Coffee, Tea, or VOID

Tea Party

The underlying belief of the Tea Party is that government is a necessary evil to keep a nation defended and whole. It is an evil because by definition, it has the power to craft law and enforce such laws against its own citizens, and that power poses a constant threat to liberty and independence of citizens. As an evil, it is to be kept minimal, in check, and just barely funded to meet its key core objectives, as set out in the first decades of the founding of our nation. This is the underlying philosophy of the Tea Party (and the Libertarian Party, I might add.)

When this philosophy is applied to government however, the consequences can be anything but, what most Americans would accept. Space exploration would not exist, or, be exploited by other nation's, not ours. Slavery would still exist in various forms in many states, had this philosophy been in place throughout our history. The laws governing all manner of behaviors on our roads, in businesses, and public squares would vary widely from state to state, resulting in citizens becoming vulnerable to authorities from one state to the next, due to ignorance of the differences.

Commerce would be predatory in varying extremes from state to state, and unreliable; subjecting consumers to all manner of exploitation and cheating. Safety standards would be radically different from state to state and virtually absent in some, to include all manner of cars, appliances, and foods found in every household and supermarket. It would take several books to cover all the negative implications of a minimalist federal government. All these consequences, however, would be preferable to paying federal taxes for bigger government, according to this Tea Party philosophy.

Coffee Party

The Coffee Party's basic philosophy is still half baked, being a new organization, and intent in countering Tea Party demonstrations. They believe government should be a friend and ally to the people, and that government should be whatever size is required accomplish that alliance, provided, it is sustainable. Their web site states:

The Coffee Party Movement gives voice to Americans who want to see cooperation in government. We recognize that the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as Americans. As voters and grassroots volunteers, we will support leaders who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who obstruct them.

Reasonable enough. However, their voter strategy is no different than what now exists. Support candidates you believe are working toward a cooperative government, and withhold support from those you believe don't. For Democrats that largely means voting for Democrats, and the same for Republican voters. For independents, who like neither party, the Coffee Party philosophy offers little guidance or recommendation, in terms of a voter movement to improve government. The Coffee Party, then, as a voter activist movement, offers nothing different than what currently takes place. And what currently takes place on election day, produces this government most Americans are dissatisfied with.

VOID

Vote Out Incumbents Democracy (VOID), believes the duopoly party in Congress is responsible for this government we all are disappointed in. And the voters are responsible for the duopoly party being in control. Their fundamental philosophy is that voters have the government they deserve by voting for the politicians in charge of that government. To change the results of government, voters have to hold their own representatives responsible for failing to change those disappointing results.

VOID goes straight to the heart of the mechanics of our political system, to effect a strategy change. Politicians want to be reelected. If Voters vote for challengers instead of incumbents seeking reelection, the winning challengers will be forced to acknowledge that the disappointing results of government is what has to change if they wish to be reelected. Thus, the power shifts from the parties, lobbyists, and politicians, to the voters, in determining the results of government.

Summary

Of course, a disappointed citizen can join a third party, like the Libertarian or Green Party. Third parties, however, lack the appeal to a broad enough voter block to effect any real change in the controlling duopoly party or Congressional legislation.

Disappointed citizens may, as 10's of millions have, choose not to vote at all. They however, have no legitimate basis upon which to complain about the results of government. Our government is a result of our elections, and therefore, a result of voters who do vote.

If one is conservative, one can join the Tea Party and support their efforts to target the defeat of RINO's (Republicans In Name Only), Democrats, and moderate or centrist independents. Being a conservative oriented organization however, their efforts only continue the divisions and lack of cooperation between the two controlling parties, playing musical chairs with majority control of Congress and the White House.

If one is more liberal, one can join the Coffee Party in the hopes that their movement grows sufficiently to help insure a more progressive agenda in government. The Coffee Party, however, is likely to become just an adversary to the Tea Party, and therefore fueling the grid lock between Democrats and Republicans who produce this disappointing government.

If one has become fed up with both parties and the liberal, conservative divide, one can join and support VOID which indiscriminately targets incumbents of both parties on election day, as a means of sending an unmistakable message to challengers who may defeat an incumbent. To be reelected, they will have be effective in producing governance which the majority of Americans can approve of, for the most part, on the big issues.

Having founded Vote Out Incumbents Democracy, I am biased regarding these options. However, the VOID option will succeed in producing better governance from politicians regardless of party, if VOID's subscribers continue to grow in number, and lower the incumbent reelection rate from 90 plus percent, on average, to the neighborhood of 50 or 60%. No politician wants their chances of reelection reduced to coin toss odds. They will change their agenda and process if their reelection depends upon it.

By David R. Remer
Published: March 13, 2010 12:57 PM
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