The problem with political parties is that people use them as a tool so that they do not have to think for themselves. When one aligns themselves with a political party they seem to take that on as their identity, for example claiming “I am a republican/democrat”. When one makes such a claim they are inclined to believe things not because they truly believe these things but rather because that is what they think someone with their political association should believe. A republican will disagree with something a democrat agrees with automatically and vice-versa, lest they be viewed as part of the “opposing party”. I find this to be ridiculous.

A recent example of this concept is the Mosque in New York issue. This was made an issue by political parties and people are eating it right up. People are taking sides simply because their that their political views are shaped by the political party they associate themselves with.

My message to all who have this mindset is the following:
Wake up! You do not need to be told what or how to think, utilize your own brain and come to your own conclusions. Vote not based on merely political affiliation but rather what you truly believe; for people, not for parties. Political parties create division. They pit people against each over issues they may not even truly believe in their hearts, which they would realize if they just took the time to think for themselves.

NJ, I am totally with you on this one. My biggest problem is that the whole process is exclusionary. If that isn't totally against what America stands for and is founded upon, I don't know what is. Another problem is all the Lawyers involved in lawmaking. Our laws are written in such complex legalese, the average or even the above average American non-lawyer doesn't stand a chance. To me this is the biggest conflict of interest of all. Where in any of our documents does it state that we are only to include Democrats and Republicans in the real process? America is about options, and we have no options. I don't think it is our system that's the problem, but the people who acquire tenure in the system. It is OUR country, OUR money, and the people are supposed to run the country, not the other way around. Then they gives us a little of our money back at tax time and expect us to be satisfied. No more, buddy. Most of these people are ittle more than influence peddlers and shills as far as I'm concerned. I would be more comfortable taking the word of a member of the Mafia rather than the word of a Politician, and that's a terrible shame.

[edit on 8/27/2010 by deadred]

[edit on 8/27/2010 by deadred]

political parties serve a purpose in that they give people a place to find people who think they way they do. however you are right that some use them as a way to be rid of their own responsibility to think

If you made formal political parties illegal, people would just make informal associations and what-not instead.

Political parties allow you to see clearly who associates with who, who is likely to stand for what, etc. If people want to delve more deeply than that then they can.

Originally posted by LeftWingLarry
If you made formal political parties illegal, people would just make informal associations and what-not instead.

I would never suggest such a thing. I only desire to see more people thinking for themselves and see that they are being led along by a party.

Originally posted by LeftWingLarry
Political parties allow you to see clearly who associates with who, who is likely to stand for what, etc. If people want to delve more deeply than that then they can.

No political parties represent what the people at the top of the party believe. The rest are told what to believe.

America has always been ruled by its elites. It's just a question of which group of elites is going to lead it.

Get use to it, buddy.

Originally posted by NJE03
I would never suggest such a thing. I only desire to see more people thinking for themselves and see that they are being led along by a party.

Good.

No political parties represent what the people at the top of the party believe.

The leader of the party is elected specifically (at least here in the UK. I don't know how party leaders are chosen across the pond) to be the embodiment of the party. Of course their own views will be a central part of party policy.

The rest are told what to believe.

Then why do we clearly see members of the same party voting against each other all the time, both in my country and in yours?

Originally posted by Kaytagg
America has always been ruled by its elites. It's just a question of which group of elites is going to lead it.

Obviously, since the 'elite' of society are basically the ruling class by definition.

Originally posted by NJE03
Regardless, the point here is that many people, by associating themselves with a political party, are giving up the chance to come to their own conclusions on issues.

Or they're coming to the conclusion that actually, they agree with the party.

Instead they embrace what they are told told to embrace by the party.

Parties can't tell you what to think. They can influence you, sure, but it's not the same - Otherwise being a member of Above Top Secret means that ATS is telling you what to think.

Real world example: A partisan media outlet presents Muslims in a negative light over and over. The next thing you know, people who affiliate with the party are coming out as anti-Muslim, and full of racist thoughts which were not present prior to being fed this view by their party.

Here in this country, anti-immigration and anti-Islamic stances transcend party boundaries: that's what propaganda does.

Furthermore, we don't really have partisan media in the way that you do in the US; The BBC is impartial and the other mainstream TV stations rarely talk of actual political allegiances unless it's the day before election day. The Sun recently swapped from endorsing Labour to endorsing the Conservatives in the last general election, The Daily Mail caters to the reactionary right but only actually endorses the Conservative party directly on election day whilst spending the rest of the time attacking all parties for not being 'tough enough', etc.