Author Archives: Advocate Sachin Mathur

Let me break it down for you—American politics is basically like going to an ice cream shop with hundreds of flavors, but you always end up choosing between chocolate and vanilla. 😅

Why is that? Well, it’s because of some key reasons that make it hard for other flavors (ahem, smaller parties) to compete. Here’s why:

1. Winner-Takes-All System

Imagine going to a contest where whoever gets the most votes takes home all the prizes. If strawberry gets even 30% of the vote, it still walks away with NOTHING. Chocolate and vanilla know this, so they keep hogging the spotlight. Smaller flavors don’t stand a chance in this setup.

2. History Likes Repeats

The U.S. started out with a few OG political parties, and over time, it’s always boiled down to just two—like that one movie you’ve watched 50 times but can’t stop rewatching. It’s all so deeply ingrained that it’s hard for any new “flavor” to get noticed.

3. Voter FOMO

Voters are like, “I like pistachio, but I don’t want to waste my vote.” So, they stick to chocolate or vanilla to avoid their vote going to a flavor that’s destined to lose. This fear keeps the same two options alive.

4. Barrier Battles

Getting on the ballot if you’re not chocolate or vanilla? Good luck. Smaller flavors (parties) have to jump through ridiculous hoops, find funding, and convince people they even exist. It’s like trying to make ‘pickle ice cream’ a thing—pretty tough.

5. Wide Appeal = Broad Menus

Both parties try to be all things to all people—chocolate adds sprinkles, vanilla goes gluten-free. They keep evolving to cover every taste, so it’s hard for smaller, niche flavors to carve out space.

Long story short: The U.S. is stuck with a two-party system because of historical, structural, and human reasons. Maybe one day we’ll get that perfect scoop of something new, but for now… it’s still chocolate vs. vanilla!