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The recent domestic struggles to organize the voting populace of the US for PTO efforts has left me cynical and quite drained. This article isn't to blame any organization or individual in particular, there is plenty of blame to go around for everyone. But the failure of the major political parties to effectively organize together during wartime has left me disillusioned and full of angst. I see no way out of our current predicament - in the US domestic politics trumps all and I really don't wish to be a part of the collective circle jerk over which party is the most influential or which party is the best, the largest, holds the most Congressional seats, etc.

This is quickly descending into rant territory, but if you're obliged, I'll continue. 😃 Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of eRepublik for me is just how much political parties do not matter once you get past the organizing aspect of them. Congress doesn't really argue much over bills and there really isn't much of a difference between the parties to justify the level of interest they hold in the US. Look, I'm not knocking the fact that there are many dedicated and effective citizens devoting their efforts to working inside the various parties, organizing and conducting election efforts. If that's what they truly enjoy, so be it. But it's not for me.

I believe that domestic political parties take a back seat to national interests. National interests for me include promoting the US abroad, increasing our international prestige, winning wars, organizing the government for increased effectiveness and building systems that benefit the strength and health of the US as a whole. I don't see political parties as necessarily contributing to that and in the case of the failed French PTO they actively worked against it. The fact that several parties actively were concerned with increasing the number of their members in Congress during a war that threatens the survival of the US as we know it concerns me greatly.

Call me bitter, whatever. Maybe I am. But the fact that we, as Americans, seem to be unable to get our collective act together speaks volumes to our effectiveness as an online community. The fact that I've seen the same questions be asked over and over and over again by citizens at levels of eUS society bothers me. The lack of organization is astounding. It's more than one citizen can fix; it will require a concerted effort by a large group to whip things into shape.

This is what I will be focusing on for the next several weeks: how I can best improve the state of affairs within the US. I don't see that occurring through the current state of leadership in the domestic political parties.