I know most of you probably don't give a damn either way, but over the past several days, I have been really wondering why we need to have political parties anymore. I went to the Democrat and the Republican websites, and after going through most everything, all I could find is rhetoric about getting their own candidate into power. Sure there is substance on those sites pertaining to specific platforms, but when you actually read the websites, the main point is to bash each other; and not typically on policy, but by branding the entire Republican party "Foley" or the entire Democratic party "Spitzor". The different parties don't really care about what is best for the country, just for their party.

My father-in-law, for instance does not support Obama for unfortunate reasons. He is a staunch Clinton supporter and married to the Democratic Party. He would support anyone named Clinton, which is unfortunate as well. I asked him last night if Clinton does not get the nomination, what is he going to do. He said that he would be able to vote for Obama just so we could have a democrat in office. No other reason, but to have a democrat as President. It doesn't matter who the Democrat is, just as long as they are a Democrat. I wonder if a Bush ran as a Democrat, if he would vote for that candidate. I wouldn't put it past him....

This is where I think our nation has gone in the wrong direction. It is no longer about the best candidate, it is about giving your party more power at all costs. I am just guessing here, but if you did a poll at a rally for either party and asked questions about specific planks in that party's platform, very few would actually know what the party represents. I don't think the vast majority of the people that declare themselves a member of their party can intelligently describe what their party represents or what the "other" party represents. It has almost come to the point that it is a club or a clique. I don't have much interest in cliques.

This is why I now declare myself as a very conservative independent. I don't much like the label independent either, but at least I am not married to any specific party.

Maybe I am wrong on all of this and political parties are necessary. I can't think of a reason. What is your take on it?

Politics are local in nature first Scuba- I am very, very disappointed in the republican party on the national scene, yet very, very hopeful on the local scene. We have started clearing out the detritus of the old guard republicans of the GW sort- we have elected a new governer- kicking out the old one at the primary-didn't even need to go to a general election to get rid of his crusty corrupt butt. Arrested and started throwing corporate stooges in jail.

So, in a way, I am married to my party locally- if a little cheatin' here and there is okay in this marriage LOL-

my actual state senator is in a coalition of republicans and democrats, and have isolated our neo-con types to a minority of thier own, and the dems and repubs work together to get the states' biz done now.

So I have dems as both of my reps right now- plan on voting for both of them again- they are effective, ethical and responsive to constituents. I will continue to vote for our republican governer.

I am also an officer in the libertarian party- "libertarians on campus" and usually have a debate there once a month.
Typically, I throw water on thier parade. Try to ground the youngsters to political realities and all that- hoping that one day we can win a real office here or there LOL

There's the problem with politics in a nutshell. Given a choice between doing what is best for the country and what is best for their party, both parties tend to choose what is best for their party. I suppose they justify it by saying in their mind that what is best for their party IS what is best for the country, but that's just internal rheteric to salve their conscience. Time and time again we see one party hold up legislation or slam the other rather than working together to solve issues...all for political points. The prime culprit in this, IMHO, is our ingrained 2 party system, which immediately puts everything into a winner take all scenario, where you're either the majority party, or the one trying to become the majority party.