So what's stopping you?

Gallup releases yet another measure of America's discontent:

A majority of Americans want a third major party, a new Gallup poll found. Marking the highest point in the Gallup poll’s ten-year history, 60% of Americans said they think Democrats and Republicans aren’t doing “an adequate job of representing the American people” and do “such a poor job that a third major party is needed.” The poll surveyed 1,028 adults from Oct. 3-6, just days into a federal government shutdown that has lasted a full two weeks. Just 26% of Americans said the country’s two major parties were representing Americans.

Interesting. The trend in recent years has been for more people to identify themselves as "independent" or "moderate" rather than Republican or Democrat. So if the parties are doing such a poor job, why are they still in power? Because they've subverted the entire system, much like a virus infects a host in order to produce more copies of itself.

I defy anyone to find in the Constitution any provision for such exalted Congressional positions as "Majority Whip." Congressmen who hold these partisan-related positions do so extra-Constitutionally... though that doesn't stop them from pocketing a little extra salary along with the power perks. The parties use the power of government to reinforce their own power through gerrymandering, ballot access provisions and a host of other tricks that prevent the emergence of "peer competitors."

That's why simply creating a new party isn't the answer. Not only is it difficult to get the many disparate, disaffected citizens to rally under the same banner (something the Dems and Reps count on), the insinuation of party politics into governance is part of the problem itself.

"But," the critics say, "the machinery couldn't function without parties." Nonsense. Parties have gained in power because the average, individual American is more desirous of a leader than they are of freedom of action. It's hard to sort out the issues, become informed, and vote for a candidate. Far easier to go by "the brand"... even if that brand has become rather stale of late.

In other words, the solution to this, as with most all of our pressing national issues, is this: ...for Americans to get off the couches, turn off "Dancing with the Stars," get involved and actually BE the engaged citizenry that a representative government requires.

Want real change? NO INCUMBENTS, PLEASE!