Our political parties are tearing America apart. It's like watching a family feud that never ends - only this one affects millions of lives and the future of our nation.
These parties have become like prodigal children of historical mistakes, mistakes we should've rectified years ago.
You see, our Founding Father, George Washington, issued us a stern warning against “factions” in his farewell address. He cautioned us against mobbing together into special interest groups or political parties with tunnel-visioned plans. He realized that the desire for power could become a “fatal tendency” that masquerades debate as a facade while always seeking to dictate.
He posed an interesting question, one we should still ponder today: Should our presidents pledge loyalty to the country or to their party?
Washington criticised the groups that sought to win for their side. He believed that the only victory worth celebrating was one for the whole.
Washington was no stranger to strategic thinking, but he despised the game of unending war. He saw the futility in trying to out-organize, out-think, or work against the "other side." He warned against skillful special interest groups imposing their will on government policy. He understood that the path forward was to rule by steady “wholesome plans digested by common counsels and modified by mutual interests.”
So, here's the reality check: There is no right or left. There are only Americans trying to do the best we can.
But what's the way forward? We need to create new political parties that truly embrace Democracy. A Democratic Party doesn't need to win against another party. Instead, we need to use democratic means to allow “the people” to outline what they want, the cost and benefits of each policy in terms of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and organize policies that best serve their interests.
And how do we create “wholesome plans digested by common counsels”? To counsel is to deliberate, discuss, or argue. The advent of digital technology has made this easier than ever before. On platforms like Group Intel, we can engage in transparent, constructive debates about the pros, cons, and costs of different political policies.
We can even create a political party that promises to use a democratic process and implement the policies that have the best support. Think of it as the Wikipedia of political parties, a transparent decision-making process. I'm currently developing a platform, the Idea Stock Exchange on Github, which aims to do just that. It's time we changed the game for the better, don't you think?
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