If you belong to the Democratic or Republican Party, you cannot claim to be a true American. You have joined a cult. Voting for a candidate solely because he or she is a member of one party is not only ignorant, it guarantees that our nation’s government will be corrupt and a failure. Believing in the fear and hatred espoused by a political candidate is a display of ignorance. The last fifteen years have proven that party loyalty is destructive to the American way of life. The principles upon which our nation was founded are disintegrating. Unsubstantiated fear has replaced the courage, hope, and understanding which once made our nation great.

I am unable to understand why any clear-thinking individual would favor one party over another. They are basically the same. They make promises, but when elected fail to make efforts to keep those promises. They want your vote, but post-election they do nothing for you; they ‘work’ for themselves.

Talk is cheap, and the rhetoric in campaigns today is mostly offensive to intelligent men and women. Not a single issue important to the American people has been discussed by the GOP. There are plenty of attacks and lots of loud voices, all designed to incur fear, hatred, and even violence.

Democrats will fail to nominate the person which would actually change our nation and place the control of government back in the hands of the majority. Because he has used the word ‘socialism,’ his opponents have aligned the term with communism, which is completely erroneous. Bernie Sanders would ‘take back America,’ and not for the wealthy and their political stooges; for the people.

Washington has forgotten the very words which begin the Constitution of the United States.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The people are the United States of America, not our failed government.

Independents believe in the principles of our nation, and the rights of all men guaranteed by our founding fathers. We do not idolize ‘false prophets,’ better known as politicians, who seek office not to serve the American people, but to rule over us.

I have no need to name names in this article; we know those who lie to their supporters and seek an even more divided nation. Caesar said “divide and conquer,” and this is exactly what has intentionally happened to our nation.

It is time for the people to unite and defeat our real enemies; Democrats and Republicans. For far too long we have allowed them to take actions opposed by the majority. Democracy no longer exists in any form within our nation. Politicians have replaced it with an oligarchy, and if one party gains complete control in Washington it will become a plutocracy.

Democratic Socialism is an ideal which is fair to all Americans; not just for the one-percent. Capitalism always creates greed and apathy for mankind. It eventually fails the majority in favor of special interests.

Working class America has a right to share in the wealth of our nation. Fair wages and benefits are not a huge demand. It is unforgivable that our legislators have enormous wealth, the best health care in the world, and retirement benefits far superior to those they were elected to serve. They should depend on social security and Medicare and be treated equally with the voting public.

You must vote in 2016; but you must vote intelligently, and not for the letter next to a candidate’s name. The future is in your hands. Deny ‘red’ and ‘blue’ states, and refuse to live in fear. For hundreds of years America symbolized hope and freedom. Take off the shackles of lies and deception and seek the truth. Your politicians do not care about you, and you must face the truth. United we stand, divided, the politicians win.

If you agree with me, please repost. Thank you.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Photo Courtesy of Chuck Coker

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