It should be easier for third party candidates to obtain
campaign fund reimbursements. Current campaign laws completely favor the two
major parties when it comes to matching campaign funds. third party candidates
have to jump through hoops in order to secure their funds, which usually come
well after an election has ended pending the percentage of the votes they
received.
Third parties are important because they bring attention to
certain issues that the two main parties ignore. While they may not win
elections, especially not big elections, they do act as a voice for these
issues, and the main parties will be more likely to adapt to such policies in
order to take those votes away from the third-parties.
With the multi-party system in Europe, even the smallest
minorities has a say in their governments. Representation depends on the
percentage of votes each party receives. In America, we downplay our differences and forge all of our ideals and values into a two-party system in which the
winner takes all with a plurality of the vote. This ignores many of the
minority groups in America and Democrats and Republicans continue to dominate with
their middle-of-the-road politics, which is the umbrella most Americans fall
under.
With funding laws that favor all parties equally, at least
minorities will have more of a voice during campaigns and elections.
Third party candidates would still be a long shot to win those elections, but
the amount of voter support would speak for the issues they stand for causing
the main parties’ platforms to eventually adapt to those policies if they want
to take back those votes.
This can only happen if campaign financing laws are changed
to be fair and equal towards all parties. Money is power and as it stands both
Democrats and Republicans have all the money while third parties struggle just
to make it through their campaigns, many times paying out of pocket or going
into debt. Especially with the growing part de-alignment with Americans and the
Democrats and Republicans, it’s important to save the true essence of our
democracy in which is everyone has a voice, not just the two major parties with
the most money and power. Third parties should have an equal chance under the
campaign finance laws.
