Maybe this is a dumb question but... why do we even need political parties? Why don't politicians run based on the issues and not their party platform

Maybe this is a dumb question but... why do we even need political parties? Why don't politicians run based on the issues and not their party platform? (self.politics)

submitted 6 days ago by CaspianX2

For the longest time, I've felt that the two-party system is the real problem that's destroying America. Political races devolve into mudslinging contests because no one has to prove they're the best candidate for the job, they only have to prove they're better than the other guy. The two party system encourages people to wedge issues into one group or another, too - if you're pro-life, you must be for fewer gun restrictions too, right? And if you support gay marriage, you must also want decreased military spending...

I wanted a presidential candidate who would end the war on drugs... but I didn't want to vote for Ron Paul. And if I'm dissatisfied with Obama's performance, my choices are to either vote Republican or "throw my vote away" with a third-party? And that's assuming I even like any of the third-parties.

Why do we even have political parties? I thought America was all about freedom, so why is it the only valid choices I have the freedom to decide between are column A and column B? It's like telling me I have the freedom to choose any drink I want, so long as it's Coke or Pepsi (or if you're one of "those" people, you could get Shasta or R.C. cola, I guess... hippie). What if I want to drink a goddamn root beer? What if I'm one of those people that likes to go up to the soda dispenser and get a little of each flavor (I'm still making a metaphor here - in real life I think that's disgusting)?

I think Obama was on to something when he said we're not the red states of America and the blue states of America, but the United States of America, so why can't we shed our party system and just vote for the guy we think is the best person for the job, and not the guy the political party thought was the best person for the job?

If America is supposed to be truly free, why can't we be free from partisan politics? Why can't we be free from our political parties?