The primary political parties of the United States — the Republican and Democratic Party — have ruined this country’s election system locally and nationally. 

Even in 1796, George Washington’s farewell speech warned United States citizens of the follies of a two-party system.

“(Political parties) are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion,” he said.

We see his prediction unfolding today.

The two-party system creates much inconsistency in policies, from the national level all the way down to local politics. 

Both parties want less crime, safer streets and overall, a higher quality of life. So why does it often feel like the two-party system alienates each side to the point they can’t agree on any of this? 

Economic policies between the two parties differ greatly. 

Democrats are in favor of providing more relief for middle- and low-income households, stating that it creates more economic growth because middle- and low-income households are more likely to spend money on necessities. 

Republicans primarily provide more relief for businesses and investors, stating that the more money companies have, the more demand for jobs there will be, providing economic growth.

Under Democratic or Republican leadership, at least one part of the social-class scale – lower, upper, and middle classes – can’t reap the benefits of a sound economy. This doesn’t make sense, since economic policies are flexible and can be adapted to benefit everybody.

The two parties also stifle debates for people whose beliefs don’t perfectly align with one singular party’s beliefs.

Republicans are more often than not, pro-Second Amendment, whereas Democrats want stricter gun ownership policies. Conversely, Democrats are in favor of abortion and other female reproductive rights, and Republicans tend to push for abortion restrictions and keep female reproductive rights hush-hush.

Both of these issues concern personal freedoms, but both parties have vastly different interpretations of what personal freedoms are.

What happens to those who are pro-choice and pro-Second Amendment, or vice-versa?

These people don’t have much-standing ground because their beliefs aren’t perfectly aligned with one party, forcing them to choose between one side of the political spectrum or the other. There needs to be more options for those whose beliefs don’t fall under a specific umbrella so that voters can truly vote for the candidate that best fits them.

It’s inconsistencies like these, especially when two parties are at the forefront of elections, that hurt the people the parties govern.

Alienation of certain candidates is more common when two parties dominate politics.

Kansas has had only one governor who wasn’t a Republican or Democrat. Former Gov. John Whitnah Leedy served from 1897-99 and was a member of the Populist Party, a third party that was dissolved in 1909. The 47 other governors of Kansas have all been Republican or Democrat.

The bottom line is that third parties are underrepresented, creating a massive divide between candidates and their target audience when they’re forced to conform to a different party or abstain from the democratic process altogether.

Wichita has taken measures to help with the problem of alienation.

During city council and mayoral elections, the candidates’ party is not listed on ballot sheets and each election is nonpartisan. 

This means that the citizens in Wichita will have to be more aware of the values and policies the council members and mayors want to run the city by, creating more informed voters and preventing people from mindlessly voting on a party line. 

The more informed voters a city has, the more you’d assume the best candidate gets elected. The same goes for the country.

But until national and local elections do away with the primary two parties, George Washington will continue to roll in his grave.