We need to make our system more accessible to legitimately competitive political parties. (The third-party concept we have today is universally acknowledged as ineffective, merely “a statement” to be made during an election.) Our current political malaise is the result of trying to shoehorn the realities of diversity and prejudices in the USA into only two ages-old prominent parties.
When I say “outgrew,” that’s an understatement. When the United States of America was founded, and the two-party system seemed adequate, our population was only 2.5 million in 1776. It is now more than 130 times larger today: 330 million Americans.
But, curretly, for over a decade now, we watched the Tea Party devour the Republican Party. It was the zombie apocalypse consuming the hearts and brains of the Republican party, discarding the chewed-up carcass by the side of the road to rot. In 2016, this GOPTeaParty attacked all of American society with their despot and, even ultimately, as we knew it would, incited insurrection!
In 2016, we watched the schism caused by Bernie progressives entering the Democratic Party, damaging unity, a split possibly contributing to the takeover of America by the despot Trump.
In 2020, we saw once-in-a-lifetime unity among conservatives, moderates, and progressives all aligned for one purpose: remove the despot from our White House. And, in this unique alignment, we won.
But this unique alignment is just this moment in time.
These are not normal times. Political assumptions of pre-2016 are invalid. Our world has changed. Our country’s diversity and prejudices are multiples beyond what they were as our political system evolved. The shoehorn approach of a two-party system resulted in the illegitimate regime we just fought hard to remove — illegitimate since the despot lied when swearing our Constitution’s unique Oath of Office. Our society has been severely damaged by anti-intelligence and pro-demagoguery forces that took over one of the two sides, and since there are only two sides, they overwhelmed American society. We might, or might not, survive, although the 2020 election gave all of us hope for the survival of American society. We now look forward to a society that might return to decency and civility, where conservatives and liberals can again discuss ideas rather than scream demagoguery.
If we survive, we need a new paradigm. The status quo and the teachings of old-school Poli Sci are now challenged.
Trying to integrate all elements of modern society into just two parties has caused damage to modern America and brought about the near-demise of American democracy. In 2018 and then 2020, during the most dire time of the former Trump Reich, the majority of Americans came together to oust the despot from power. But going forward, with normal decent citizens of evolved world views and thinking, two parties will not contain everyone.
Worse, with only two parties, the lunatic fringe can, we have proven, easily and completely corrupt one entire party, as the GOPTeaParty has done to the Republican Party.
There needs to be a deliberate new path to create at least two additional parties of similar power. There needs to be a structure established by our federal representatives to encourage such restructuring and funding.
Of course, that won’t happen.
Our representatives may still be hyper-polarized and too often in lockstep outside such vision.
So… how can citizens work to form vibrant, competitive parties to increase compatible choices and reduce the risk of another despot assuming power?
It is clear that what’s left of the Republican Party would benefit from the unity resulting from excising the GOPTeaParty into a legitimate party of its own. Many Republicans are stepping away from their party because of its consumption by the Tea Party and the ultimate ascendance of despot Trump. They would like to revive the Republican Party of decency, integrity, and honor. If so, then there is no room for despot Trump and his lockstep knee-jerk true believers. Trump himself sees this.
[UPDATE: In 2024, we saw the Republican Party completely consumed by the Donald Trump family dynasty, which purged the Party of all members who refused to swear undying fealty to Trump above country and the rule of law. It is now Trump’s MAGA Party.]
Likewise, the Democratic Party could benefit from the unity resulting from excising the progressive branch into a legitimate party of its own, voices that must be heard.
As of the 2020 election, the bonding of all perspectives, from conservative to moderate to progressive in order to oust the despot, is now an open door to bring back civility and decency among those of opposing viewpoints… rather than the peril of being shoved into the pit of this despot’s authoritarian tyranny.
Background: The common thinking of “left wing” and “right wing” is centuries old, originating in the French Revolution. In organizational meetings, the conservative aristocrats sat on the right, wanting the traditional order and hierarchy, and the commoners sat on the left, wanting liberty, equality, and a Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen.
We can no longer tolerate the image of the 1700s imposed on us still today that delineates our complex and diverse society into merely two wings. This is wrong. This was proven destructive in 2016, although the spark of salvation of American society came about in 2018 and, ultimately and powerfully, in 2020.
We must expand the number of political parties in the USA.
We must have political “divorces,” with property settlements. This should have happened long ago. Like bad marriages, each party’s attempt to “stay together for the kids’ sake” ultimately was a destructive move, resulting in the Trump Reich.
Our population and diversity have outgrown our two-party system. The constriction of the old system created the opportunity for the lunatic fringe to overtake one party and, against that party’s better judgement at the time, install despot Trump into our White House.
If the USA survives this era, going forward, we must have political competition that matches the power of competition that built this country.
A minimum of four major parties — progressive, moderate, conservative, and crazy — should exist in the USA.
#WEarePOLITICS 