In the final weeks leading up to the November midterm elections, unifying sentiments and bipartisan messaging will be scarce among both major political parties, to say the least. But the most bipartisan view, according to your reader responses, on the eve of those elections? It's a disdain for partisanship altogether.
Within days of our asking you, our readers, to weigh in on what you make of the massive bloc of independent voters who may very well decide the most consequential elections of the upcoming midterms, hundreds of proud independents wrote in to speak of their growing discontentment with a two-party system that has let them down and left them uninspired – and often disenfranchised.
Even among registered party voters, the two-party system
we've come to know and distrust is losing support among voters of all ages, but especially among younger voters coveted by both parties.
Read a small sample of your responses below. For more opportunities to weigh in, visit usatoday.com/forum, leave us a voicemail at (202) 655-3923 or drop us a note at forum@usatoday.com.
In 50 years of voting, neither party earned my trust
I first registered as an independent over 50 years ago when they lowered the voting age to 18, and I didn't know enough about either party to pick one.
Over the years, neither party ever stood out as deserving of my commitment, so I remained with no party affiliation. My ballots have always been a mix of candidates. In the past 20 or so years, I have observed a decline in both parties to a self-serving, lock-step mentality that is only interested in obtaining and maintaining power, controlling voters through unethical constraints on who can vote, and fostering anger against the other side.
As a group, we are marginalized. Clearly, when we make up such a large percentage of the voting bloc, we should have more power. To further the insult, our taxes help pay for all the "public" elections, yet many of us cannot vote in the critical primary elections because they are “private.” Florida, where I reside, is one example of a completely closed primary state. Public for funding, private for voting – is this not a perfect example of taxation without representation?
I remember when the two-party system generally worked for the country. Elections were competitive but not hateful and divisive. Once over, the elected leadership – regardless of affiliation – got down to the business of serving their constituents and at least trying to do good for the people. Those civilized days are clearly over. The rising number of independents shows the two parties no longer adequately represent Americans.
— Elizabeth Kearns, Florida
Americans are wary of rocking the boat, but we need that
I am a democratic socialist, but if I want any sort of say in California, I need to register as a Democrat. I would never vote for a Republican or a MAGA candidate, but I am generally dissatisfied with the choices I have as a Democrat. Corporate Democrats still have a stranglehold on the party and stymie the truly progressive candidates as much as possible.
Independent voters are simply dissatisfied voters who do not feel their interests are being represented – with good reason, because they aren't in most cases. However, I think that either you start a new party to represent your interests or change a party that exists from within. Independent voters are generally passive voters who let others do the heavy lifting, insofar as I am concerned.
Independents are a significant portion of the electorate, so I don't think campaigns have any choice but to court them. However, it seems to me that candidates often dilute their values for fear that they may alienate independents. In the present system, policy is far more often than not determined by moneyed interests, not the interests of independent voters or even what representatives may themselves favor.
If there were a "Moderate Party" or "Compromise Party," the overwhelming majority of Americans would join – even if being moderate or compromise-centric is against their self-interest. For some reason, Americans seem very leery of being seen as rocking the boat, when the boat very much needs to be rocked.
— Pietro G. Poggi, California
Independent voters aren't undecided. We're uninterested in boxes.
Independent voters do not vote as a bloc, other than the fact that we reject membership in both political parties. That's the point. And growing numbers of Americans are moving in that direction.
The main thing people get wrong is that they think that we are really Democrats or Republicans. They think that these boxes are the only ones that exist. However, these boxes limit possibility, the way we see the world and the way we think. Independent voters are unwilling to be boxed in by the needs of these institutions.
Many times, independents are seen as impractical and unrealistic, that we don't know how the world works. They think that we are indecisive and unwilling to commit. Actually, we have made a decision. It's just not one that serves the interests of the two parties. They are right that we are not willing to go along with a prescribed program.
— Jeffrey Aron, New York
I'm a registered Democrat. Maybe I shouldn't be.
Although I am a registered Democrat, in many cases I do not agree with my party. I don't always agree with the Republican Party, either. I sometimes think that I'd prefer being an independent because I think that the two-party system is broken, and that's why it does not appeal to so many people.
I think that the system is rigged to box out any additional parties. The Electoral College and the primaries are set up to really only honor the Democrats or Republicans. I think it would be great if there were more choices, because I think the main parties have lost their focus and forgotten that they represent the American people.
— Aria Bango, New York
Abolish both parties. George Washington would.
I have been registered proudly as an independent since I was 18. I believe political parties should be eliminated and voting should be based on candidate platforms. President George Washington strongly advised against forming political parties.
Independent voters are actually often powerless. In my home state of West Virginia, we are being sidelined from important races because of our unwillingness to toe the party lines. I think people feel we are indecisive or wishy-washy, and that's far from true. All too often, we can see both sides of the issue and/or are moderates, and we want to retain our rights to think freely rather than follow the party line.
I believe every voter should be an independent voter and choose candidates based on who most closely aligns with their feelings on the issues. Political parties are a poor way to group together voters, issues and policies. I don't think the creation of a third party fixes that. I think term limits and elimination of parties would help our country.
— Natalie Staffileno, West Virginia
Independents want to vote on principles, not personalities
I came from a Democratic family and am now a registered independent. I cannot swallow either major party's platform in its entirety. I remember watching my family vote in a booth as a kid. "Just vote Democrat" was the mantra – hit one button and you're done. To me, that represents a blind loyalty. A candidate cannot be judged on their party affiliation alone.
To me, independents are individuals who want a more in-depth explanation of where a candidate stands. These are people who stand on principles, not a platform of a particular party.
I've heard independent voters referred to as "noncommitted" or "don't know what they want" and "lacking loyalty." I believe the opposite is true. It's not a cure-all, but I believe independents make candidates give more detail to their plans and goals. You can't sing the party chant and dazzle an independent. They want to know the whys and wherefores.
Whatever happened to the citizen politician? Now they are nonexistent. How many millions of dollars are spent just on campaigns? Votes are bought, not directly, but through the bombardment of radio, TV and print ads. Campaigning is a business. As soon as you win, you start planning the next campaign. If there were fewer "career" politicians, we might have better representation of the populace. Work on principles, not personalities.
— Mike Dineen, Florida
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Political parties should be abolished. Set voters free | Your Turn
