In American politics, we are told to pick a side, to put our full faith in Team Red or Team Blue, and just fight. While this is nothing new, the social media age has made it all too easy to rile up, play up, and perpetuate this division, and our zero-sum party system has made it all too profitable to do just that. What we are left with is a tug-of-war where nobody wins and nothing gets done.
People are sick of it, and nowhere is that more evident than with trends in voter registration. Independents are now the largest voting bloc in the nation, and growing far faster than either major party. Therein lies an opportunity - if we can bring these frustrated citizens together, we can create a serious political force to challenge our duopoly and break its destructive incentives.
But it’s not quite so simple. We, after all, are the kind of people who don’t like being told how to think or what to believe. We are not going to fall in line behind a traditional party, whatever its policy stances may be.
That’s why Forward is working to build a new kind of party. We want to combine the strength of a state and national movement with the freedom of running and governing as an independent, allowing our candidates to bring their unique voices - and those of their constituents - to the table.
Our shared vision is a politics that welcomes new ideas, works effectively towards real solutions, and empowers dynamic leadership at every level, from senators and governors, to mayors and city councilors, to the people of our communities. We work better when we work together, and we want to make that possible.
