Middle path moderate party could mend partisan politics problem

This week I am going to talk about a party. No, not one of those lame parties you went to last Friday at which you stood against the wall drinking beer or urine — you’re not sure exactly what — and listened to that overplayed rap song you have heard 50 million times.

I am going to talk about a political party. No, not the donkey one or the elephant one, but a new political party.

I can just imagine you thinking, “A new political party? That’s about as un-American as socialized health care!” But our country is in dire need of a brand spanking new party.

This new party I speak of doesn’t need to be anything radical or unfamiliar. Believe it or not, there are actually a few sound-minded senators and congressmen in Washington, D.C. Think Arizona Senator John McCain, the Democrats’ favorite Republican. These “moderates,” as they like to be called, need to realize that they do not need their hateful, spiteful and unethical partisan companions in the blue-and-red world to survive. In any case, these partisans just pull moderates into the black hole of the likes of Jack Abramoff.

So this is what should happen: Two well-known moderates, a Republican and a Democrat, should join together, create a distinct and explicit platform, announce it to their fellow moderates and let the fun begin.

First, this party would respect life without exceptions, opposing both the death penalty and abortion. Second, this party would respect the Constitution with every drop of its blood. That would mean a law is a law, even if the president is from its party. Third, the party would pass a health care bill for all Americans, citizen or not. Finally, the party would listen to the generals running the war in Iraq. If they need more troops, it would send them more troops. But every move we make would be made to get the hell out of there as fast as we can. These would be policies for mainstream Americans from a mainstream party.

This new party needs to be unequivocal about its position. Its members would need to realize they cannot please everyone. But if they were pragmatic, they would rule and rule well. Of course, their positions would not satisfy everyone. For me, they would be a little too conservative, and for others perhaps a little too liberal. But I would rather have someone from the center in power than a law-circumventing rich man’s puppet.

That’s it: Respect life, the well-being of Americans and the Constitution, and when you fight a war, think before you do something stupid. Oh, and don’t lie to your country. All we need is someone in Washington, D.C. to be as tough and courageous as they think they are.

How hard could that be? Let’s get this party started.

Apoorva Shah is a Sid Richardson College sophomore.

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