Has our political system failed us? For most of our country’s history and especially during recent decades, our choices have been basically restricted to only two political parties. Over time, this has caused an increasingly divided and ineffective government and a dangerously widening gap between those on the far left and far right who feel they have no voice at all. Suppression builds the foundation for rebellion, then to forms of authoritarianism, tyranny.

A ten-year study done a over a decade ago on some ninety democracies in the world showed that parliamentary democratic systems, those with no president and that encouraged a number of parties to co-exist, were far more successful over time. By allowing varied views to be represented and given voice, the frustrations and desires of many were heard and more cooperative efforts engaged. This, quite in contrast to the presidential democracies which were more than twice as susceptible to overturn coups.

If we truly want an effective democractic government representing all the people, it’s time we turn to a Parliamentary Democracy. We also need to dump the wholly out-dated Electoral College that has nothing to do with the will of the majority, and eliminate dark/big money from politics.

If it’s not too late, perhaps then we could actually began to talk with each other again.

Mary McBee

Tama