Political Parties Have Failed Us: Why It's Time to Dismantle the Two-Party System
November 6, 2024, Hoyt Arboretum, Portland, Oregon. I’m here among the trees, reflecting on the journey we’ve taken this election cycle and the work that lies ahead.
The results are clear: our write-in campaign didn’t reach the tipping point. That’s not surprising—without mainstream backing or millions in corporate funding, we always knew it would be an uphill battle. But this journey has been transformative for me, my team, and many others involved in this campaign. Like my voluntary service in the military, I’ve been ready to serve each step of the way, and I remain committed to that calling in the years ahead.
What I did hope for, however, was that Americans frustrated with their options would take a leap and try to break the two-party cycle. This election confirmed that it’s going to take more than just one campaign to make that happen.
We may have lost this election, but that only strengthens my belief that the future isn’t about one victory—it’s about changing the entire system.
Three Fatal Flaws of the 2024 Democratic Loss
In sum, the Democrats lost for three main reasons: a poor candidate, a poor process, and a poor perspective. Harris was, at best, an acceptable candidate. I’ve criticized her as a presidential contender since she first appeared on the debate stage among the Democratic candidates in 2019-2020. Her overly liberal, highly political background, combined with uninspiring speeches and policy positions, made her my last choice in that field, with Biden barely faring better. When I decided to run in 2023, I was done with waiting for change and done with simply voting “against” the other side as I had in 2020 to remove Trump.
The process? Equally flawed. Party insiders knew, just as the average American did, that Biden was too old to serve another four years, let alone finish his current term. Yet they kept him in their echo chamber, feeding him the belief that he could serve, despite his clearly diminishing cognitive performance. And then, when Biden did eventually step down, I was astounded at how the DNC made no attempt to appear democratic in choosing a successor. They didn’t call a primary or open the race to other candidates like myself or Marianne Williamson, who were still campaigning. Instead, they "crowned" Harris in an ultimate insult to American democracy—and to Democratic voters who wanted a true choice.
Finally, there’s the poor attitude and perspective. The Democratic elite operated under the arrogance that Harris might somehow win despite abysmal polling, convinced the liberal-leaning media bubble would secure her victory. They assumed the same "anti-Trump" rhetoric would work, as it had in 2020, without realizing that many Americans—lacking a true nonpartisan candidate—gravitate toward political change as a check on tyranny by one party. After four years of Biden, millions of voters, myself included, sought that balance, regardless of party.
Have the Democrats Failed at the National Level? Absolutely.
I think all accounts point to yes: the Democratic Party has failed nationally, and that failure has never been more obvious. Let’s go back a bit. Obama was a reasonably strong candidate, and although I didn’t vote for him, I respected him. But the Democrats didn’t learn anything from 2016. They put up Clinton, a horrendous candidate, assuming she’d sail to victory because they’d stacked the media narrative and thought they could strong-arm voters with fundraising and media manipulation.
This year, they’ve repeated the same arrogant playbook. Democrats were again convinced they could “crown” Kamala Harris without any semblance of public say, without even a primary vote, and somehow coast to victory. It’s one thing to follow party rules, but it’s something else entirely to skirt ethics in favor of manipulation. Was it legal per party bylaws to skip democratic procedures and let the elites decide? Perhaps. But moral? Ethical? Absolutely not. Some Democrats even refused to accept the cognitive reality of Biden’s decline, openly surprised when he struggled in his single debate with Trump. And yet, most Americans could see he wasn’t fit for another term last year.
One person on my staff put it succintly:
The Democratic campaign couldn’t manage to put forward a single compelling policy vision for the people. What was the point of all that fundraising? What was the purpose of all that hype, all those TV ads, all that media attention, if there was no good policy to back it up?
It’s also frustrating that some Democrats are blaming sexism, racism, or other prejudices for Harris’s defeat. That’s a lazy cop-out, a way to maintain their anger toward Trump or other voters without acknowledging the real reasons for their loss. Sure, maybe a hundred thousand people voted against a Black candidate for her skin color, but that hardly accounts for the 10 million fewer votes Harris received compared to Biden in 2020. Sure, maybe another small fraction voted against her simply because she’s a woman, but to blame the entire loss on prejudice ignores the bigger picture.
The fact is, most Americans are frustrated with the two-party system itself—including many Democrats and Republicans. Most voters weren’t against Harris because of her identity; they were against her because she represented more of the same political machine, with no bold platform or clear vision for real change.
So where does this leave us? The Democratic Party has failed. It’s time we start asking whether it’s worth dismantling.
Why We Need to Stop Betting on the Two-Party Horse Race
We all know the truth: the two-party system has been failing us. It’s been like this for years, and each election we get worse and worse choices. The Democratic and Republican parties keep serving us candidates who don’t represent most Americans. We get figureheads—Kamala, Biden, Trump—people who’ve spent decades in the system, playing the game, and who no longer have a vision for the country. And yet we keep choosing between two bad options every four years. The truth? These parties aren’t interested in what’s best for you or me; they’re interested in keeping themselves in power.
Kamala Harris was marketed as inevitable by the Democratic media before a single vote was even cast. It was like the election was already decided. Why? Because the Democratic establishment, along with the Democratic-controlled media, thought they had it in the bag. Arrogance, plain and simple. They’ve made it more about who’s “next in line” than who’s actually qualified. It’s this self-serving, smug attitude that has completely alienated so many Americans. And the Republicans are no better. Trump has no true vision for America, and yet here he is, drawing votes because people are fed up with the Democrats. This game—just voting against the other side—is a trap. We’re all stuck in a system that only benefits itself.
The Republican Party: Democracy in Action, or a Path to Dictatorship?
To quote my staffer again,
The two-party system created Trump & the conditions for him to win. This political monopoly has built a ‘strongman vs. status quo’ dynamic.
So, if the Democratic party has failed, has the Republican Party also failed at the national stage?
There are arguments on both sides.
In one sense, it’s been taken over by Donald Trump—a man who, even with all his riches, represents the worst of our greed-driven society. Trump’s rise was about brand manipulation and using his money to push himself into the party. Most ethical Republicans opposed him in 2016, my late father among them. But once he won the nomination, many Republicans either gave him a chance or stayed silent as his rhetoric got worse and worse.
Today, the party’s trajectory reminds me too much of Germany’s Third Reich. Trump himself is still the same egotistical, insecure man he’s always been, but he’s now surrounded by more intentional, powerful people. With Congress and the Supreme Court leaning his way, we face the very real possibility of a second term under him, where unchecked power could lead to unimaginable measures—immigrant camps or worse. If the trend continues, we could see widespread abuses of power.
The problem is, many Republicans will stay silent, and as the saying goes, “All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.” Will enough Republicans finally take a stand, or will they fall in line?
And yet, in one respect, the Republican Party hasn’t failed—at least not in the same way as the Democrats. Trump’s takeover was, in its own way, democratic. He won the nomination in 2016 through actual primary votes, and he won the primaries again this cycle. Unlike the Democrats’ manipulation, the Republican Party let voters steer. Now, is the party on a dangerous path, fueled by MAGA and on the brink of serious damage? Definitely. But at least they’re following a form of democracy!
My Respect for Trump Voters—and My Disappointment in Their Leadership
I have respect for the frustration that led many to vote for Trump. The Republican establishment knows this frustration, and they’ve used it to their advantage. They’ve turned Trump into a symbol of anti-establishment rebellion, even though he’s more interested in the idea of power than in any real vision for America. They’ve convinced a huge portion of our country that Trump’s the answer to every complaint about Democrats. He’s not. He’s a man with a massive ego, who’s running for the sake of running, who says whatever it takes to keep his crowd going.
But, to Trump’s voters, I’d say: I understand where you’re coming from. Your vote wasn’t for a polished politician; it was a middle finger to a system that has let you down. But here’s what I’d challenge you to think about: if we continue giving that power to the same two-party system, we’re only ensuring that the “elite” stay in control. Trump and the Republican establishment? They’re not offering any real change, just a different flavor of the same old power game.
Breaking Free of the Two-Party System
These parties have failed our nation. George Washington warned us of this very scenario: political factions that exist only to preserve themselves. We’re living in that dystopia now, and yet so many Americans keep going along with it as if there’s no other option. For decades, we’ve let ourselves get comfortable, like frogs in a pot of water slowly coming to a boil. We barely notice the heat anymore, but we’re about to hit the boiling point.
It’s time to dismantle the two parties. We need structural change that will give Americans real choices. While we’re proposing dozens of ideas for Constitutional Amendments via our platform, if I had my way, I’d propose three core amendments for 2025 that would shake up this system: term limits, federal control over presidential elections (so parties and states can’t twist the process), and Supreme Court reform.
But that’s not all. As I’ve said all along, we need to rethink the entire concept of political parties. We don’t need them as badly as we’ve been taught to believe. Political parties should be short-lived, focused, and not exclusive. In other cultures, parties are temporary—a celebration of specific causes that come together, make their point, and then dissolve. If we’re going to keep political parties in America, they should have limited lifespans and stricter regulations. In today’s internet age, we can organize quickly around issues without letting those factions live forever. We’re well past the days when permanent parties made sense.
Real Change Starts with All of Us
We all have a role to play here. Sure, the deck feels stacked against independent candidates, but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless. If every frustrated voter donated just $5 to a candidate they believe in—someone outside the two-party machine—we could make real waves. Five dollars from ten million people? That’s $50 million. That’s enough to fund a serious campaign. Five dollars from 50 million people? That’s $250 million. Enough to reach every voter, even in this hyper-funded political landscape.
And it’s not just about money. It’s about sharing and amplifying voices that represent something other than red or blue. If we want to end the two-party monopoly, we have to support those who are willing to run outside it, even if they’re not perfect. I’m not saying I’m the best candidate, but I’m better than the last few nominees either party has handed us. If we don’t start supporting alternatives, we’ll just keep getting lousy, divisive choices.
Going back to quote one team member:
It only takes one small spark to light up a movement that changes the country. I hope the masses can see what happened in Puerto Rico and be inspired, because WE TOO can build an alliance big enough to push out one of the major parties.
Instead of sitting back and watching elections play out like a reality TV show, we need to actively support candidates who aren’t backed by massive corporations or entrenched party machines. If we want alternatives, if we want a real shot at healing our nation’s divides, it’s on us to make that happen.
Let’s Take Back Our Democracy
We tried to gain the requisite fame needed to challenge the system, but despite the thousands who know me—and the tens of thousands we reached—most Americans simply did not donate or spread the word. If we had, I believe an independent candidate like myself could have won both the electoral college and the popular vote, putting the nation on a path to amend the Constitution and finally move forward.
Some voters told me, “Maybe the country isn’t ready for that kind of change.” Maybe they’re right, maybe 2028 will be different, or maybe this change won’t come in my lifetime. Either way, that’s the most succinct way I can critique the Democrats’ loss this year: a poor candidate, a poor process, and a poor perspective.
But I don’t hope Democratic party recovers. I hope we dismantle it!
So as we wrap up this chapter, I’ll say this: this country’s future doesn’t belong to the parties; it belongs to us. And it’s about time we acted like it. We can break free of the system if we really want to. But that won’t happen through anger alone—it will take accountability, dedication, and yes, five bucks here and there. It will take believing that we can change things by stepping outside the two-party box, sharing alternative voices, and voting with real intention.
If you’re frustrated, good! Now: use that frustration to demand better. We have more power than we realize. It’s time we start using it.
Thank you,
John Fial
P.S.: Won’t you share this essay? Let’s let people decide for themselves which voices to support in the coming years. We have an opportunity to take charge and reshape our political system so that it actually serves us. But that starts with each of us deciding to share this message with those we love and those we know are concerned about the future of this country.