The point of no return?

Yesterday over at Middle Earth Journal I read a post by Jazz where he lamented the polarization of American politics within the context of the impending extinction of the GOP's moderate-to-liberal wing. The context was an article in the Washington Post.

I hate articles like this because they highlight exactly why I'm slowly becoming more and more ambivalent about politics. It just seems like nothing we do or say can possibly matter. The career pols in Washington have turned it into a bloodsport, and sacrificing the welfare of the people who elected them is simply another casualty of the political war.

It's very difficult to disagree with that summation. And I don't disagree in general. But, neither do I find it reasonable to let cynicism take over and lead to ambivalence, even if doing so is easily understandable.

I look at Independent politicians like Congressman Bernie Sanders, Senator Jim Jeffords, Oregon state senator and Gubernatorial candidate Ben Westlund and the two Texas Gubernatorial candidates Kinky Friedman and Texas Comptroller Carole Strayhorn, who, like Westlund and Jeffords, turned her back on the GOP to become an Independent... and I see good reasons to not sink into cynicism. There is an alternative.

I've strongly believed for some time now that the so-called Two Party System is the single greatest threat to America remaining true to Lincoln's ideal of government of the people, by the people and for the people. Power brokers in both major political parties pull strings with the threat of removing re-election support if the politician doesn't jump thru the proffered hoop. Yes, the defacto reign of the NeoCons brings the Republican's corruption before us in undeniable terms. But, I remember well the days when Democrat and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tip O'Niel ruled with an iron first, and the Congressional scandals that helped usher in the Orwellianly misnamed Republican Contract with America (Contract ON America would have been more truthful, IMHO).

Since there is no Independent political party, at least not associated with any of the above mentioned Independent politicians, the issue of party powerbrokers pulling strings from behind the curtain simply isn't an issue with Independents. And frankly, anyone who knows enough real Independents well enough knows perfectly well that getting them all to agree on more than a very small handful of issues would be harder than herding cats. Which is the beauty and attractiveness of helping more Independents win office. They are inherently less susceptable to coercion by would-be powerbrokers.

I can't vote for or support Sanders or Jeffords. But I can support and vote for Westlund because I live in Oregon. And that's what I am doing.

Is there a serious Independent candidate running for office in your state?

We know what happens when we resign ourselves to choosing from Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dum - more of the same tired old bloodsport that Jazz rightly decries. But, don't give in! Fight back!