Wednesday, May 26, 2010

We Need A Real Third Party

We need a real third party to which the moderates from both the Republicans and Democrats can migrate and join with independents. The two part system no longer works because it's too fragmented and at the same time, too partisan.

On the Democratic side you have the left and the far left. The only time they come to the center is during a Presidential election because left and far left do not have the numbers to win on their own. Even Obama was more of a centrist during his campaign, though he is anything but right now.

The Republicans are even more fragmented. They have the right leaning, the far right and the Tea Party. Again, none of the fragments can win a national election on their own. I will be surprised if Rand Paul, the first Tea Party type to win a primary, will win the Senate seat for which he is running. Emboldened by his win he has been free with his opinions that are anything but main stream. There is nothing wrong with that in itself but there is a limit as to how bizarre thinking can or should be.

At the moment, the Christian Conservatives are being fairly quiet. Perhaps that's because there is no real Republican leadership to take to task for not being far enough right. The Tea Party is a mixed bag depending on which branch you're dealing with. No direction to count on there.

The far left is not happy with Obama for not being far enough left. The rest of the Democrats seem to be marching like Lemmings to the sea behind Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid.

Bi-partisanship under this administration is beyond hope. Obama's idea of it is for a few Republicans to turn their backs on their own party's policies and join with him. Compromise is not part of his vocabulary. Scolding and "catch up" is. Scolding as in taking Arizona to task for taking needed action. "Catch up" is sending 1200 National Guard troops to the border. But compromise with the Republicans and fix the border first, which is the easier of the tasks, then tackle the problem of illegal immigrants already in the country? It won't happen.

So where do the moderates and independents go? They are ignored by both sides yet they are the last best hope to raise the country out of the mess it's in. I wish the President was one of us, but he's not. Surely there is a viable leader lurking in the shadows somewhere. Come out, come out where ever you are!

I'd not think it all bad that a coalition government might have to be formed with a third party. Like the Brits. If no party gets the pre-determined votes necessary for an outright win, a coalition would be formed to make up the difference. Under any circumstance that would require compromise.

After all, that's what it's supposed to be about!

1 comment:

John Dwyer said...

I enjoyed reading your post but do not believe there is any chance that a viable third part will ever happen. I believe that the only thing that will reform our government is the imposition of some method that will fully fund federal elections. This would then permit time for actually governing and would put a good dent in the lobbyists control of the government. Of course this does not have a chance anymore than does a third party.