George Washington, in his farewell address at the end of his presidency said, “Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.” He said this having witnessed the birth of our two-party system as federalists and anti-federalists fought fiercely during the ratification of our Constitution. And here we are today.
I am registered unaffiliated. Sometimes I vote Republican, sometimes Democrat. Quality of the person and skills are just as important as positions and passions for important political issues. I think both Republicans and Democrats have good ideas, which I support, and also real stinkers. Being a Republican or Democrat does not mean having to buy into every candidate and every platform the party leadership puts forward. Unaffiliated means you have the most flexibility to vote in either primary for the people you like best or vote against the people you think should not be in office. And as the number of unaffiliated voters grows, there are fewer voters that can be considered in the party’s pocket.
Politicians will be more accountable for their records and have to do a better job telling their stories and earning our votes. Yes, each party must have some absolute loyal members to do the party work. But registering as an unaffiliated voter or changing your voter registration to unaffiliated is a strong personal declaration of independence.
Alan Markert
Durango
