The rise of the Green Party is a welcomed change to the political landscape of Syracuse.

In the past decade, the party has seen increased popularity in the city. In 1993, Green Party member Howie Hawkins received only 3 percent of the vote in the election for Syracuse common councilor. In 2011, he received 48 percent.

Today, the Green Party serves as a necessary alternative within a fractured political system.

Many voters have become frustrated by the Democratic and Republican parties, which are deeply entrenched in partisanship. The two parties have become so headstrong in their beliefs that they have refused to compromise. This recently led to a period of inefficiency with the government shutdown.

This growing polarization between parties in today’s political arena has forced some young people to seek another voting option instead of the traditional two-party standard. This may be for the best.

Because the two parties struggle to work together, some voters could become attracted to the Green Party and its underdog status. The party rejects the normal mold of politics.

Many see this party as reflective of what its constituency is looking for. This is particularly evident in Syracuse, a working class, liberal city. Young members of this demographic support the Green Party because of its progressive ideas, such as resisting influence from big business.

The Green Party also fills the void in the traditional two-party system left by the Republican Party, which lacks a strong presence in Syracuse.

Although some of the party’s platform can be viewed as extremely liberal, the concepts are straightforward and easy for many to support, such as nonviolence and sustainability.

However, the Green Party is also held back from becoming a leading political party in Syracuse because of these left-leaning ideas. A negative stigma surrounds the party because its staunchly liberal ideals are often misunderstood. Some individuals do not endorse the party because they question its potential to implement change.

Although it does not have the potential to steal support for the Democratic Party, the Greens’ recent popularity proves that people want more than predictable politics. They want options, and in today’s divided political system, options are more important than some might think.

Published on October 23, 2013 at 2:36 am

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