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Weblog:   Politics: Ralph Nader and the Idea of Choice
Subject:   It's the plurality voting system ...
Date:   2004-02-22 18:56:14
From:   mchampion
The post about alternative voting systems was interesting, but the fact remains that we're stuck with the plurality system for this year (and probably a very long time to come). This has the two party system as an emergent property (see Duverger's law, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duvergers_Law). That's why a dozen candidates, or voting your deepest feelings rather than on the basis of the lesser of two evils, is *pragmatically* a Bad Thing even if it makes you feel good or matches your childhood conception of "democracy" - if you don't vote for the candidate with the combination of a good chance to win and at least a marginally acceptable agenda, you are effectively voting for that person's strongest opponent.


How many of the people who voted for Nader in Florida in 2000 feel good about what Bush has done to the EPA, to the Kyoto accords, to energy policy, etc. etc. etc.? Like it or not, they elected him , if they would have preferred Gore's policies but thought they would "make a statement" by voting for Nader. Campaign for a better voting system if you wish, but vote for the lesser of two evils or you are voting for the greater of them.
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  • It's the plurality voting system ...
    2004-02-23 00:42:58  robla [Reply | View]

    Having written the first iteration of the Wikipedia article on Duverger's Law, I'm pretty familiar with it. :)

    My short-term proposal would be that the Democratic nominee take electoral reform seriously. A Democrat taking a serious and credible stand in favor of electoral reform would eliminate what little threat Nader poses, as well as very likely getting some Libertarian votes that wouldn't ordinarily vote for the [D] candidate. Not to mention that the candidate would be doing the Right Thing[tm].
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