Political parties: Who needs them?

As we quickly approach the final few months before another general election, I want to suggest an idea that might blow your mind: an election without political parties.

Imagine the chaos if there was no such thing as a Republican or a Democrat.
Straight ticket voters would be so confused, they might end up eating their ballots.

Then there's the corporations and special interest groups. How in the world would they be able to buy large numbers of legislators with one check? They would actually have to seek out every candidate in every election and write all those separate checks to buy them off.

Oh, the horror.

I sound facetious, but I'm not.

We live in a black and white world and that's not a good thing. You are either a Democrat or a Republican. A liberal or a conservative. A lefty or a righty.

That kind of divisiveness is counter productive to two things sorely lacking in our political process: open mindedness and compromise.

Today's elected leaders, especially ones at the federal level, are stripped of their ability to think. They have to be to get elected. They have been transformed by party officials and the special interest groups that fund them into programmable robots with nice hair and flashy smiles who vote according to party policy.

The days of simply doing what is right and voting according to ones conscience are gone.

I understand the basic tenets of political parties and the history of their creation.

Initially, there were the Federalists and Anti-Federal-ists. The Federalists believed in a strong federal government while the Anti-Federalists believed in, well, a weaker one, with the states holding most of the power.

The two parties evolved throughout the centuries to our modern day Democrats and Republicans, with the idea  each would represent a set of beliefs the voter could identify with and relate.

Unfortunately, the reality is neither party is serving that purpose.

I came to the realization years ago I'm way too conservative to be considered a Democrat and way too liberal to be a Republican. I'm a political nerd: a man with no party.

I'm fine with that, except for the part I can't vote for anyone who represents my interests fully. But at least I realize that as I don't think most people do.

They are fooled into believing their “party” is representing their interests, when in reality, they aren't.

I'm convinced today's political parties exist to provide false drama and distractions, giving the impression they are at odds, while at the same time, working together to promote the special interests that keep them in office.

It's for that same reason no third party has ever had a chance, or ever will, of making a serious impact. There is no way the Republicans and Democrats will allow that to happen, as it would force them to split that sweet funding pie one more way, a consequence that could cost in the billions.

No, instead we will have our two parties that will continue to perpetuate the divide and conquer approach to the American voter.

It’s that approach that creates career politicians (we have a few of them in Iowa, with Senators Harkin/Grassley, Gov. Branstad, and Congressmen King/Latham/Boswell) while creating political gridlock and preventing progress.

But hey, at least voters don't have to think when they go to the polls. They just have to find their R or D.

Gregory Orear is the General Manager/Editor of the Red Oak Express. He can be contacted at publisher@redoakexpress.com