The Battle for America: Moderate vs Wings

Tuesday, June 28 5:30 pm ET

28% of Americans are Democrats, yet Democrats have 51% of the seats in Congress. 28% are Republicans, yet Republicans have 49% of the seats in Congress. 56% of Americans are moderates, yet moderates have only 1% of the seats in Congress.

The Battle for America is between Moderates and Wings, not Republicans Vs. Democrats. In our system of government, Democrats can win, Republicans can win, but Moderates always lose.

Our country is badly divided. Trust in Government is at historic lows. Members of the two parties dislike and distrust each other. There is a vast gap between what people believe and what members of the other party think they believe. The wings of each party promote this gap. Because the wings dominate the media, many people believe they are true.

The irony is we are more united than many think. While partisans believe 55% of the other party holds extreme views, only 30% do, so there is ample room to work together. There are three things we can do to unite our country: focus on bipartisan legislation, have people follow more neutral or even opposing media, to better understand the other side, and most importantly, change election systems so moderates are not excluded from government.

In the battle for America, the two parties set the rules for elections and tailor them to favor their bases. As a result, Moderates represent 56% of the population yet have only 1% of members of Congress, while the Wings represent 14% of the population yet control the parties. If we cannot elect moderates, we will continue to be pulled apart by the misperceptions of the wings and the media outlets that cater to them.

In his farewell address in 1796, George Washington said, “I ….warn you in the most solemn
manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party,.…,” Now is the time for us to listen.