2001connections-article0032 None of the above candidates.

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2001connections-article0032
None of the above candidates.

In too many voting situations, there is not a single viable choice. Especially when the selection has been limited to just 2[two] parties in practical terms, even though several other interesting political parties exist, which you might choose from. When you have a duopoly, the two groups are laughing at you, the voter, most of the time. Between one election and the next. One side forms the government. The remaining team constitutes the opposition. How boring, humdrum, predictable. Roles may be reversed during the next election, or during the one after. And a term or two later, the table is re-arranged as it was before. And so on. Back and forth. One term [or two or three] after another [or two or three]. An infernal carousel. The more it turns, the closer you are to ending up where you started. Going around in circles, almost literally. Getting nowhere. Will the infernal vicious cycle ever stop? The answer depends mostly on you, the average citizen. Sure, the existing system usually favours the 2, sometimes three principal contenders. But the wonderful reality is, you are not obliged to cast your ballot for 1 of the 2 or 3 most well-known parties. Even though you probably do so anyway. Why do you continue to vote for the top-name candidates? Due to force of habit, probably. Perhaps complacency and fear of the unknown or little-known, also factor into the equation. And because the leading 2 or 3 players are probably the most familiar to you. They can easily afford big and loud publicity. 4th and 5th parties are too often shut out of the game, in practical terms.
    So shake off that inertia. Listen to the campaign platforms of 4th, 5th, even 6th or more distant parties. And maybe get out of the rut of habitually voting for the favourites. Yes, it is a horse race of sorts. Please do take a serious look at some long shots. If millions of voters stop letting the main players take their ballots for granted, the political landscape could improve dramatically. To the benefit of society at large.

It is probably good for democracy if 1 or 2 of the top 2 parties find themselves relegated to 3rd or 4th place. Particularly if the electoral scene has been controlled by a dual monopoly, so to speak. Common sense and decency suggests, a duopoly of 2 mainstream political teams constitutes an affront to democracy. What do either one of the 2 opposing sides care, whether they finish in 1st place or 2nd place. The two top spots go to the same two parties, at one election after another, but in alternating order. What a routinized, demoralized political scene, indeed.
    2-party systems are almost as bad as 1-party dictatorships. A worthwhile choice to consider might be 3rd, 4th, or 5th contenders, if they exist in a particular system. Look outside the mainstream, wherever feasible.
    Here’s a novel idea. Invite lesser-known, never-elected political parties to speak at high schools, colleges, universities and additional locations. Perhaps not necessarily forcefully exclude the 1st and 2nd, but preferably extend invitations in priority to the 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on. But always, in conformity with local electoral law and any other applicable legislation.

The illusion of competing and caring for your vote. What a scam. But a glitch may occur in the political landscape, and suddenly the traditional 2 teams no longer have the 2 top spots in whatever order, rulers + opposition or opposition + rulers. The house of cards comes tumbling down, and both of the two top contenders realize that taking the electorate for granted during several decades may turn out to be a costly mistake.
    At any given time, the governing party might not worry too much about the prospect of being tossed out of office during the next immediate election. Sure, why should they care, if they know that at worst, they’ll descend to 2nd place, often referred to as the official opposition, depending on where you reside. Some currently-elected candidates might even joke about the opportunity to take a 4-year vacation. Off camera and off the record, of course.

A 4-year tour of duty as the opposition will provide the previously-ruling team the chance to pretend to be the good guys during the term, criticizing the policies of the newly-elected governing party. And the next election rolls around, the roles are reversed. Or another 4 to 5 years later perhaps, meaning at the after-next election. What an infernal carousel. Spinning around in circles, going nowhere.
    Here is at least one possible partial fix. Allow the opposing parties the exclusive right to decide when to call the next election. Effectively abolish the established racket of elections driven and preceded by good-news budgets, increased spending and so on. “Vote for us because we are so generous”. What a scam!! If opposing parties had the last word on timing the election, the governing team would be kept more in line. Afraid to trip up. Well aware that the competing teams are ready to pounce at any misstep and wrestle the reins of power away by letting the voters make their choice at a carefully selected point in time. The contenders could call an election when the polls indicate the worst anticipated results for the incumbents. What an intriguing spin on the concept of checks and balances!!
    Or how about redesigning ballots to allow electors to show discontent with the existing choices of the day. Next to the usual list of choices to mark on the card, some new options could be added to allow voters to express their sentiments: “Add candidates”. Or “I wish there were more choices”. And last but not least, “None of the above candidates”. A sad scenario, but often true.

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2001connections-article0032
None of the above candidates.

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