Two Hundred and Fifty years ago our founding fathers put forth this idea of America, which at the time was a revolutionary idea. Molded from the corpses of ancient governments across the world they devised a new system that was en experiment and remains one. From out system our country has experienced wealth like never seen before. I have been all around the world and while there are countries that had standards that the US pales in comparison to, it also shines against a majority of nations through the level of abundance that exists (though less and less each passing day). Why are we in decay though?
Beyond just the political events swirling though the news systems on a daily basis lies a deeper rooted issue that the US has become entrenched by and has left policy that can effect real change in a quagmire. That is the party system.
George Washington in his farewell address spoke of how the party system belied the work of a civil servant as they should serve a faction, a slice of America rather than the nation as a whole and is something all too apparent today. It has to be noted that he was speaking to a much more homogenous country than we experience today and that the party system is here to stay, but the political polarization that exists is rotting this county.
Supposedly our great nemesis, the Peoples Republic of China, has the advantage of being predominantly ruled by one party (in actuality there are eight others, but they are small and ineffectual) which allows for them to build roadmaps for their nation that span not only decades but generations. We thankfully still believe in the representation of our own thoughts to an extent so a one party system will never work; however, our county is gripped by this polarization. That means that policy that could in the long term help Americans can only have a window of four years, 8 if a president and administration is lucky enough. We have all seen how the pendulum swings back and forth in this exhausting cycle of setting up initiatives only for the next party to tear them down and even as extreme as situations are right now, unless something major changes, that is never going to change.
Personally I believe that a three party system could bring the needle back to the center. I believe that a majority of Americans are much more moderate than any would have us guess and if there was a party that represented the middle, the majority, where unity brings us together rather than standing on two sides of a wall while the most extreme shout at each other the nations could truly benefit. Measures that would lean to either end of the spectrum for ratification would require the far left and far right advocates to appeal to the center on why their bill or program would benefit Americans rather than the few extremes dragging us all into the far reaches of polarization. It would also allow for common sense, long term initiatives and packages to be passed that allow for Americans to have a plan for the future and not be constantly buffered and suffering by the ups and downs of such a volatile political climate. Moderation in all things is the key to life after all right?
Let me know what you think, this is just my personal thought and if this could ever happen is another question entirely.
StirlingRMartin 