Tom Mast, founder of Solve American Gridlock
I recently ordered and received a book that purported to have some suggestions regarding how to get our government to function better. Imagine my frustration to find it full of biased paragraphs and chapters stating that a certain one of our two parties is always the guilty party and how the other might successfully attack it. I threw the book into my wastebasket.
Imagine with polarization being a huge problem in Congress as well as in much of the media and the rest of our society, this book suggesting more of it as a solution!
Polarization in Congress is a big problem. But, it is baked into the cake. It is the product of our electoral systems. Having more than two effective (that is, big enough to have some influence) parties has been shown to promote multiple points of view and require compromise. Our system of having only two parties is very much the exception of 22 major democracies (see graph below), making the case that our zero-sum/winner-takes-all two-party system may well be the root cause of our difficulties. Of course, extreme friction in Congress spills over into the media and the public.
Is there something more than just wishing that we can do to stimulate having more than two effective parties? Yes, there are ways to do this – and more, including eliminating gerrymandering and safe seats!
Multi-member districts for the House in place of our present single-member districts that were dictated by a Congressional law in 1967
Ranked-Choice voting for the House and Senate elections
Elimination of or improvements in our party primary systems for the House and Senate
These changes will foster more parties, more viewpoints, less polarization, and better problem solving in Congress.
For much more detail, see www.solveamericangridlock.com.
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