The Two-Party System is Broken, Time to Explore the Spectrum of Political Parties in the United States

The two party system is broken, support the "Third-Parties" including the Green Party, Libertarian Party, Reform Party, Constitution Party, Socialist Party, and more!

The largest and most well known parties, other than the Republicans and Democrats, are the Green Party and Libertarian Parties, but they are far from the only parties competing for a spot on the stage. As more and more individuals become concerned and are looking to get involved for the cause, everyone should become more familiar with our current system including the first pass the post voting and methods for counting the popular vote. Learn more about our voting system: https://steemit.com/brakeymethod/@designsthelimit/the-brakey-method-for-transparency-and-alternative-voting-methods-for-proportional-representation

Learn more about the political parties offering alternatives to the two party system:

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org/

The Green Party of the United States (GPUS or Greens) is a green political party in the United States.[12] The party, which is the country's fourth-largest by membership, promotes environmentalism, nonviolence, social justice, participatory, grassroots democracy, gender equality, LGBT rights, anti-war and anti-racism.

The GPUS follows the ideals of green politics, which are based on the Four Pillars of the Green Party: ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and nonviolence. The "Ten Key Values", which expand upon the four pillars, are as follows: Grassroots democracy, Social justice and equal opportunity, Ecological wisdom, Nonviolence, Decentralization, Community-based economics and economic justice, Feminism and gender equity, Respect for diversity, Personal and global responsibility, and a Future focus of sustainability. Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Party_of_the_United_States

Libertarian Party https://www.lp.org/

The Libertarian Party (LP) is a libertarian political party in the United States that promotes civil liberties, non-interventionism, laissez-faire capitalism and the abolition of the welfare state. The party was officially formed on December 11, 1971. While it is the third largest political party in the United States, it currently has no members in Congress or governorships and only a handful of state legislative seats. The Libertarian Party was the party under which the first electoral vote was cast for a woman.

"As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others" and "Our goal is nothing more nor less than a world set free in our lifetime, and it is to this end that we take these stands". The Libertarian Party's Statement of Principles begins: "We, the members of the Libertarian Party, challenge the cult of the omnipotent state and defend the rights of the individual". The Statement of Principles is foundational to the ideology of the party and was created specifically to bind the party to certain core principles with a high parliamentary burden for any amendment. It includes a "Self-determination" section which quotes from the Declaration of Independence and reads: "Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of individual liberty, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to agree to such new governance as to them shall seem most likely to protect their liberty". It also includes an "Omissions" section which reads: "Our silence about any other particular government law, regulation, ordinance, directive, edict, control, regulatory agency, activity, or machination should not be construed to imply approval".

Reform Party of the United States of America http://reformparty.org/

The Reform Party of the United States of America (RPUSA), generally known as the Reform Party, is a political party in the United States, founded in 1995. The Reform Party platform includes the following: Maintaining a balanced budget, ensured by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment and changing budgeting practices, and paying down the federal debt. Campaign finance reform, including strict limits on campaign contributions and the outlawing of political action committees. Enforcement of existing immigration laws and opposition to illegal immigration. Opposition to free trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement and Central America Free Trade Agreement, and a call for withdrawal from the World Trade Organization. Term limits on U.S. Representatives and Senators. Direct election of the United States President by popular vote and other election system reforms. Federal elections held on weekends or Election Day (on a Tuesday) made a national holiday. Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_Party_of_the_United_States_of_America

Constitution Party http://www.constitutionparty.com/

The Constitution Party, previously known as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, is a national political party in the United States. The party believes in the idea that the principles and intents of the U.S. Constitution are relevant in human relations was the origin of the 1991 founding. The party platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and shaped by principles it finds set forth in the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Constitution and the Bible.

The party believes that "it is our responsibility to be prudent, productive, and efficient stewards of God’s natural resources." With respect to global warming, it says that "globalists are using the global warming threat to gain more control via worldwide sustainable development." According to the party, eminent domain is unlawful because "under no circumstances may the federal government take private property, by means of rules and regulations which preclude or substantially reduce the productive use of the property, even with just compensation.

The Constitution Party's website states that it "is the philosophical home of the TEA Party, where candidates who are committed to the same constitutional principles as most TEA Party groups can run for office without opposition from within their own party"[20] and encourages "Constitution Party leadership and candidates to work with local TEA Party and other like-minded groups to re-establish the American Constitutional Republic in their communities and states. Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Party_(United_States)

United States Pirate Party https://blog.pirate-party.us/

The United States Pirate Party is an American political party founded in 2006 . The party's platform is aligned with the global Pirate movement, and supports reform of copyright laws to reflect open source and free culture values, government transparency, protection of privacy and civil liberties. The United States Pirate Party also advocates for evidence-based policy, egalitarianism, meritocracy and the hacker ethic as well as the rolling back of corporate personhood and corporate welfare. The USPP has also made a priority to advocate for the change in the copyright laws and removal of patents. It is the belief of the party that these two rules greatly hinder the sharing and expansion of knowledge and resources.

The Pirate Party defends their oft-criticized name in the preamble of the PNC's constitution. For our values, we have been derided as "pirates". For our hope that every person may be free to access all of human knowledge, we have been called "pirates". For our belief that one need not ask permission to participate in governance, industry, culture, and other aspects of society, we have been called "pirates". For our insistence that citizens should not be surveilled and distrusted as if they are criminals, we have been called "pirates". For our rejection of authority and profit-seeking when it does not serve the common good of all people, we have been called "pirates". We reclaim this label of "pirate" and abjure its derogatory, incendiary implication. We are Pirates. We stand for the liberty, equality, and solidarity of all human beings, and against all threats they may face. Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Pirate_Party

Citizens Party of the United States http://www.votecitizens.org/

The Citizens Party of the United States (Citizens Party) is a political party in the United States. The Citizens Party seeks a more sustainable, self-reliant America through a platform combination of liberal, moderate, and conservative positions. The Citizens Party focuses heavily on middle class economic issues and government reform. The Citizens Party supports campaign finance reform and does not accept campaign contributions from political action committees (PACs), super PACs, labor unions, or registered lobbyists. The Citizens Party considers fair trade to be more important than free trade and advocates for an end to US participation in the World Trade Organization, Central American Free Trade Agreement and North American Free Trade Agreement. In addition to eliminating the trade and budget deficits, the party aims to fund and evangelize American manufacturing while introducing financial penalties for companies that outsource it. Part of its plan to invest in American infrastructure includes research and development efforts with an emphasis on renewable energy and natural gas. Specifically, it opposes fracking and hopes to make all drilling operations subject to environmental assessments.

The Citizens Party's strategy against corruption includes auditing of the Federal Reserve, bans on various lobbying activities and reviving the Glass–Steagall Act in order to eliminate bailouts based on a "too big to fail" mentality. Groups in need of assistance according to its platform include veterans, family farmers and the long term unemployed. The platform also mentions health care reform, more affordable education and a simplified tax code. Stricter immigration laws feature prominently in the party's approach, including limits on H1B and L1 visas and deterrents for companies that hire illegal workers. Regarding foreign policy, the Citizens Party aims to limit use of the military to non-interventionist deployments that directly benefit American national security. The party supports same-sex marriage, the second amendment and Roe v. Wade. It was an early supporter of organic foods and industrial hemp. The Citizens Party requires all of its declared Presidential candidates to answer a set of "Citizens Questions" at least 60 days before the 2016 Citizens Party National Convention. The "Citizens Questions" are selected from questions submitted by Citizens Party members via the party website or YouTube. The party states that the responses to the "Citizens Questions" will be posted on the internet for the public to view. Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_Party_of_the_United_States

Justice Party of the United States https://www.justicepartyusa.org/

The Justice Party USA is a political party in the United States. It was organized in November 2011 by a group of political activists as an alternative to what he saw as a duopoly of the two major political parties. The Justice Party was created with the motto "economic, environmental, and social justice for all". The party was designed with the intention of shifting government back to a focus on the Constitution by removing corporate influence in politics.

The Justice Party supports campaign finance reform and does not accept any corporate funding. The Justice Party supports a constitutional amendment to abolish corporate personhood through Move to Amend. The party is in favor of a financial transaction tax, pro-progressive tax structure. The Justice Party wants to bolster social security by raising the cap on payroll taxes. It wants to require that banks work with homeowners to stop foreclosures. It is pro-immigration reform, pro-breaking up large banks, pro-government funded higher education, and against subsidies to oil and gas companies. They support green jobs and infrastructure programs. Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_Party_(United_States)

Communist Party of the United States http://www.cpusa.org/

The Communist Party USA (CPUSA) is a communist political party in the United States established in 1919 after a split in the Socialist Party of America. The CPUSA has a long, complex history that is closely tied with the American labor movement and the histories of communist parties worldwide. The party was influential in American politics in the first half of the 20th century and played a prominent role in the labor movement from the 1920s through the 1940s, becoming known for opposing racism and racial segregation. Its membership increased during the Great Depression, but the CPUSA subsequently declined due to events such as the second Red Scare and the influence of McCarthyism while its support for the Soviet Union increasingly alienated it from the rest of the left in the United States in the 1960s.
The CPUSA received significant funding from the Soviet Union and crafted its public positions to match those of Moscow. The CPUSA also used a covert apparatus to assist the Soviets with their intelligence activities in the US and utilized a network of front organizations to shape public opinion. The CPUSA opposed glastnost and perestroika in the Soviet Union and as a result major funding from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was ended in 1989. The party remains committed to Marxism–Leninism.

Socialist Party USA https://www.socialistpartyusa.net/

The Socialist Party of the United States of America (SPUSA), usually simplified as Socialist Party USA or Socialist Party, is a multi-tendency democratic socialist party in the United States. The SPUSA was founded in 1973 as a successor to the Socialist Party of America, which had been renamed Social Democrats, USA a year before. The party is officially committed to multi-tendency democratic socialism. Along with its predecessor, the Socialist Party USA has received varying degrees of support when its candidates have competed against those from the Republican and Democratic parties. The SPUSA advocates for complete independence from the Democratic Party. Self-described as opposing all forms of oppression, specifically capitalism and authoritarian forms of communism, the party advocates for the creation of a "radical democracy that places people's lives under their own control—a non-racist, classless, feminist socialist society where working people own and control the means of production and distribution through democratically-controlled public agencies, cooperatives, or other collective groups; where full employment is realized for everyone who wants to work; where workers have the right to form unions freely, and to strike and engage in other forms of job actions; and where the production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few" Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Party_USA

Modern Whig Party http://www.modernwhig.org/

The Modern Whig Party is a political party in the United States founded in 2007. The party describes itself as a mainstream, middle-of-the-road grassroots movement representing voters who do not strictly accept Republican and Democratic positions. The party's general platform supports fiscal responsibility, strong national defense, and integrity and pragmatism in government. Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Whig_Party

American Solidarity Party https://solidarity-party.org/

The American Solidarity Party (ASP) is a Christian democratic political party in the United States.[7][1] Its motto is "Common Good, Common Ground, Common Sense."
The American Solidarity Party is socially conservative, and fiscally liberal in the American sense. Its positions are comparable to other Christian democratic parties, such as those in Europe and South America. Therefore, the ASP holds to socially conservative views such as adhering to a consistent life ethic position with regard to abortion, capital punishment and euthanasia, as well as opposition to pornography and support for the religious freedom of those who hold traditional views regarding marriage. With regard to economics, labor issues and foreign policy, the American Solidarity Party sees the "moderate welfare state as the public expression of every citizen’s responsibility for his poor brother or sister." As such, the American Solidarity Party notably opposes conscription, and favors "equal access to the polls, the courts, housing, education, and credit". In addition, it supports "amnesty and a path to citizenship" for immigrants currently residing in the United States and "oppose[s] the militarization and fortification of our national borders". The ASP advocates for a single-payer healthcare system. It supports the dignity of work, as well as stewardship for creation, advocating for "generous funding for research in safe and renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind-power." Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Solidarity_Party

If you do not believe the Federal Government can address these issues, learn more about the Convention of States Project. Article V of the U.S. Constitution gives states the power to call a Convention of States to propose amendments. It takes 34 states to call the convention and 38 to ratify any amendments that are proposed. The Convention of States Project is first and foremost a movement of grassroots citizens who are fed up with business as usual in D.C. Who do you think should decide what’s best for you and your family? Vote for the American people every single time and learn more about how you can get involved to support the effort. Convention of States Project at: https://conventionofstates.com/

Term limits have become one of the central issues of the Convention of States Project. If you believe we need to demand term limits convention application from state legislators to impose term limits at all levels of government focusing on the U.S. Congress, Get Involved at TermLimits.com at: https://www.termlimits.com/

Term limits in the United States apply to many offices at both the federal and state level, and date back to the American Revolution. Term limits, also referred to as rotation in office, restrict the number of terms of office an officeholder may hold. Learn more about Term Limits in the United States at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Term_limits_in_the_United_States

Regardless of your political party affiliation, opinions about the Article V convention, or term limits everyone should support the Brakey Method to protect the sanctity of casting the vote. Demand ballot images be preserved & released to public for verified count! Get Involved at http://www.auditelectionsusa.org

The Brakey Method = transparency & auditability of the vote. Votes counted from digital ballot images (BIs) as paper ballots are scanned and many states are destroying the paper ballots and the ballot images. Demand ballot images be preserved & released to public for a verified count! Using The Brakey Method, the public would be able to independently verify the reporting of the count of the ballots cast in any given election, without compromising the voting process. Learn More about The Brakey Method for Transparency & Alternative Voting Methods for Proportional Representation at: http://blackboxvoting.org/the-brakey-method/