Independent antidote

I am a millennial. Like most Americans, I am an independent with growing disdain for both the Republican and Democratic parties who believe that they are the only option for voters. Their game of political football has hurt our society as many of our nation’s founders warned. The plethora of octogenarian leaders at the highest levels of government are more interested in their political team’s power than our long-term future. Nearly every vote for or against legislation falls along party lines regardless of how the greater majority of people, especially my generation, are affected.

We have been gifted a federal deficit of more than $31 trillion that’s been substantially increased by “the party of fiscal responsibility.” The failure to secure women’s rights, reschedule marijuana classification federally and expunge non-violent drug offenders’ sentences have been politicized along party lines rather than listening to the will of the majority of Americans, common sense or decency. The politicization of the judicial branch as an alternative to passing legislation or amending the Constitution is simply shameful.

Change starts locally. Voting for Jack Turner for La Plata County commissioner and other independently minded candidates can help create momentum in the U.S. for engaged local politicians. Partisan agendas are often written by special interest groups and funded by the Republican and Democratic party oligarchs that their candidates are obligated to follow. Independents like Turner are more interested and in tune with the needs of their communities rather than advancing their respective political party’s agenda.

– Austin Hardiman, Durango