In response to Jonah Goldberg’s opinion in Perspective, Goldberg has it right. Political parties are doomed, because they are, by their very nature, divisive. None of them can unify anything as big as a city or country. They are destined to become temporary unifiers against some other perceived threat, made larger in an attempt to energize voters and constantly creating us vs. them situations as a result. We are at a point in history where political parties have gone as far as they can.
When we wonder where all of the good candidates are, we notice that only those interested in gaining more power, money and control run for office. Our current government by the rich and for the rich is an example. Legislative heroes are quitting government in frustration and disgust or not even running to prevent their lives and their families from being dragged through the muck of the political process.
Power needs to come back to the local electorate without the taint of politics. What could that look like? If a local governing board were to be elected from the pool of all of the city residents and by universal participation of all adults in the city as voters with no political advertising, how would one know whom to vote for? Those who had selflessly and honestly done the most for the city would be the ones elected.
The news media would shift to search out those kinds of positive stories instead of focusing on who broke what legal or moral law. True heroes would rise to the top, and those who did not seek a position would be chosen for their character.
Our cities, states and country would change for the better.
— Mary Hansen, Northbrook
