Why do not independent political parties gain traction in American

Why do not independent political parties gain traction in American politics?

Every four years, we hold Presidential elections here in the U.S. Our basic two party system garners robust media attention for the Democratic and Republican political parties. We, the American public, see only what the media chooses to show. Although grass roots movements of independent political parties may hold promise and hope of something more than the same old saws of the established political parties, these independent political parties are viewed as fringe opinions, not worthy of serious consideration. Who decides? Certainly not the people.

You have to wonder, if the citizenry were asked to vote on whether independent political parties should be included in media coverage and debates, what would the people have to say? The underpinnings of democracy require that only an informed citizenry can make informed decisions and thus have a true democracy. If the people are denied access to all viewpoints, they cannot truly be informed. The media plays a big role in determining which views you are apprised of and those which melt away in obscurity.

While some of these so-called fringe, independent political parties may have views and agendas you don't subscribe to, nonetheless, hearing all the voices in the mix can't help but be informative. Perhaps you'd find that, given all the information and perspectives, in the end, you prefer to stick with one of the two major political parties.

On the other hand, one of the independent parties, while not possessed of a comprehensive platform, may focus on important environmental issues which are neglected by the two major parties. Ideally, if enough of the citizenry believes such issues should be addressed, perhaps the major candidates would take the hint and include such issues in their own campaigns, to their eventual success and to the benefit of the society as a whole.

The ability to raise money often dictates which party wins. If the independent political parties were included in the media coverage, on an even-handed basis, those independents might succeed in gaining some traction and monetary support from the public. Why should not all of the candidates, from every party, not be allowed to participate in the televised debates? Inviting only Democrats and Republicans to debate the issues does a great disservice to the public and our democracy.

With a population of 300 million people in the U.S., there must surely be a wealth of qualified persons from which to choose a leader. It's difficult to comprehend how, even before candidacies are announced, the pool consists of perhaps a few dozen hopefuls. It's unfortunate to realize that these candidates all hold positions of power and what's referred to as a 'war chest' of funding.

There are thousands of wise, educated and judiciously prudent thinkers in our midst. What happened to the Philosopher King, of 'Plato's Republic'? Our society and the world at large, might be well served by such an individual. Perhaps there we might find the basis of a new independent political party.