[Goose]

While I totally agree that there are "better" and "worse" types of governmental organizations in a democracy, if party politics becomes the raison d'être of our elected officials, no matter how organized, our government will fail. Simple as that. Right now, that is where we are. The two parties are all about power, not at all about what is best for the nation. Every single one of them. They may not start out that way, but by the time they have been in government for a year, they are "converted". Little compromises in the name of party become big ones. We need to change the people we are electing.

Problem is, very few "good" people want to run for office these days. The politics and political sniping by the media has convinced them they can't be effective. Even if somebody persists and tries to run, the party faithful insist on a "reliable" candidate, i.e. somebody who cares more about them selves and their position in the party than doing the people's work. Occasionally, you get somebody who rises above all that. I put Obama (with whom I disagree on most issues) in that category. The system basically defeated him. This dearth of people who are above party is "the swamp". The perception that this is the case is what elected Trump. People were desperate for somebody who wasn't just a politician. That didn't work either because Trump is, well, Trump. IMHO it was obvious that was the case from the beginning, but I think lots of people were so desperate they were willing to try literally anything.

So unless and until we have people who are not controlled by political factors, we will have a government that does not serve the nation well. The only way to correct that situation is to get a different set of people elected who are not in it for political power or because the party chose them. I have no idea how to make that happen.

[Goose]

While I totally agree that there are "better" and "worse" types of governmental organizations in a democracy, if party politics becomes the raison d'être of our elected officials, no matter how organized, our government will fail. Simple as that. Right now, that is where we are. The two parties are all about power, not at all about what is best for the nation. Every single one of them. They may not start out that way, but by the time they have been in government for a year, they are "converted". Little compromises in the name of party become big ones. We need to change the people we are electing.

Problem is, very few "good" people want to run for office these days. The politics and political sniping by the media has convinced them they can't be effective. Even if somebody persists and tries to run, the party faithful insist on a "reliable" candidate, i.e. somebody who cares more about them selves and their position in the party than doing the people's work. Occasionally, you get somebody who rises above all that. I put Obama (with whom I disagree on most issues) in that category. The system basically defeated him. This dearth of people who are above party is "the swamp". The perception that this is the case is what elected Trump. People were desperate for somebody who wasn't just a politician. That didn't work either because Trump is, well, Trump. IMHO it was obvious that was the case from the beginning, but I think lots of people were so desperate they were willing to try literally anything.

So unless and until we have people who are not controlled by political factors, we will have a government that does not serve the nation well. The only way to correct that situation is to get a different set of people elected who are not in it for political power or because the party chose them. I have no idea how to make that happen.