Just another political party
The first objection we expect to surface is this: People First is just another political party. Nope. False. We’re no more a political party than a hippopotamus is a gazelle—they both have bodies, legs, heads, and teeth, but, no, they’re definitely not the same creature. The only thing People First has in common with political parties is that we exist to help people get elected. People First has no “platform,” no set of issues our candidates are pledged to support, other than independent, rational, unbiased thinking, and those are not political in nature…they’re human behavior of the kind that overcomes the vices of political parties.
Human nature will corrupt the idealism of People First
When faced with temptation, possibilities for personal enrichment, pressures to avoid failure (the belief that party loyalty is essential for success), the difficulty of standing up for something bigger than yourself, and a long litany of ways that people yield to pressure and temptation, People First idealism will crumble. People are “only human” and will give in to their baser impulses. For that reason, People First is doomed to failure.
Absolutely false! Corruption—and that’s what we’re really talking about, isn’t it?—isn’t an innate part of the human soul. Corruption is something that rises to the surface for those who take the “easy way” to get ahead; those who don’t have the necessary talent and have to cheat to “succeed,” (it’s not really success, it’s fraud); those who aren’t really in it for service, but for self-service (the “what’s in it for me” crowd)…really anyone of low character, ability, and morality.
It looks like all politicians are corrupt because truth be told, most of them are. But that’s because the party system either attracts corrupt personalities or quickly corrupts the few people of honor and integrity who dare to become politicians. “Politician” shouldn’t be a dirty word, but, because of the nature of the political game and the centuries-old party system that supports it, only corrupt and corruptible people have a chance, or want to give it a try.
It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, it can’t be that way if we are to survive as a free nation. There are millions of honorable, capable, successful, and ethical people out there who don’t need the ill-gotten gains of a corrupt system, and who would love a chance to serve the nation in accordance with the “better angels” of human nature. Yes, millions of them.
People First is in it to give them a chance, because, frankly, they are our only chance.
The opposition is unbeatable
What makes us think we can overcome the huge, powerful, and deeply entrenched people and organizations that are lined up against us? Frankly, this one troubles us the most, because, of all the reasons that People First might fail, this is the one that could do us in. First of all, political parties, big money, the quid pro quo way of legislating and governing, and the deeply entrenched political infrastructure, are all enormous and enormously powerful. They command trillions of dollars, virtually all of the nation’s communications (except social media, and they’re trying to take control there, too), and, if we’re truthful with ourselves, they also have a death grip on the minds of the voters.
Voters complain—they bemoan the dishonesty and corruption of politicians, big business lobbyists, and power groups of all kinds—but those same voters also end up believing them, accepting their misleading stories and outright lies, and shrugging their shoulders as if to say, “that’s just the way it is.”
The only real chance People First has is this: we have to tell the truth—the brutal, unvarnished, honest-to-God truth—and we have to help the nation understand that it is the truth, and not just more of the same-old, same-old.
We can’t do it without you, because without you—the American voter—we’re nothing. Nada. Zip. When we say that the American people are the only legitimate power base, we aren’t kidding. The only power on Earth that will overcome our dysfunctional governance is you. Our Constitution says so. Our history says so. We know it’s true, and in your heart of hearts, so do you.
If you truly want to do something, rather than complain and put up with things as they are, join us. Register as a People First Advocate. Do whatever you can to help us.
We might just be your last chance.