The majority syndrome has been infecting our government for decades. It is the leading cause of massive deficits, a national debt out of control, unnecessary wars, and a government in deadlock. What is majority syndrome? It is a type of “cancer” characterized by a political party so obsessed with their majority status that they accomplish nothing for those who elected them and eventually abandon their ideals and principles to simply stay “in the majority”. Symptoms include severe pandering, electioneering, broken promises, corruption, an inability to accomplish anything of significance, on-going debate to prevent legislation from passing, and constant blaming of the minority party as a reason for nothing getting done. Sound familiar?
The two major political parties in the United States, the Republican and Democratic Parties, both have had majority syndrome; one is currently healing the damage caused by it while the other is catching it.
When the Republicans took over in 1994, they brought swift change to the government in an effort to cure the effects caused by majority syndrome. However, they ended up catching it. By 2006, the Republicans were just as corrupt as the Democrats had been. They tossed their values right out the window with people like Larry Craig and Mark Foley, they destroyed the balanced budget and the very idea of a balanced budget, they doubled the national debt, they supported two unnecessary wars, and they orchestrated electioneering in Texas and Colorado in an attempt to ensure — what Tom DeLay called — a “permanent majority”.
Fast forward to today. The Democrats are now catching majority syndrome once again. Look at people like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. Speaker Pelosi — I believe — lied about reports of prisoner abuse during the Bush Administration so that she can blame Bush and the Republicans for everything in an effort to keep her job as Speaker. Senator Reid panders to every Democrat and Independent in the Senate so that he has “60 votes”; yet, he watches as those votes equate to no real power or influence. After watching this dynamic for almost three years, nothing has changed. Deficits continue to exist, pandering is in full swing, nothing has changed with Wall Street, two unnecessary wars continue to rage, and our national debt is making America look like a joke to the world.
I wonder, at what point will we say enough is enough? Will there ever be a day where we elect people rather than parties? Political parties accomplish nothing. They push agendas that don’t help our country or the people of our country. I recently registered as an unaffiliated voter in Douglas County, Colorado to rid my own self of the party system. I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican and I won’t vote based on party. Rather, I will vote based on the person. I will vote based on what a person says and does. Honestly, I think that is how we should elect our representatives. Had we done so in 2000, 2004, and 2008, our country and really, our world, would be a better place today. We need accountability — and we are not going to get it by electing parties. We need to hold each and every one of our elected representatives accountable. We can’t do that if we try to hold a party accountable because what we get is a simple turning of the tables; one day Democrats another day Republicans — always the same result — majority syndrome.
You know, not being a member of a party will hurt my chances of becoming a Congressman. But hey, I would rather lose doing the right thing that win doing the wrong thing. It’s like being hated for who I am rather than loved for who I am not. At some point in the future, I believe the American people will begin electing independents that answer only to their constituents and not a national political party. When that day comes, a new day will dawn in America and our future will be bright indeed. Think about it. Vote on it. Your vote matters. One person can change the world. It’s like lighting one candle and then another and another… pretty soon you’ve overcome the darkness.