The status quo directly benefits corporate Democratic and Republican leadership (1%), but falls short of serving the real needs of individuals who make up the other 99%. Third parties threaten the establishment by appealing to the actual needs of constituents of both major parties.

Two private corporations, state and federal governments actively deny equal access to benefits which serve the two major parties' campaigns.

1. Democrats and Republicans are automatically included on ballots in all 50 states and beyond. Third parties must earn inclusion on ballots in many states via costly petition drives.
2. State and federal legislation is made by Democratic and Republican officials who benefit from the duopoly. Third parties are an inherent threat to the status quo.
3. Third-party candidates are financially disadvantaged. To qualify for federal election funds, a third party must have received 5 percent of the vote in the previous election.
4. It isn’t in the interest of commercial media to cover third party politics. Commercial media is sponsored by corporations which benefit from the status quo that third parties aim to change. Equal air time for third parties means exposing the masses to ideas which threaten the media monopoly.

Corporate Democratic and Republican leadership act in direct opposition to the interests of 42-45% of registered voters who do not identify as Democrats or Republicans. By obstructing alternatives to two major parties, the corporations and governments propping up the duopoly that is American politics deny the body electorate access to a full spectrum of choice upon which life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness depends.

Photo Credit: Songquan Deng / shutterstock.com