Political Parties are Like Cable Channels

Political parties are like cable channels -- you have to buy the whole package, there is no menu of options from which to choose. If you buy basic cable, you are required to receive the home shopping network and the Spanish language stations even if you never watch them. If you speak Spanish, you still have to buy the English-language stations. In politics, the lesser of two evils becomes the only choice the voter has, in spite of the official party platform which may encompass a single position on a cornucopia of issues. Say the voter, for example, dislikes the health care reform package, but thinks that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are wrong. Who to vote for? Or say the voter thinks torts are an effective remedy to rein in illegal business practices, but also believes in unrestricted gun ownership.

Back when McCain or Obama were the only entrees on the presidential menu, independent voters had to weigh, for example, the thought that McCain would declare war on Iran and "refused to parlay" with enemies against Obama's support of mental health screenings like "teen screen" that would allow government to trump parents' authority over their children (both stupid and arrogant ideas in my opinion). Well, under the "lesser of two evils" we got Obama and the "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" medical program.

This exclusivity has led to many of the aberrations in our political system. Third party candidates -- or even moderates in both major parties -- are vehemently opposed by whichever party will lose votes, and encouraged by the party which has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Look at the venom unleashed against Ralph Nader, Ross Perot and Ron Paul by various people and parties. As long as they remain a tiny slice of voters, they can be ignored. But let them gain some footing, as did Perot, and the reds and blues turn purple in their animosity.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry a while back called moderates "the mushy middle" -- obviously preferring extremists whose views are totally polarized and therefore easier for the unwashed to understand in quick sound bytes. Right now, the extremists have it, from Sarah Palin to Barack Obama.

So is there a solution to extremist politics? According to Governor Schwarzenegger there is. On a recent Jay Leno show, he claimed that politicizing the redistricting process creates purely red and blue districts that promote far-right and far-left candidates. Schwarzenegger is promoting a non-partisan redistricting commission that will provide more balanced representation and thus more moderate candidates that will better represent the bulk of voters. Try getting that bit of democracy through the polarized California Legislature....