Seeing a campaign up close this past election was an excellent learning experience. However, one of my biggest disappointments in viewing our current two party system is that there is little tolerance for anyone who breaks with the party line, and that appears to be the case for both parties. In real life it’s fairly rare to come across people who wholly subscribe to one party’s platform. However, in political circles it seems rare to find people who break with the party line. This is one of the major hang ups in making the government truly representative.
In each party’s defense, it’s the ideologues who participate and volunteer; so it makes sense that their views would be the most prevalent. However, there are a myriad of issues that are simply not black and white. In my case, I opposed the death penalty up until the Oklahoma City bombing. While I still would not categorize myself as pro-death penalty, that tragedy made me believe that there may be some circumstances where the death penalty is appropriate. I give this example, because I don’t see this as a particularly abnormal or radical view, but it is one that is not represented by either party. Instead of issues receiving a full hearing, party politics often result in viewing issues as either black or white, when shades of gray often exist.
Filed under: Independent, Moderate, Politics | Tagged: death penalty, idealogues, party representative, radical view, shades of gray
I totally agree with your perspective. As there are many shades of grey in contemporary politics, we are expected to chose either white or black. The center-element has been missing, and we could see the determination of politicians in this year’s presidential race, to maintain the status quo.
I so agree. Some of us former Dems are trying to change the power structure by unaffiliatng. If Independants are 50% of the voters the parties will no be able to set the agendas or take vters fr granted.
We’re caling it The 50% Solution.
http://caffinequeen.wordpress.com/2008/11/26/unaffiliate-the-50-solution/
CQ