
select a prime minister).

Two party systems tend to be more stable.

Multi-party systems offer voters more choice.
› Having only two choices may dampen voter turnout.

Two Party Systems narrow legislative debate:
› – Even if outvoted, small parties if represented are likely to
raise issues the other parties wouldn’t otherwise discuss.

Two Party Systems may be more polarizing:
› – Parties in multiparty systems must work together and form
coalitions which forces members to reach across party lines.