Death of the Two Party System

1/13/2026

I remember when I first got into politics. Walter Mondale was running with Geraldine Ferraro against Ronald Reagan in 1984. I was 10. I was learning about the election in class. I think my main reasoning was that Ferraro was a woman and I thought that the prospect of having a woman vice president was awesome. Plus, from what I had learned about in class, the economy was not as good as the president said it was and he was not as good as a president as everyone said he was. My mom took me with her to vote. I begged and pleaded with her to vote for Mondale/Ferraro. She looked at me and said, "My vote is my vote. I get to vote for who I think is best. When you are 18, you get to vote for who you think is best." Boy, was I sore at her. I probably gave her a hard time. She was right, even if her choice was wrong ;)

Let me tell you, I counted down the days until my 18th birthday. I always stayed up to date in current events and politics. I considered myself an independent. Possibly more left leaning, but I did embrace some Republican ideals. I really never embraced either party in its entirety. I've voted for the candidate that shared my most important views. I believe in the socialist programs of the Democrats, but I believe in States rights and my right to have guns. I grew up with a gun in my hand; I come from a family of mostly liberal hunters.

In high school, I became friends with Erik H. He was a Republican and my favorite political debate partner. He advised me to register democrat when the time came. He told me it would make it easier to run for office if I had always registered Democrat than if I had wavered in the beginning. He looked me straight in the eye, "C'mon, Sara, you know you will never be a Republican. You may never be a full Democrat, but you will surely never run as a Republican." He was right. We always laughed that we would run against each other in a presidential election one day. He warned me that my drug use would keep me out of the FBI, CIA, and politics though. Silly me, I believed him. Apparently, you can do whatever the fuck you want and still be president. Although, I don't have the financial backing as the current criminal-in-chief.

It was senior year of high school and my 18th birthday was creeping up. Not only was I going to be able to vote, but I was going to vote in my first presidential election. I couldn't be happier. As the deadline to register to vote approached, my mom and I got in my car and headed to whatever government agency I needed to go to in order to register to vote. I think it was the DMV, but I don't really remember. The lady looked at me and said, "You can't register to vote. You're only 17." I explained that while I was only 17 now, when the election took place I would be 18. She looked at me annoyed, "You can't register to vote until you're 18, honey." She was not the only one annoyed at this point. "But that is a week and a half past the deadline to register to vote." Her eyebrows popped up as she realized what my dilemma was. My mom tried to explain how excited I was to vote, but it was too late. I was already excitedly telling her my Mondale/Ferraro story. I ended it with, "I really need to be able to vote this year. I've been waiting so very long for this." Then I flashed her my most charming smile a purple haired rebellious teenager in the 90s could muster.

Somehow, it worked. She disappeared from the counter. A few minutes later she came back with a plan. There was way in the rare instance that a young scorpio such as myself decides that they MUST vote as soon as they turn 18. I was given a special form and strict instructions on how and when the form needed to be filled out and turned in. It worked and I cast my first presidential vote for Bill Clinton. My mom took plenty of pictures of that day that I had waited eight long years for. Twenty four years later I cast my first vote for woman as a presidential candidate and it was his wife, Hillary. I cried my eyes out as the poll numbers poured in while my abusive ex danced in front of my laughing taunting, "Ha, in your face, bitch!" I know, I know. I should have left him then, but I am a glutton for punishment.

Now I look at the Republican and Democratic parties and they are unrecognizable. Whatever is left of them is in Congress arguing, trying to save themselves and their jobs. They are not worried about us anymore. They have lost control of our president and our country. They let the orange asshat dismantle the US Constitution and remove the checks and balances. They are almost as much to blame for what is going on as Chump and his regime. We all wanted the end of the two party system, well here it is, in a way. The Republican party as we once knew it is gone and Democratic party is breathing it's last breaths.

The atrocity in the White House is NOT the Republican party. We have to stop pretending it is. The regime running the white house is Christian Nationalism under the name of MAGA. It supporters are Christian Nationalists, Elitists, and MAGAts.

Antifa, Gangs of Wine Moms, Dog Weed Moms, No Kings, 50501 movement, whatever you want to call us right now. You know, the ones that are fighting the good fight all over the country. Who are we? We have many names, but no one in the government that represents us. We need to unify, start working together, become coordinated. We need leaders. We need voices. Rallies with speakers that can evoke the emotion and help us to channel our anger into action. We need to see people consistently giving speaches to allay our fears by knowing we are not alone. We need more than protests. We need coordinated actions. Countrywide boycotts that are attainable; that don't ask our poorest to give up their only option for food. If we start small, we achieve goals. When we achieve goals, we gain confidence. We gain confidence, we aim higher. We aim higher, we achieve goals. Repeat. We hit them where they are weakest, not where they are the strongest.

Stay strong and keep coming back