Someday – when Americans come to their senses – there will no longer be political parties.

Party politics have devastated the landscape of nearly all levels of government since day one, and the trend seems endless.

Let’s take a hint from John Lennon’s song “Imagine.” Imagine there’s no political parties, a land where elected individuals stood on their own two feet without worshiping the idols of the bully machines, where the vote of the public is not controlled by vestiges of evil, corruption, and greed which political parties have grown to represent.

Elected officials these days do bidding for their party, not the public. Just ask anyone who has witnessed the machinations of public policy turn into gridlock. The Republicans do it this way; the Democrats do it that way. The Greens, Libertarians, and other political groupings are left in the cold.

All are assigned a code, or a name, or a party by which their policies must track. To diverge could spell political suicide—a compromise toward party allegiance is their only answer in today’s world.

Several years ago this writer served as a mayor in a small Texas community. Political parties were part of the Federal, State, and County governments. You ran in the primaries labeled as to party, then ran again in the general election, usually Democrat vs. Republican. However, in local government this did not apply. You ran as an individual, or an independent candidate.

During the mayoral term, nobody was labeled a Democrat or Republican. The individuals serving stood on their own two feet and voted however they wished on issues. The body consisted of both Democrats and Republicans in the broad sense, but these monikers were never mentioned at the meetings. There were no smoke-filled sections where group factions tried to rule. For the most part, it was a successful way of conducting the public’s business. Conservatives might approve a liberal initiative and liberals might take a conservative stand, depending upon the wishes of the voters. It worked quite well.

Unfortunately, today most federal and state candidates are chosen by corporations or lobbyists who dictate our country’s future, usually out of greed. The doctrines of democracy are skewed and the general public is screwed due to the overwhelming influence of party machines that redefine the character, abilities, and mindset of elected officials. They are brainwashed, to put it bluntly.

Imagine, if you will, an election whereby the first act of each newly elected office holder is to resign from the political party that put them there, to become a tool of the general public instead. What if Trump upon election had resigned from the Republican party and said his was a movement for the people, not the party, that he welcomed input from everyone?

Didn’t happen, and probably no elected official has the guts to do so, primarily because they are already bought and paid for.

But here’s wishing.

–W. Leon Smith