The Rigged System: Why American Politics is Broken & How We Fix It

America’s political system has been hijacked. Power isn’t in the hands of the people—it’s locked up by two private organizations that exist to serve themselves: the Democratic and Republican parties. And it’s not looking great for the rest of us.

A recent Harvard Business School study by Professor Michael Porter and Catherine Gale found that there is virtually no correlation between an elected official serving the will of the people and their chances of getting re-elected. Crazy. If a politician actually does their job—if they make decisions that benefit their constituents instead of their party—they are more likely to lose their seat.

Why? Because the system has been set up to protect two privately held, gain-seeking entities—not democracy, not representation, and certainly not you.

The Illusion of Choice

Every election cycle, Americans are given the same choice: Republican or Democrat. And every year, we hear the same phrase: “Vote for the lesser of two evils.”

But in a true democracy, if two options aren’t working, a new competitor would enter the space. Think about cable companies—people hated them, so streaming services came in and took over. Competition creates better options.

Yet in politics? The two major parties have rigged the system to block competition.

•  In 2019, both parties publicly threatened to blacklist candidates and contractors who veered from party lines.

• They control the money, the primaries, and the debates.

• They even draw their own voting districts, ensuring they can’t lose in general elections.

The result? 61% of Americans want another option, but any third-party or independent candidate who runs is dismissed as a spoiler.

This isn’t democracy. It’s a duopoly, and it’s designed to serve the people in power, not the people voting.

The Primary Problem Is Elections Are Rigged Before They Even Begin

Here’s where it gets even worse. In 86% of House races, we already know which party will win before the election even happens. That means the real competition isn’t in the general election—it’s in the primaries.

Only about 20% of eligible voters participate in primaries. And they are the most partisan voters—the ones who are the most extreme in their views.

This means: The most partisan candidates win the primaries.

• Since their district is already controlled by their party, they automatically win the general election.

• Over time, Congress moves further and further apart, with more extreme voices on both sides.

And that’s exactly what’s happened. A gridlocked Congress that can’t even pass the most basic laws to improve everyday life. 

Meanwhile, for the first time since the Great Depression, life expectancy in the U.S. is going down—while it’s going up in the rest of the world.

Congress Won’t Fix This—So We Have to Go Around Them

Congress isn’t going to fix itself. The people benefiting from this system aren’t going to voluntarily change the rules that keep them in power.

The good news is that we don’t need Congress to fix it.

How: In the U.S., states control elections—even federal ones.

A study found that throughout American history, massive federal change has come from passing laws at the state level first. This means if we pass state laws that change how elections work, those changes automatically affect federal elections. 

The American Anti-Corruption Act

If we want a government that actually works for the people, we need to fix elections at their core. The American Anti-Corruption Act is designed to do that.

Here’s how it works:

• Independent commissions draw voting districts (not politicians).

•  Lobbyists are banned from donating to politicians.

• Every voter gets a $100 tax credit to support a candidate of their choice.

• Term limits prevent career politicians from staying in power forever.

• Ranked-choice voting lets independents and third parties run without “spoiling” elections.

• Secure, automatic voter registration & vote-from-home ballots make it easier for everyone to participate.

This is common sense reform that gives power back to voters. And it’s already polling incredibly high across party lines.

How We Make It Happen

There’s a rule in political movements called the 3.5% Rule—coined by researchers who studied movements all over the world. They found that when just 3.5% of a population actively engages in fighting for change, they win every single time.

For the U.S., 3.5% is just 11 million people. 

And the best part? Millions are already involved.

Local campaigns are already making progress, and over 100 victories have been won in cities and states across the country.

But we need millions more.

What You Can Do Right Now

This isn’t about left vs. right—it’s about the people vs. a broken system. And it’s already happening in your state.

Here’s how you can help:

• Sign up to be part of the next anti-corruption victory in your state → Represent.Us (https://represent.us)

• Donate to support state campaigns—the frontline of real change

• Spread the word—awareness is the first step toward action

The truth? If you do nothing, nothing will change. And this is about giving power back to the people.

Thank you to RepresentUs for educating me on this topic!