Americans live in a classic “illusion of choice” scenario. When election time rolls around, who do you vote for—the vociferous Democrat who denounces the inflexibility of the conservative platform and proclaims a new Utopia powered by taxpayer dollars, or the stalwart Republican candidate who sweats corporate funding and swears sideways that he’ll resist change with every fiber of his being? Who can you choose, in good conscience, knowing full well that nearly every word frothing from mouths on both sides is completely untrue, and that whichever one makes It to office will do whatever he damn-well pleases without regard for campaign promises or the welfare of the common man? Can it truly be called a vote when both doors lead to the same slaughterhouse?

With only two choices, the options are limited.

America has subjected itself to a bipartisan miasma for decades. Largely through misconception (and better funding), the Democrat and Republican parties continue to hold a blatant monopoly over political stations of power. This would pose less of an issue if the parties were actively working for the good of the people—but they aren’t. For far too long, the primary goals of either party while in the driver’s seat has been subversion and replacement of any policies created by the opposing party while scrambling to install their own policies to ensure they retain power for themselves for as long as possible. And the taxpayers get to pay for it all, although we have no say in how they conduct themselves.

If this doesn’t seem fair, that’s because it isn’t. But don’t bother pointing fingers; there is no scapegoat here. The entire voting, taxpaying populace of the USA is responsible for letting things get to this point. How, you ask? By allowing themselves to be deluded into believing that there can only be two political parties worth voting for. For a culture that demands variety in all things, this is one item that should not have been allowed to slide.

But it has, and it is, and now American citizens everywhere are realizing just how docile they have become, and many are frantically searching for methods of retaliation. The problem is, the methods that should work no longer do, because the government has elevated itself beyond the will of mere people. And while more “revolutionary” tactics may certainly have an effect, the repercussions from such actions could end up being more detrimental than the problem they sought to address. How, then, to combat a force so massive and deeply entrenched? Well, there are several ways:

- Support third parties. There are many different groups to choose from, and no doubt you can find one that more closely fits your political views than the nebulous Dem/Rep umbrella. The ruling parties have done everything in their power to discredit tertiary parties as viable entities, with an unfortunately substantial amount of success. Ignore the propaganda spewed forth by the Big Two, and go see for yourself what these lesser known parties have to offer.

- Get informed. Part of the reason it has been so easy for the government to screw over the citizenry for so long is simple ignorance. If the people don’t know what is going on, they can’t question it. This is something our supposed “representatives” have been banking on for years, and the people played right into it. Government is widely perceived as too complicated, too corrupt, too scary, or too large to understand. So in order to fight back, we all have to do our homework. Learn what is going on, who is doing it, and how it affects you. Research topics upon which you have an opinion, and see how those topics are being addressed on Capitol Hill. Learn what happened to the economy, and what financial experts agree needs to be done—then contrast that with what politicians are proposing. An educated population poses a serious threat to big government.

- Get involved. The government doesn’t believe it has a reason to fear those it governs anymore. Prove them wrong. Participate in political action groups, write letters and petitions to the congressmen who are supposed to be representing you, donate or volunteer for the smaller parties that best represent your views—hell, you can even run for local public office! Words can only take you so far; without action, change is impossible.

The government can only keep its citizens oppressed while the citizens allow it to do so, be it under the guise of “protection” or through simple apathy. All it will take is a large enough group of people rejecting the regulations of a corrupt system, and the whole thing grinds to a halt. Those who sought to bleed the populace to forward their own agendas can be held accountable. The bloated, gluttonous bureaucratic mass that pretends to be our governing body can be deflated to more manageable proportions. Then we will be that much closer to once again having a government that is “by the people, for the people.”