Republicans and Democrats are wrong, but America is right

[CommonPaine]

So a couple years ago my younger brother (then a sophomore in high school) had a "revelation" about american politics and decided
to give himself a little essay assignment in order to calm down and clear his head. Though originally a Democrat myself, in the past year
or so I've found myself really seeing the wisdom in his words. So I've decided to share his writing with you fine fellows to see how
everyone else feels.

Keep in mind he was pretty young, and almost annoyingly idealistic haha.

"Open-mindedness


America is in most dire need of a political reform, and not any other. Our government is held static and remains unproductive by our inner conflict, created by our petty beliefs that we are somehow different. Different parties fight amongst each other and the president, always blocking ideas from becoming action, even when said actions would obviously be of greatest benefit to our country. They do this because they hold pre-determined beliefs about what needs to be done and what is best for our country, and they doggedly hold true to these beliefs even when they have become out-dated and the context has changed. They refuse to intake new information at the cost of having it conflict with their pre-set motives. Every person that holds a political party’s particular view as fact is at fault of encouraging an archaic system that prevents America from getting anything of value done, and from moving forward as a people.

The solution is an approach of open-mindedness. That is, one must be able to constantly take in new information, process it, and change ones viewpoint accordingly with the data that is available. This means letting go of all pre-conceived notions of what is “necessary” until it can be logically concluded that at the moment, it is so. One must also be able to change ones mind, often and many times radically, to tailor to the current situation one is faced with.

For optimum progress, everyone in our government would accept this doctrine. When a situation presented itself, members of congress would be able to get together and talk to each other, without already deciding before the meeting, before sitting down, that the other person is wrong. The known facts about the situation would be presented, evaluated by the present members, and eventually fully analyzed. Once everyone has a rational view of what is at hand, they can enter honest debates about what needs to be done. If there is disagreement about what needs to be done, or what a primary objective is, then obviously in the spirit of democracy, majority vote should rule.

George Washington, in his farewell address, stated: “ The unity of government which constitutes you, one people, is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad, of your safety, of your prosperity, of that very liberty which you so highly prize.” He was directly opposed to the party system, for the obvious reason that division would only make us weaker. His warning has gone un-heeded and his fears have come to pass. We have allowed (or perhaps, facilitated) our government to grow into a conglomeration of mistrusting, under-handed, and uncooperative bureaucrats, a system where a person of sound morals, good ideas, and vision often cannot survive long enough to make a difference, as evidenced throughout our history.

This country has the potential to be great, but cannot with the unbearably slow pace at which our government takes action. A new approach is needed, one without the obstructions presented by the division of political parties. Decisions must be made quicker and more often. This is a logical next step in our governments evolution, one that will set us moving forward at a faster pace, and allow us to more easily address every other present and future concern. The discontinuation of the political parties is a movement towards true progress.

We must take a step back, in order for us to move forward. We need to un-do the mistakes we have made with our government, for the common good of our country. The power lies in the people to ensure that our members in congress no longer spend months bickering with each other and refusing to cooperate, and instead work together to produce results. This power must now be used, not to bridge the gap between our nations two parties, but to destroy the gap, and bring us together as Americans, under one flag, and with one goal: the well-being and success of this country and its people.

It starts with an open mind."

[Wind Swept]

I'm convinced we cannot escape this two party death trap without overhauling the way we elect officials. Plurality voting is always going to come down to, "Which of these two assholes with the most money do I hate least?"

What we need is Preferential voting, and not the instant runoff variety. IRV is just as broken as our current system.

What we really need is something crazy-awesome, like the Schultz method.

[CommonPaine]

that'd be brilliant! of course, it'd also help if the rest of the american population were smart enough to
draw these kinds of conclusions on their own, which doesn't seem likely given how
lax and vague our general educational system has become.

great idea though, i like it!