Quote:
A majority of Americans want a third major party, a new Gallup poll found.
Marking the highest point in the Gallup poll’s ten-year history, 60% of Americans said they think Democrats and Republicans aren’t doing “an adequate job of representing the American people†and do “such a poor job that a third major party is needed.â€
The poll surveyed 1,028 adults from Oct. 3-6, just days into a federal government shutdown that has lasted a full two weeks.
Just 26% of Americans said the country’s two major parties were representing Americans.
Self-identified Democrats and Republicans were equally likely to see the need for a third party—49% of Democrats and 52% of Republicans said they saw the need for a third party—but a full 71% of Independents supported the idea of a third party.
Marking the highest point in the Gallup poll’s ten-year history, 60% of Americans said they think Democrats and Republicans aren’t doing “an adequate job of representing the American people†and do “such a poor job that a third major party is needed.â€
The poll surveyed 1,028 adults from Oct. 3-6, just days into a federal government shutdown that has lasted a full two weeks.
Just 26% of Americans said the country’s two major parties were representing Americans.
Self-identified Democrats and Republicans were equally likely to see the need for a third party—49% of Democrats and 52% of Republicans said they saw the need for a third party—but a full 71% of Independents supported the idea of a third party.
Given the way things have been going for the US, I wouldn't be surprised if this didn't become a real possibility if things keep moving in the direction they've been going. It's not a though there's not any historical precedent(Whigs for example). The question is where a third party would stand in the American political system. Would it be further to the left? Somewhere in the center? Or further to the right?