Call for Fair Campaign Financing Laws

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.