NY had vibrant Liberal and Conservative parties and it was not uncommon for Dem or Repub candidates to appear on those lines as well. The votes on those lines could be the margin of difference, and thus they tended to pull major party candidates AWAY from the center. I believe there were occasions, however, when a liberal Repub could win the Liberal Party line.
The make-up of the electorate means a 3rd choice like RFK would help Biden/Dems.
Also, IMO, you misrepresent Popularism. Popularism doesn't say "issues don't matter". It says to talk more about issues where your party is more popular.
Proportional representation by party is another means of achieving breadth (variety) in representation. Two votes: one for (local) candidate and one for (national) party.
But there is another factor at play here. The vast changes required to address climate change are terrifying, so support for any one action or several actions can be, (or candidate, or party), and is in our time, overridden by this fear of fundamental change.
In 2008 Dems gained control of all three branches of government; then they lost both legislative branches. Significantly, Obama won a second term. How about a thorough analysis of the dramatic, spectacular turnaround?
NY had vibrant Liberal and Conservative parties and it was not uncommon for Dem or Repub candidates to appear on those lines as well. The votes on those lines could be the margin of difference, and thus they tended to pull major party candidates AWAY from the center. I believe there were occasions, however, when a liberal Repub could win the Liberal Party line.
The make-up of the electorate means a 3rd choice like RFK would help Biden/Dems.
Also, IMO, you misrepresent Popularism. Popularism doesn't say "issues don't matter". It says to talk more about issues where your party is more popular.
Ranked Choice voting is another way to encourage centrism and minor parties, and plays well with PR.
Proportional representation by party is another means of achieving breadth (variety) in representation. Two votes: one for (local) candidate and one for (national) party.
But there is another factor at play here. The vast changes required to address climate change are terrifying, so support for any one action or several actions can be, (or candidate, or party), and is in our time, overridden by this fear of fundamental change.
In 2008 Dems gained control of all three branches of government; then they lost both legislative branches. Significantly, Obama won a second term. How about a thorough analysis of the dramatic, spectacular turnaround?