Wednesday, February 06, 2008

We Need Complistic Solutions

Instapundit has a bit up on the decline of the two party system. He has a look at the book Declaring Independence. So I thought I'd visit the Amazon page and figure out what is going on.

Here is a bit from the blurb:

America is at a political crossroads. We are growing alienated from the two major parties, which are dominated by ideologues and offer simplistic solutions,...
I have yet to find the average American interested in complistic solutions. Where I come from that is known as wonkery. It is not popular. Except among wonks.

I'm with the simplistic guys myself. I'm from the Leave Us Alone party.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

2 comments:

LarryD said...

"Meanwhile, voters tend to crave real solutions to the real problems we face–energy independence, affordable health care, the environment, jobs, sustainable national security. And increasingly those voters want change and they want it now, yearning for leaders who understand the tough problems, confront them head-on, and can offer practical solutions without kowtowing to lockstep partisan interests."

Sounds like he's projecting. Another case of "but everyone I know ..."?

"About the Author
Douglas E. Schoen was a campaign consultant for more than thirty years with the firm he founded, Penn, Schoen & Berland. He lives in New York City."

I believe the experience of multi-party environments is that they are even more fractious, and less productive, than two party systems. You still have to get a majority to get anything done, and a breakdown of both parties will make all the internal arguments, external arguments. And everyone will be even less inclined to compromise.

"without kowtowing to lockstep partisan interests" get rid of the partisans and do it our way, instead.

Brad said...

There is one party; the ruling party, don’t kid yourself. It is interesting to note that the pretense of “difference” is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain in the light of trends in regulation, immigration, entitlements and socialism in general. I keep waiting for our candidates tell the American people that Moody’s is now questioning the “full faith and credit” of the Federal Government regarding its debt. No matter what “party” is governing, the reach and scope of government grows. If you look at the one common feature systems of governance in the 20th Century, (Socialism, Communism, Fascism, Nazism and the Welfare State) is unprecedented regulation of the populace, economic, cultural and social life ranging from the barbaric to the reasonably benevolent. Between global warming and the war on terrorism government growth will be on steroids as along as the ability to issue debt and find buyers continues.