WHAT HAPPENED to U.S. statesmanship? Since when were our politicians forced to follow the direction of party elitists? What happened to independent thinking and open-minded leaders?
Our nation's leaders have demonstrated nothing but immaturity and political brinkmanship recently. If it is not booing and calling President Obama a liar during an address to a joint session of congress or bickering about the date and time for another major speech, it is the inexcusable, inexplicable practice of taking absolutist positions by our elected officials that makes compromise impossible.
Americans simply deserve better.
We all deserve rational, educated and qualified politicians who can put compromise above partisanship, leadership above power and U.S. ideals above money and influence. We deserve a president who is willing to work with Democrats and Republicans, and a president who encourages bipartisan progress rather than long, divisive battles.
As University students, we are always seeking to influence presidential elections by campaigning, donating and voting. What we never have had the opportunity to do directly, however, is to nominate a presidential candidate without special interests and partisanship standing in our way - until now.
Enter Americans Elect. Americans Elect offers a revolutionary, nonpartisan convention to nominate a presidential candidate for the 2012 election via the Internet. Any registered voter who is eligible to vote can be a delegate. Yes, Americans throughout the country will participate in a secure, online convention next June which should result in a third option on the ballot in all 50 states in November 2012.
This nominating process is different than typical primaries in many ways. Unlike conventional parties, Americans Elect has no official platform. The delegates choose the issues which matter most to them and the questions which every candidate must answer to win the nomination. Americans Elect also allows all Americans who are eligible to vote to participate in the nominating process. Not just the party leaders in Iowa or the registered Republicans in Florida, but everyone across the nation can involve themselves at the same time. Americans Elect is an organization wholly committed to leadership instead of partisanship, and is taking action rather than standing by idly.
To accomplish its goals, Americans Elect is reaching out to college campuses and communities throughout the country. The goal between now and June is to spread the word about Americans Elect, to shape the debate, to develop important questions that candidates must answer, enlist candidates and eventually narrow the field to prepare for the convention. This is an opportunity to be part of the process that could forever change U.S. politics as we know it.
At a time when Americans are expressing discontent with Washington in record numbers, partisanship is taking hold and less is actually being accomplished by our elected officials each day. Through Americans Elect, students and faculty right here at the University have an opportunity to take action. They can do so by visiting www.americanselect.org/uva.
Thomas Jefferson once said, "We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate." A Gallup poll recently revealed that a majority - 53 percent - of Americans have little or no confidence in their elected officials regardless of political affiliation.
Exit polls from the 2008 election indicated that 44 percent of voters identified themselves as moderates, a larger proportion than identified as either liberals or conservatives. For moderates, this is our moment. All we need is political action and participation to make history.
Brooks Mears is a first-year Engineering student.
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