Government of the People?

Why does it seem that government defines people? Whatever happened to people defining their government? Today's political parties have helped define a generation of insecure weasels.

These days it seems like we Americans define ourselves as reflections of our government. We say 'I am a Democrat' or 'I am a Republican' likely because belonging to a political party somehow affirms our beliefs and connects us to something bigger than ourselves. Yet the problem with this is how easy it becomes to let others decide what we believe. If, for example, I've decided I'm a Republican because of one particular issue, it almost becomes a license to not have to think about the other issues. I can say, 'I'm a Republican, and Republicans believe X, so by proxy I must believe X too.'

This is why I don't like politcal parties; people stop thinking and deciding for themselves what they actually believe and hitch themselves to something bigger. I understand why this happens, really I do. It's easier. It's reaffirming. We get to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. For these reasons alone, politcal parties will never go away. Not to mention the power in numbers achieved with politcal parties. Anyone looking for an edge decides they must have the backing of a 'powerful' party. Just look at McCain. The Republicans he once shunned are now his 'biggest supporters'. That's why I say politcal parties are for insecure weasels - insecure because they don't believe they can win without a party and weasels because they're looking for an edge and end up betraying their own beliefs.

Another problem with politcal parties in America is that there are effectively only two to choose from. A or B. Right or Left. If you lean toward the right, you get stuck with the rest of the Republican baggage. If you lean toward the left, you get stuck with the rest of the Democratic baggage. And if you haven't noticed, both sides carry a whole lot of baggage.

Shouldn't it be the other way around? Shouldn't we say, 'This is what I believe, so this is how I vote' instead of 'This is how I vote, so this is what I believe'? What if we actually decided on individual issues ourselves? What if we only elected our representatives based on their personal positions on issues? What if politcal parties didn't exist? Could we actually again have government of the people, by the people? Could we actually again have faith in our leadership? Why not try for yourself?