Smyth: Is it time to quit both political parties?

Are you still a Democrat? Or still a Republican? If so, you’re in a declining minority. Forty-one percent of Americans now call themselves “independent,” compared to 28% Democrats and 28% Republicans.”

Joe Smyth of Scottsdale, Arizona, is the author of “Fixing America’s Broken Politics: Common Sense Solutions to the Issues That Divide Us.” A former editor of the Daily State News, he’s now retired, and the opinions expressed here are his own.

A critic once referred to our two major political parties as “Tweedledum and Tweedledumber.” That’s never been truer than right now, and it’s not clear which party is worse.

Are you still a Democrat? Or still a Republican? If so, you’re in a declining minority.

Forty-one percent of Americans now call themselves “independent,” compared to 28% Democrats and 28% Republicans. In addition, I suspect that most Democrats and Republicans belong not because they love their party but because they dislike the other party more. And who can blame them?

Most Americans don’t want a Biden-Trump rematch in 2024, but both parties seem hellbent on nominating them anyway. That’s how out of touch the Democrat and Republican parties have become.

Both parties are far more partisan than most Americans. They’re more interested in power, money and demonizing the opposition than they are in solving the nation’s problems.

Through their closed-party primaries, Democrats keep nominating candidates who are often far left of most Americans politically, just as Republicans keep nominating candidates who are often far right of most Americans.

On Election Day, many of us feel like we’re forced to choose between “the lesser of two evils.” And there’s no better example of just how “lesser” they are than when the winners immediately start raising money for their reelection by cuddling up to their favorite donors.

Is it any wonder that most decent Americans won’t run for public office and that those who do usually end up regretting it? Because of the dysfunctional partisanship of our two major political parties, today’s politics is simply no place for honorable people.

If you’re a disgruntled Democrat or Republican who is ready to break free, what are your alternatives? Fortunately, the 41% of Americans who call themselves “independents” are providing lots of alternatives. Not all will succeed, but some combination of them will. Some possibilities for you to consider:

• The No Labels group promotes bipartisan solutions. It supports candidates who are willing to work with the opposition party to find win-win solutions for the country. And it may offer a “unity ticket” — a moderate Republican and a moderate Democrat — to run against Joe Biden and Donald Trump if they are the major-party nominees. Third parties have always been a long shot, but perhaps No Labels is a real possibility in 2024, when so many Democrats and Republicans aren’t happy with their parties or with the candidates their parties are apparently nominating. Learn more at nolabels.org.
• The Forward Party isn’t offering a presidential ticket in 2024 but is building a new party from the bottom up. It favors nonpartisan primaries, which might be the most significant political reform to put voters — instead of politicians — back in control of their country. If the right people get involved (including many of the moderates who support No Labels), the Forward Party could be a wave of the future. Learn more at forwardparty.com.
• Americans shouldn’t be required to join a political party to vote. The Open Primaries organization is working to enact open, nonpartisan primaries in all 50 states. It is currently promoting campaigns in 12 states. Learn more, including the situation in your state, at openprimaries.org.
• I wish that only citizens could make political contributions and that the amounts would be limited, with full disclosure of large contributions. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Corporations, political action committees and unions are permitted to make political contributions. But at least we have OpenSecrets, an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan group that researches the influence of money in American politics. You can even search its website to find out who your friends are supporting with donations. Learn more at opensecrets.org.

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.