Let's Talk Politics!

Let's talk about the two-headed beast for awhile today. You know, the twin monster that is the American political machine. Republicans. Democrats. Interchangeable. Honestly, when the political actors from either side are at their best, I can hardly tell the difference between the two. You may as well not even vote since the result is the same either way. Even when parties are at their most polar, such as during the 2000-2008 elections, having only two options is hardly acceptable in my mind. I mean, most of the time it's like choosing between being punched in the face or being kicked in the groin. The populous of America simply can not be truly represented in a two-party system. There are just far too many variables for it to work. For example, probably the two most important issues to me politically are abortion and the death penalty. I'm against the act of murder in both cases, and I'm not willing to compromise on the issues that mean the absolute most to me. Yet voting either Republican or Democrat is being forced to utterly give up on one front to support the other. It's silly. So what does that leave us? The third party vote. You want to make hotheaded political speakers really passionate? Get them to talk about the third party. Political leaders on both sides of the equation are afraid of the third party because it represents a change in the game. As it is now, whether either side comes out slightly ahead at any given point is pretty meaningless - in the long run each side is still going to enjoy the benefits of the power of their positions. Third parties aim to take that comfortable power away from them. Republicans and Democrats both would most often much rather have someone from the opposite party win an election than have a third party take it. So they use the best tactic they can - they act like the independent cause isn't even a threat. They propagate terms like "throwing your vote away" and attempt to undermine independents as silly joke campaigns. And sadly, it works. Most people don't fall in line politically with the two parties, and I'd honestly be willing to bet that most people would find themselves more likely to line up with one of the various additional parties if they were to compare themselves on an issue to issue basis. Yet most people would never be willing to vote third party because they have it in their head that it's a meaningless vote, a throw away. "Obviously Nader's not going to win, so why even waste a vote on him?" Well damnit, of course we're not going to win at first. We have years and years of institution to fight through, and it's going to be an uphill battle. But here's the secret: every single additional vote the third party cause gets makes it that much more of a legitimate option. Some people wouldn't consider voting for a third party unless it already had a rough 10% estimated support. But once it hits that number, they'll willing. And then they take that 10% and with their votes raise it all the way up to 12%. Then the people who weren't willing to "throw their vote away" for a cause with less than 12% of the public supporting it suddenly see it as a viable option, and add their support bringing it up to 15%... You see, all we need is to make tiny advances. Every single time the third parties of America get just a little bit more of the vote than last time, it's a victory. And it's one step closer to finally getting rid of the ridiculousness of our very broken two party system.

And just so you don't think I'm alone in being against the two party system - here's a chunk from George Washington's Farewell Address as our nation's first President:

"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another."