Can the Two-Party System Survive Internal and External Divisions?

The post Can the Two-Party System Survive Internal and External Divisions? appeared first on WhoWhatWhy.

The deep divisions within the US — not just between liberals and conservatives but also within each of the two major parties — are giving Americans the glimpse of a chance to rid themselves of the entrenched two-party system responsible for a big part of the country’s current malaise.

Granted, it’s still a long shot — but, for the first time in generations, there is an opportunity to upset the balance of political power in a meaningful way. In fact, there are two opportunities.

First, we need to briefly look at how we got here: Over past decades, the partisan divide in the US has increased. This is also reflected in Congress, where Republicans have gotten much more conservative on average since 1980 and Democrats somewhat more liberal — in particular on social issues.  

Moderation Becoming Extinct

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Before the gap started widening, there was a sizeable contingent of lawmakers who were in the political center, i.e., moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats. This faction is now nearly extinct, which means that American voters whose views fall in the middle of the political spectrum are no longer represented.

One of the results of the congressional polarization is that less has gotten done. The two parties simply are too different now to agree on anything. In the rare case that a lawmaker crosses the aisle to vote with “the enemy,” a primary challenger will surely wait in the wings to try to get him or her kicked out of office. And, since it’s usually the hard-core voters who show up for primaries, such challengers often succeed — and Congress becomes a bit more partisan again.

These victories against moderate voices have also emboldened those on each party’s flank. The Tea Party now is strong enough to effectively hold the rest of the GOP hostage. On the left, the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is moving toward a position where it could soon do the same. Research shows that its 2016 primary voters were much more liberal than in the past.

The consequence is further paralysis until one side gathers enough power, like the GOP today, to unilaterally push through its ideas without much input or help from the other side.   

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