Arizona Senator Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has changed her registration from Democrat to independent. She wrote her reasons in the Arizona Republic and they were posted to that newspaper’s website. You can read the entire article here but the following are the consequential parts.

I too am registered as an Independent in California. I too am sick of the non stop bickering and one upmanship where making political points is more important than doing the right thing.

“Everyday Americans are increasingly left behind by national parties’ rigid partisanship, which has hardened in recent years. Pressures in both parties pull leaders to the edges, allowing the loudest, most extreme voices to determine their respective parties’ priorities and expecting the rest of us to fall in line.”

“In catering to the fringes, neither party has demonstrated much tolerance for diversity of thought. Bipartisan compromise is seen as a rarely acceptable last resort, rather than the best way to achieve lasting progress. Payback against the opposition party has replaced thoughtful legislating.”

“Americans are told that we have only two choices – Democrat or Republican – and that we must subscribe wholesale to policy views the parties hold, views that have been pulled further and further toward the extremes.”

“Most Arizonans believe this is a false choice, and when I ran for the U.S. House and the Senate, I promised Arizonans something different. I pledged to be independent and work with anyone to achieve lasting results. I committed I would not demonize people I disagreed with, engage in name-calling, or get distracted by political drama.”

“I promised I would never bend to party pressure, and I would stay focused on solving problems and getting things done for everyday Arizonans.”  

“My approach is rare in Washington and has upset partisans in both parties.”  

Could this be the end of the two party system in the United States? Not likely. The most we can hope for is a third party of consequence.