“Well, we’re behind schedule” Lester Holt said about forty minutes into the debate. Although divided into three segments: America’s direction, achieving prosperity, and securing America, the first Presidential debate of 2016 veered off topic frequently as both candidates raised their voices, talked over each other, and exceeded their allotted speaking times. While critics cite Clinton as corrupt and Trump as vulgar, both candidates lack clarity with the public by either failing to release tax returns or illegally using a private email server.  Frustrated that they will be voting for the lesser of two evils, many Americans feel anger towards America’s current voting system.

This is not what the founding fathers had in mind.

Believing that the purpose of government is to protect the inalienable rights of its people at the consent of its people, the framers of the constitution carefully chose to create a government founded on representative democracy rather than direct democracy. Fearful of a majority group passing laws founded on fleeting passions that could infringe on the rights of minority groups, the founding fathers argued that not all citizens have the time, interest, energy, and/or expertise to make decisions that would benefit America in the long-term. Therefore, citizens are represented by elected officials in order to protect both the interests of the people and the wellbeing of America.

Nowhere in the constitution is a two-party system mentioned.

According to Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan not-for-profit organization which conducts public opinion polling, “39% Americans identify as independents, 32% as Democrats and 23% as republicans.This is the highest percentage of independents in more than 75 years of public opinion polling.” Yet, here we are stuck with only two choices for electing our next president: democrat or republican. While it is true that a citizen registered to vote can vote for a third party candidate, third party candidates face numerous obstacles that render it nearly impossible for one to win an election- causing many voices in America to be overshadowed. Perhaps more voices can be accurately represented if we collectively push to amend the current voting system. Options include ranking candidates based on desirability, removing the electoral college, and reforming campaign finance.

“A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on government” James Madison wrote in Federalist no.51. With enough information, interest, and energy, America can prove Madison’s statement to be true- that we have control over our government and the way it functions.