Having been a minor elected public official at one time, I got my fill of party politics. You can be elected into an office with the best of intentions, But you will either conform to the parties directives or you will not get the help to pass any meaningful changes, or get the support to be re-elected. You can not, in my opinion, be an independent thinker within the party system. This is why the good politicians get out, or go sour.

I served one term and got out because it was a waste of time to try to accomplish any changes from within the system. The system will beat the single individual. The only way to change the system is from the outside. In my opinion to start a New party and build power enough to effect change.