The Moment of Decision

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Every Congressional election cycle presents a vital opportunity for us—the American voter—to make better choices about who represents us in Washington. It is a chance to push back against the entrenched power of the Duopoly: the Republican and Democratic parties, cloaked in the guise of representative democracy. Once champions of constructive politics, both have become increasingly radicalized—driven less by public service and more by a relentless pursuit of power.

 

Their extreme ideological agendas no longer reflect the shared values and practical concerns of moderate Americans. Mr. Trump’s rise to power is not an anomaly but a symptom of a broken system—one sustained by entrenched partisan networks, Super PACs saturating the media with toxic messaging, and social media echo chambers that amplify bias while silencing objective counter-narratives.

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The Illusion of Representation

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If we truly seek to restore balance, civility, and shared prosperity, we must confront the Duopoly’s stranglehold on our electoral system. The most effective way to do so is to deny either party a simple majority in Congress. Only then can we force cooperation over conquest—and compel lawmakers to serve all Americans, not just partisan constituencies.

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As we continue our pursuit of the American Dream, the Duopoly disgraces our democratic institutions with petty squabbles instead of collaboration. Both parties have defaulted on their constitutional responsibilities: to deliberate, to build consensus, and to pass legislation reflecting the will of the Total Majority, not just the Party Majority.

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Instead, we are governed by obstruction and gridlock. Compromise has become taboo. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell once proudly declared he was “100 percent focused on stopping President Joe Biden’s administration.” Likewise, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to advance a bipartisan infrastructure bill unless the Senate agreed to pass the partisan Build Back Better Act—legislation that passed the House with zero Republican support and even one Democrat defection.

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This is not representative democracy. It is a zero-sum game played by political elites at the expense of the American people.

 

A Bipolar Partiocracy

 

We now live under a bipolar partiocracy, where loyalty to party identity and the interests of well-financed lobbyists routinely eclipse the will of the people. Moderate policymaking has been sidelined in favor of ideological purity. Major legislation routinely passes by the thinnest of margins—a simple 51% majority—always along party lines.

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But this "majority" is deeply misleading. According to Pew Research, only 33% of voters identify as Democrats and 32% as Republicans. That means sweeping legislation is often enacted based on the ideological preferences of just one-third of the population.

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How is that democracy?

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Consider the 2010 Affordable Care Act (Democrats), the 2025 Big Beautiful Bill Act (Republicans)—two major bills passed entirely along party lines. Even the 2021 INVEST in America Act, billed as bipartisan, barely passed the House with just a 52% majority and 94% of Republican representatives opposing it.

What was once the exception has become the rule: pass sweeping legislation without the opposing party, then vilify dissenters as enemies of progress—or the state itself.

 

When Dissent Becomes Disloyalty

 

This toxic atmosphere punishes principle. When Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger chose to serve on the January 6th Select Committee, they were formally censured by the Republican Party. Their reward for upholding their oath of office was political exile. The GOP’s official resolution made clear its true objective: not serving the public good, but “winning back the majority in Congress.”

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Why? Because majority control equals unilateral power—the ability to pass legislation without debate, deliberation, or compromise.

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This is the rot at the heart of our political system: elected representatives must serve party interests—or risk losing the financial and institutional support necessary for reelection. Most lawmakers today are no longer accountable to the people who elected them. They serve the oligarchs and interest groups who control the parties themselves.

 

The Real Threat to America

 

We are told to fear trade imbalances, election interference, nuclear proliferation, or even pandemics. But the greatest threat to America’s strength and stability is political polarization—fueled and perpetuated by the Duopoly.

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This dysfunction fractures our national unity and leaves us vulnerable to extremists, opportunists, and foreign actors who exploit these ideological fissures to sow division through social media, misinformation, and hyperbolic news. A nation divided against itself cannot lead globally or prosper at home.

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If Americans continue to abdicate their civic responsibility—by voting reflexively, tolerating partisan gamesmanship, and succumbing to manufactured outrage—we will only further erode our national strength and democratic foundations.

 

The Case for Independent Leadership

 

We have a path forward. The Keep America Strong foundation calls on voters to seek out and support genuine Independent Congressional candidates in the 2026 election—not Independents in name only who ultimately caucus with one faction of the Duopoly. By denying both major parties a simple majority, we can restore balance in Congress, compel bipartisan cooperation, and return the legislature to its intended purpose: a deliberative body focused on consensus, accountability, and meaningful progress.

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Independents offer a critical alternative to the partisan status quo:

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• Free from Party Pressure: Unbound by loyalty pledges or ideological litmus tests, Independents can vote based on principle and constituent needs.

• Bridge Builders: They are uniquely positioned to broker compromise and build coalitions between polarized camps.

• Transparent and Accountable: Without institutional backing, they rely on grassroots support and substantive policy platforms—not identity politics or culture war theatrics.

 

The Myth of the “Spoiler” Vote

 

A common refrain used to discourage support for Independent or third-party candidates is the fear of “spoiling the vote”—the idea that voting outside the two major parties somehow undermines democracy or enables the “greater evil.” But this fear is both misguided and undemocratic.

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Casting a vote for an Independent is not a wasted vote—it is a principled vote, a declaration that voters will no longer be complicit in a system that demands loyalty to dysfunction. The “spoiler” narrative serves only to protect the Duopoly’s grip on power by confusing narratives and suppressing alternatives. It assumes that the only valid political choices are those sanctioned by the existing power structure—an assumption that directly contradicts the spirit of a representative democracy.

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True change will not come from perpetually choosing the lesser of two evils. It will come when enough Americans refuse to be coerced into false binaries and instead vote their conscience—to build something better.

 

The Moderate Majority Holds the Power

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According to the Hidden Tribes report, 67% of Americans belong to the “Exhausted Majority”—ideologically flexible citizens whose views vary significantly by issue and who generally reject political extremes. This majority holds the power to reshape American politics. If we want to break the cycle of dysfunction, corruption, and tribal politics, we must stop rewarding the system that sustains it. Refuse to vote for candidates who serve party leaders and corporate donors.

 

In 2026, make your vote a tool for reform—support genuine Independent candidates who put country over party, and people over politics.

Even a handful of Independent lawmakers can reshape Congress, restore deliberation, and advance legislation that truly serves the American majority—not just the loudest partisans.

 

Reject the Duopoly and Vote with intention—not tradition.