There is only one system worse than a two-party system and that is a one-party system. Much of the world can attest to that. Having three or more parties (Canada has five parties with seats in Parliament right now, plus a slew of fringe parties whose candidates seldom get more than a hundred votes) does allow for a more graduated approach to voting but the violent lunatic fringe is now making its appearance even here.
The real solution is to have people of good will on each side willing to compromise with each other. “Compromise” has been a slur ever since the Tea Party ousted the Republicans.
Forgive the gaps in my logic. I need to go to bed.
There’s already so much stuff that shouldn’t be considered political issues that freaks have made into political issues. Let’s just bring back the zeebas.
The two-party system serves the two parties, and that’s it. What the USA needs (and Canada) is a system of proportional representation. The best one is Germany’s mixed system, under which most MPs are still elected directly, but a third of the seats are allotted so that overall representation is as close to the popular vote as possible.
A one party system is very EFFICIENT. Many historical examples. Some day we will all be Democrats* and be happy. No more bickering. Ruled my science and guided by the ideals of the great party leaders! /s
*Feel free to substitute the party of your choice.
Not realistic. There is not even agreement on what is needed (such as a new road). And, typically, if blue does agree with red on something then red will turn around and block it or deny it.
Where are the lobbyists from Big Oil, Pharmaceutics, Healthcare conglomerates and the banking and criminal justice institutions? These are the one percenters who have probably bought out the guys (also one percenters thanks to the conglomerates) who are kicking the crap out of each other in this Pastis cartoon. In the end run the lobbyists seem to deem what bills make it through congress not what is common sense and good for society in general.
Get rid of the parties, elect individuals on their merit, but how many voters would take the time to check them out? Probably have “pretty boys and girls” running the country!
So Sad, that politics are the norm now and for the most part controlled by big money, not your vote, only because too many lazy withdrawn people DO NOT VOTE!
The Electoral College creates a two-party system, since you need a majority – not a plurality – of the College to win the Presidency. Three strong parties means that Congress picks the President.
Both the Republicans and the Democrats are coalitions of smaller groups that have joined together to get 51%. And since the Electoral College is enshrined in the Constitution, good luck getting rid of it. You would need the approval of the people who benefit from it to do that.
Remember when everybody thought the American system was the best in the world?
Yes, our roads need fixed. However, a $1 trillion (or $3.5 trillion) infrastructure bill is such a lie. Only a fraction of it went to infrastructure. The rest went to pet projects. It’s kinda like a gas tax hike in Missouri that failed. The title of the hike was for roads. Reading the bill showed the majority went to the highway patrol. It failed at the ballot box. I would have voted for it if ALL of it went to its intended purpose.
Frankly, I despise both parties and identify with neither. Unless we somehow find a middle ground in this nation then we are doomed. And, tbh, call it a waste of a vote if you want, I’ll write in the name of my neighbor’s dog before I vote for a dem or repub again. I don’t identify with the policy and planks of the democratic party/platform and the repubs have turned into a bunch of stark raving loons! Yep, color me done with the 2-party system.
The strip has it all wrong, but I know there are space limitations. Here’s how it really went:
“We need road repairs. Let’s float a bond to pay for them.”
“We need road repairs. Let’s let billionaires pay for it, in exchange for making it a toll road for forty years. Despite the fact that the taxpayers paid to have it built in the first place, now they can pay to drive on it, too!”
A two party systems is like having two dirty shirts. You are always choosing between the less dirty one without ever cleaning them. (Piet Hein – I may have the quote somewhat wrong).
Red guy will tell you taxes are too high and that government wastes too much money, so taxes shouldn’t be raised to pay for road repair. Blue guy will tell you that we are too reliant on cars and the internal combustion engine and are harming the environment, so we should pay for transit instead of fixing roads.
“But I’ll only give the people their needed road if I can also get funded for a special commission counting hedgehogs in West Nigeria. I suppose you, too, have similar funding needs so we can finally agree on this bill. Then we can proudly say we’re serving the people.”
Forget the politicians, I’d love to see a knock down, drag out debate between Conservative radio and progressive radio. Together on live TV. Make it pay-per-view, with 100% of the fee going to the veterans committee. Each side tells their story, but only to one side, theirs. I would love to se a show where Fox News “reporters” presents their version of a subject, and maybe, Thom Hartman presents the progressive side, and vice versa. Because these are the sources of what every politician says in public…
The “two-party” system is supposed to be what provides the checks and balances to get the road fixed at the lowest cost and with the superior quality to make it last. (“supposed to be”)
While it’s obvious that they’re talking about repairing an existing road, they both agree that a new road is needed. That’s the LAST thing that’s needed. New roads take money away from maintenance of existing roads, they wreck neighborhoods and ecosystems, and they generate pollution and more CO2 both in their construction and use.
Too bad the two parties never disagree when it comes to paving more of the planet..
Nine years after Hurricane Sandy, New York still didn’t do anything about their failing drainage system and now flooding from Ida has been the result. Two-party system = two cheeks on the same…
In Omaha, they just tear out the old asphalt and either put down gravel or just plain dirt. Saves a ton on maintenance, and if people complain, I understand the city tells them “too bad, so sad”
We have an interstate bridge that was out of date 60 years ago. At one point the politicians on both sides, in both states, agreed to a viable plan. It got nixed by the environmentalists, who just don’t like cars. Or people. Or, well, pretty much of anything.
What we need is to know how to swallow our pride, and work on problems that affect us all because that is what being a community, even a society, means.
And yet RandAl-Boor thinks the elections were stolen or doctored. With ReThuglican gerrymandering, yes. But there has been virtually no findings to satisfy many court cases and in fact ReThuglican lawyers are being sued to recover frivolous court costs by judges who have dismissed cases. Oops! I take part of that back, and apologize – there were a few cases. One was the man accused of killing his wife, and weeks after he reported her missing he cast her ballot for Rumpy the Clown. Nothing suspicious there eh, Boor? Oh, and the other guy whose mom died quite a while ago but managed to have her ballot cast with his, again for the Bulbous Buttwhistle. Y’all got any cases that’ll stand up to more than about a minute of fact checking there, bub? Let’s hear what ya got?
The name calling and the punching is what happens when one (or more) of the parties become obstructionist, their brains and opinions calcified (I’m a-lookin’ at you, Moscow Mitch!). Then, out of frustration, the ‘other party’ becomes belligerent. Doesn’t help when the GOP/tRump/George W say and do things verifiably wrongheaded and dunb.
I find the mind-numbing adherence of voters to the 2 party system in this country to be frightening; I always vote farther down the ballot….. To imagine that every 4 years we have only a hand-full of special interest fueled candidates to choose from is a travesty.
As long as the statutory duopoly parties maintain the advantage they gave themselves a century ago, we will not see any new political parties compete successfully for votes.
That’s overly pessimistic. Slightly.
The voters could reject those parties at the ballot box to a greater degree. They already reject to a large and increasing degree the use of those two labels to describe themselves.
Changing to Ranked Choice Voting (aka Immediate Runoff Voting) might induce the two old parties to behave better, both in campaigning and in office. Or if not, facilitate their replacement. (I’m somewhat doubtful. They aren’t opposing it as strongly as I expected.) Links.1. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ranked.choice.voting2. https://www.facebook.com/search/groups/?q=ranked%20choice%20voting
Initiative petitioning allows the people to circumvent the legislature and governor. That’s a possible path to more competitive elections in some states.
The largest voting bloc in the country is “I don’t bother to vote”.
BE THIS GUY about 3 years ago
We could have round robin match if we had couple more viable parties.
BasilBruce about 3 years ago
Looks like Red Guy doesn’t know where Blue Guy’s face is. That’s nuts.
Renatus Profuturus Frigeridus Premium Member about 3 years ago
We have many parties. And every day it is a fight against everyone.
Leojim about 3 years ago
Wow, that pretty much sums it up……..unfortunately.
sirbadger about 3 years ago
The best way to get work done is to filibuster.
Little Caesar about 3 years ago
“I’m for the 2 party system… One on Friday night, one on Saturday night.”
salakfarm Premium Member about 3 years ago
Manchin, the killer.
Kveldulf about 3 years ago
There is only one system worse than a two-party system and that is a one-party system. Much of the world can attest to that. Having three or more parties (Canada has five parties with seats in Parliament right now, plus a slew of fringe parties whose candidates seldom get more than a hundred votes) does allow for a more graduated approach to voting but the violent lunatic fringe is now making its appearance even here.
The real solution is to have people of good will on each side willing to compromise with each other. “Compromise” has been a slur ever since the Tea Party ousted the Republicans.
Forgive the gaps in my logic. I need to go to bed.
Templo S.U.D. about 3 years ago
ain’t US politics grand?
Jesy Bertz Premium Member about 3 years ago
We want to Fill potholes but all we get are Filibusters.
Caldonia about 3 years ago
There’s already so much stuff that shouldn’t be considered political issues that freaks have made into political issues. Let’s just bring back the zeebas.
Cornelius Noodleman about 3 years ago
Let prison chain gangs fix the roads.
Johnny Q Premium Member about 3 years ago
The two-party system serves the two parties, and that’s it. What the USA needs (and Canada) is a system of proportional representation. The best one is Germany’s mixed system, under which most MPs are still elected directly, but a third of the seats are allotted so that overall representation is as close to the popular vote as possible.
Zykoic about 3 years ago
A one party system is very EFFICIENT. Many historical examples. Some day we will all be Democrats* and be happy. No more bickering. Ruled my science and guided by the ideals of the great party leaders! /s
*Feel free to substitute the party of your choice.
nosirrom about 3 years ago
They forgot because serving the country is a lower priority than serving the party.
Imagine about 3 years ago
Not realistic. There is not even agreement on what is needed (such as a new road). And, typically, if blue does agree with red on something then red will turn around and block it or deny it.
jessie d. about 3 years ago
When you see a parity between the GOP and the Democrats, it is time to hang up your drawing pencil Pastis.
juicebruce about 3 years ago
Pig what part of the punching did you like ?
TampaFanatic1 about 3 years ago
The red guy dropped a kick in the cojones to the guy in blue. Reminds me of how Merrick Garland was treated when he was up for SCOTUS consideration.
TampaFanatic1 about 3 years ago
Where are the lobbyists from Big Oil, Pharmaceutics, Healthcare conglomerates and the banking and criminal justice institutions? These are the one percenters who have probably bought out the guys (also one percenters thanks to the conglomerates) who are kicking the crap out of each other in this Pastis cartoon. In the end run the lobbyists seem to deem what bills make it through congress not what is common sense and good for society in general.
Gent about 3 years ago
Yeah, you can enjoys more in a multi party system. All the hung parliaments, unstable governments, horse trading, etc etc.
Qiset about 3 years ago
I can’t wait until the Aaron Burr inspired episode.
iggyman about 3 years ago
Get rid of the parties, elect individuals on their merit, but how many voters would take the time to check them out? Probably have “pretty boys and girls” running the country!
Pgalden1 Premium Member about 3 years ago
Pig…I’m thinking you mean Pun-Ching Like cha-Ching, or ba-da-boom Seems out of your character to like violence…with hearts! is this a Pastis set-up???
Zoturdley Premium Member about 3 years ago
Term limits, people. Power corrupts. It doesn’t matter which party you speak of.
jimchronister2016 about 3 years ago
So Sad, that politics are the norm now and for the most part controlled by big money, not your vote, only because too many lazy withdrawn people DO NOT VOTE!
Sir Ruddy Blighter, Jr. about 3 years ago
“Let’s just agree to disagree…no wait: let’s just agree, THEN disagree!”
zerotvus about 3 years ago
you forgot the part when they pocket the money for the job.
MS72 about 3 years ago
Why don’t the road builders start their own party?
Ellis97 about 3 years ago
Why are we so divided?
Ignatz Premium Member about 3 years ago
The Electoral College creates a two-party system, since you need a majority – not a plurality – of the College to win the Presidency. Three strong parties means that Congress picks the President.
Both the Republicans and the Democrats are coalitions of smaller groups that have joined together to get 51%. And since the Electoral College is enshrined in the Constitution, good luck getting rid of it. You would need the approval of the people who benefit from it to do that.
Remember when everybody thought the American system was the best in the world?
Cameron1988 Premium Member about 3 years ago
Hey, it’s Terrance and Phillip!
David in Webb Premium Member about 3 years ago
Yes, our roads need fixed. However, a $1 trillion (or $3.5 trillion) infrastructure bill is such a lie. Only a fraction of it went to infrastructure. The rest went to pet projects. It’s kinda like a gas tax hike in Missouri that failed. The title of the hike was for roads. Reading the bill showed the majority went to the highway patrol. It failed at the ballot box. I would have voted for it if ALL of it went to its intended purpose.
YippiKiAyMofo about 3 years ago
Frankly, I despise both parties and identify with neither. Unless we somehow find a middle ground in this nation then we are doomed. And, tbh, call it a waste of a vote if you want, I’ll write in the name of my neighbor’s dog before I vote for a dem or repub again. I don’t identify with the policy and planks of the democratic party/platform and the repubs have turned into a bunch of stark raving loons! Yep, color me done with the 2-party system.
kaffekup about 3 years ago
The strip has it all wrong, but I know there are space limitations. Here’s how it really went:
“We need road repairs. Let’s float a bond to pay for them.”
“We need road repairs. Let’s let billionaires pay for it, in exchange for making it a toll road for forty years. Despite the fact that the taxpayers paid to have it built in the first place, now they can pay to drive on it, too!”
Brian Collis about 3 years ago
forgot the part where the blue party tries to actually fix the road, but the red party steals all the funds and gives them to rich people to hoard
Huckleberry Hiroshima about 3 years ago
Excellent point, Stephan.
kartis about 3 years ago
A two party systems is like having two dirty shirts. You are always choosing between the less dirty one without ever cleaning them. (Piet Hein – I may have the quote somewhat wrong).
Zebrastripes about 3 years ago
Problem is some people who have the knowledge don’t have the money to run!
diskus Premium Member about 3 years ago
Two parties is even worse with social media added
diskus Premium Member about 3 years ago
I watch absolutly zero news and that helps alot. Unfortunately it spills over to comics sometimes, you can run but not hide
hmofo813 Premium Member about 3 years ago
It’s always nice when it’s a Sunday and it isn’t another of those stupid forced-“pun” strips.
Radish the wordsmith about 3 years ago
A certain group won’t do the right thing.
bbbmorrell about 3 years ago
Infrastructure week! Two enter, none come out!
paragon about 3 years ago
Y’know, I think maybe everyone should listen to him.
TheBigPickle about 3 years ago
No no no, this is all wrong… the first panel is unrealistic. They never would have both agreed on something.
RussHeim about 3 years ago
Red guy will tell you taxes are too high and that government wastes too much money, so taxes shouldn’t be raised to pay for road repair. Blue guy will tell you that we are too reliant on cars and the internal combustion engine and are harming the environment, so we should pay for transit instead of fixing roads.
Spence12 Premium Member about 3 years ago
“But I’ll only give the people their needed road if I can also get funded for a special commission counting hedgehogs in West Nigeria. I suppose you, too, have similar funding needs so we can finally agree on this bill. Then we can proudly say we’re serving the people.”
_lounger_ about 3 years ago
oh, trust me, you’re so lucky having just two…
Goat from PBS about 3 years ago
Why must politics be so divided? Can we not agree on something else?
carlosrivers about 3 years ago
Forget the politicians, I’d love to see a knock down, drag out debate between Conservative radio and progressive radio. Together on live TV. Make it pay-per-view, with 100% of the fee going to the veterans committee. Each side tells their story, but only to one side, theirs. I would love to se a show where Fox News “reporters” presents their version of a subject, and maybe, Thom Hartman presents the progressive side, and vice versa. Because these are the sources of what every politician says in public…
Gameguy49 Premium Member about 3 years ago
The “two-party” system is supposed to be what provides the checks and balances to get the road fixed at the lowest cost and with the superior quality to make it last. (“supposed to be”)
wongo about 3 years ago
Why don’t we just have a monarchy and get it over with,(I will be the King)
Cerabooge about 3 years ago
While it’s obvious that they’re talking about repairing an existing road, they both agree that a new road is needed. That’s the LAST thing that’s needed. New roads take money away from maintenance of existing roads, they wreck neighborhoods and ecosystems, and they generate pollution and more CO2 both in their construction and use.
Too bad the two parties never disagree when it comes to paving more of the planet..
Masterskrain about 3 years ago
PASTIS NAILS IT AGAIN!!!!
Ermine Notyours about 3 years ago
Okay, Stephen. Don’t start dragging Danny Donkey and Ella Elephant into this too.
christelisbetty about 3 years ago
How many times must I say it ? There are 3 things wrong with party politics.—-#1 Money—-#2 Money—-#3 Money.
mpolo11 Premium Member about 3 years ago
Much of the world’s 2 party system. Sadness.
zeexenon about 3 years ago
And evolving to never agree with anything anyone else says.
tripwire45 about 3 years ago
Nine years after Hurricane Sandy, New York still didn’t do anything about their failing drainage system and now flooding from Ida has been the result. Two-party system = two cheeks on the same…
gorbag about 3 years ago
We have computers. Why do we even need politicians anymore?
braindead Premium Member about 3 years ago
Whattsa big deal? That’ what Continuous Campaigning is all about.
johnny5678910 about 3 years ago
reminds me of Terence & Phillip from south park. I was expecting a fart joke….
moondog42 Premium Member about 3 years ago
In Omaha, they just tear out the old asphalt and either put down gravel or just plain dirt. Saves a ton on maintenance, and if people complain, I understand the city tells them “too bad, so sad”
Ka`ōnōhi`ula`okahōkūmiomio`ehiku Premium Member about 3 years ago
I’m impressed by the enhanced border around the ‘episode’ boxes.
willie_mctell about 3 years ago
It’s a reality show that’s gone stale. They need to add more excitement.
Just Enjoying It about 3 years ago
That’s funny, but the real fight is over, “Who is going to pay for our new road?”
ekke about 3 years ago
We have an interstate bridge that was out of date 60 years ago. At one point the politicians on both sides, in both states, agreed to a viable plan. It got nixed by the environmentalists, who just don’t like cars. Or people. Or, well, pretty much of anything.
Otis Rufus Driftwood about 3 years ago
What we need is to know how to swallow our pride, and work on problems that affect us all because that is what being a community, even a society, means.
Display about 3 years ago
And yet RandAl-Boor thinks the elections were stolen or doctored. With ReThuglican gerrymandering, yes. But there has been virtually no findings to satisfy many court cases and in fact ReThuglican lawyers are being sued to recover frivolous court costs by judges who have dismissed cases. Oops! I take part of that back, and apologize – there were a few cases. One was the man accused of killing his wife, and weeks after he reported her missing he cast her ballot for Rumpy the Clown. Nothing suspicious there eh, Boor? Oh, and the other guy whose mom died quite a while ago but managed to have her ballot cast with his, again for the Bulbous Buttwhistle. Y’all got any cases that’ll stand up to more than about a minute of fact checking there, bub? Let’s hear what ya got?
syzygy47 about 3 years ago
The name calling and the punching is what happens when one (or more) of the parties become obstructionist, their brains and opinions calcified (I’m a-lookin’ at you, Moscow Mitch!). Then, out of frustration, the ‘other party’ becomes belligerent. Doesn’t help when the GOP/tRump/George W say and do things verifiably wrongheaded and dunb.
Ammo hates the comment policy Premium Member about 3 years ago
You are on a Roll Stephen, keep’em coming
Sisyphos about 3 years ago
Pig delivers a lame punchline, so to speak. The system hurts….
calmom75 Premium Member about 3 years ago
I find the mind-numbing adherence of voters to the 2 party system in this country to be frightening; I always vote farther down the ballot….. To imagine that every 4 years we have only a hand-full of special interest fueled candidates to choose from is a travesty.
EricS.Harris about 3 years ago
As long as the statutory duopoly parties maintain the advantage they gave themselves a century ago, we will not see any new political parties compete successfully for votes.
That’s overly pessimistic. Slightly.
The voters could reject those parties at the ballot box to a greater degree. They already reject to a large and increasing degree the use of those two labels to describe themselves.
Changing to Ranked Choice Voting (aka Immediate Runoff Voting) might induce the two old parties to behave better, both in campaigning and in office. Or if not, facilitate their replacement. (I’m somewhat doubtful. They aren’t opposing it as strongly as I expected.) Links.1. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ranked.choice.voting2. https://www.facebook.com/search/groups/?q=ranked%20choice%20voting
Initiative petitioning allows the people to circumvent the legislature and governor. That’s a possible path to more competitive elections in some states.
The largest voting bloc in the country is “I don’t bother to vote”.
johnschutt about 3 years ago
There would be no issue if it were just about roads. But, when you stuff a lot of pork into the roads…
John Jorgensen about 3 years ago
I take the point of the cartoon but we’re well beyond the point where we can afford false equivalency.
aussie399 Premium Member about 3 years ago
Oh how true, sadly. They give America a bad name
Ed about 2 years ago
Why is this comic so political
(Not that i want an answer, let this comment be unanswered)