The Sept. 19 column “Truthfully, your vote really doesn’t matter, neither do political parties,” rests on facile assumptions about people’s political interests.
The proposal that politicians use the scientific method in legislating to determine the “best” laws ignores the reality.
It’s as simple as this — different laws are better for different people.
If you are a multimillionaire industrialist, low income taxes and lax labor regulations are in your best interest.
If you are a low-earning employee of that industrialist, then your political interests are quite different.
Thus, while the writer views political parties as mere feel-good outlets for group identity, they actually serve the important purpose of ensuring that people of varying statuses all have a chance at representation.
In a country as diverse and economically disparate as the United States of America, it is foolish to believe, as said in the column, that there is a single “best outcome” that all people can wish for.
Despite what was said in Wednesday’s column, those of us who register with a party and vote are not sheep who have been duped into drinking the Kool-aid.
Rather, we recognize that our interests are better represented by a particular party.
And then, we take the initiative to act in concert with others of similar interests.
Craig Anderson
senior-anthropology and political science
