25th May 2016, 12:17 PM
If Bush hadn't gotten all those votes, the few that voted for a third party wouldn't have mattered though. That's the point I'm trying to make. Being mad at people because they voted for a third party just perpetuates all the problems with the two party system you've been pointing out. And yes, it is ridiculous that someone with a bigger majority vote can lose due to the electoral college system.
I've heard suggestions about a voting system where everyone casts "ranking" on the candidate they want instead of a singular "this one" vote. Top pick would get three, second pick gets two, like that. In that way, a third party candidate might actually have a chance. Let's say you've got two candidates capturing the votes of polar opposites of America. Everyone picks the candidate they want, but it's close over and over again. Add this new system, now maybe a third candidate turns out to be liked by everyone, just not as loved as their more partisan candidate. Then the "second place" votes for that candidate would win against the "first place" votes of the other two. It would more fairly reflect the will of all Americans, if nothing else. It wouldn't be without it's flaws, but as an accurate representation of the will of the people, it would be an improvement.
I've heard suggestions about a voting system where everyone casts "ranking" on the candidate they want instead of a singular "this one" vote. Top pick would get three, second pick gets two, like that. In that way, a third party candidate might actually have a chance. Let's say you've got two candidates capturing the votes of polar opposites of America. Everyone picks the candidate they want, but it's close over and over again. Add this new system, now maybe a third candidate turns out to be liked by everyone, just not as loved as their more partisan candidate. Then the "second place" votes for that candidate would win against the "first place" votes of the other two. It would more fairly reflect the will of all Americans, if nothing else. It wouldn't be without it's flaws, but as an accurate representation of the will of the people, it would be an improvement.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)