US desperately needs a viable third party
We need a strong third party in American politics. Not one of these third parties that have a hard time getting on ballots, recruiting serious candidates or raising money.
A strong one that shakes up states and Washington and, along the way just might prolong our democracy.
We have a Congress that’s stuck in mud and voters realize this.
A recent Gallup poll shows seven out of 10 Americans believe Congress isn’t doing its job. That reflects extremely bad on us, the voters, because we keep electing the same people so we can then complain aren’t doing their job.
Despite some weak efforts at bipartisanship, Congress shows no signs of focusing on the peoples’ needs and instead grandstands via 24/7 posturing.
Republicans have already said that if (it should be when because they eventually will) regain control of the Senate they’ll be hard-pressed to let another Democratic president bring a Supreme Court nominee up for a vote. And when Democrats are in the minority you can bet they will be just as obstructionist.
We are like necrotizing fasciitis, the flesh-eating virus that kills from within. That is us.
I re-read some of Thomas Jefferson’s writing recently and was struck that he was worried that political factions would be a death of America. They should have said political parties.
Our dominant two-party system has failed us. Please, someone of stature, start a third.
Both major parties will fight against that idea because their main concern is power and making the other side look bad.
But if a minor party can win, let’s say, five seats in the Senate and caucus independently, then you at least have enough votes to routinely move legislation through by reconciliation and might even get enough to break the filibuster on some issues.
The are some natural leaders.
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-wyoming) is persona non grata after having the gall to call out the former president for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
She has the name, gravitas and fundraising ability to scare the bejesus out of Republicans.
On the Senate side, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Joe Manchin could all pull it off.
But in their cases, their leadership has yet to disrespect them to the extent Kevin Mccarthy has disrespected Cheney.
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich has all the qualities America needs — a common-sense moderate. There are problems, of course. Caucusing independently without fealty to either party leaves them without committee assignments. But it makes them power brokers because their votes have the potential to break partisan gridlock.
They could be the voices that ignore partisanship and make a fact-based judgment on issues. Forget the slogans (socialist power-grabbing liberals vs. conspiracy theorists who want to make the rich richer.) We need something to shake up the system because the existing parties won’t do it.
The populace seems to be coming around to the idea, too. Gallup reports 62% of Americans believe we need a third party. If those numbers are anywhere close (including the 70% Congressional disapproval) we could be on to something.
If we could get rid of political parties controlling gerrymandering, stop power-hungry lawmakers from stacking the deck in their favor, overturn Citizen’s United (we can’t) or pass election finance reform, stop partisan resistance in Congress, have a more representative Senate that’s apportioned by population, then maybe the two-party system can be salvaged.
(Note: By 2040, according to one study, 70 U.S. Senators will represent just 30% of the country. Even today, the Democratic half of the Senate represents 41.5 million more people than the Republican side.)
But none of that’s going to happen. Tasting power is like tasting a first-growth Bordeaux. Once you get a taste, you want nothing else.
That’s why a strong third party makes sense. They may be small in numbers but big in outcomes.
Ray Marcano is the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror and a Fulbright.