Ever since she took office, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) has been making waves by refusing to allow herself to be crammed into a partisan box. Even before she left the Democratic Party, she asserted her independence as a politician, much to the consternation of her fellow Democrats.
During a recent interview, Sinema rejected the idea that she might join the Republican Party after formally becoming an Independent in 2022. She acknowledged that devotion to partisanship is not helping the country.
During an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Sinema expressed her disillusionment with party affiliation, stating that she is “absolutely” finished with it as she contemplates running for Senate again in 2024.
She criticized both major parties for becoming increasingly extreme and moving away from the center where cooperation and common ground can be found. Sinema emphasized the importance of setting aside partisanship to accomplish meaningful work and urged for a celebration of differences within democracy.
In the interview, the host asked if Sinema would ever consider joining up with the GOP. “No,” she said. “You don’t go from one broken party to another.”
The senator continued:
One of the unfortunate things that’s happening in Arizona, and we see this in other parts of the country as well, is that the two political parties have gotten more and more extreme. They’ve moved away from that center of working together and finding that common ground, and they’re going toward the fringes because that’s where the money is, and that’s where the attention is, and that’s where the likes on Twitter are, and that’s where you get the clicks and the accolades.
Sinema’s decision to distance herself from party affiliation highlights an overall dissatisfaction with the current political climate, characterized by growing polarization. She rightly noted that parties have become more extreme in pursuit of financial support, attention, and social media validation, ultimately hindering progress in Congress.
“I hope that that demonstrates to Arizona and to America that our system works better when we put down the partisanship, when we seek to find the common ground,” the lawmaker added.
Sinema isn’t wrong, but she is missing the bigger picture.
It is not the two parties that are broken. It’s the entire system, especially at the federal level.
The notion that the Republican and Democratic parties have contributed to breaking the political system reflects the broader sentiment that the entire system is toxic. While it is true that both parties have engaged in behaviors that have exacerbated polarization and hindered effective governance, it is important to recognize that the problems extend beyond individual parties. The brokenness of the system can be attributed to a combination of factors, including money in politics, gerrymandering, and the fact that both parties work together to expand the influence of government.
The influence of money in politics has been a significant contributor to the brokenness of the system under which Americans live. The overwhelming presence of corporate interests and wealthy donors has created a system where financial influence often outweighs the voices and concerns of ordinary citizens.
This dynamic has led to a loss of faith in elected officials to represent the broader population and make decisions that prioritize the public good. The concentration of power in the hands of a privileged few undermines the fundamental principles of liberty and fosters a sense of disillusionment among citizens. What has become abundantly apparent is that the state caters more to the interests of corporations and the elites than we, the people.
Gerrymandering provides another example. Both Republicans and Democrats have used gerrymandering to their advantage, manipulating district boundaries to secure their own political power. This practice leads to the creation of safe seats and reduces competition, effectively disenfranchising voters and limiting the choices available to them. It is one of the most brazen examples showing that the two parties care nothing for the desires of the people they are charged with governing.
But here’s a twist, dear reader.
Is the system we are subjected to truly broken, or is it functioning exactly as intended? History and the present state of things show that the latter is true. Under Republicans and Democrats, the federal government has become a bloated authoritarian mass with corruption flowing through its veins. Democrats tell us that a more powerful government can ensure that we can live successful lives as long as we depend more on the state. Republicans tell us they will fight against the machinations of the left as they try to make the government more intrusive.
The only difference between the two can be found in the lies they tell. Democrats aren’t growing the government because it will help us. They are doing it because they want to control us. Republicans have no intention of doing much to combat this. Indeed, they run on a liberty-minded platform but govern like Diet Democrats when they get into office. It is all going according to plan. The system is not broken. It is working just as intended, just not in our favor.
