America's Middle Problem

America has a middle problem. We don't seem to have one.

We have two points of view.  Or at least, we only vote on two points of view. We are a country of life or choice.  We all arm ourselves or nobody has guns. Welfare or get a job. Business killing regulation or corporate wild west.  Republican or Democrat.  You must HATE Trump or LOVE him with undying conviction.  

I can sum up the US political climate like this: As long as you are wrong, I am right.

How the fuck did we get here?  This is a problem that pre-dates Trump.  WE have been divided for decades if not a couple a three centuries.  Hell, in the prism of time the US is a rounding error away from a Civil War.  

We have been baited into this.  Having opposition is the key to ratings.  Ratings are the key to winning elections.  But that is because we are in a system where it is one on one.  You pick a side or you are wasting your vote.  You pick a side and you cling to that side.  Don’t’ you dare turn on your party because the other side is evil.  The other side is going to make your family less safe.  They will take away your rights.  They will mandate that the things you believe in will be stripped away.

So let me ask these questions (and by no means is this comprehensive):

1. Do you think every American should have access to quality healthcare?
2. Should we eliminate wasteful spending?
3. Do you want a strong American military that utilizes its resources in an efficient manner?
4. Do you want to pay less in taxes?
5. Do you want a strong American infrastructure?

Very simple questions.  There are very simple answers.  I would imagine the answer is yes to all of them.  But here is the thing, we are going to have different ideas as to how we get to "yes".  That’s OK, but the other opinion isn’t evil.  My guess is that if most people sat down to have a conversation with someone from “the other side” they would find that they want similar things.  They would be able to compromise on a lot of issues.  But that isn’t how our system is designed.  It is currently being played like a 3 overtime basketball game.  Hard fought, tiring, anxiety ridden…...in the end there can only be ONE winner.  Here is the problem with a political system designed for one winner……..it doesn’t fucking work.  We are broken.   

Kids we don’t need a third party.  We need a fourth party.  A fifth party.  We need to get rid of a world ruled by two parties that have a strangle on Americans.  We need to stop thinking that our votes are wasted unless we vote for one of two terrible choices.  Where dynastic politics is the rule of the land.  A land of Bush and Clinton and you can see where this Trump thing is going……

Can we find the best, the brightest, the empathetic.  Dynamic individuals who DO NOT WANT TO BE PRESIDENT……….and let’s encourage them to take on the challenge.  Stop wasting time on emails, sex lives, and the sensational headlines.  For as long as we allow our politics to be a circus is as long as we will continue to have disappointing outcomes.  

We have been duped.  There are so many issues it is impossible to align them with two parties.  It is impossible to align them with twenty parties.  Gary Johnson, Ralph Nadar, Ross Perot……..a former governor, an advocate, and a billionaire.  All made runs at making it a three way race.  They were all thwarted, not because they were any less qualified than the people they were running against, but because they never had the financial backing or the ability to get their message out (exception - Ross Perot who started buying up prime time network space for millions of his own money).  The fact that in the year 2016 the American Presidency was debated between TWO people is a slap in the face to US voters.

We aren’t red or blue.  We aren’t elephants or mules.  We are Americans and it is time we started voting like it.