Younger generation opposed to two-party system
Many of the younger, more progessive citizens in the U.S. are registered Democrats, yet do not feel a significant amount of loyalty to their party, according to The Hill. These self-proclaimed leftists, largely comprised of millennials and Generation Z, don’t even feel comfortable using the label Democrat because they feel it does not show a holistic view of their wants. Even those who are planning on voting for former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, they are doing so with little enthusiasm, declaring #SettleForBiden as their slogan.
Younger progressives are hesitant to vote at all because they do not feel that Biden represents their interests. Biden is doing the bare minimum to excite young voters and his policies cater more towards older Democrats. He opposes “Medicare for All,” is hesitant to claim support for the Green New Deal and many feel that his main selling point is that he isn’t U.S. President Donald Trump.
A large number of younger voters are considering voting for third-party candidates that they feel better represent their views. However, younger Democratic voters are not the only ones who are in favor of voting for third-party candidates. Many registered Republicans are not fond of President Trump, or Biden either, believing that they are both candidates they cannot vote for.
People usually vote third party for two reasons, and it’s never because they believe their candidate will actually win. The first reason is for future gain. If third-party candidates reach the critical threshold of 5% of the popular vote, they will qualify for public funding campaign assistance. This gives candidates access to increased funding and a larger platform. Reaching this means that in the future, a third-party candidate could be elected as president.
The second reason is to make a statement to both politicians and other citizens. People are hoping that in not giving their vote to either party, the system will change. They believe that Democrats and Republicans will modify their policies and platforms in order to appeal to them. These voters are hopeful that other citizens will be inspired to follow in their footsteps and vote for candidates they truly want rather than settling for the lesser of two evils.
The two main third-party candidates are Jo Jorgensen of the Libertarian Party and Howie Hawkins of the Green Party of the United States. Both of these candidates run on a platform stating that both Democrats and Republicans have damaged the U.S. They cite trillions of dollars in debt, a broken healthcare system and high racial tensions as a few examples. Jorgensen believes that a smaller government will solve many of these problems, while Hawkins thinks that more progressive, socialist policies are the solution.
Looking back on the 2016 election, where President Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, third-party candidates had few votes relative to the two party candidates, yet played a vital role in the outcome of the election. If the people who had voted third party voted Democratic, President Trump would not be in office right now.
I understand not being happy with the two major candidates in the upcoming election. Both have their faults and no candidate is perfect. But to me, there is a staggering difference in the definition of faults. The impact that another four years of the Trump Administration will have on our country is something that we cannot afford.
President Trump further heightened racial tensions and allowed for an uprising of white supremacy. He is handling the current coronavirus pandemic terribly. He is pushing the judicial system to become more conservative by placing conservative judges on both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. That barely even scrapes the surface.
Voting for a third-party candidate is idealist at best. At worst, it is trying to maintain a sense of moral superiority while hurting people in this country on a large scale. I understand the frustration. I understand feeling like your vote doesn’t matter. I understand wanting candidates that actually represent your viewpoints. What I do not understand is how people can throw their vote away in what could be one of the most crucial elections in American history.
