I've written many times on IVN on the subject of the psychology of negative campaigning in U.S. elections.

In most cases, negative campaigning does exactly one thing -- it turns voters off to the point of disengaging from the political system and not voting.

But the research is also clear, that this 'turn-off' among voters tends to affect Democrats at a greater pace than Republicans.

En respuesta a una pieza de opinión publicada por el LA Times, la cual prácticamente culpa a Top-Dos por la decadencia del Partido Republicano de California y su transformación a un estado de un solo partido político, Bill Bloomfield, empresario y anterior candidato independiente para el Congreso, escribió una carta al editor explicando que no se debe culpar a Top-Dos por la muerte del Partido Republicano en California, ya que el Partido Republicano es el único responsable de ello:

How much influence the average citizen has on the policies of our government is a common debate. As our politicians seem so far removed from the everyday lives of the masses, one has to question how society sways elected officials toward a desired direction.

Awareness of the issues is without a doubt vital and activism is just as important. How we achieve both has been consistent throughout American history. That being public forums, gatherings, and the press.

In a response to an opinion piece published in the LA Times, essentially blaming top-two for the decline of the California Republican Party and California's move to a one-party state, businessman and former independent congressional candidate Bill Bloomfield wrote a letter to the editor over the weekend, explaining that top-two is not to blame for the death of the California GOP; the Republican Party is responsible for its own demise:

San, Diego, CALIF. - Of the five odd-numbered districts electing city council representatives in 2016, only one election truly remains: District 9.

While the District 1 election is still officially on the ballot, Republican candidate Ray Ellis pulled out of the race months ago, leaving Barbara Bry as the only viable choice in that District.

If there was ever a time when we could actually use the term ‘worst ever,’ last night’s debate definitely applies.

Sure, it was good television viewing -- you half expected one of the candidates to pull out a sword and fall on it -- but that was the whole problem with the debate in a nutshell.

It was all too focused on the recent gaffes of both candidates, the damage control that has made it worse, and the ensuing finger pointing that was at a kindergartener’s level of ‘two wrongs making a right.’