The Two-Party System Must Go

Does anyone remember the McCain-Feingold Act of 2002? That bipartisan bill, co-sponsored by one conservative Republican and one liberal-leaning Democrat, was designed to reduce the use of soft-money by political parties.

How about the No Child Left Behind Act? That law was another far-reaching piece of legislation that was supported by both Republicans and Democrats. It had the support of both business leaders and civil rights groups.

Some of us are even old enough to remember the friendship and cooperation between Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic House Speaker Tip O’Neil. Chris Matthews even wrote a book about the two men and the way they managed to argue and disagree yet still respect each other. It was a time, Matthews wrote, “when politics worked.”

Now fast forward to today.

Can you even imagine both of our political parties sitting down to address any serious issue facing our country?

Ever since Mitch McConnell famously announced that his goal as the leader of the Republican-controlled Senate was to “make Obama a one-term President”, the proverbial handwriting has been on the wall.

Under John Boehner, Republicans vowed that there would be “no compromise” with Democrats on healthcare, spending, or taxes.