Ending the Gridlock

thomas vance Published:

The major complaint among the citizenry about their government nowadays has been, why can’t Democrats and Republicans work together to get things done? It seems the acrimony between the two rises ever higher. Extreme political factions, calling for no quarter when it comes to working together have practically shut down any progress on the country’s problems.

There is a solution to this problem and it lies with the electorate. The voters can end the gridlock simply and easily by voting and when they do, voting a straight party ticket. The outcome of such a vote would clearly show the direction the majority of the voters want the country to take. As voters we vote not for a general direction or plan but let our votes become diluted over class or religion or small issues. The division created lessens the force of our vote, and all we are left with are petty squabbling politicians with no eye toward the country as a whole, only the country as defined by their petty issues.

Kentucky is a good example. Among registered voters Democrats outnumber the Republicans by almost a half million, yet Kentucky is considered a Republican State. That is only possible if voters either don’t vote, which should be considered shameful, or voters split their vote between Democratic and Republican candidates. A sure recipe for a gridlocked government, which is what we have had lo these many years! It is for certain that as long as voters split their votes the squabbling will continue.

Maybe this could be the year when voters will recognize the importance of their vote and that the ability to end this stalemate lies with them. Instead of sending a blurry picture of what we want to our legislators to do, hopefully we will put small issues aside and vote a straight party ticket no matter what your party of choice is. The outcome of such a vote might not only surprise us but it might actually move the country forward. We’ve tried everything else, why not?

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  • Hugh, you are right, I am really wanting to see this Republican Tea Party extinguished. The Tea Party is our very own version of the Taliban, and they have their own version of extremism that can best be compared to sharia law. This has no place in a representative democracy.

  • What you are really wanting is an end to the two-party system....this wouldn't be an issue if people always agreed on everything. But, that's not the world we live in. I for one am glad we live in a world where people have different points of view and are allowed to share them. It IS disappointing when someone cannot just concede and stand aside when their opinion is obviously not popular and not what the ruling majority wants. McConnell is notorious for rallying his party and filibuster. There is an old joke that says, "Since PRO is the opposite of CON, then CONgress is the opposite of PROgress." One problem we have with a representative government is the fact that the majority of healthy, able-bodied voters are between 18-45 and yet we elect fossils like McConnell to represent us. He still thinks coal is the 'future'. LOL. Another problem is they take NO input from the people they are paid to represent. They just take input from the highest bidder. When was the last time a representative called you and wanted your opinion? Took a poll of his electorate? I am going to guess "never". ****, if you send them a letter, you won't even get a personal reply.

  • Blaming the stalemate in Congress on the Democrats is ridiculous, when 4 years ago the Republican Party publicly stated that its number one priority was not JOBS, but to make Barack Obama a one term President...and then threw the country under the bus to do so. ................................................................................................................................................................................................ The real problem is that most Kentuckians are lazy and underinformed voters, who have traditionally been a sucker for the empty populist slogan and consistently vote against their own economic slef-interest. It has been this way for a LOOOOONG time and there are few indicators that would give hope for a change. Don't take my word for it, just look at how long that they have been sending Senator Mitch McConnell (and Jim Bunning had to retire to end his career) to Washington to represent the rich Mac Daddies' interest at the expense of the middle class! These Repubicans have been blatantly taking YOUR money and giving it to the rich, all the while promising that some of it will trickle back to you...which is partly true (like a golden shower). Then these same numb skulls voted in Rand Paul after Bunning left! Where is it going to end? Really! YOU have not tried everything else...try educating yourself and voting smart for a change! WARNING!!!! This may require that you vote out an incumbent every now and then.

  • The problem is the politicians pander to the right or left extremes in this country, which leaves people with more moderate views(like me) left with a decision of not 'who will do the most good' but 'who will do the least bad'.

  • I tend to agree with the author. If we don't vote, the choices are made by the others who do vote.