Political Parties, Third Parties

If you are unhappy with the present situation with the domination of politics by two parties that no longer represent the people and their economic well being, what can you do?

Many have tried to organize third parties, which is actually a contradictory term, since it lumps all other competing parties under the one heading of third parties. These efforts have failed, not for lack of work or commitment by those dedicated to the cause, but in my opinion, more out of a fear of the majority of the voters to vote outside their normal party boundaries.

Let's be honest with ourselves people, the two dominant parties are too busy bickering when Congress is in session to accomplish any thing positive. Not enough people are willing to join a new party, and the people who are willing to join an alternative party are so diverse in many ways, that the fail to coalesce into a political power because of an unwillingness to find a common ground.

All is not lost, yet. The people are the power of this nation, not the politicians, but we must take back that power. It is easy to sit on the couch, watching TV, and complaining, but you get out of it what you put into it.

Either become active in local politics with the party you have been voting for and make your voice be heard, rather than gathering around the "leaders" like sheep bleating on their way to the slaughter; or help start a party big enough to challenge the Republican and Democratic parties.

It won't be easy, but it must be done in order to restore the government to a position of working together party to party, to accomplish any true reform in taxes, medical regulation, and many other problems that are of great concern to us.

All of politics is compromise, by necessity, as our elected leaders must represent every one of their constituents, not just those who voted for them particularly. It is immature and childish for adult people to behave in the way that many of us have when we don't get what we want from the elected.

The President, whether he or she is your choice or not, represents all of us. So also do the Congressmen and Senators represent everyone in their district, not just those who voted for them. If they don't act in a way that is beneficial to all of us, we must hold them, and the respective political parties responsible. This doesn't have to wait until the next election cycle, start now. Write your Senators and Congressmen now; deluge them with mail, flood their e-mail accounts; but do so respectfully, and make sure you let them know what your position on current issues are instead of letting their aides have an undue influence, as well as letting the lobbyists have all the influence instead of us.

Become your own lobbyist. Form neighborhood groups and lobby; let you neighbors all have the opportunity to have their say. There is no rule that says that neighbors of opposing viewpoints can't express both sides of an issue in one letter, making it clear that all of you are demanding responsibility and ethical behavior in Washington, D.C.