Send a message they will actually hear

[James Riley]

The most effective way to influence your own party is to leave it. You don't have to change your ways, your beliefs or your votes in the secrecy of the booth. Just change your registration down at the Country Registrars Office.

Don't threaten to do it, just do it, register as a Democrat, tell everyone why you did it, and tell them you will switch back when Republicans change their platform. It's WAY more effective than emails, snail mail, phone calls or chump change.

I have an argument for this if anyone cares to hear it.

 

[cowboy]

I have an argument for this if anyone cares to hear it.

I'll listen - nothing else seems to be working from my perspective with the R's position on public land transfer.

 

[James Riley]

Nobody hates the Two Party System more than I do. As a loner, I don't even like parties (or any packs of human beings), period. I took great joy in what Trump did to the Republican Party and only wish someone had done the same thing to the Democrats. I took great joy in Clinton's loss solely because she is the quintessential party animal. That said, since everyone else seems to love parties (look at the Republican/Democrat vote totals), here are my thoughts on any mess where your position on a given issue is out of step with your party platform:

You may think that, as a member of a party, you have more influence within that party than you do from outside that party. After all, you are one of them, right? You may even be a loyal, life long member and, because of that, they should at least hear you out, right? Your emails, snail mail and phone calls should have some weight, right? Especially if your thoughts are articulate and well reasoned, right?

Listen, Representative X and Senator Y don't listen to reason unless the reason is votes or money. When you contact them, some staffer determines what side of a given issue you are on, they check a box, for or against, and toss the rest in the shit can. They send out these stupid form letters that some party hack put together, maybe personalize it a little bit, and effectively shine you on. Your vote matters, but only to the extent you are a number, for or against.

How much does that really mean? You, as a party member, have already admitted that you are on board with the general party philosophy, at least as compared to the opposition party that you are not a member of. Representative X and Senator Y feel pretty comfortable that, even if you disagree with them on one issue, you aren't going to bail on them and go over to the other side because of that one disagreement.

This is the genius of the party system. It allows them to rest fairly comfortable in the knowledge that you will be there for them at the end of the day. It's the same genius and reasoning that allows them to count on Representative X and Senator Y to tow the line, even though their constituents in any given district or State are upset about some particular issue. Hence the wish-washy, shine-on letters designed to help them dodge constituent bullets. Hence them telling you they agree with you on the issue but then turn around and vote the party line anyway. Hence the explanation for doing so is that the opposition party put a poison pill in the legislation or otherwise tied their hands.

Your reasoning doesn't matter. All that argument you made in that heart-felt lengthy letter/email/phone call was a waste of time. Your vote only matters to their ledger at the end of the day showing that something is trending, for or against. And your position on the issue is diluted by the fact they have you as a member anyway. They know you won't switch sides over this one issue.

That leaves money. Face it, you don't have any. Sure, donations count more than emails, snail mail and phone calls, but only because it shows you care enough to give them your money.

What does that leave you?

If you want to send an unmistakable, crystal clear message that will really get the attention of these freaks, far more than emails, phone calls and snail mail, then go on-line or go down to your county registrar and change your party affiliation to the other party.

You don't have to vote for that other party. You can vote any way you want in the privacy of the voting booth. You can continue voting for your traditional party like you always have.

Just make sure you stand up on your hind legs and tell everyone everywhere what you did and why you did it. And let them think you will be voting for your new party because of it.

People, this how YOU use the party in instead of the PARTY using you. This is how YOU control them instead of them controlling you. Unlike Representative X and Senator Y, you have not taken any blood oath to remain within the party. Unlike the politicians, you have not subordinated your honor, dignity and integrity to the clique. And, watching the party rolls change is the ONLY thing that will get the party's attention. The ONLY thing. One more time: the ONLY thing.

They don't give a shit about anything else. Your stupid reasons against PLT mean nothing to them. Your threats to oppose them at the polls mean nothing to them. Your threat to change parties means nothing to them. The only thing that means anything to them is you switching sides and telling them you will come back when they come around to YOUR way of thinking. No promises that they will come around: they must first drop it from the party platform, publicly and openly. That is your only trump card. It's all you got.

If people had the sack to do this, then you can bet our public lands would, over night, become a third rail akin to an 80 year old crack whore with festering pustules and zosters all over her face. PLT would be dropped from the party platform like an elk with a 7mm through the brain housing group.

But no; notwithstanding the fact that the Democrats have been on the right side of this issue since forever, and most all the ecogroups like SC, WS, members of REI, etc. are chock full of hunters and have done more for public lands (if not wildlife) than the NRA or Cabelas or anyone else, ever, I'm sure most would rather fight than switch. Heaven forbid anyone should allow themselves to be seen as a limpwristedtreehuggingtrustbabyintelectualivorytowerelitist (even if it is mere window dressing) to save public lands. It might hurt the image you have of yourself. That's the genius of the party system. That's what they count on. Because they control you. And that's why I hate parties.

Sum and substance: If members of your party are saying you are something that you are not, rather than play their game by denying it, why not see it as them telegraphing to you what they are really afraid of, and then becoming that? After all, they are afraid of “that” for a reason. And the reason is because what they are afraid of has been more effective than you at doing what you want done. Think about that.

Example: Republicans call you an X. You are not an X. You can play their game and spend time, money and energy saying “I'm not an X!”, trying to prove your bona fides as a good Republican who just happens to disagree with them on one issue.

What a waste.

Instead of being a stupid party animal, you can say, hmmmm, what is it about X that has my fellow Republicans calling me an X when I'm not an X? What are they afraid of? What have these X been doing to earn the despise of Republicans? Have they been doing what I want done? Have they been successful at doing it? Would they be more successful if I joined their ranks? Wouldn't that make everyone happy? Wouldn't that make Republicans right, me right, and X right? Win-win for everybody? They call me an X so yeah, they are right, they have made me an X. What they believe will have happened.

Don't be a party bitch. Make your party your bitch. You will punish them for doing wrong.

Oh, and guess what? You can finally get around to rewarding the new party for having been right all along, having carried your water without so much as a “thank you” from you, and actually getting nothing from you but grief for all these years. You can also stop looking around and wondering where all the other outdoor groups are on this issue, finally realizing they've been doing more for public lands than all your groups combined, merely by being all those names your fellow Republicans are now calling you. They are Democrats. You didn't actually think you were the reason PLT has never gotten off the ground, did you? You didn't actually think a tiny group of hunters with guns was the reason the sagebrush rebellion failed, did you? I mean, thanks for the snail mails and phone calls back then but the heavy lifting was done in the city by Democrats.

If you do this it will temper both parties. The Republicans will drop PLT from the platform, the Democrats will temper their platform on other issues in an effort to keep you, and you can switch back and forth making them join your team, the people's team, instead of the other way around.

If people are going to continue to insist on party membership then they need to start controlling the parties instead of the parties controlling them. The way to do this is not in the voting booth. The way to do this is down at the County Registrar. It's all you got in a two party system.

It won't work to go Independent, Libertarian or some other party. The Republicans must watch the ranks of the opposition swell as theirs depleate.

This foregoing analysis cuts both ways (gun control, etc.) It will keep the parties hopping. Hopefully it will temper them or destroy them. But at least you will be in control of them. Play your hand or lose.