At last, Nov. 2 has come and gone, along with its negative campaigns. Bush has emerged as the winner of the election, but America is more divided than ever. The American people definitely don’t benefit from such divisions, so who does?

The political campaign became a rodeo, with the reigns of power dangling like a rope on the shoulders of the powerful and most influential in the political arena. We had mud flying everywhere, several groups seeing red, politicians roping them into their noose, political observers choking in the dust and the American voters cheering in the stands.

These divisions empower the powerful and weaken the weak. The old tactic of “divide and conquer” used by the British to colonize African nations is in play today in American politics because every issue is seen as either red or blue.

Poor liberals attack poor conservatives, while the issue of poverty is left unattended. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, there were about 35 million Americans living in poverty in 2002. Both the Democratic and Republican party have failed on this issue.

Black Republicans attack black Democrats while the problem of inner-city crime and poor education in inner-city schools is increasingly ignored. A 2002 Newsweek article showed that about 50 million Americans could not read or comprehend above an 8th grade level.

Student Republicans argue against student Democrats while tuition is rising disproportionately with inflation. Tuition at Iowa State has risen more than 50 percent in the last 4 years, while the inflation rate was only 3 percent. College tuition is becoming less and less affordable, but both Democrats and Republicans offer only over-simplified solutions to the problem.

Republicans and Democrats argue about tax cuts while multinational corporations practice inhumane policies around the world. From 1982 to 1992, Shell spilled about 1.6 million gallons of oil on farm lands in Ogoni, Nigeria. Ken Saro-Wiwa, a Nigerian activist, was hung by the dictatorial Nigerian government for protesting Shell’s activities.

Why should the greatest country in the world see everything through a Democratic or Republican lens, when issues are more complex than that? For example, take the issue of tax cuts. Isn’t it possible that tax cuts could be good in certain economic situations but bad in other economic situations? Saying tax cuts for the wealthy is absolutely bad or good is oversimplifying the issue.

This myopic view of the world is not only careless, but, for a country with much power, it could also be harmful and dangerous.

Sept. 11 opened our eyes to many threats that we all face, yet many people still see it through either the Democratic or Republican lens. The majority of Democrats are against the Iraq war while a majority of Republicans are for the war. As Democrats and Republicans argue on Osama bin Laden and Iraq, terrorism around the world is increasing, with neither party offering explanations.

Issues like terrorism, corporate crime, poverty and inner-city crime are too complex to be solved by the oversimplified tactics. Such important issues pose new problems that the old party philosophies of Republicans and Democrats will never solve.

America needs a strong third party to neutralize the concentration of power between the two parties and to create a three- dimensional view of a multi-dimensional world.

Now that Bush has been re-elected, there are many complex issues that have to be dealt with. Terrorism, oil prices, international trade and AIDS are some of the issues that affect not only Americans, but the world as a whole. There are no simple solutions to the problems posed by many of these issues.

There is a solution to the problem of a divided America, however. Boycott Michael Moore’s movie and don’t buy Ann Coulter’s book.

They, and the many other controversial commentators, benefit from such divisions because it helps sell books and movies. Support only commentators who offer constructive solutions to divisive issues.