The United States electoral system has become highly politicized, with special interests spending more money on political campaigns. This system makes it difficult for ordinary citizens to influence the outcome of an election, and it exacerbates the inequality among states and political parties. This system also discourages voter turnout. In the end, the president-elect might not even be the winner of the national popular vote. This creates a disproportionate power imbalance, with small states wielding enormous influence.
While the United States may claim political pluralism, it is really a society where a small number of powerful people control the government, the state, the economy, and society. This group controls the state apparatus, manipulates public opinion, and enjoys privileges that are far removed from the everyday person. Since the 1960s, the two major parties, the Democratic and Republican, have alternated in exercising power. As a result, ordinary voters are forced to choose between a Republican or a Democratic candidate.
According to American political scientist Francis Fukuyama, the US political system is a vetocracy. The system is comprised of too many checks and balances, which raise the costs of collective action and make it virtually impossible for it to move forward. Since the 1980s, this system has resulted in gridlock.