My uncle used to tell me that if you vote for a third party, you truly do not have a voice. To an extent, I believe that he was correct.
It has been frustrating for me to trudge through life loving my country, but having no party that I can with good conscience align myself. I find myself getting baited into debates about different scenarios that polarize people, separate friends and families, and have no net benefit to the people involved. The truth is, these conversations - perpetuated by the media - are a distraction to what's reallly going on. It is time for real change.
I believe that there are more people just like me. I believe that most people are intelligent and understand that the two party system in inherently flawed. I believe that a majority of people want another option and understand that they are being polarized against each other for the purpose of control. The parties fish until they find your hot button and use it to get you to support them - often ignoring other core values that can be dismissed as the lesser of evils.
I propose creating a like-minded group of people dedicated to holding the parties, media, and politicians accountable. Since I do not want to follow in the footsteps of groups before us, I propose we call this group Unparty X.
Here's what I have come up with so far:
1.) Every elected official makes minimum wage. If there are legal ramifications for doing so, then the balance of the official's income exceeding minimum wage must be donated to a group that helps feed our country's hungry. The elected official will be required to publish proof of this action. No elected official shall accept legacy payments after leaving office.
2.) Unparty X will not use any party contributions for marketing expenses, personal gains or party gains. Every campaign employee will make the same minimum wage salary -- from the candidate down to the interns. In the 2012 election, the Republican and Democratic Parties spent over two billion dollars to try to get their candidates elected. All contributions to the Unparty X that exceed basic operating costs will be donated to legitimate charity groups. This money could have fed our hungry, helped our schools, or cured cancer. It's time to get a return on our investments.
3.) Unparty X will not accept any party contributions from corporations, lobbyists, or any other special interest groups. Unparty X will not support any legislature that is securing interests in any such group and must veto any such bill if it is allowable by their position.
4.) Unparty X will only support legislature that can stand on its own. No pork barrels or add-ons will be supported. Unparty X will not vote in support of any bill containing these add-ons even if the original bill is legitimate. Again Unparty X will not support any bill that is representing the interest of a particular corporation or special interest group. Veto must be used if applicable.
5) Unparty X will work to stay connected to the voice of the people. One such way is to create a website including polls about various issues on which voters can voice their opinions. Voters will have unique accounts based on their voter registration to ensure accuracy of poll data.
Unparty X is still evolving and we are solidifying our ideas. Follow us on Twitter @UnpartyX to get up-to-date announcements or include #UnpartyX in your tweets to share your thoughts and ideas with us. Let's take back our government and bring the power back to the people.