To The Editor:

The next few election cycles are likely going to continue to be rough and we, as the American electorate, need to figure out what role we should play to help address the current fractures of our democracy. What can we do?

We need to understand how we got here. In my opinion, the two-party system is failing us. It once embraced the majority of American voters, welcoming people who held common overarching goals — including those who may not have agreed with some/many of the particulars. Members of one party were able to treat members of the other civilly while rebutting ideas, not wage emotional warfare as is the case now. Back then, most realized that people lived different lives that together built a vibrant community and that a highly ideological government could smother that vibrancy.

The parties have become skeletons of what they once were, in part by actively purging the “moderates” from their ranks, and in part by bullying those of the other party with antagonistic, broad-stroke labels that can intimidate people from joining — even when such labels have little basis in reality. We are now in a time when all Republicans are labeled as right-wing MAGA zealots and, likely soon, all Democrats as left-wing Socialists. Neither is true.

If we want to have a working democracy, we need a system that represents all of our ideals. Dropping out of the two existing parties means that we leave the decisions of who we get to vote for (the candidates) to those who may have very different ideas of what the United States of America stands for. Some have suggested creating a third party and that may be a viable solution, but it will take time to implement especially for executive offices. Rushing the effort could mean that a person with well less than 50% of public support might end up as President. Is that what we want?

What can we do today? For starters, stop demonizing members of the opposite party with broad-stroke labels. If you are a moderate, wear the RINO/DINO labels with pride; don’t let the extremes keep you from your right to participate. I can say from experience as a “RINO,” that even the more conservative members of my party listened as I explained the thought processes behind some of my positions about contentious issues that arose during my times in office. To the end, they supported me.

Please step up. Vote in the primaries. Vote in the elections. And finally, engage with the appropriate Town Committee if you want to have a voice in how that party selects its candidates at all levels of government. Doing so will likely lead to candidates who are better able to represent all voices.

Deborra Zukowski

Newtown