The Two-Party System -- Time to Cut the Apron Strings
I don?t care if you are a life-long Democrat or a die-hard Republican ? can you honestly say that your party still accurately represents you? -- of course not. Anyone that has been paying attention for the past decade or so has to be disgusted with their party. Remember when Republicans were ?fiscal conservatives? and Democrats favored the common man over corporations? No matter what side you came down on, those were at least ?values? you could understand. But those days are gone. And then there was their one common ground -- that the American Republic, its proclamation of liberty, and its Constitution were sacred. When was the last time you heard ANY politician express ANY concern over individual freedoms? They don?t even call us ?citizens? anymore ? we?re ?consumers? now. What the heck has happened to this country?
I don?t know about you, but I?m tired of it. The time has come to take action that will get noticed ? and I know just what to do: CHANGE YOUR PARTY AFFILIATION.
I have been a Registered republican for over 25 years. Five years ago I realized that the GOP no longer represented me, and I started researching third party platforms. If my search was unsuccessful, I was happy to just consider myself an Independent. But, turns out, I?m a textbook Libertarian. So, I?ve been voting Libertarian and supporting the party for the last 5 years, but never bothered to change my party affiliation. I figured it didn?t make any difference; I could still vote in GOP primaries, but would vote third party in general elections. I now realize that inaction has been a mistake.
As long as the vast majority of registered voters have aligned themselves with the two-party system, the media has an excuse for not providing equal time to the third parties. It also sends a distorted message that we?re content with the efforts of our representatives.
So, if you haven?t already, please investigate third parties. I suspect that when you do your research you will find that at least one is more closely aligned with your views than either of the mainstream parties. You may find that you are a Libertarian like I did, or maybe you will respond to the Constitutional Party, the Green Party, or even one of the lesser known third parties. And if you are not ready to commit to a third party, go Independent ? there is a message in that as well.
So let?s make January 2010 ?send a message? month. CHANGE YOUR PARTY AFFILIATION. Our admittedly small individual actions will combine to send one BIG message to our politicians and media. I?m not asking you to go carry a sign and march in a protest, or get out your checkbook out and make a donation (both of which would be great though, if you?re moved to do so) ? just simply to log onto your state?s voter registration website, print out the forms, fill them out and mail them in. It will cost you 10 minutes of your time and one stamp. Clearly that is something we can ALL do. And, if we ALL do it, our collective voices will be heard loud and clear.
So please, this January join us ? legions of your fellow citizens, Democrats and Republicans alike ? and change your party affiliation. Send the message that we expect our representatives to actually ?represent? us and to be guided by the greatest document ever written -- The Constitution of the United States of America.
I don?t care if you are a life-long Democrat or a die-hard Republican ? can you honestly say that your party still accurately represents you? -- of course not. Anyone that has been paying attention for the past decade or so has to be disgusted with their party. Remember when Republicans were ?fiscal conservatives? and Democrats favored the common man over corporations? No matter what side you came down on, those were at least ?values? you could understand. But those days are gone. And then there was their one common ground -- that the American Republic, its proclamation of liberty, and its Constitution were sacred. When was the last time you heard ANY politician express ANY concern over individual freedoms? They don?t even call us ?citizens? anymore ? we?re ?consumers? now. What the heck has happened to this country?
I don?t know about you, but I?m tired of it. The time has come to take action that will get noticed ? and I know just what to do: CHANGE YOUR PARTY AFFILIATION.
I have been a Registered republican for over 25 years. Five years ago I realized that the GOP no longer represented me, and I started researching third party platforms. If my search was unsuccessful, I was happy to just consider myself an Independent. But, turns out, I?m a textbook Libertarian. So, I?ve been voting Libertarian and supporting the party for the last 5 years, but never bothered to change my party affiliation. I figured it didn?t make any difference; I could still vote in GOP primaries, but would vote third party in general elections. I now realize that inaction has been a mistake.
As long as the vast majority of registered voters have aligned themselves with the two-party system, the media has an excuse for not providing equal time to the third parties. It also sends a distorted message that we?re content with the efforts of our representatives.
So, if you haven?t already, please investigate third parties. I suspect that when you do your research you will find that at least one is more closely aligned with your views than either of the mainstream parties. You may find that you are a Libertarian like I did, or maybe you will respond to the Constitutional Party, the Green Party, or even one of the lesser known third parties. And if you are not ready to commit to a third party, go Independent ? there is a message in that as well.
So let?s make January 2010 ?send a message? month. CHANGE YOUR PARTY AFFILIATION. Our admittedly small individual actions will combine to send one BIG message to our politicians and media. I?m not asking you to go carry a sign and march in a protest, or get out your checkbook out and make a donation (both of which would be great though, if you?re moved to do so) ? just simply to log onto your state?s voter registration website, print out the forms, fill them out and mail them in. It will cost you 10 minutes of your time and one stamp. Clearly that is something we can ALL do. And, if we ALL do it, our collective voices will be heard loud and clear.
So please, this January join us ? legions of your fellow citizens, Democrats and Republicans alike ? and change your party affiliation. Send the message that we expect our representatives to actually ?represent? us and to be guided by the greatest document ever written -- The Constitution of the United States of America.
