Greg Orman - A Declaration of Independents: How We Can Break the Two-Party Stranglehold and Restore the American Dream

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This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press

Austin, Texas

www.gbgpress.com

Copyright 2016 Greg Orman

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by Greenleaf Book Group

For ordering information or special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Greenleaf Book Group at PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709, 512.891.6100.

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group and Kim Lance

Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group and Kim Lance

Cover image: Thinkstock/iStock Collection/orderfinishedart

Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-62634-332-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-62634-333-7

Part of the Tree Neutral program, which offsets the number of trees consumed in the production and printing of this book by taking proactive steps, such as planting trees in direct proportion to the number of trees used: www.treeneutral.com

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

16 17 18 19 20 21 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First Edition

For my daughter, Imogen, who inspires me every day.

CONTENTS

OPENING ARGUMENT
Reclaiming Our Birthright

A NATURAL-BORN INDEPENDENT
Growing up in the middle in middle America

MY PATH TO POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE
How thinking like an entrepreneur opened up a new political vision

AN INDEPENDENT RUN
Campaigning for the Senate; fighting the Washington establishment

THE NEW AMERICAN CRISIS
The consequences of the failure of the two-party system

WHY WASHINGTON DOESNT WORK
The structural changes that have led to gridlock

SELLING THE PARTY LINE (AND DIVIDING AMERICA)
How Republicans and Democrats have brainwashed their bases

THE RISE OF WEAPONIZED PARTISANSHIP
How D.C. dysfunction has polarized and paralyzed half of America

THE TRIUMPH OF CRONY CAPITALISM
How special interests get their piece of the $4 trillion U.S. government pie

THE MISINFORMATION AGE
The way the media reinforces the false choices of the two-party system

RIGGING THE GAME
How the political Duopoly avoids accountability and ensures its continued dominance over the American public

ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
An Independent approach to achieving common ground on guns, abortion, immigration, and a whole lot of other issues

THE INDEPENDENTS DIFFERENCE
A common sense approach to transforming Washington

CLOSING ARGUMENT
Declare Your Independence! Thinking and voting like an Independent

OPENING ARGUMENT

Reclaiming Our Birthright

AT THE DAWN OF the 1960s, President John F. Kennedy dared this nation to commit itself to exploring the moon. Asking his fellow citizens to meet this huge challenge, JFK invoked the inspirational words of one of the earliest American political leaders, William Bradford. A Pilgrim and an immigrant, Bradford served as governor of what is now Massachusetts. Speaking in 1630 of the founding of the Plymouth Bay Colony, he declared that all great challenges are accompanied with great difficulties, and both must be overcome with answerable courage.

We choose to undertake such awesome efforts as conquering space, Kennedy said, not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Americans of Kennedys generation were stirred by the presidents boldness. And their representatives in Congressof both political partiesled the way in accepting the presidents call.

That wouldnt happen today. Despite scientific advancements that the early astronauts could only dream of, our broken politics wont allow such unity of purpose.

In the twenty-first century, official Washington bickers over how to make nineteenth-century modes of transportation safe. After the May 12, 2015, Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, the victims bodies were not yet removed from the wreckage when congressional Republicans began whittling Amtraks budget. At the same time, Democrats accused Republicans of killing Americans in their zeal for spending cuts.

You have no ideano ideawhat caused this accident [so] dont use this tragedy that way! Idaho Republican Representative Mike Simpson admonished New York Democratic Representative Steve Israel. It was beneath you, Simpson said, to use the Amtrak tragedy to make a political point.

Actually, no matter what Simpson and Israel might say, most of what passes for discourse in our nations capital these days is beneath the men and women who represent us in Washington. Nor is whats happening in Congress intended to help the country. Its political theater meant to persuade voters back home that their representatives are fighting the good fight on some hot button partisan issue, or highlighting the virtues of one party over the other. It leads nowhere. In placing the interests of their respective parties ahead of the interests of our country, our elected officials have descended into political tribalism and put our country at risk.

This must change. Put plainly, our elected officials are not independent-minded enough. And independence from the party line, from the special interests that control both major political parties through campaign cash, and from extremists who control each partys primary processthats what this country needs to move forward.

Together, Republicans and Democrats form a ruling duopoly that keeps itself in power by protecting the status quo. Although the two political parties are forever at each others throats, they really work in tandem to divide the electorate along partisan lines and distract it from the failings of the ruling elite in Washington. Theyve spent their time and treasure convincing Americans that we are far more different and divided than we actually are. They keep this creaky, corrupt system operational by encouraging Americans to be unhappy with each other. And we are unhappywith them.

Americans are getting wise to the duopolys collusion. According to data compiled by Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz, a stunning number of Americans now think our politics is rigged. In 1964, the percentage of U.S. voters who agreed with the statement that government is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves was 29 percent. In 2012, it was 79 percent.

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