Election 2016 has produced a generation of political orphans. One party has embraced white nationalism while the other struggles to sustain an unsteady coalition of ‘everyone else.’ Third parties, cut off from any credible path to power, remain the domain of political hobbyists and misfits. Limited to these choices, a vast pool of voters find their voices muted and their interests stifled. Our system provides few credible outlets for those alienated from the two major parties. We need a place for those left behind.
PoliticalOrphans was created by Chris Ladd, a former Republican who previously created GOPLifer.com and now posts here. Ladd resigned his position as a GOP precinct committeeman in suburban Chicago after the party nominated Donald Trump for President. The site will feature occasional content from other political orphans with histories on the left, right and elsewhere.
Our goal is to foster thoughtful, considered engagement on difficult subjects where passions often run high. That isn’t easy, but it is more important than ever. Many of the policies that defined our two major parties since World War II are spent, but too few alternatives are emerging from those institutions. At PoliticalOphans, we hope to provide an online community in which new ideas can flourish and new alignments can form.
Contact us at polorphans at gmail.com.