Battered Voter Syndrome: the Politics of Codependency Among New York Voters Under the Conditions of the Democratic-Republican Two-Party State

In New York, as in so many states across the country, the catastrophic failure represented by Democratic-Republican Party politics and government is directly related to the fact that the Democratic-Republican two-party state and duopoly system of government constitute a cesspool of lawless graft, moral decrepitude and brutal violence. This state of affairs is not without consequences for the people of New York. USA Today reports on findings from a recent survey of public opinion in the Empire State:

A majority of New Yorkers are so ashamed by the latest scandals at the state Capitol they are embarrassed to call themselves New Yorkers, a Siena College poll today found. Seventy percent of voters agreed that New York has never been more dysfunctional, and by a 54% to 41% margin, voters also say that what's going on in Albany makes them "embarrassed" to call themselves New Yorkers.

The most recent embarrassment involves Governor David Patterson's implication in a scandal alleging witness tampering on the part of the state police in a domestic abuse case revolving around administration staffer David Johnson. Patterson, of course, came to office in 2008 after Democratic Governor Elliot Spitzer resigned in disgrace when it was revealed that he was a long-time client for a high end prostitution ring, thus capping off a long simmering controversy in which he had abused his powers as governor in ordering surveillance by state police of political rival Republican State Senator Joseph Bruno. Bruno, for his part, was indicted in 2009 on eight counts of corruption for criminal actions dating back to 1993. Also in the legislature, Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Democrat State Senator Hiram Monserrate was indicted and convicted for assaulting his girlfriend in October 2009. In February 2010, Bernard Kerik, aka "America's Top Cop," the former NYC Police Commissioner under Republican Rudolph Guiliani, was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of a sixteen-count indictment for conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud. The New York City Police Department has just been served with papers in a federal class-action lawsuit alleging systematic harassment, mistreatment and likely abuse of children in the city's public schools. I have yet to mention the likes of Democrat Charlie Rangel or Republican Peter King.

One is therefore justified in wondering why any New Yorker would continue to vote for any Democrat or Republican. Given the details of the above, it is tempting to hazard a psychological explanation. Perhaps the New York electorate suffers from what we might call "battered voter syndrome," based on analogy with battered person's syndrome. Wikipedia defines the latter as afflicting:

any person who, because of constant and severe domestic violence usually involving physical abuse by a partner, becomes depressed and unable to take any independent action that would allow him or her to escape the abuse. The condition explains why abused people often do not seek assistance from others, fight their abuser, or leave the abusive situation. Sufferers have low self-esteem, and often believe that the abuse is their fault. Such persons usually refuse to press criminal charges against their abuser, and refuse all offers of help, often becoming aggressive or abusive to others who attempt to offer assistance. Often sufferers will even seek out their very abuser for comfort shortly after an incident of abuse.

Could we not state without serious exaggeration that anyone who continues to vote Democratic or Republican in New York State suffers from a form of battered voter syndrome? Under the conditions of the Democratic-Republican two-party state and duopoly system of government, we may confidently diagnose battered voter syndrome in any person who, because of constant and severe moral and physical violence – the abuses characteristic of Democratic-Republican Party government – becomes apathetic and unable to take any independent action that would allow them to escape Democratic-Republican Party government. The condition explains why these voters do not seek assistance from others who might aid them in leaving the Democratic/Republican Party or joining the popular opposition to the Democratic-Republican political class. These voters often see themselves as helpless victims, and blame themselves or others for the failures of Democratic-Republican Party government. Such voters frequently refuse to hold Democratic-Republican politicians accountable for their crimes and misdeeds, electing incumbents at high rates. Correspondingly, they refuse to consider third party and independent alternatives to the Democratic or Republican Parties, and often become aggressive and abusive toward those who offer assistance in the form of political alternatives (independents, Greens, Libertarians, Constitutionists etc.). Tragically, these voters will even seek out Republicans and Democrats for comfort following instances of abuse by Republican and Democratic politicians; they might even paradoxically demand that Republicans and Democrats themselves offer solutions to the problem that is Democratic-Republican Party government. Battered voter syndrome is a serious psycho-ideological condition afflicting millions of Americans. If you or anyone you know shows signs of battered voter syndrome, seek help from independent and third party advocates offering real alternatives to the reproduction of the failed Democratic-Republican two-party state and duopoly system of government.