Probably obvious to most of you, but it hit me again the past two days - two party system is broken!

[NRaleighLiberal]

Watching how all good ideas tend to get pulled to the middle - of how bold moves for change get so easily derailed by a "message swing" abetted by the MSM - no matter what Obama's good ideas or intentions, it is likely he will be able to change only a fraction of what he aspired to (and many of the things that get us here at DU most hopeful and excited) - between the endless senate and house terms and the influence of lobbyists (esp. pharma and financial) - something else is essential if our country is to be able to break free of the quagmire we may never escape from. And the answer is not the Green party, the Libertarian Party, Ralph Nader. I have no idea how it could happen, but somehow, the truly progressive agenda needs not only its voice, but a mechanism by which it is realized. It is just becoming so clear to me how impossible it is to truly move forward under the current system.

Like I said, probably preaching to the choir, the the recent news cycle has reinforced it to me, clearly.

[Schema Thing]

1. that; and there is no IQ test for pundits

...so they treat the world of politics with all the gravitas of a highschool football game played continuously by the same two teams.

[Nay]

2. What bothers me is that the things that Obama CAN do right now-- like

restore habeas corpus,rescind Bush's various fascist signing statements, appoint non-neocon economists to straighten out the economy -- he has not done. With a swipe of the pen he could have done all these, and he hasn't. That is not good.

[EPIC1934]

3. TIME TO ADMIT IT: THE CORPORATE DEMOCRATS DONT WANT CHANGE

The Corporate Democrats are essentially paid to SEEM like the opposite of the Republicans, when they are not. They take up the opposition space in the dualistically structured talking head debtes, lees educated people support them just because they are not the even worse Republicans and we stay moving on an essentially Republican agenda even WITH A 60 40 SPLIT IN THE HOUSE.

[NoPasaran]

12. Doubly irrefutable due to skillful use of Caps Lock

[timtom]

15. So, do you agree

or disagree with post #3? Comments on typography don't really add to the dialogue.

[mmonk]

4. Its been a 1 1/2 party system for too long.

The two party system can no longer operate as representative government or protect the checks and balances system, especially without a working fourth estate.

[Echo In Light]

5. "America has one political party with two right-wings." - Gore Vidal

I began voting in 92, have always either voted dem or indie/Green, and even though I went completely indie by 99', so to speak, I still vote for dems locally, and even voted Kerry in 04' since by then it was obvious what was going on, and one hoped that the more votes he had the harder it would be for the right to steal it again...a complicit, obedient media and passive populace however helped to cement that unreality as "reality."

The idea is for our political system to present two oversimplified positions, a far right one, and a moderate right one, both being intentionally mislabeled as a form of disinformation that conditions the public mind to perceive things through a very narrow, specific lens that doesn't allow for accurate perception/categorization. That way when people do encounter actual left-wing ideas/views, those views of course seem too remote, alien, weird, lacking establishment credibility, and are rejected, ignored or attacked accordingly, often by many who consider themselves "liberal."

What can be done about this? So long as the mainstream media is completely owned and operated by vested, corporate right-wing interests, thus nullifying any real national platform for objective, factual news and/or discourse, I'm uncertain, and frankly not very optimistic.

[ixion]

6. The irony is that it's never actually been limited to two parties... we have a multi-party system

that has been hi-jacked by two parties, which have become, in essence, one party with quasi opposition. Other parties (greens/libertarians, etc) are almost completely shut out of elections, as well as public debate.

Allowing more parties to have a voice would be a good thing, IMO.

[mmonk]

7. Well there are restraints in the elections boards of many states

as to access.

[shadowknows69]

10. And Ross Perot scared them enough that they'll never open that door again.

[ixion]

16. good point, shadow

yeah, the only way to get that door open is for us to vote them out of office, if that's even possible.

[Badgerman]

8. To be, or to be Italy! That is the question. ;)

;)

[Butch350]

9. Will you like die or something if you can't find a new cult to follow?

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. Which means....what?! Sorry, I am not a follower.

[mmonk]

13. Ironic comment, wasn't it?

[kentuck]

14. That's the elephant in the room...

You're not supposed to talk about it.