So long as the middle of our political spectrum is depopulated, liberals and conservative are at loggerheads. The answer to the impotence of the old parties is a new party -- the Dignity Party.

Rankism is an assertion of superiority. It typically takes the form of putting others down. It's what "Somebodies" do to "nobodies." It turns out that rankism is the source of most man-made suffering.

Whether directed at an individual or a group, rankism aims to put targets in their place and keep them weak so they will do as they're told and submit to being taken advantage of.

President Obama has yet to tell us how to repair our broken institutions. But he may be doing something equally important. He may be showing us the way.