Whatever news source you choose, it separates the political philosophies into Red States and Blue States. While it is true that the country is divided like this, it doesn’t represent the true nature of the United States: we’re all a bunch of Independents.

It has always bothered me that in a country with millions of Independents, we are forced to choose between two incompetent parties: what I see as the corrupt Republican Party, and the “we have some good ideas, but don’t really feel like sharing them” Democratic Party. While far-right people will enjoy the Republican Party, and confused leftists will fit into the Democratic Party, where do the rest of us go?

Both parties tend to forget that while the two basic philosophies are right-wing and left-wing, there are a ton of spin-off factions. Where do libertarians go? Where do socialists go? The answer: random third parties that don’t have a snowball’s chance of getting elected outside of a statehouse or mayoral position (and even that doesn’t have much better than a snowball’s chance).

What this country needs is a new political party, one whose sole purpose is to show Washington that the two major parties do not represent the majority of Americans. This party will run moderates, socialists, libertarians, pretty much anyone who feels disenfranchised. It is my belief that if a party like this can succeed, and I believe it will in the near future, then we will see a rise in other parties, and greater acceptance of them. Congress could be split between three or more parties, while the President is a member of none. That is true democracy.

This country needs to understand that our democracy is severely limited thanks to the Republican and Democratic parties. A rise in a third party is needed, for the good of democracy.