A few years ago, the CIA declassified a WWII field manual that was used to teach insurgents (or sympathetic citizens) of Germany-held areas to conduct simple sabotage, thereby hindering the enemy's war effort.

While some of the suggestions bordered on juvenile and hokey (such as sand in government vehicle's gas tanks), others were well-thought-out and based in either technological or psychological warfare against the Nazi regime.

One of the most frightening recommendations comes under the section of sabotaging organizations, both private and governmental. The saboteur should be (or at least act like) the best party member (or devotee) as possible.

Some recommendations for sabotaging any meeting or conference included:

• invoking purist principles wherever possible, thereby complicating any meeting;
• making as many patriotic or party-line speeches as possible, thereby 'stealing' time from the real issues;
• demanding that things always be done through proper channels, constantly congesting the party hierarchy;
• bring up irrelevant pet issues as frequently as possible;
• haggle over the precise wording of any document;
• reopen 'decided upon' issues at every meeting; and
• referring all matters to committee--with no committee having less than 5 members.

Now wait just a minute... This sounds just like our modern 21st century government.

Just 30 minutes of watching C-SPAN during open floor debates would be enough to see almost all of these principles in action--principles we knew 75 years ago to be detrimental to the state.

Clinging to what's best for the political party, both left or right, takes away from what is best about America -- the ability to compromise on critical issues and govern effectively.

While there are no shortages of ideas on how to accomplish this, the Centrist Project has a realistic and achievable strategy to disarm the 'party saboteurs.'

According to the Centrist Project, it only takes 5 independent U.S. senators to completely shift the balance of power away from the parties and back to compromise and governance -- because these independents will always hold the keys to cloture, veto-proof bills, and ultimate passage.

While the parties are currently focused on inward purist principles, an independent fulcrum bloc of senators would force the parties to form a coalition -- the very breeding grounds of compromise.

America is under fire. Not by some imaginary boogeyman or wayward morals, but from our political parties, willing to sabotage American lives for their own political game.

The constant barrage of shutdown and impeachment threats, filibusters, pursuit of legislation doomed to veto, and prolonged inquiries into actions from the other side only fuel this sabotage and prove the point.

It's time that independent-minded voters act.

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