Tens of millions of Americans have had enough of many things that America’s current political system represents, such as institutionalized and legalized corruption, nepotism, divisiveness, and career politicians. Democrats and Republicans are both guilty of perpetuating a terribly broken system, and neither of them appear to be interested in changing the way things are done in Washington. Whether Obama’s “Hope and Change” or Trump’s “Drain the Swamp” – the result has been more of the same way of doing business in Washington and not getting important things done.

Too many of our elected officials have forgotten who sent them to Washington and who they work for. They spend the majority of their time raising money for reelection. The Democrats have become the party of the Looney Left and the Republicans of the Religious Right. The spirit of bipartisanship, which was once the hallmark of our system of government, is dead. Special interest groups and lobbyists have tainted the system and run the show. Voter apathy is at an all-time high while voter participation is at an all-time low. Many Americans are completely alienated from their political system and its politicians.

America needs meaningful systemic change that truly shakes up the system, not more business as usual. It is time for the American people to take back their government from career politicians, lobbyists, special interests, and an elite who have gamed the system to their own advantage. If we continue to perpetuate this two-party system by voting for Democrats and Republicans, real change will never come to America, and we badly need it. While about 40% of the American voting public are Independent (more than either Democrats or Republicans), most vote for Democrat or Republican candidates, rather than Independent candidates. Independent parties have historically performed poorly in state and national elections, in part because Independent voters do not vote for them. Imagine what would happen if that were to change! Independent voters have the power (in numbers) to sway the course of elections. Who says that power should benefit either Democrats or Republicans?

Part of the issue is that Independent parties and candidates often represent the political fringe. No wonder they fail to attract large numbers of voters! What if large numbers of Independent voters created an independent party that rejected extremism on the Left and Right and embraced only centrist political views? And what if such a party accepted only candidates who have never before run for public office (meaning, they are not part of the broken system) and did not want to be part of the Democrat or Republican party?

If candidates for such a party agreed in advance to serve only one term, the immediate effect would be to strip the lobbyists and special interests of their ability to influence the way lawmakers from such a party voted, because those lawmakers would not need their money to get reelected. Such an approach would permit lawmakers to focus on what they were sent to Washington or State Houses to do: govern, rather than spend 80+% of their time raising money for their reelection, and perpetuating a corrupt political system.

Meaningful, significant change is not going to occur from within mainstream political parties in America; it will only occur from outside them. The party platform I would propose is based on all elected representatives subscribing to honesty, integrity, transparency, and (importantly) accountability for their action or inaction. If any elected representative in such a party failed to deliver what they say they will deliver, they would need to agree in advance to resign or be removed from office before their term is finished.

All such elected representatives would need to agree to adhere to the laws which they pass. Specifically, that such laws also apply to them. No health plans for themselves or their families that are different than what they pass into law for everyone else. A spirit of bipartisanship would be central to how such a party would function. The idea would be to bring fairness, honor, and dignity back to the offices in which they will serve, and to the people whom they serve.

How many of you have also had enough and agree with this basic, common sense platform? How many of you would join and support such a party? If there are enough of you out there, and we can raise sufficient funds, we can start a national movement to say we have all had enough!

If you agree, or you would be interested in helping to form a new political party, write to me at TheAmericanRevivalParty@gmail.com. Together, we can hope to make a difference.