Independents and Our Binary Political System

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. Yes, that is the shape of longer term fixes. Not on the immediate horizon.

Under our current system it has been proven time and time again that it is virtually impossible for a third party to build from the bottom up to a position that can challenge one of the two institutionally entrenched parties. That has not succeeded in 150 years. Sometimes a movement centered around an individual can briefly emerge, but those movements are not sustainable beyond the allure of that individual. So It makes sense to me that few Americans have taken seriously the prospect of building up a third party under our current circumstances.

I would have blasted Bernie Sanders had he chosen to run in the General Election as a third party candidate or as an Independent. Still he gets blasted anyway for not being a good Democrat after only running in the Democratic primaries. But the bottom line is the American public is turning away from loyalty toward any one political party. That is most manifest in younger generations. Not facing this fact is equivalent to an Ostrich burying its head in the sand at the sign of a threat.