Does Berlin need a third political party?

It seems that there may be too much bad blood between Democrats and Republicans in the Town of Berlin.  They are like cats and dogs:  they just don't seem to get along, do they?

Do you feel that our two political parties are controlled by cliques--i.e., executive committees--which may pay you lip service but in reality ultimately make the real decisions for the parties in accordance with a hidden agenda, not truly allowing you to have any real voice in their governance?  Not very democratic in principle, is it?  In the event that you do not know, it is often referred to as "entrenched power".

Perhaps the time has come for a third party to give voters a better choice in the management of their Town government.  And if you call the Registrars of voters and obtain how voters have registered in the Town of Berlin, you might be surprised at how many voters have registered as "Unaffiliated" or "Other".

There are 3,023 registered Republicans in Berlin, Connecticut.  In comparison, there are 4,865 registered Democrats.  But--here is what is very interesting--there are 4,922 registered Unaffiliated voters and 8 registered "Other" (e.g., Libertarian, Independent Party, etc.) voters.

What can one conclude from these registrations?  It appears that there are 4,980 registered voters who may not appreciate the political postures of either major party.

Imagine if a third political party was formed in Berlin, Connecticut.  It does not require much effort, just a quick registration with the Secretary of State in Connecticut.  That would allow citizens who are neither Republicans and Democrats to speak and have some say in their Town government as a recognized, formal, organized, political party.  Rather than remain in limbo, unaffiliated voters could unite, form, and establish a very significant voice in their government.

A third party could run candidates for Berlin's Town Council.  Perhaps it could be conservative on fiscal policies (similar to Republicans but unlike Democrats) while being liberal on social issues (similar to Democrats but unlike Republicans).  Perhaps that is where the majority of Americans live today.  Let's face it, most Americans want to control government spending but are tolerant to gay marriage and a woman's right to choose, are they not?

The current two-party political system has encouraged the rise of the most extreme candidates, taking rational moderates out of the political conversation.  A new party could champion the best of the Republican and Democratic parties, and centrist candidates could change the landscape of our Town's government.

I am for a third party in Berlin.  The time has come to end a duopoly that gets us nothing but gridlock and endless fighting like cats and dogs, even here in the Town of Berlin.