Our nation faces the serious threat of electing Donald Trump for a second term despite his willingness, even enthusiasm, for gutting vital democratic norms. What appears to be a glitch in the U.S. electoral system is actually an inherent feature: it can produce a dictator.

Many voters regard our centuries-old system as fundamentally sound and wise. But this view is mistaken: Our two-party presidential scheme produced Donald Trump. And ending the risk of electing a dictator means giving up our right to vote for one.

The solution lies in embracing a system of parliamentary democracy that blunts the risk of an extremist taking power—one that leading political scientists consider the best means of doing democracy. The scheme, called mixed-member proportionality (MMP), is uniquely suited to ending the ongoing threat of dictatorship posed by our two-party presidential system. Under MMP, voters will give up voting directly for President and Vice President in exchange for genuine power to affect the direction of our government, all while diminishing the threat of an authoritarian gaining power.

Maxwell L. Stearns March 20, 2024

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