Mon. Nov 4th, 2024

The Impact of Moderate Politicians on the US Political System

The impact of moderate politicians on the US political system should not be underestimated. If you are one of the many Americans who believe that there is no room for moderates in the country, you might want to reconsider your stance.

Democrats Benefit From Giving Moderates More Attention And Weight.

If Democrats were to win the presidential election, they would begin with an edge over the Republican Party. That is because no Democrat has won the presidency without a majority of moderate voters.

This group has not been properly given the attention and weight they deserve in the American political system. But the moderates have a distinct identity, policy preferences, and a political voice. It is time the Democratic Party started to give them a voice. The Democratic Party cannot afford to write them off. As a result of the primary system, the electorate is increasingly polarized. In the midterms in 2010, 63 seats changed parties. This resulted in a dramatic shift in political control. These changes mean that the Democratic Party needs to bolster the voices of moderate voters. This could involve reforms to level the playing field for them. Increasing the influence of moderates will benefit the American political system.

Liberal Mobilization 

The liberal mobilization of the last decade was not the only factor in the resurgence of the Democratic party. However, it did play a significant role. Specifically, this group contributed one-third of the Democrats’ gains between 2004 and 2008. There is a good reason for this. These voters are more likely to endorse a government that will provide health care to all, make the burgeoning green economy work for them and put the federal government to work protecting consumers. Many of these voters based on moderates unbiased news believe the government should spend more on social programs than it does on the military. This has implications for both democracy and partisanship. It is also risky for a nation that has experienced a prolonged period of economic malaise.

Semi-Closed Primaries Produce More Polarization.

When it comes to polarized politics, there are many ways to go about it. One of them is to reform the system. Changing the primary process would change the types of candidates elected and thus may reduce polarization. However, this would probably exacerbate the situation if a third party were to come into the picture. Another approach is to consider the benefits of different voting systems. There are several options, including proportional representation, ranked-choice voting, and fusion voting. Although less robust than a third party, these voting systems could positively impact representativeness. Furthermore, a governing reform could disincentivize politicians from catering to partisan bases. A top-two primary system in California did have a modest moderating effect. It may have been due to policy changes or newly drawn districts.

Unrepresentative Parties Frustrate Voters.

Despite the growing plurality of Americans identifying as independents, voters seem frustrated with the parties that dominate their politics. For example, fewer than one-third of the state legislative elections in recent years was held by even two major parties. And candidates often drop out before their states are even allowed to participate. One explanation for this discrepancy is the primary system. The sequence of elections, which allows only those candidates who receive the most votes to become delegates, makes the system unrepresentative of diverse polities. In some states, caucuses are used to select delegates, but they are even more unrepresentative than primaries. This means voters often cannot get the most out of their voting experience.