Make Way for the Radical Center

Until very recently, I have always been a firm believer in America's two-party system. It allows for a constant source of conflict in Congress so no voice goes unheard, it offers our citizens a political identity spiking national interest in politics, and when a particular issue is going unnoticed, a third party is briefly formed around it to help resolve and bring light to that particular issue. However, after recently meeting a large group of Republican teenagers and participating in a congressional seminar with them made unneccessarily difficult by a deep lack of respect for the others' political beliefs, my opinion has been gradually changing.
The frustration with our two-party system blocking the efficiency our government is certainly being felt by other Americans, as demonstrated by the Americans Elect party. In this article, "Make Way for the Radical Center," Thomas L. Friedman discusses the new development of a political party conducted over the internet. He describes this Americans Elect party as a group of citizens that draws from all sides of the political spectrum who are frustrated with only having two answers to choose from to solve our problems. In just a few days the Americans Elect party will have enough signatures to get a spot on California's presidential ballot. They plan to narrow the pool of their potentials down to six candidates. Every candidate must have a running mate from a different party.
Though I initially (and still do) have some doubts about this plan, Friedman's mix of personable writing and straight journalism helped ease them. For example, Friedman himself expresses his first doubts--"I know it sounds gimmicky — an Internet convention — but an impressive group of frustrated Democrats, Republicans and independents, called Americans Elect, is really serious, and they have thought out this process well." We know he's not just blindly buying into this idea, he recognizes with the reader what it's like to first see this. Friedman's persuasive powers are also strengthened by a strong picture he paints at the top of the article. "DID I mention that I’ve signed a pledge — just like those Republican congressmen who have signed written promises to different political enforcers not to raise taxes or permit same-sex marriage?" We start the article feeling the same frustration with our two-party system that the Americans Elect do, then making it easier for us to swallow the idea to come. He throws in more detail when describing the CEO of the Americans Elect. By using words like "swank" and describing the offices as a "stone's throw from the White House" we know that this party has some serious money, legitimizing it even more.
Though I don't think something as easily corrupted and/or hacked as the internet is a viable platform for determining something as serious as the leadership as our country, I do think at the very least the Americans Elect will make a point--that our political party system has some serious issues, a point Friedman has effectively communicated in this article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24friedman.html?src=me&ref=general