Articles by John W Pigg

NATIONAL -- There are numerous systemic problems with proportional representation (PR).These are rarely ever discussed when comparing and contrasting the U.S. system with most European systems. Oftentimes dissatisfied voters in the United States look longingly toward European systems as the answer to their problems. Unfortunately, proportional representation is not all its cracked up to be.Proportional Representation makes parliaments and parties less bipartisan and more ideological. It's hard t...

Primaries, despite all appearances, are actually necessary as vehicles of Democracy. Most readers of IVN have a general idea of what primaries are and how they function. However, I would argue that the benefits of primaries are rarely, if ever, mentioned. The reason for this is because they are old and we, as a society, have forgotten why they were necessary. U.S. Parties The United States electoral system is unique. There are few if any modern countries that can boast the stability and the c...

Voter's today are often under the mistaken assumption that the current American two-party political system operates the same as it always has. The truth is, this two-party system was fundamentally altered after the 60s, and looks nothing like its former self. Excessive partisanship has even convinced us that one party has a monopoly on "conservatism" and the other "liberalism." The two-party system has always been a unique American construct. America's two-party system was designed with the int...