What to Do Next - Acting on Lessons Learned
With the 2006 midterm election over it is time to move forward. We could dwell on the past events of the election for several weeks to come but it would do nothing more than fuel the fires of the rogue yellow-dog idiots gloating or mourning the results. We could attach blame or credit to the results and speak for months on dividing the election by Democrat or Republican philosophies. The truth is greater lessons can be taken from this election.
We will address the first lessons which should be of great concern to all: straight ticket voting and accurate representation. Regardless of party affiliation those serious about having a government that is representative and responsive to the citizens have to be genuinely concerned about a method of voting a monkey can be trained to accomplish with a few bananas.
There is no doubt that the results in West Virginia are directly related to the war in Iraq and the Don Blankenship advertisements. The nearly clean sweep by the Democrats in our state was a referendum on both of these issues but what problems have we created by not being informed about the candidates. No one can convince me that a straight ticket vote, no matter what party, was an informed and educated vote.
We have been brainwashed into believing only a two party system should exist in the United States even though the Constitution of this great nation never addresses political parties. We have also been lead to believe that whatever party a candidate is registered with automatically labels them a supporter of all the planks in the party's platform. We have been convinced only people with a "D" or an "R" by their name on the ballot have the answers we need. Maybe the question we should be asking is: who represents the people?
By voting for a candidate based on the party they are registered with indicates that we are supporting a party rather than the people. Did the people win in this election or the Democrats? Did the Republicans lose or did the people?
I have heard not one news broadcast or seen it written in print that the people won in the decisions made this election. All I have read, seen or listened to indicates that the Democrats won and the Republicans lost. Where is the discussion being put forward that the people both won and lost this election because of all of the uniformed voting?
Statistically speaking the overwhelming win by straight ticket voting means that we had to elect some real idiots too. The law of averages has to come into play somewhere here folks. It is insane to think that we are being represented accurately when we bought the two party system only mentality.
If a candidate in West Virginia doesn't register with either the Democrat or Republican parties it is nearly impossible to get on the ballot. When researching for this article there are at least eight political parties in the state of West Virginia and over 50 political parties listed as having a major representation throughout the country on www.politics1.com . This does not even cover the parties that are found only in a particular state. Take all of these into account and there are over 300 political parties in America.
I ask you again, who won and lost this election?
So many of the issues cross party lines and most educated candidates do not adhere to every stance their political party takes in their platform. If they do they are more interested in promoting their party instead of the agenda the people want to be acted upon. They disregard the needs of their communities to promote the party's agenda which may often prioritize issues completely different than what is needed for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
The first lesson in this election is that you cannot make educated voters out of Americans when the push of a single button does all the thinking for them. We convince Americans that just going to vote is doing their patriotic and civic duty. Nothing could be further than the truth in American politics.
We don't need more Democrats or Republicans or whatever third party candidate might be able to get on the ballot. What we need is more leaders. Candidates who think outside of the box, who show real leadership by making informed decisions based on study rather than worrying about re-election repercussions are what we are in dire need of in our government. We need leaders who shake off the labels, stand up to entrenched bureaucrats and do the right thing. We need people on the ballot who communicate with us and don't hide behind the shield of a political party. We need voters who say they want change to really vote for it.
There is a reason the Independent party is the fastest growing party in West Virginia. That reason is because both the Democrats and Republicans have lost their way. Both of the major parties have spent the last eight years spinning every issue for political gain. While there have been excellent issues and policies set forth those are growing fewer and become diluted from the political pandering and spin. Those aware of this made informed decisions when voting, most are tired of the rhetoric being spewed and most are moving to the independent registration.
The only reason that independents haven't become the largest party in West Virginia is because of a lack in leadership by the state legislature.
When our legislature opens the primary election to registered independent voters and eliminates the straight ticket single vote option in the general election independents will become the largest party in the state. When our controlling party trusts in the people of the state it will remove these two obstacles which stand in the way of a truly representative government.
The Democrats now have even more control in West Virginia. If they want to prove themselves the party of leadership and answers they will work diligently to make our elections more open by opening their ballot in the primary and placing every candidate in front of the voter by removing the straight ticket option in the general election.
George Washington, in his farewell address, warned us against placing too much importance in Party politics. He said:
“In contemplating the causes, which may disturb our Union, it occurs as a matter of serious concern, that any ground should have been furnished for characterizing parties….which designing men may endeavor to excite a belief….One of the expedients of party is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of others….
Let me now warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party…. The alternate domination of one faction [party] over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual…
Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind, the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. [Getting caught up in political parties]…opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions.”
