Numerous American Parties and Their Candidates; Three Myths About American Elections

The news surrounding the 2016 American elections has been more widely reflected in global media than ever before due to the presence of unconventional candidates who have managed to attract a large segment of Americans. Alongside this extensive reflection, some public beliefs that have no basis in reality are being repeated more than ever. Among Persian speakers, there are three significant myths about American elections that are sometimes repeated in discussions related to these elections. All three of these points are sometimes reiterated as truths about elections and American politics, and they usually lead to incorrect conclusions. This article examines these public beliefs: Myth One: In America, power shifts between Republicans and Democrats every eight years. This is one of the most common myths about American elections. It is not true. One of the two parties has often held the White House for more than eight years. The latest example is George H.W. Bush's victory at the end of Ronald Reagan's eight-year presidency. Both Reagan and Bush were Republicans, and effectively, this party held the White House for 12 years. Some correct this statement by saying it has been so since World War II. Again, George H.W. Bush contradicts this statement. Although this occurred from the end of the war and Harry Truman's presidency until the end of Gerald Ford's presidency, after Ford, who was a Republican and became president due to Nixon's resignation, the Democrats managed to take the White House with Jimmy Carter. However, at the end of Carter's first term, the economic situation, the hostage crisis at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, and according to some, Carter's failure to launch a military attack on Iran caused him to lose the presidency to Republican Reagan. In other words, at this juncture, the Democrats only held the White House for four years. Before World War II, the transfer of the White House between the two parties had no order, and there are even cases in the history of the American presidency that may astonish many who repeat this statement. For example, Republicans held the White House continuously for 16 years with four presidents from 1869 to 1885. Or Democrats held the executive branch for 20 years with two presidents from 1933 to 1953. In fact, this statement is true for the last 23 years, not for the entire history of America. During this period, the presidency has alternated every eight years between Bill Clinton (Democrat, two terms), then George W. Bush (Republican, two terms), and finally Barack Obama (Democrat, two terms). However, in the 2016 elections, based on current polls, the possibility of a Democrat becoming president again and extending this party's presence in the White House to 12 years is very serious. Myth Two: There are only two parties in America, and they do not allow any other parties to operate. In America, there are numerous active and official political parties, and their numbers fluctuate like in other parts of the world. According to the voting status in 2015, the number of parties recognized in at least one state in America due to having the minimum required votes was 221. The main issue regarding party activity in America is that each state has its own specific laws for party activities. Moreover, participating in all 50 states in America incurs significant costs that are very difficult to cover without high votes and serious public support. For this reason, the Democratic and Republican parties are the only parties that have a serious presence in all 50 states due to their popularity. The most important point for a party to become official in many states and then benefit from the financial advantages of political activity (from tax exemptions to federal government assistance) is that the party must have public support. States have various laws for approving or rejecting this public support. Some consider the votes a party receives in an election (for example, council elections) as a criterion. Some require the new party to present a sufficient number of citizens to register as supporters. Besides the many local parties that operate at the council or local parliament levels, there are three parties that, alongside the Democratic and Republican parties, have a national presence: the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, and the Constitution Party. Myth Three: In the U.S. presidential elections, there are only two candidates. In America, anyone can run for president if they wish. There are only three conditions for candidacy in the presidential elections in America: First, the person must be born an American. Only those born in the U.S. or whose parents are American can be considered American. The second condition is that the presidential candidate must have been a resident of the country for the past 14 years. The last condition is that the presidential candidate must be over 35 years old. Jill Stein, who is likely to succeed in the Green Party's internal elections and become the party's candidate, is an example. In all presidential elections in America, there are more than two candidates. However, many of them do not make it into the media due to a lack of fame and public support. In the 2016 elections, there are also more candidates than just the two main candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties. Currently, the Green Party of America (one of the leftist parties in the country) is holding internal elections to select its candidate for the 2016 elections, and Jill Stein is the main contender for this party's nomination. This party became one of the significant parties in 2000 by nominating Ralph Nader, which some believe led to Al Gore's defeat and George Bush's presidency. The Libertarian Party is also holding preliminary elections, and three individuals are competing for the party's nomination. In this party, Gary Johnson is likely to be the final nominee. The American Freedom Party (far-right) with Bob Whitaker, the America Party (conservative), and the Constitution Party with Tom Hefling and the American Independent Party (paleo-conservative, a split from neo-conservatives) with Fairley Anderson are also participating in the 2016 elections. The Socialist Party, the Freedom and Peace Party, the Prohibition Party, and the American Veterans Party are other parties that have all introduced candidates for the 2016 elections. Many other parties exist that could potentially win the White House if they have public support, such as the Nutrition Party started by a restaurant owner in New Jersey. The main problem for these parties and their candidates is that they lack popularity among the American people, and for this reason, many are often unaware of their presence.