A... and then the monopoly held by the Demos and Repubs might have been cracked and America might actually have been on the road to true democractic elections -- and a true three, four, five. etc., party system in the future. ...Sure, there are all kinds of parties out there and occasionally a Libertarian gets elected, but the reality of it is, America is a two-party system (that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!) by design, by intent, by historical maneuvering, and by the money factor. So I can be quoted all the facts out there, but I know in my heart it's still a two-party system...
B-C. ...I'm proud to be an independent and I don't thinks it's right to blackmail me into picking a party in order to be part of the primary process, but hey, that's the American way (at least in Arizona where I'm registered to vote) ...
To A: Yes, we have what is essentially a two party system. And it slikely to so remain because, based on history, a soon as a counter-movemnet gains any traction, their main positions are incorporated into one or other of the main parties - positions from the left (like many of those from the early socialists) get aborbed into the Democrat Party, positions from the right (like many of those from the Libertarians), into the Republican Party. Since both parties modify themselves to address popular positions, they are likely to be around for a while. Democracies like France and Italy that have suffered under the varies of a multi-party system envy the stability the the US and Great Britain enjoy with their two party sytems.
To B: I don't think its "blackmail" to say you must join my party if you want a voice in our nominee.
Yes, I know you think the present sytem sucks - but I have yet to hear you propose a better one! You can't run a nation of 300 million people from a Townhall, and even if you could, the result would be mob rule, not an orderly government.
der Brucer
Note - from the time our ancestors slithered from the primordial ooze, societies have always been ruled by either the club or the gold - or both.