The life of a modern left-handed democrat.
Will we ever have any others?
Published on November 20, 2004 By NJforever In Politics
This election, we saw John Kerry up against George W. Bush. Some said John Kerry was too far to the left. Others said George W. Bush was too far to the right. No one was just right.
You know, this nation was founded upon compromise. The Constituiton is filled with compromises, including "the Great Compromise." George Washington urged compromise between people to prevent different parties. Andrew Jackson used compromise to keep the Nationalists and the States' Rights folks happy. Yet somewhere along the line we decided our Founding Fathers were wrong. Well, I say we need a moderate political party, a party that works to make compromises between conservative views and liberal views. I don't agree with conservative views but I don't think this nation can be held together if we switch policies every few years, and have elections like wars. So I say we let history repeat itself, and make a compromise or two.

Comments
on Nov 20, 2004
I too believe a more moderate party would be in America's best interests, as many moderate voters feel alienated by the two parties and abhor the choices. I wrote an article on something very similar to this.
on Nov 20, 2004
The problem with third parties is they don't want to work to get a grass roots support. They believe the fact they are right about everything should be enough. They don't need any members of Congress, just make them President and they'll make everything all better. That doesn't sound like compromise, it sounds like wanting it all without working for it.
on Nov 21, 2004
Not sure it would work. Any party that tried to take a compromise ground in the US would be accused of flip flopping to applease voters. US voters seem to like them or us attitudes to all political issues. Giving them three choices would just confuse them . Not to mention the fact that any third political party would need huge amounts of money to even attempt to get any form of national support. The US political system is all about money.

Paul.
on Nov 21, 2004
Perhaps we should adapt the British form of democracy because it is so obviously the model, the bastion of democratic governments!

(facetious)
on Nov 22, 2004
The British model of first past the post is also a poor model. maybe try something more like the Irish model, with proportional representation on 3-5 seat constituencies. Or go for something more akin to other European models, with proportional representation with 50% of the parliament voted from party lists. I prefer the Irish model as everyone is directly elected by the people they represent and is therefore directly accountable to those people. Party lists are usually used to ensure that the party 'elite' get elected.

Paul.