- Mike Michener of New London is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Iowa and a former political appointee in the Biden and Obama administrations.
- He is currently living in Ukraine working on an agricultural development project.
America is at a crossroads. The two major political parties are caught in a vicious cycle of appeasing their activist populist bases, focused on backward-looking grievances rather than forward-thinking solutions. The Democratic and Republican parties are showing symptoms of terminal decline. Their inability to address the concerns of most Americans — who favor compromise and practical governance — threatens the stability of our democracy.
This is not the first time a major political realignment loomed large in American history. In the mid-19th century, the Whig Party collapsed because it failed to address the most pressing issue of its time: slavery. Today, both parties risk a similar fate. Captured by far-left and far-right populist factions, they are increasingly defined by narrow identity politics, historical grievances, and an unwillingness to address the broad, pressing challenges of the 21st century: economic inequality, polarization, and a democracy under strain.
Consider the state of our national dialogue. The left often insists on cultural orthodoxy, alienating working-class voters who feel unwelcome in their own party. Meanwhile, the right increasingly embraces reactionary policies and rhetoric that seek to roll back the clock on social progress. Both sides prioritize purity tests over pragmatism, vilify their opponents as existential threats, and leave reasonable Americans in the middle without a political home.
Nowhere is this political abandonment felt more acutely than here in Iowa. A state once defined by its pragmatic, neighborly sensibility, Iowa has become a battleground for the same polarized forces tearing the country apart. The result is a lack of constructive governance and a growing disillusionment among voters.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Iowa has a unique opportunity to lead the nation out of this political paralysis. Reasonable moderates, long the silent majority, can and must step up to reclaim the center of American politics. This means running as independent candidates — not as servants of party machinery, but as advocates for pluralism, compromise, and forward-looking solutions.
Recent political developments demonstrate the viability of this path. Independent candidate Dan Osborn’s surprisingly competitive campaign for the U.S. Senate in neighboring Nebraska has shown that voters are willing to embrace candidates outside the traditional party system. Osborn’s focus on pragmatic solutions and his ability to connect with a broad coalition of Nebraskans offer a blueprint for what independent pluralists could achieve in Iowa.
Independent campaigns are no easy feat. They require candidates with courage, organizational skill, and a deep connection to their communities. But there is reason to believe that such efforts can succeed. In states like Maine and Alaska, independent and moderate candidates have broken through entrenched partisanship to offer voters real alternatives. Ranked-choice voting, now gaining traction in states across the country, further strengthens the viability of centrist campaigns by ensuring that candidates with broad appeal can win without being spoiled by partisan divides.
The stakes could not be higher. Our current parties are headed toward a reckoning. Whether they reform themselves to embrace the values of pluralism, or collapse and are replaced by new coalitions of moderate, solution-oriented leaders, one thing is clear: the era of business as usual is over. The question is whether reasonable Americans, especially here in Iowa, will seize this moment to build something better.
The time for action is now. Iowa’s history is rich with examples of pragmatic leadership and civic engagement. From its role in the Underground Railroad to its pioneering work in public education, Iowa has long been a beacon of moral clarity and practical action. We can once again set an example for the nation by rejecting the politics of division and embracing a politics of inclusion, reason, and progress.
Independent pluralists must rise to the occasion. They must offer voters a new vision, one that focuses on solving real problems and respects the diverse perspectives of all Americans. If the current parties cannot adapt, then they should go the way of the Whigs — and make way for leaders who can.
Mike Michener of New London is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Iowa and a former political appointee in the Biden and Obama administrations. He is currently living in Ukraine working on an agricultural development project.
