I have had it with the two-party system in America. Our party politicians spend more time plotting and working against each other than actually solving the problems facing America today. The humiliating farce of the Senate hearing Sept. 27 was the ugliest face yet of party tribalism.
Regardless of whether one believes Christine Blasey Ford or Brett Kavanaugh, neither of them should have been put in the position of sacrificial lambs on the party altar. Neither party was interested in the testimony of Ford or Kavanaugh. It was demonstrably clear in the senators' commentary through the entire hearing that each mind was already made up. The entire thing was staged in an effort by both parties to demonstrate they "care."
This is just the latest in a long series of partisan political games that has done more damage to our country than nearly anything else in recent history. I am holding both parties accountable. I have no loyalty to either the Democratic or the Republican party. They are both money-grubbing leeches feeding on the largesse of corporate donors and special-interest groups that fly the flag of whatever issue of the day that party has deemed "virtuous." They are self-serving wolves in sheep's clothing that want one thing only: your money.
In my view, we have reached a point where each and every incumbent deserves to be voted out of office. Regardless of their record. Regardless of their history. Regardless of whether they've done well with their job. Regardless of whether they hold office at the local, state or federal level. And, most important, regardless of one's fear of what the "other" party might do.
The memes have been flying lately about our needing term limits. But until term limits are reality, the only ones in control of our politicians' terms are we voters.
You want to drain the swamp? Why wait for someone else to do it for you? Why feed into the swamp anymore? Until we the people stand up and vote these sellouts out, and remind the politicians just whom they work for, we will have more of the same.
Our ballots are set for this coming election. Many may only have choices between the two major parasites — I mean, parties.
If you don't have an independent candidate on your ballot, you may have to choose the "other" side if only to send a message to the parties that they are no longer relevant or wanted. And do it again the next election, and the election after that. Once these politicians learn that it is we the voters who determine their destinies and not the checknooks of their party overlords — then we can finally begin to make some progress.
Those we elect to represent us need to be doing their job and represent — not grandstand on party ideology in endless campaign measures to ensure victory in the next election.
No one is irreplaceable. If we can demonstrate to the special-interest groups and corporations that it does not matter how much money they pour into the elections, we can take back the power from the disastrous Citizens United decision by simply not voting for the incumbents whose voices and compliance they've come to depend upon.
After a few election cycles we can finally get back to rational, healthy debate with fresh faces and new ideas. We can truly drag ourselves out of the swamp and back to what really matters: effective government of the people, by the people and for the people.
Christine Barrette lives in Apple Valley.
