A New Narrative for American Politics

To understand America’s two parties, you must first understand what they are not. They are not, as is often believed, bound by a common ideology. Neither the Democrats, nor the Republicans have a manifesto, or 10-point agenda for America. Even the Republican’s Contract with America, as history so eloquently proved, was hardly the holy writ of Republican ideology.

America’s two main parties are best understood as massive, dynamic power blocks. Though these blocks go by the names “republicans” and “democrats”; their names are hardly relevant.

These blocks are comprised of various business, social, and ideological interests that flow freely between the two parties over the course of decades. For example, Republicans often claim they are “the party of Lincoln”. Yet, the party of Lincoln, the “Republicans” was largely a pro-abolition coalition centered in the north. Where as today’s Republican party is largely supported by evangelical southerners who’ve united around the advancement of regressive social policy[1]. Though the abolitionists may be the great grand cousins of the abolitionists, I’d argue they are the grand children of the prohibitionists. In addition, the “yellow dog” Democrats, which defected to the Republican party during the great social movements of the 50s and 60s, represent a blatant pro-KKK demography. To put it another way, the very Democrats whose political roots are the opposition of abolition are now Republicans. “Party of Lincoln” my ass.

What this all boils down to is a suggestion for the political press. Its time we toss away this narrative of “republicans vs. democrats”. Simplifying American politics down to a battle of two sides has an effect of both making the electorate stupid, and allowing the corporate, quasi-fascist interests that finance BOTH parties to burn and loot our beloved country. So instead of calling a politician a “republican senator”, why not call him a “a politician who is heavily backed by evangelical interests, and big business.” I’ll leave it up to the audience to decide which label better explains this hypothetical senators voting record.

I envision an era in which politicians are not defined by party, but rather by the interests that allowed them to rise to power. Unlike creating third parties, reforming our electoral system, or even campaign finance, this reform does not require much. All it requires is a political press that is willing to – dare I say – tell the full truth about candidates. This reform can come about two ways: 1) either the political press shapes up, 2) or a “new press” emerges and rises to the challenge. I suspect a few members of this new press are already beginning to fulfill their sacred duty to America’s common good.