| Henry Rowland | CT Mirror |
Our military relies on our civilian leaders to provide policy guidance that includes achievable outcomes backed by a political will that is consistent with public sentiment.
We can help mend the relationship between the public, elected officials, and the military by adopting electoral reforms such as ranked choice voting (RCV). The single-winner version of RCV (also known as “instant runoff voting”) will give voters a chance to truly express their preference during primary and general elections.
”Healing must start with how we elect our leaders.
The current single choice system fosters division, low competition, and low accountability, thus diminishing trust in the electoral system. RCV removes the wasted vote from the equation, fostering trust in voters that their votes matter.
Veterans, one of America’s most-trusted groups, are increasingly at odds with America’s least-trusted group — our government — because veterans often bear the brunt of political dysfunction.
The military needs to fix its relationship with Congress and the Commander in Chief. That healing process must start with how we elect our leaders. Without repairing this relationship, each institution will have few incentives to truly understand the limits and utility of military power.
