My fellow Americans,

I am a 25 year old millennial from Portland, OR, and like millions of you I have been deeply disturbed by this election and its implications for the future of our country. I am troubled not just by the result, but the entirety of the dysfunction, rhetoric, and vitriol that we saw throughout this contest. Never before have there been two candidates so entirely disliked by the American electorate, a fact clearly expressed by the lowest voter turnout in 20 years. I believe that there is an urgent need for a new third party in our political system: not on the far right or the far left, but right down the middle. I am hopeful there are many who agree with me, and I invite those who do to help me form the American Coalition Party.

I awoke this morning to an email from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (I was raised Democratic and have voted so thus far) advocating a "reckoning" within the Democratic Party that would seek to further embody the far-left platform of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. I predict that this will be a probable outcome of this year’s election, as Democrats will recognize the desire for upturning the apple cart in Washington in order to re-capture white working class voters and energize millennials who were disappointed by Sanders’ failure to secure the Democratic nomination. Whether or not you agree with this platform, it is likely that this reactionary shift farther to the left will inevitably lead to further polarization, further divisiveness, and an even worse crisis in our national identity and cohesiveness as the two main political parties are pulled farther and farther apart. And as each party becomes more and more of an anathema to the constituents of the other, people will be increasingly unwilling to accept the results of an election such as this, threatening the very validity of our democracy. We are already seeing this play out in our streets, with the unprecedented spread of sometimes-violent protests against the result of a free and fair election.

 As a diverse nation of immigrants, the only thing that has held us together this long is a belief in what America means and is supposed to stand for; that our common dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is stronger than the differences between us. This belief has been deeply undercut not just by this election, but the past 16 years of partisan politics and gridlock that have fundamentally crippled both the effectiveness of and faith in our political system. This phenomenon has both aggravated and been exacerbated by the societal changes and divides in this nation, which have reached a critical point with this election. I believe that if action is not taken now in this unique and fleeting moment in our nation's history, America may not survive intact. It is for this reason that I am asking others to join me in establishing this centrist third party in order to fundamentally change our political system, and bring back the tradition of cooperation and compromise to Washington.

 This party would promote an inclusive political platform that would generally be described as “fiscally conservative, socially liberal.” It would include aspects of both traditional Republican policies like lowering the corporate tax rate, reforming entitlements, and American leadership in international affairs, as well as some of those of the Democratic party, such as closing corporate loopholes, strong environmental protections, and moving toward renewable energy sources. The primary focus of the platform would be issues that the wide majority of Americans agree on, such as promoting economic progress, campaign finance reform, government action on climate change, infrastructure improvement, criminal justice reform and immigration reform. Needless to say, there are a lot of gaps to be filled and kinks to be worked out, but with the right people involved I believe it is entirely possible to move forward; if, and only if, however, moderates on either side of the political divide are willing to compromise.

 The major take-away from this election is that people on both the left and the right want change in our political system, whether they are in the “Bernie-or-bust” demographic or those who are now hoping that Trump will “drain the swamp” in Washington. I believe that this frustration is warranted, but that a more reasonable, moderate approach will be more effective in creating progress and would be more willingly accepted by a plurality of Americans. I also believe that there are many people who may feel that they no longer truly identify with their traditional party, but still have difficulty bringing themselves to vote for the other side; the very “homeless” voters that NYT columnist David Brooks has recently referred to. Therefore, I believe that this country needs a fresh party, and one that does not lie on the fringe. I believe that with the right platform, people, and political strategy, this party could incorporate the "political revolution" that so many on both the left and the right wanted this election while also providing a home for those of us in the middle who do not approve of the increasingly-polarized policy positions of both parties. It is time for a radically moderate change.

 The midterm elections are two years away, and not only will there be 33 senate seats up for grabs, but the entire House of Representatives as well. If we can win seats outright or convince 8-10 senators and a similar proportion of congressional representatives to join this party, it will totally redraw the map in Congress: we would have a parliamentary system, in which coalitions would need to be formed to pass or block legislation. However, even a small handful of seats would be enough to start a major conversation and shift in our political system. This would hopefully propel a moderate candidate to the presidency in 2020 who both Democrats and Republicans could accept and be willing to work with instead of against.

Perhaps this is simply a product of youthful naiveté, and there is still no chance of a legitimate third party in this country; but in my mind, if this election has proven anything it is that right now anything is possible politically. I firmly believe that a moderate third party may be the only chance we have to prevent this divisiveness and polarization from tearing our country and society apart. This is a call to action for those who want change, for those who are worried about the future of this nation and its political system, for those who no longer have a home in their own party, and for those who see the utility in a moderate third party for making progress on key issues.

 Clearly, I cannot do this on my own. I wrote this petition in the hopes that it would get the attention of potential financial backers like Michael Bloomberg, Paul Singer, and Mark Cuban, current politicians who do not like where their own party is headed, and as many like-minded Americans as possible. I invite any and all readers who endorse this idea of creating a centrist third party to sign this petition and visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AmericanCoalition/ to show their support. Any potential financial backers or public servants who wish to become involved or participate in the conversation are also invited to email: americancoalitionparty2018@ gmail.com