Does America Need (Another) Third Party? Not Left. Not Right. The Forward Party!

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, and former Republican New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman have formed a new political party in America. Not left. Not right. FORWARD! The new “Forward Party” has been created to appeal to millions of Americans they say are dismayed with what they see as America’s dysfunctional two-party system. Currently, you’re either a Republican Elephant or a Democratic Donkey. Republican Elephants are often portrayed as panicky creatures that are constantly lumbering off in the wrong direction, their size more of a liability than an asset. On the other hand, a Democratic Donkey is a stubborn animal that doesn’t want to change its position for anybody, no matter how much chaos that creates. American politics has become one big, messy menagerie – a circus if you will, where you either vote for a right-leaning elephant, or a left-leaning donkey. Voting for any other animal is seen as a wasted vote!

That’s why Andrew Yang co-founded the Forward Party, which is a merger of the Renew America Movement, represented by some kind of sheep-like creature, the Serve America Movement, led by former Republican David Jolly of Florida, and the Forward Party created by Yang. The party state that, “Political extremism is ripping the US apart, and the two major parties have failed to remedy the crisis. America has an increasingly polarised and gridlocked political system. Today’s outdated parties have failed by catering to the fringes. As a result, most Americans feel they are not represented. The United States badly needs a new political party — one that reflects the moderate, common-sense majority”. FORWARD!

On their website, they state three priorities. They promise to, “FREE PEOPLE: Revitalise a culture that celebrates difference and individual choice, rejects hate, and removes barriers so that each of us can rise to our full potential”. They promise, “THRIVING COMMUNITIES: Reinvigorate a fair, flourishing economy and open society where everyone can live a good life and is safe in the places where we learn, work, and live”, and “VIBRANT DEMOCRACY: Reform our republic to give Americans more choices in elections, more confidence in a government that works, and more say in our future”.

With news of the new party, public reaction was swift. Many Donkeys on Twitter were worried that if people started voting for the Forward Party, this might siphon votes away from the Donkeys helping the Elephants to gain power. The opposite was also true, with Elephants worried that the new party will siphon votes away from the Elephants helping the Donkeys to gain power. In the end, they all just agreed that Elephants voting for Elephants and Donkeys voting for Donkeys was the safest route and that they’d better not try to change the status quo. Yeah, American politics is messed up, but how would we cope with a non-Elephant, non-Donkey leader?

How about you? Is America doomed to forever have a dysfunctional two-party system? Would you ever vote for some kind of non-Donkey/non-Elephant hybrid? Would you ever vote for the Forward Party? Will that save the menagerie that is America?

MUSIC
The Star Spangled Banner by The U.S. Army Band
Star Spangled Banner by Cooper Cannell

#forward #ForwardParty #AndrewYang #ChristineToddWhitman