Horizontal Segmentation >>> Political Re-Diversification

Any loyal reader has got to be asking him/herself, "What kind of buzzword generator has Travis used this time?!"

Hear me out -- there is method to the madness. First off, let me praise Malcolm Gladwell (author of "The Tipping Point" and "Blink") for being an inspiration to marketeers like me. Secondly, I could summarize horizontal segmentation but think you'd enjoy it much more if you heard Malcolm explain what Howard Moskowitz came up with. Long story, check it out:

http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=m_gladwell

So what does this have to do with "Political Re-Diversification"? Ahhh....

Living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, I often see the leftover havoc of forest clear-cutting. But rather than pick on paper-and-pulp companies, let's acknowledge that even after a natural forest fire, a forest will naturally re-diversify. First small shrubs and alders will sprout, then other tree seedlings will find their way, and eventually after decades and decades, the forest will come back to life. Not just hemlock and not just pine.

Well it has long bothered me that our political system has gotten so systematized around the two-party system (blue and red states) when clearly both people are wanting more from their candidates than a person can possibly "pack into a platform"!

I know, Green party candidates and Libertarian party candidates (even Independent Presidential candidate Anderson back in the 80's) keep nudging their way in. And I fully support them.

According to Howard Moskowitz' horizontal segmentation principle, people want more than just "spicy" or "watery"! And I have hope that eventually the system will open up, just as I have hope that we will someday insist on realizing the "one person one vote" ideal of our forefathers.

I was born in a time when the main choice was whether whether to be a "Ford, GM, or Dodge man". Just as my granddaughters and grandsons will be able to choose among 10+ brands of transportation, I hope they are able to choose between a dozen politicians to best represent their voice.