The system, as it stands, feels like a rigged game. Candidates chosen not by the people but by party elites enter a stage where the script is pre-written. The Federal Election Commission reported that in the 2020 election cycle, party committees raised over $4 billion, much of it from wealthy donors. Where, then, is the voice of the average citizen?

To end party nominations might seem radical, but consider the possibilities. Open primaries, ranked-choice voting, and independent candidacies could breathe fresh air into a stifling room. These systems exist elsewhere—New Zealand and Ireland have implemented proportional representation with success. Why not here?

The counterarguments are many: stability, tradition, the fear of fragmentation. But is stability worth the price of stagnation? Traditions, after all, are meant to serve us, not shackle us. And fragmentation might just be the diversity of thought we desperately need.

As the tides of disillusionment rise, so does the call for reform. Political parties are not sacred; they are tools. When a tool no longer serves its purpose, we lay it down. Perhaps it is time to forge new tools, ones that reflect the complexity and vibrancy of the people they are meant to serve.