Our Two Political Parties Need Real Competition

One very important subject that is well understood but rarely mentioned in the media is the fact that the two party political system as now practiced is a disaster that is destroying our nation.


Permanent political parties did not play a significant role at the time of the formation of our country. They are not even mentioned in the Constitution. As pointed out in a previous post, however, (June 13, 2011) we were warned against the concept, by several Founding Fathers. Unfortunately, we foolishly disregarded their warnings and are now attempting to live with the results.

The two parties have:

Created a ruling elite that have loyalty to their party beyond that toward our nation.

Exhibited typical elitist behavior by creating many special privileges for themselves that are not available to the citizen.

Limited the voters’ choice of candidates almost entirely to loyal party members.

Done a disastrous job of managing our economy

Allowed their servitude to the special interests that fiancé them to create a warped tax and economic environment that is severely harming American citizens.

Because their only competition is the other party they operate under a very low bar for competency. The parties struggle to accomplish even the simplest of legislative tasks and fail to address serious issues. The latest poll shows Congress with a favorable rating of only 17%.

In a truly competitive situation the parties would either reform or be replaced. Both parties are so entrenched, however, that they can ignore the citizens and still survive. It is unbelievable that we have turned the governing process of our democracy over to two self-serving organizations that focus almost solely on their own power.

These multiple defects are now deeply embedded in current practices. Although the failings have become even more obvious during the recession there is no evidence that the parties are seriously attempting correction. With over 150 years to rig the system in their favor there is not much hope for significant change in the near term.

There is always the fantasy that a new party standing for all the right things will somehow be formed and have sufficient funds to give the competition needed to spur reform. Unfortunately, because of the organization and funding requirements third parties have not had long term success. Our best hope is a conscience epidemic that results in serious reform in one of the existing parties.

If we don’t set a course for correction of the problems of the current system we can expect to silently watch the American dream disappear. We must have a major improvement in our Congress.. This could be done if we could somehow open up the selecting of Senators and Congressmen to match the quality and dedication that was present at our founding. This is difficult because the only new candidates we see are products of the current parties.

The country now has 300 million citizens. We can surely come up with a better mix of candidates and leaders than the current population of career politicians and lawyers that characterize the two parties. We have to increase the talent pool available to give the major parties competition.

One step in this direction would be to greatly simplify how qualified citizens who are not affiliated with a political party could more easily seek office. If the voters could judge and vote between better qualified candidates the quality of congress should improve. This would be possible if there was a third set of primaries to select candidates from a talent pool that is not affiliated with a party. We need a state registered non profit organization, similar to the League of Woman Voters, dedicated to supporting the administrative overhead of the electoral process for unaffiliated candidates. This would not be a third political party but an advocate for equal and fair treatment of all unaffiliated candidates by the system. There would be no promotion of a specific candidate. That would be the job of the candidates themselves.

The parties could continue as now, except they would have real competition. The competition should force them to move in the direction of reform and offer better candidates. Unaffiliated voters would have the same input level on candidates that members of a political party now have. In the general election voters could choose from Democrat, Republican, or Unaffiliated candidates on an equal footing.

Could this happen? Not likely. But we must continue to push for major reform at every opportunity. It will not happen naturally.

Major Political Parties Underestimating the Nations Anger

History

Political parties were just on the horizon when our country was formed. They are not mentioned in the Constitution. Our founders however, gave us due warning that it allowed to develop they could prove disastrous to the nation. One example is the special warning George Washington gave in his farewell address

The common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. It serves always to distract the public counsels 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 occasional riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions.

Similar warnings were given by the other founders. Sadly, we did not listen. By allowing only two political parties to control the nations election process we have seen all of the warnings become true. In effect, over the last 150 years, we have turned our democracy over to two self-serving organizations that focus on their own power. They have taken over every important step of the electoral process. for their own gain.

Every citizen sees firsthand the results of this situation

We have corrupt and weak candidate from both parties that are financed and controlled by special interests. There is more loyalty shown to party and to these financiers than to the citizens. Our choice in elections is limited to two sets of weak candidates that have been filtered through party only primary elections. These electionst favor extreme ideologues from both the left and right, with no choice available for moderate citizens.

The leadership of our country has been transferred from a productive to a financial elite. These financial elite, in turn, have mismanaged our economy and caused trillions of dollars of damage. This hardship for this is being placed on the American citizen.

The list goes on. We all watch as our elected government brings down our great country.

So what can we do?

Our two party system has almost 150 years of steady evolution and solidification of its position. Because their only competition in performance is the opposing party they have a very low bar for competency. Our rocking back and forth between two inept organizations each election will not fix the problem. Both parties are doing a terrible job but we are helpless to adequately punish them. Somehow we need to confront them with real competition from the many leaders that thrive in this country but are outside of the two party system. We must open up our governance to a broader talent pool.

Election Primaries for Unaffiliated Candidates

One scenario that could go a long way to accomplishing this is states running a third set of primary elections for unaffiliated candidates and voters. This would be in parallel with the two party’s primaries and have similar procedures. It would be funded by public contributions.

To participate in this primary the candidates must not be affiliated with one of the major political parties. The winners of the national unaffiliated primaries would be given slots on the election ballots as are the winners of the party primaries. This is not another political party, but an organization to get unaffiliated candidates before the voters. Voting would be for an individual candidate, not a political party.

Technically the unaffiliated primary campaign would appear very similar to that of the major parties. Only there would be a third track of candidates. You would have debates, a limited amount of promotion, and rules and fees to register as unaffiliated.

On primary day, depending on your affiliation, you would be given a Republican, Democrat, or Unaffiliated ballot to cast your votes’. On election day you would be selecting from individuals with Republican, Democrats, and Unaffiliated beside their names.

Is this radical change?


Giving unaffiliated voters the same election level of choice as party members? Is that such a radical idea? This effort would shake up and be fought vigorously by the major parties and the other special interests.

Only large numbers of angry citizen voters and continued poor performance by the two parties can make this happen. But it would really open up the talent pool and maybe even light a fire under the two underperforming parties.

And we would be getting back in sync with the Founders