My question to all is, is there a problem with how our (primarily) 2 party system is currently working.
While I don’t think it will be debated that we need multiple points of view presented to properly come to government decisions, the current adversial attitude, grandstanding, and general political games between both the democrats and the republicians is greatly reducing real productivity in congress. I submitt that all of this is counterproductive, and that both parties should try to work together better. This is as opposed to the one upmanship that seems to be continually prevalent in recent history.
Right now for example I continually hear stratagies of what democrats should do to make Bush look bad, and I heard the same thing from republicians when Clinton was president. There is such a focus of making the other party looking bad and “not giving in” to what the other party wants, I question the sincerity of a lot of what is said and done by both parties, much less the lack of real progress in several major issues that have been around for years now.
I don’t want to debate about current or past presidents or how bad or good any one person or party is. My question is does else see this and if so is there anything that can actually be done. Should we do nothing, and “all just try to get along,” should both parties reorganize themselves in some way, would it be better if we had more parties of similar popularity to reduce the debate/deadlock between the 2 major parties, or any other options?
Remember that basically the bottom issue here is how the parties interact and how it is effecting the nation.
Should read “anyone else”
I should also note that while I do believe there is a problem, I don’t have an answer. That is a big part of what I submitt to you
Dammit, John! Fucking postus interruptus! I was just about to . . . oh, never mind. jeff, do what John said. Better still, go to this recent thread – http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=302002 – and scroll down to post #12, where I provided links to 17 threads, most started by me, some by others, on this and related topics.
Wow…I don’t know how I missed this thread as it was only a few days old but…
The direction I am looking to take here is a bit different.
The questions are 1. Is there a problem
2. should something or can anything be done
3. if so, what should we do
So rather than just going with the general no party option, I am looking to discuss all options, and if it is a problem to begin with.
Yes, there’s a problem, for the reasons you gave in the OP and a great many others. And the solution is not to replace the two-party system with a nonpartisan system, but to replace the two-party system with a multiparty system. See this thread: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269169
I was just about to . . . oh, never mind. jeff, do what John said. Better still, go to this recent thread –