Why So Many Americans Hate Political Parties

Just two political parties have long dominated the American government. The 117th Congress had just two independent members in the Senate, who both caucus with the Democrats. And it’s been more than half a century since a candidate from neither the Democratic or Republican Party won any electoral votes in a presidential election.

Some experts suggest that the two-party system could be blamed for the political polarization we find in America. More Americans are growing discontent with the system. A study in 2022 found that nearly 4 in 10 Americans wished for more political parties to choose from.

"It's a two-party system and you have to pick one side or the other," said Lee Drutman, a senior fellow at New America. "If we are in a situation in which one party believes that the other party winning the election would be so disastrous to the country that maybe we should intervene to prevent the other party from winning, then you don't really have a democracy anymore."