Good Afternoon, Hap
I started by focusing on the flaws in party politics so we can identify the problems we need to correct. I'll respond from that perspective.
re: "I can only express my appreciation for the system of governance that our forefathers have invented and modified as required by changing circumstances".
I doubt that any good citizen would disagree with that sentiment. This discussion is to determine if some modification is "required by changing circumstances".
re: "for example in every election there are many people seeking offices -- many of them unknown to me and who and what do they stand for is unknown to most voters"
You are correct. As a matter of fact, that is the fundamental point. Not only are they and what they stand for unknown to most voters ... worse, we and our fellow-citizens have no influence on who the candidates are. Some will argue that you can have an influence by participating in party caucuses and primaries. That is flawed logic because, to participate, you must commit, in advance, to support a "party". When you make such a commitment, you don't know who you are committing to support and you automatically exclude the majority of potential candidates ... those not committed to your party ... regardless of their qualifications ... from your consideration.
re: "if they have a D or R or I, it gives a clue as to where they fit in the political process"
Perhaps, but it tells you nothing about the character or the ability of the candidate. It is more a sop to the thoughtless than a guide to the thoughtful.
In my state, in the recent election, we had two candidates for Senator. One had an "R" which stigmatized him as an advocate of the suppression of human rights. The other had a "D" and is known to be unethical. Neither was fit to serve in the Senate of the United States, but we voters had no choice but to vote for one or the other ... or not vote at all.
Nothing in our Constitution supports such a travesty.
re: "But the mainstay of our political system is that every politician is watched over by a free press dedicated to exposing wrongs --"
That is less true today than it was historically. At one time every village had its own newspaper, providing information of value to the people of the community. Those papers are long gone, replaced by monoliths whose interests run counter to the interest of the community.
Furthermore, it will always be better to prevent the candidacy of deceitful representatives than to try and identify and expose them after they've achieved positions of power.
re: "it is a system that allows for changes in political power without bloodshed -- and allows any citizen the opportunity to become president/senator/representative ... if he/she desires"
As to the first part, that is what I'm trying to accomplish ... "changes in political power without bloodshed".
As to the second, I disagree: No citizen has the opportunity to become president/senator/representative unless he/she first sells his/her soul to a political party. The last who was able to retain his integrity was Dwight David Eisenhower ... because the party needed him more then he needed the party ... an unusual circumstance.
Fred
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