The initial reports that Mike Bloomberg was considering a run for the presidency was good news for America which has been lacking anything positive from a political standpoint for a while. This was followed by disappointment when Bloomberg dropped out. Though the Republican field has been cut down dramatically recently, Trump seems dominant, with Hillary in control on the Democratic side. Unfortunately, the top candidates in both parties have serious flaws.
The way things currently stand in the presidential race, America may be stuck with a bombastic narcissist, or a woman with significant ethical problems. On the other hand, centrist Mike Bloomberg was a known quantity who did a superb job running a difficult city for twelve years. There have never been any ethical questions regarding his conduct and he has enough money to guarantee that he would not be beholden to any special interests. Though Bloomberg had been enticed by the possibility of intervening in a Trump vs Sanders race, he would still have had a reasonable chance of winning with Hillary on the Democratic ticket. This is reinforced by the rebelliousness of some of the conservatives and establishment figures against Trump and their refusal to support him. It appears that Bloomberg decided not to run fearing that his candidacy would aid Trump in his quest for the presidency.
However, in spite of his exit from the race, Bloomberg should back the formation of a centrist third party as his legacy for the nation. He has the “moxie” and administrative skills to make it successful, and an alternative to the duopoly of the Republicans and Democrats is desperately needed, with the current parties corrupt and in thrall to the special interests. Helping to organize a third party would also cement the idea that Bloomberg had not been in the presidential race for self-aggrandizement but to help the nation. An independent survey by a research organization (NORC) at the University of Chicago last year revealed that Americans’ confidence in all three branches of government was at record lows in a majority of voters from both parties and as well as from independents, with confidence in Congress in the single digits. Other polls have confirmed these attitudes.
In another survey conducted by the Pew Research Center utilizing 25,000 interviews and released in April 2015, it was surprisingly revealed that 39 percent of respondents identified themselves as independents, 32 percent as Democrats, and only 23 percent as Republicans. This was the highest percentage of independents ever noted in over seventy-five years of public opinion polling and reaffirms that a base for a centrist party exists. The growth of independents has been particularly impressive over the last decade.
To some, this survey may appear ludicrous since the Republicans swept the past elections and now have majorities in both Houses of Congress. But what this indicates is that more Republicans are politically active and willing to vote and support their candidates than the Democrats. And many independents may not vote at all since there is no party and very few candidates to represent their views. Young Americans particularly feel left out in the cold.
That is why now is an ideal time to form a centrist third party to challenge the Republicans and Democrats. If the presidency is out of reach, the Senate and House, governorships and state legislative positions across the country are ripe for the taking. A centrist third party that emphasizes programs to reduce inequality and advance the middle class is what America craves; a party of justice and fairness willing to compromise and negotiate to get things done; a party that will fight to create opportunities for the young; a party not bound to the lobbyists and special interests. Trump’s ascendency is but one symptom of the affliction currently infecting the American political system.
There is not much time left to establish this new party and make it viable before the next election, but it can be done if a few organizational wizards are willing to make it their priority. Seed money might come from some affluent men and women who understand that America’s democracy is in trouble. And money will pour into party coffers in small amounts when social media brings all Americans up to speed about this new organization.
Republicans and Democrats only care about destroying their opponents and boosting themselves, with the next elections on the horizon. Now is the time for a centrist third party to enter the political fray and show how government can be run competently, with assistance from all the political players willing to participate. Stalemate, gridlock, partisanship and inefficiency are words that should be expunged from America’s political lexicon and replaced with cooperation, comity, assistance, and effectiveness as the parties work together for the good of the nation.
From now until Election Day 2016 Americans can expect overwhelmingly negative campaigning from Republicans and Democrats. There will be charges and countercharges asserting illegal, unethical, and even criminal actions by opposing candidates. There will be occasional proposals regarding policy, but these will be submerged under the barrage of hostile ads and sound bites. And money from extremely wealthy donors will pour into Super PACs and campaign chests to reinforce the advertising, much of done it anonymously. Will this increase the 60 percent of Americans who go to the polls every four years when there are presidential elections? Will this strengthen America’s democracy?
A centrist third party is urgently needed for America. In the 2016 presidential race, neither the Republicans nor Democrats are producing candidates of superior moral character and judgement who deserve the support of the American electorate. Men and women who put the needs of the electorate ahead of their own, joined in a centrist third party could point America in a new direction, and make politics a worthy career choice for the nation’s youth. Now is the time to get started.
Resurrecting Democracy
www.robertlevinebooks.com
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Political junkie, Vietnam vet, neurologist- three books on aging and dementia. Book on health care reform in 2009- Shock Therapy for the American Health Care System. Book on the need for a centrist third party- Resurrecting Democracy- A Citizen’s Call for a Centrist Third Party published in 2011. Aging Wisely, published in August 2014 by Rowman and Littlefield. Latest book- The Uninformed Voter published May 2020