| June 16, 2006 Rank and File by Nova Stubbs, insurgent49 The
Thirst for “Real” Democracy
The Republicans and the Democrats (i.e. Bud and Bud Light) dictate just about everything in our society. For many, this concept does not represent a “real” democracy, because, damn it, juice and water should be an option too. However, we must be aware that some politicians simply attach the party label to their name despite their ideology. In other words, to play the game you must either wear a red or blue jersey; otherwise the chances of suffering a loss are much greater. Throughout our nation there are many politicians who seem more Socialist than Democrat or more Fascist than Republican. The point is that, today, party affiliation is consequently contrived, and these political labels should be thrown out completely. We should vote on a candidate's policies, not someone who lives under the guise of a party label. In the course of U.S. history, party ideologies have mutated and evolved. But the current terms Democrat and Republican have ultimately been diluted. In other words, party principals are not set in stone and really don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. Overall, this diversity in ideology could be viewed as a good thing, because it allows for innovation within the government structure, yet it detracts from the principals of any given political label. For example, a politician can be fiscally conservative, but socially liberal, such as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold supports stem cell research and is pro-choice, but he call himself a Republican and carries the label with pride. Arnold (i.e. Heineken) is not alone, as many politicians cross boundaries on several issues. This gray area is nothing new and all politicians are ultimately independents. So why the labels? That’s right folks ... it’s all about money. Candidates need cash to run for office. All the various supplies, signs, ads, commercials, etc. ... must somehow be funded because you can’t vote for someone if you’ve never heard of them. This is when the “good old boys,” meaning the Democrats and Republicans, come into save the day. If you run under either political label your campaign is sure to be subsidized. Furthermore, you get a label, which for many is like a stamp of approval. Once in office it is often the candidate’s duty to repay the party by voting and implementing various policies for the sake of the “good old boys.” Rubbing elbows, exchanging favors, and playing the game in the arena of politics ultimately reeks of corruption, while the voices of the people are lost and seemingly powerless. Not to say that all politicians are corrupt; however, the system permits and encourages such exploitation. For example, many Democrats and Republicans in Alaska are closely linked to the oil industry. Why is this the case? Right again, it’s all about the cash. It is extremely important to keep the wealthy happy because they dictate the government. The elite holds the power to either make or break a politician. This is where government innovation begins to crumble. And the demise of the proverbial democracy is brought into question. Power is meant to be in the hands of the people. The solution for a “real” democracy does exist. First, all elections should be non-partisan and only reflect the candidate’s policies, not a political party. Second, the government should place caps on campaign spending; and if exceeded the candidate should be immediately expelled from the race. Third, our taxes should pay for the campaigns and a person on a political ethics committee should oversee the distribution. Finally, primaries would continue to be held; but voters would vote on a handful of policies, and the candidates that most reflect the “majority” would ultimately be the contenders. At first, political and public confusion would occur, but ultimately the thirst for a real democracy would be quenched. And no longer would the elite control our government. Nova Stubbs is a freelance writer and activist, and is co-founder of Insurgent49. Nova resides in an undisclosed location in downtown Anchorage and may be contacted at nova@insurgent49.com. |
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2005
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Reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
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