The current two-party system translates into a fractured Democratic party. Lacking a more internationally accepted multi-party system where they may rightfully split, the Democrats are splintered between two compact, sharp factions.

Frustrations rise from the Democratic party as two centrist senators withhold their vote for paid family leave, free community college tuition, a higher tax on billionaires and corporations and more. This leads their constituents to be confused and angry as these moderates claim they “help” the working class.

Senators like Krysten Sinema and Joe Manchin take advantage of the lower class, immigrants and young voters by promising them a better future only for them to turn around and assist corporate America, not future generations.

The Democratic party is beginning to reveal it isn’t too different from the Republican party as each overlooks the vulnerable in the name of “fiscal responsibility.”

In this modern era, moreover, a new, energetic group has arisen within the Democrats to pressure for progress: the squad.

Self-proclaimed “democratic-socialists,” a label that used to be negative now enters the mainstream with more accepting, younger generations.

Politicians like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush are combatting issues like climate change, servicing lower-middle-class and civil rights issues like abortion and voting rights. This demonstrates a stark contrast to the sluggish, narrow-minded moderates who control the party like Manchin and Sinema.

A dilemma that many observe is how the squad is a small group and their votes don’t wield any power in a group of moderates.

Each group coexisting in one party implies that voters may vote progressive, yet end up having Washington managed by moderates in the same party. Within the blue, the party is divided up into moderates or democratic-socialists. This is not sustainable, as these same-party politicians don’t deliver to the people that voted for them.

 In my experience as a first-time voter, I voted for Joe Biden and the Democrats because they weren’t Trump or conservatives. My first choice for the Democratic nominee was Sen. Sanders, butut at the time of the primary election, I wasn’t eligible to vote. Therefore, I was forced to vote for somebody due to older voters’ alternatives and someone who appeased moderates.

This represents intra-party breakdown from the two-party system failing. A citizen could voice their concerns for abundant issues, all for it just to be simplified to intra-party politics ruining Democratic governance, in this case. For now, we have to vote for a small group of progressives if we want a dramatic change to come for working people even if centrists dupe reform.

Axel is a sophomore in LAS.

[email protected]