The only reason why the government was shut down for over a month is because neither Republicans nor Democrats were willing to give the other side a political victory. That raises the question of: how efficient would the government be if there were no political parties?

During the past few years, political parties have destroyed our government as we know it. A Pew Research poll found that 36 percent of Republicans thought that liberal policies are “a threat to the nation’s well-being,” and that 27 percent of Democrats feel the same way about Republicans. The study also found that over the last thirty years, the nation has grown more partisan and Congress has become less effective. Overall, each side bases their political agenda on demonizing the other party, not about helping our country move forward.

Imagine how much smoother our government would run if there were no political parties. The reason why very little is getting done in Congress today is because most politicians only vote along party lines. Since the House and the Senate are mainly 50/50 Republican and Democrat, if everyone votes on party lines, there is no way any controversial bill will pass. If there were no political parties, politicians would not feel pressure to vote along party lines, but instead be willing to vote for what they actually believe in.

Political parties have not only ruined the government, they have divided the people too. Today, people are quick to judge others based on their political beliefs, and the same is true when it comes to voting. Some people only look at whether there is a “D” or a “R” next to the candidate’s name. If there were no political parties, people would need to do actual research to see which candidate suits them, instead of voting purely on party lines. The thing about this is that no one cares to have their own individual thoughts anymore, because people feel like they have no other choice but to vote along party lines. So in a way, political parties are just two colossal cults that have divided our country.

George Washington said political parties would be the downfall of this nation, and as of now, those words look to be as true as ever. In the end, both political parties hate each other more than they love our country. If we want our country to keep pace with the rest of the world, we need to eliminate political parties so our government can achieve what it originally set out to do.