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CAMPUS VOICES
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Third parties are scams but there’s a way they can work
Columns are the opinions of only the authors and do not necesssarily reflect the views of The Wichitan as an organization.
With Elon Musk entering the news again, trying to buy out Twitter, many have begun talking about the Joseph enigma that Elon Nelson Musk is: an antiSJW, capitalist, atheist tech bro, who doesn’t conform to either the left or the right. Many have raised the question of whether Elon Musk represents a model for a centrist candidate who could break the party duopoly we have in America. But this isn’t just about Elon Musk. Many households have conversations about the Republicans or the Democrats being so driven by corporate greed and/ or political extremism that a third party will “shake things up” or something like that. Personally, I would also love for third parties to be a part of our system. However, our election system simply isn’t designed to have more than two parties controlling national politics at one time. If you want a third party, advocate for changing our electoral system.
A successful third party
If a third party is successful, one of the two major parties either absorbs them or the third party itself takes the place of one of the two parties. The Republicans were once a third party, until they completely replaced the Whigs, and the Populist Party (a faction of left-wing farmers also protesting the two-party system in the 1800s) was absorbed by Northern Democrats and Midwestern Republicans. Third parties simply don’t work within our system, and you shouldn’t trust any candidate thinking they can run a third party in the current system we have. If you want third parties to exist, don’t vote for third parties. Vote in candidates
PHOTO COURTESY OF TARA WINSTEAD | PEXELS Historically, the United States has maintained a two-party system with only a few notable third parties.
from the two-party system interested in changing the electoral system. If you don’t trust one of the duopolies to change the system they benefit from, you should probably look twice at the system now developing, as even those in the duopoly suffer from its primitive design.
The electoral college
Let’s start with the electoral college. The system as it stands requires candidates to reach a majority of electors by winning the popular vote in the necessary number of states. If a majority of electors is not reached, the two party controlled House of Representatives elects the next president. So, if a third party actually became popular enough to win a number of states in the electoral college, the election would go to the House, where the two party system would elect a Democrat or Republican instead. Obviously on the presidential level, a third party candidate simply isn’t feasible. However, you can probably guess which party is interested in getting rid of the electoral college, a move that would undeniably increase the chances of a third party candidate gaining some popularity.
Maine politics
Ever wonder why Maine has such a different political culture than the rest of the country, with a socially liberal Republican and a centrist Independent as their senators. Well, the people in Maine have always been free thinker types, not conforming to the typical way of doing things, and they recently opted for instant run off election, a move that’ll further enrich third parties and their state’s unique political make up. When Stephen King, a famous Maine resident, goes into his voting booth, he ranks the senate candidates from who he supports the most to the least. When the votes are tallied, the candidate with the least support is eliminated and their votes now go to whomever was the second choice on the ballots. This process is repeated until one of the candidates reaches a majority. This election type would be very hard to implement in Texas, but it would undeniably change the political makeup of our state to advantage third-party candidates. It doesn’t take a political science degree to guess which political party would be more likely to enact these measures.
In summary
Any initiative that changes our system will definitely be at odds with those who believe the constitution is passed down from God on high, usually conservative Christian types. However, to those with want for overthrowing our two party system, prioritize these initiatives in your voting patterns. If you want a third party but always vote for people who think the constitution is absolutely perfect and brilliant, you’re swimming upstream and wasting your breath in advocating for third parties. If you want to get rid of the duopoly, vote for candidates who would support initiatives like getting rid of the electoral college, implementing rank choice voting, and a slew of other changes that many other countries with vibrant political cultures have enjoyed for decades.
ACTIVE THIRD PARTIES IN U.S. POLITICS
April 22, 2022 Campus Voices | Graduating | Wichitan Staff | Ukraine | Entertainment | Español | Stang Stories | Donate Life What I would tell my freshman self
Graduating seniors reflect on their university journeys
ANNE AKPABIO REPORTER
From the first moment of novelty and excitement as a college student, there is the lingering possibility of graduation, the reality that seems distant at the start of the college experience. The thrill of graduation is talked about often but the journey leading up to it is often disregarded. And so, there is the question of what information is relevant to know before walking across that stage, what in hindsight a graduating senior could share with a freshman version of themselves at the most awaited moment of graduation.
PHOTO COURTESY OF YOHANN ISAAC (Senior year) Yohann Isaac tells his freshman self to have as much discipline as possible.
Yohann Isaac
“I would tell my freshman self to try your best to enjoy your day-to-day being in college and having the university experience because when you go to the working world it’s going to be completely different so I would just try to take it all in, try to go to more events, try and enjoy the little things and I would remind myself, you should always work hard now to make your life easier in the future, so just try to have as much discipline as possible because motivation can go away but discipline will always stay with you.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMANDA THRELKELD (Freshman year on the left, senior year on the right) Amanda Threlkeld suggests that students focus on the experiences of college rather than dedicate their entire time to studying.
Amanda Threlkeld
Accounting, management information systems and nonprofit management senior
“Don’t worry about starting college solo, you will build a community and connections faster once you get involved. Focus more on the experiences, friends and memories instead of staying in the room to study. Take one thing at a time, it all works out. As a first generation student, get connected with the same group and the First2Go organization on campus. Start your major and minor earlier so you don’t add extra time and take the proper courses. Study abroad as often as you can and start the process early. Don’t be afraid to make friends because they will be instrumental in your college experience and hopefully life journey.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARA HILL (Freshman year on the left, senior year on the right) Mara Hill tells her freshman self that she should reach outside of her comfort zone and make new friends.
Mara Hill
Marketing senior
“I would tell my freshman self to make new friends, don’t stick with people you already know from your culture, build a network, build connections, be involved in more activities on campus, join different organizations, don’t stick in your comfort zone but be more open to trying new things and meeting new people and have fun. I mean we came for school but I think there is a time for it, we should just have fun and experience especially as an international student, experience the life in America.”
John Sheppard
Finance senior
“I would tell my freshman self to be super organized. Make sure you understand what the syllabus says and what is expected of you. Get an organizer or use your cell phone’s calendar to plan out the semester. Reach out to friends, classmates and professors when you need help. Learn from your mistakes and above all have confidence in your own abilities. Lastly, have fun.”
Norma Benjamin
Finance senior
“I would tell my freshman self to be more involved. Engage with people and social activities. Network and learn as much as I can from others. Also prioritize when it comes to school work but leave some space to have a bit of fun.”
