Let's just say it: Political Parties are the Problem

George Washington was the First President of the newly formed federal government under the Constitution for the United States of America. He was also the first and only President under this system of federalism that did not belong to any political party. In his Farewell Address, Washington gave dire warnings about the damage political parties can cause. No one listened to him then, and no one is really listening now. After all, why listen to some dead President when we can have so much fun attacking each other solely based upon the political party "they" belong to?

There is no Constitutional mandate for political parties within the United States. The Constitution remains silent on the issue. Even before the federal Constitution was drafted, Alexander Hamilton, in Federalist # 9, and James Madison in Federalist # 10 both spoke to the dangers of political and domestic factions. Ironically, Hamilton was the primary proponent of the Federalist Party, and of course, in response to that, Madison, along with Thomas Jefferson, formed the Democratic-Republican Party.

The deep entrenchment of political parties, however, did not really begin until Andrew Jackson drove a wedge between the Republican-Democrat Party advocating the primacy of the Presidency, forming the Jacksonian Democrats which eventually evolved into the Democratic Party, and in response, Henry Clay led the Whig Party. Where Jackson and his democrats were advocating an Executive branch with more power than Congress, the Whigs were advocating Congress as the primary source of power, both parties missing the point that the inherent political power resides with the people.

As the anti-slavery movement began to gain steam the rise of the Republican Party cemented what would finally become the two-party system we now have. Democrats versus Republicans. Today, even with a plethora of marginalized "third parties", it remains Democrats versus Republicans, and so much so that we the people are constantly bombarded with ridiculous label baiting, and in order to maintain this order of a two-party system we are taught that Democrats are "liberals" and Republicans are "conservatives", and in spite of the fact that the so called "liberals" are deeply entrenched in their social policies, highly conservative of their ideology, and in spite of the fact that no one really knows just what the hell Republicans are "conserving", the majority of us buy into this order.

We bicker, we argue, we even grow to hate each other, and all the while the steady expansion of government continues right on schedule, intruding into the lives of people daily. So necessary has this political divide become that highly corporatized media companies, such as Time Magazine ponders with pretend erudition: Are Liberals Smarter than Conservatives? In response, a nation speaks out, each side firmly entrenched in their party affiliation, desperately looking for some example, any example will do, that supports their contention that the other party is filled with idiots.

"You're stupid!"

"I know you are, but what am I?"

Round and round we go, each side so sure they have the correct answer, but all of us with our metaphorical fiddles playing insanely as this modern day Rome burns.

They're ALL BUMS, the Right and the Left.

They all deserve a a trip to the gallows for being TRAITORS to this country. Though its HARD not to say that the Right needs their ticket of admission there FIRST and FOREMOST.

We, the people, are a major part in this as well.

I don't know how many people took the oath to protect the constitution.

Well in that oath there's a little line that says you'll protect the constitution against all terrorists, foreign and DOMESTIC.

The way i see it there are a lot more domestic terrorists then there are foreign ones.

We are ALL guilty, for not coming off our lazy asses.

As long as i get by is the prevelant attitude i see in todays society.

Such a sad thing.

SnF

Let's just say it:

I'm a partisan

Your a partisan

Wouldn't ya what to be a partisan to

Drink Dr. Dogma

Tastes Great

Less filling.

Originally posted by Tadeusz
reply to post by neo96

 

You are a partisan. You're a partisan. If you're going to make a moronic statement, at least make it correctly.

grammar nazi....

no thoughts on the thread/topic at hand?

attacking one on his grammar makes you more of a moron then the person who actually made the typos.

you understood him well, didn't you?

reply to post by Tadeusz




On topic:

The op wrote a great post that apparently was lost on some who would rather just denigrate other people for whatever reason.

Meh

Originally posted by neo96

Hey you know what
That pic might accidentely be a perfect summary of the OP's thread

People are lazy. It's easy to create a label like Democrat or Republican, that comes with short bullet point descriptions so that people don't need to research, know a candidate or think about issues.

It's just modern tribalism.

The behavior of party towers of lines remind me of the fervent religious types. Going batty over the worship of an elephant or a donkey .....condemning each other, demanding group think, and dogma that rivals the most wackadoodle fundies out there. Sort of funny as well is the number of the "Awake Folk" labeling themselves with sheep tags and hating the other "Awake Folk" who have a different shepherd. SO susceptible to programming that if you disagree with a Democrat you MUST be a dirty republitard neocon nazi and if youre a Republican and someone disagrees, that someone MUST be a dirty patchouli smelling lib hippy DIMocrat.

I was once a Young Republican in college. Hard core. The older I got the more things started falling into place like tumblers in a lock. Later on, being involved in local govt and the husband being not only a combat vet, but working for the feds.. it became crystal clear what the real deal was and is: We're MAD if we attach political labels to ourselves and elevate ourselves on pedestals like a bunch of narcissists to feel a part of something larger than ourselves. To steadfastly hang on to a political party and by doing so, alienating our fellow countrymen when our country is under such pressure and threat is some form of insanity. There are other parties, but they werent invited to the club. Those 2 parties who determine who hates who are only 2 sides of the same coin. Theyre both striving for the same goal and using division amongst the people to keep control. Talk about a rude awakening..

reply to post by ModernAcademia


Meaning that people are stuck on reading the letters(right/left) instead of reading the word(big picture Rome burning).?

Makes sense to me that way

If political parties are the problem, what then is the answer? Some would argue that political parties are a logical response to popular elections. A necessary tool of democracy. Of course, the purists will argue that we do not have a democracy. Do popular elections demand political parties?

Originally posted by Jean Paul Zodeaux
If political parties are the problem, what then is the answer? Some would argue that political parties are a logical response to popular elections. A necessary tool of democracy. Of course, the purists will argue that we do not have a democracy. Do popular elections demand political parties?

Political parties are obsolete. It's a campaigning tool and a way for the wealthy elite to stay in control of government. They may have been a useful tool once when it was harder to get information on a candidate out to the masses, but with our technology today that is no longer an issue.

What we need, and what would make political parties obsolete, is to outlaw individual campaigning and create one forum where all political candidates can make their case to the public. One where pertinent questions are asked and every candidate is asked the same questions and given equal time to make their cases. That way, instead of dealing with pointless mudslinging and ad campaigns that tell us nothing about the candidates, we can focus on asking the right questions and making sure they are qualified for the job.

Once all individual candidates are given equal exposure and are truly tested in their qualifications, that's when political parties become completely unnecessary and we can start focusing on the individuals.

reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux


While I champion individual freedom and limited government, in a government that is created by an election process, more restrictions on voting, campaign finance and lobbying is just about the only solution I can conceive.

With regard to voting, party affiliation should not be allowed on a ballot, or any other party identification and segregation. People would only be able to vote based upon a name.

With regard to campaign finance, only individuals and the candidates should be able to donate money. Corporations, organizations and bundling should be prohibited from donating money and resource, as well as from campaigning with or independently for or against a candidate.

Lastly, I would say make the profession of paid lobbyist as illegal as prostitution is now in most places. A person should not be able to be paid for the sole or majority purpose of meeting with politicians for advancement of corporate or organizational interests. If a person working in another aspect of an organization or corporation spends 50% or more of their work meeting with, communicating with or creating works for politicians on behalf of their business/organizational interest, they would be considered a lobbyist and face charges as such, which would be a felony.

This wouldn't solve the problem, but it would take a lot of power away from party politics and influence.

reply to post by kn0wh0w


His contention was not with his grammar. That is incredibly obvious, actually. Are you a puppet account?

Originally posted by Jean Paul Zodeaux
If political parties are the problem, what then is the answer? Some would argue that political parties are a logical response to popular elections. A necessary tool of democracy. Of course, the purists will argue that we do not have a democracy. Do popular elections demand political parties?

I dont think parties are actually the problem. Although perhaps the current ones are. The real problem is that parties apparently encourage humans to treat politics like a regional sports allegiance,instead of a strategic political alliance for the furthering of your own causes.

Guess some people are too smart for their own good not to recognize a parody of a Dr. Pepper commercial and have to twist it to whatever their agendas are.

Meh carry on.

reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux


a people devided are much more simple to control, this is why you have parties
the people do not require a party to vote for a representitive,
but the representitives require parties to devide people into groups to control.

in my country the representitives can blame the party for unpopular legislation,
while taking credit for popular legislation.

it is a slight of hand trick to deflect the real involvement from reps against the interests of people.

if you look at ALEC American Legislation Executive Council, among others
there are members from both parties that work well together behind closed doors to pass 1% written legislation for money,
but "act" as enemies in the houses or on camera.

the two parties are "an illusion" to force people to be too busy arguing the small devicive issuies,
too see the bigger picture, which is

they both work for the 1%

everything else is a diversion to waste your time arguing with each other.

xploder

Political parties do nothing but kill inspiration and ingenuity. The only thing they accomplish is carrying on the status quot.

i.e. thinking about running for public office? Good luck being elected without joining one of the two major parties. Want to come up with your own ideas how the government should be run? Good luck getting the party to support you or even let you join if you don't parrot their beliefs.

Republicans are all a hive mind, along with Democrats. I've seen good friends who were once normal join a political party and actively take on the parties beliefs and parrot them, knowing that's not really who they were deep down inside.

That's why I like Ron Paul, he has his own ideas, he's fresh, and not like the other Republicans who all say the same damn thing. Too many Americans today are too concerned with getting a R or a D into the white house. We shouldn't care about putting an R or a D in the white house, we should care about putting a U and a ME.

*Gasps* what are y'all talking about?!! doing away with both parties!!! YOU ALL ARE NOTHING BUT ANARCHISTS!!! WE HAVE THE GREATEST POLITICAL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD!!!. I like this thread we have some honest to god solutions to our current problems which the 2 party con is a part of.I agree with 2 earlier posters have candidates go before the public and run on their merits.Outlawing lobbyists and corporate donations.We need total reform across the board.