Thoughts for a new political system

Why do we vote for a candidate and not the issues? Why am I forced to vote for a candidate who I like for one reason but disagree with on another? Why do I have to vote for someone who will best ‘represent’ my interests, instead of voting for the best person to implement my interests? Why do we still exist in this antiquated system of representation when we have the capability to vote on every issue?

For years I’ve been party to the idea that we need more political parties. That in the current two party system a lot of voters, like myself, get left out in the cold. There has never been, and never will be, a candidate who accurately represents the needs of the nation. The belief has always been that if there were more parties, there would be more representation, and create more competition and balance amongst the parties. But I don’t see it that way at all anymore. In fact, I think there should be no political parties.

There should no parties. Citizens should vote for two things. The top 10 issues we want our government to address, and the most capable people to get those 10 items accomplished. Every four years we would all vote to determine if anything new needs to be prioritized or added to the list, and vote whether to keep the current politicians in office, assuming they’ve done a good job, or replace them with new candidates. And of course all positions would be subject to limits on their tenure. Politicians will still have the power to make decisions, act autonomously, and to make deals with other countries, companies, etc… but only as it relates to advancing the 10 things the nation voted for.

Because right now there are a number of issues that the majority of Americans agree on, like universal healthcare and childcare, like reducing the deficit, like ending the practice of unprovoked wars, but there is no one candidate that will focus on what the majority want, not as long as they are considered ‘representatives’ rather than implementers. As a representative it is inevitable that they will stray from the will of the people and make deals based on what serves them. 

So rather than seeing progress around the issues we all agree on as a nation, we’re forced to sacrifice our needs by choosing a candidate who is the closest to what we want. But it never works.  Do we want to vote for a republican because they’ll lower taxes? Or do we want to vote for a democrat because they’re trying to pass universal healthcare? I want both, but I can only get a candidate who represents one. Forcing me to choose and forcing us to remain divided.

This idea for a new political system, a vision for whaat democracy actually looks like, would eliminate that problem and serve the interests of the citizens, allowing us to unite around the common issues the majority of us face and want resolved.