Party Time by Chris Dzurick, Callaway County

Political parties guide us to finding a candidate that shares our values and views. MOYIG has opted to forgo the political party system this year, upsetting avid participants in the program.
“Different political parties help promote different ideas and create debate between the two sides,” stated Pat Powers, a governor candidate from the Francais Howell Central delegation, “Its more enjoyable to have debate then watch people just always raising their hands for yes.”
Newcomers to the MOYIG program are indifferent to the change, yet still voice a strong opinion.
“We don’t quite see the difference between what it was like and what it is like now,” expressed Ariane Rinehart a member of the Video News team and the Lindbergh delegation, “In the real world there are political parties and they have a huge influence on candidates. I think that since we don’t have [a political party system], we don’t portray a true mock government.”
Students have become curious as to why political parties were removed. Ken Hussey shared his reasoning behind the lack of political parties, “Political parties were not achieving their goals for the program,” Hussey explained. “Students felt disconnected from the parties.” Hussey went on to explain that with this new method, students could create their own platform instead of following that of their political party. “The method that we have chosen to go with allows for their [students] ideology and opinions on the issues to be infused into the campaigns without the title of the party.”
The political parties may have been eliminated, but the ideas that stand behind them have left a lasting impression in the minds of veteran MOYIG participants.