12 parties of a New America

Finished with my research, I decided to outline first the lobbies and come up with the parties that way.

The top lobbyist in terms of money. What is pharmaceutical companies? Yes, this is not a shock. Everyone can look at our lovely policies on overseas drug companies and shake their heads in wonder that someone can perpetrate such a fraud without going to a small concrete room. There are a number of places where Americans get gored in the wallet, and the drug companies are doing a bang-up job of imitating a bull. When we go down the list, there are a number of varying industries and major corporations who give generously to campaigns around the country. What this tells me is that there are a few key industries who need spokesmen.

1) Health care - this is prevalent for two reasons, one seniors who need drugs and two, because we have an increasingly unhealthy country who needs treatment (or who needs drugs of a different sort for some reason)

2) Manufacturing - This is a vital industry and also encompasses the military-industrial complex (that which Ike warned us about). They need an open seat rather than the back door orifice that they've been running in and out of. I think at least it would be more comfortable for us to sit down. What is not vital is that Ford be represented over say Toyota. Both of them employ American workers. I don't care who does better (well I do right now.. considering what's parked out there). We can park the Military/Veterans issues here as well. (see #10)

3) small business/independent farmers - Something tells me this is supposed to be the backbone of our country. Fresh ideas and hard work.

4) technology/R&D - Government isn't supposed to be doing the entire load of this, but it at least could funnel it in the right directions. Don't think we can't come up with a fuel-efficient or non-fossil fuel car.

Then come the other players.

5) Unions. Most of them are to be wrapped up into one neat ball. They are right now too strong and too weak to truly represent the workers. Instead they are interested in their own power, not the workers at the bottom. That fight is largely over in this country. The focus now should be on trade agreements that raise standards elsewhere. Call it the Labor party

6/7) Energy/Environmental issues. Al Gore is not a Democrat. He's a nut case, but I respect that he has his views and he should have his own place in a party that gives him such a platform. There are parts of what he has to say that I agree with. But most of it is based on weird science. Anyone who's heard of Drake's equation will know what I'm talking about. This is really two parties, one for the provision of energy and the other for the protection of clean air/etc.

8) Education. The teachers union is somewhat different. And it needs to go away unless we want people dumb and dumber. But here again, the issue raised needs a political party around it. Education and social security are two of the 3 most crucial issues (campaign reform being the 3rd) to my mind (and yes, I'm in my 20s). We have to de-nationalize this and copy shamelessly from how Europe has modeled its educational system. It works doesn't it?

9) Religion. I think its high time that religion entered politics in a more meaningful way. I'm an atheist by the way. But I have noted religion's intrusion into our public policy for my entire life. Creationism, abortion, gay marriage rights, the war on drugs. These are largely moral social engineering problems posed by religions (except Creationism, which is just naked stupidity). I believe we'll be fine so long as people recognize that religion is supposed to tell us how to live privately. But I have no problem with a few people who think otherwise and acting political. They do it anyway (go look at some Republicans).

10) Military/Veterans - There need to be some policy makers involved here. If we are going to send them in harms way (which is after all what they are for?), then at least get them a seat at the table of power. There can be a Pacific party to oppose the Hawks too, mostly arising around times of war.

The others will be ideological in nature and I'll go through them in due time.