“The Republican Party is no longer – in any real sense – fiscally conservative, in favor of full deregulation, lower taxes, less spending, free trade, free markets,” ter Maat said. "And the Democratic Party is really no longer completely socially liberal."
"It’s not an organization that would stand against the government censorship of your ability to speak your mind, or for social media companies to do their thing without government intervention. The Democratic Party is no longer peace over war."
Both Republicans and Democrats have adopted keeping the other party out of power as their top priority, ter Maat said.
Speaking to the current global conflicts, the politician further pointed out that the US should be using its influence to help resolve such matters in the Middle East and Ukraine.
“There is an argument to be made that we have influence that is worth exerting, that there are conflicts around the world that are worth trying to resolve,” ter Maat said.
“I do believe that even though I would be against direct military intervention in these places, I do think that the US government can play a productive role in bringing resolution in Israel and in the Palestinian territories," he said, adding that a push to develop a resolution to the Ukraine conflict should be done "as quickly as possible.”
Ter Maat, previously a Republican, served as a financial economist for the White House Office of Management and Budget under President George H.W. Bush.