Do Partisan Politics Matter Anymore?

Press releases, news cycles, messaging, framing, platforms, fundraising totals, horseraces, and party lines.

Does any of it matter anymore?

There was a time in American politics when the brand of a national party mattered, and there was a more friendly rivalry between their members and leaders. "I'm proud to vote {party} because {x}." But those brands have been heavily damaged in the past several elections as the average voter's information level has gone up and the relative availability of factual, unbiased information has been crushed by blogs and corporate media sources. Now it's "vote {party} -- at least we're not the other guys."

What's the result? Elected officials have to decide between standing with their parties and making reasonable, reasoned decisions on behalf of all their constituents. Candidates in districts perceived as "moderate" (whatever that means) have to prove that they "fit the district" instead of actively proving a vision for the political future.

Since when is a party line extreme by its very nature? When did it become impossible for a candidate to stand with both his party and the voters he wants to represent? How do we make parties and platforms matter again?

Maybe we don't. Maybe it's time to start over from square one. Stop thinking about how Democrats are better on this or that or Republicans are worse because of this or that. Start over from scratch: what's important? Why? What do you care about? How does that mesh with what I care about? What's worth paying for? What's not?

Maybe "getting back to basics" is just naivete in action.

Or maybe it could actually make a difference in our politics.