© 2016 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. “One of the expedients of party to acquire
influence within particular districts is to misrepresent the opinions and aims
of other districts. You cannot shield yourselves too much against the
jealousies and heartburnings which spring from these misrepresentations…”
President George Washington’s Farewell Address
Our first president knew the party
system held many dangers. Not the least is the intentional lying and cheating
to enhance one party over others in elections and during the time of governing.
We have a government with its party interests instead of the interests of the
country as a whole.
To me it seems America has dissolved
over the years into tribes. There are four tribes I see: Democrats,
Republicans, Independents and Disinterested Americans. In every question of
what our country should do next is the overarching needs of the tribes such
that America is held hostage by the tribe in power.
Washington realized that the pull of
the party system would cause otherwise good people to lie, cheat and act to
bolster their party. He opposed the very notion of the party system. While he
was President Washington everyone was quiet and then the party system started full
force after he left office.
Currently two tribes run our
government. We are in an election year and I hear citizens wonder why the
conventions of the tribes do not allow transparency or fairness. Indeed, they
are a tribe and to them this is life and death of the tribe.
When elected those tribe members are
then part of the government and swear to act honestly. But as we can see their
behavior is to push their tribe regardless of the damage it does to our
country. Sadly, we have put the two tribes: Republicans and Democrats in charge
of our government. There are a few Independents but not enough to change the
outcomes.
I had to be a member of one of the
two tribes if I wanted a voice in who was going to represent that tribe in the
general election. Over the last couple decades, I have been a member of three
tribes: Independents, Democrats and now Republicans.
Each tribe is a private entity
though the practitioners when running for office do have to conform with some
general rules. Their fiduciary relationship is generally their own tribe. Therefore,
they generally band together while in office to represent their tribe and
defeat the efforts of the other major tribe.
Citizens are fed up with their
self-serving behavior but the system currently assures that only Republicans or
Democrats will win the presidency. The rules assuring this outcome were agreed
upon years ago in a bi-partisan effort by Republicans and Democrats.
We also have sham local governments
which proclaim they are non-partisan but by the way they run and govern it is
obvious they are still tribe members who follow their tribe. Even more
disturbing is that the media is supposed to not be a member of either tribe but
it is obvious the media often are pushing one tribe over the other.
You can tell by their coverage of
some candidates where no mention is made of legitimate issues and on other
candidates they happily spread the dirt spoken by a partisan that so-and-so
candidate is a liar, cheat and a puppy dog hater.
So what are we to do? Truthfully, we
are needing patriots to take over the tribes at the local levels and not
participate in tribal unity. They will be met with a vigorous defense of the
same-old model when they try to make changes. So it will hinge on enough
patriots in the two major tribes deciding to clean up their tribes.
Will it work? It is the only thing
that will work. One thing more: Journalism Schools must be set back to where
they were when I graduated in 1972. At that time, we looked down on both Republicans
and Democrats and didn’t root for either.
Most importantly, money and privilege
must be taken out of elected service. No more going to Congress in a station
wagon and flying home years later in their own jet. One step at a time. Giving
up the tribe mentality will be a good start.
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