The Year the Two-Party System Died

It was a year of front porch whispers. Coffee cups and county fairs.

Folks were tired of choosing sides like life was red or blue squares.

Grandma said, "Child, I remember when neighbors talked, not yelled."

And something in her trembling voice felt like a liberty we'd shed. Oh,

that was the year in America that the two-party system died. When the people

found their voices and the truth they couldn't hide. We were tired of all the

shouting, tired of being classified. So we stood up in the

mirror and said, "We'll choose our hearts this time." Teachers in the lunchroom laughed