The problem with the American electoral system is that it actually enforces the bi-partisan outcome. In Europe (excluding Britain), when a party gets 15% of the national vote it is very likely to get 15% (roughly) of the national congress. In contrast, a party getting 15% of the national vote in the American system is very likely NOT to get a single member elected to congress. Why? Because America has a system of single-candidate electoral where the winner takes all on plurality. This usually means two things. First, voters are likely to forgoe their prime candidate and vote for the lesser-evil-but-more-likely-to-get-elected. Second, small parties are denied the opportunity that a (small) presence on congress gives them to build their base between elections. So, you might say the Americans have finally embraced the old Europen aristocracy values by installing a system that protects the old nobels from the new rascals.
Slashdot Mirror
The problem with the American electoral system is that it actually enforces the bi-partisan outcome. In Europe (excluding Britain), when a party gets 15% of the national vote it is very likely to get 15% (roughly) of the national congress. In contrast, a party getting 15% of the national vote in the American system is very likely NOT to get a single member elected to congress. Why? Because America has a system of single-candidate electoral where the winner takes all on plurality. This usually means two things. First, voters are likely to forgoe their prime candidate and vote for the lesser-evil-but-more-likely-to-get-elected. Second, small parties are denied the opportunity that a (small) presence on congress gives them to build their base between elections. So, you might say the Americans have finally embraced the old Europen aristocracy values by installing a system that protects the old nobels from the new rascals.