The United States is not a parliamentary democracy. There’s no power-sharing system where coalitions determine who gets elected head of government. We have a firmly entrenched two-party system. And whoever wins gets it all.
It can be a nice thought exercise to ponder what things would be like if we had more than two viable political parties. Maybe it’d be easier for politicians to have more diverse views rather than be forced to align with the major Republican or Democratic checkboxes. Maybe it would make it easier for cross-party initiatives and legislation. Maybe more voters would feel represented with more options in play.
Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Too bad it’s a fantasy.
For those of us who choose to live in reality, we understand that we have two choices for president: a Republican or a Democrat. We also understand that neither candidate will support every single issue we do, but that we’ll choose the one who most closely aligns with us, the one who will actually have a chance of winning.
To those voters who say they will not vote for Vice President Kamala Harris because of her handling of [insert issue here], congratulations on satisfying your ego and giving yourself a talking point for social media. You’ve accomplished nothing else, because a third-party candidate for president will not win. They will have no role in government. But it’s cool, your ego definitely matters more than the economy, or the environment, or equal rights. Your ego matters more than the Supreme Court or healthcare policy or protections for LGBTQ+ people.
You know who else places his ego above the good of the country? The guy who destroyed Roe v. Wade. The guy who paid off a porn star to hide his infidelity. The guy who made millions of Americans believe elections are not fair and lawful. That’s the guy you will enable with your third-party vote in 2024.
And just so we’re clear, that guy you’ll help elect with your third-party vote, Donald Trump, will not solve any issues you care about either. Donald Trump will absolutely not free Palestine. Donald Trump will not protect your marriage. Donald Trump will not lower your student loans. Donald Trump will not make it easier for you to find a job.
I knew gay people who voted for Ralph Nader in 2004 because they said he was the only candidate on the ballot to support gay marriage. Guess what happened in that election? George W. Bush beat John Kerry while anti-gay marriage amendments passed in 11 states. Ralph Nader won 2.7% of the vote. But congratulations on staying true to your heart. That really helped.
The Libertarian Party began in the early ’70s. The Green Party began in the mid ’80s. Neither has won the Presidency. Neither has had a candidate get more than 3% of the vote in a presidential race. In our entrenched two-party system, third parties exist to siphon votes from Democratic or Republican presidential candidates. However, the Libertarian Party did help swing the 2016 election in Donald Trump’s favor, though, so good on them for that.
And even though they don’t have a party affiliation, we can’t forget independent candidates as election spoilers, either. Ross Perot helped destroy George Bush’s re-election efforts in 1992. And Robert Kennedy Jr. might destroy Vice President Harris’ election efforts this year.
Your third-party vote in 2024 will not make the two-party system any less strong. All it will do is ensure that your vote is wasted on a candidate who will never win.
Let’s flash forward to January 2025. Donald Trump has just been sworn in as president. A few months later, Justice Clarence Thomas announces his retirement, and another anti-LGBTQ+ judge takes his place. A year later, or maybe two, a case goes before the Supreme Court seeking to overturn gay marriage nationwide. The justices rule in favor of overturning it. Roe v. Wade is now joined by Obergefell v. Hodges. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health rolls back all assistance for trans people, including trans veterans. The State Department cannot fly rainbow flags outside of embassies, nor can they publicly celebrate Pride Month. Federal funding for LGBTQ+ community centers, small businesses, health centers and arts programs drops significantly.
Did you vote third-party? If the answer is yes, then you’re just as responsible for the havoc as Trump voters. Enjoy the monster you’ve created.