Federal and state lawmakers are elected to represent the public, but partisan politics and clinging to party lines impedes representatives from fulfilling that purpose. American politics are arguably at the highest levels of polarization this country has witnessed in generations. And while politicians bicker back and forth, and take unnecessary and often derogatory potshots at one another, it is tragically the average middle and lower class citizens who suffer the most. So why all the upheaval with maintaining party solidarity, when an elected official is in his or her office to represent their constituents?

Well, fear of isolation is one factor which springs to mind, or perhaps fear of criticism by their favorite liberal or conservative columnist or newspaper. Since the majority of career politicians are often wealthy individuals, they tend, intentionally or otherwise, to ignore the fact that they are in a position of power at the behest of others. Overlooking the already immensely burdened taxpayer is often not a lapse in judgment, but more of a purposeful oversight, opting to pander to high paying lobbyists and exorbitantly well-funded extremist political groups, whose aim is to further their own skewed political agenda.

This practice of playing partisan games and legislatively advancing your financier’s playbook is a calamity that has gone on far too long in both Washington and virtually all state capitals. Now it is time to start holding “our” elected officials to a higher standard than they appear capable of holding themselves to: we must demand accountability from them. Blinded by the lenses of party affiliation, most politicians fail to grasp this simple concept. Whether it be a national or a local political chess match being paid for on our dime, every last figure from both sides of the political aisle needs to receive a clear mandate of accountability from the voters who elected them to office.

Recently, the two party system, along with a few sporadic independents here and there has done little to advance our states and nation, so perhaps the time has come to dramatically shift the political landscape in this country. Why not consider a no party system, where every candidate and elected official simply stated their own positions, core beliefs, values and principles, and once elected to serve the public, diligently attempted to remain true to those promises.

Especially in the U.S. Senate, we could do away with the time consuming and wasteful motions such as filibustering and refusing, almost always along party lines, an up or down vote on the floor regarding “said” issue or nominee. Former Governor Jesse Ventura, of Minnesota, once compared our system of politics to that of the now defunct Soviet Union. He stated that the U.S.S.R. gave you one choice in an election, whereas here in America you get two. Granted he was referring to the presidential election, but his comments were right on point.

On the national level, high priority issues such as healthcare, social security, affordable prescription drug plans, the ever-mounting U.S. deficit, energy efficiency and countless other topics which truly matter to the average American are perpetually back-burnered due to the silly partisan games played on Capitol Hill. Is this the example the United States government should be setting for the world, which so frequently looks to the U.S. for leadership?

Hardly, and in fact, most American lawmakers should be embarrassed and ashamed for the manner in which they conduct themselves on the Sunday morning talk show circuit and various interviews held throughout the week. They virtually always place the blame squarely on the other party for this bill being blocked, or that bill having an additional two billion dollar pork price tag attached to it.

It’s high time that all elected officials, whether on Beacon Hill, Federal Hill or Capitol Hill, get the unmistakably clear message: run on your own platform and merit, and not of those relentlessly campaigning for you in hopes of maintaining or shifting the balance of partisan power, and most importantly --stand by your campaign promises. Or even better, cling to them for dear life. Your actions in office will tell a far more truthful tale than the most articulate political mouthpiece could muster.

Now really, is that too much to ask?

Kevin Cardin