America's Two Party System?

Was President Adams correct? Or would you prefer more viable parties in American democracy?

Then again, maybe America is doing it right.

What do you mean by a “viable party”…what does that look like?

Calling the Democratic and Republican parties two great parties is a stretch as well.

Freezeman wrote: Calling the Democratic and Republican parties two great parties is a stretch as well.

It was a lot less of a stretch when John Adams said that… I don’t think he would have ever imagined how corrupt and worthless the parties would become.

But again, what would a “viable” party look like? Would it be a party that would be seen as “moderate”… one that satisfies people with no principles?

Freezeman wrote: Calling the Democratic and Republican parties two great parties is a stretch as well.

I'm guessing that Adams was using the term in the sense of "large" instead of "excellent" . . .

Rick wrote: But again, what would a “viable” party look like? Would it be a party that would be seen as “moderate”… one that satisfies people with no principles?

There is a reason there are two major parties . . . there are two basic theories of central governance. One belief is that to maximize individual liberties the central government must be kept small and have limited powers. The other theory is that the central government is a powerful entity and it is something to be served by the individuals and society it oversees.

This, truly, dates back to the framing generation and why there was such a push to pass the 12th Amendment in the wake of Adams having Jefferson as Vice-President. You can bet that if there had been a tie in the Senate over a bill that Adams favored, Jefferson would have cast his deciding vote against the bill, and, well, when you want an imperialist presidency, that just won't do.

Alexander Hamilton, a federalist like Adams, wanted life to be the term of office for a president. Federalists of the day were the framing generation's incarnation of the present Democrat party. They wanted to new central government created in the Constitution to rule over the entire republic with the States being not much more than subdivisions of the larger whole. Republicans, like Jefferson, on the other hand, wanted a central government of very limited power and authority, with each State retaining a large portion of its sovereignty, but absolute authority in those limited areas.

Pretty much the same situation today as in 1800, wouldn't you say? If you want more than two major parties, the 12th and 17th Amendments will have to be repealed. Not much, if any, chance of anyone other than a Republican or a Democrat being elected to office when we have a primary election ahead of the general election, parties are allowed to run consolidated tickets, and the Senate is populated by popular vote instead of by the legislatures of the States.

To have diversity within the federal system necessitates a diversity from within the State and local systems first, and that can only be accomplished is we stop allowing the major parties to whittle down potential office holders prior to the election.

Great explanation as usual, PS. I have a friend who has recent come out to me that he is no longer a Democrat and can’t see himself voting for that party again. However, he still hates Trump because of his personality and the fake felony charges he still believes are valid. He said there is going to be a strong third party option in 2028 that he will vote for. I asked him what principles and policies the party was going to run on and he said it was going to be a party with no right or left “extremist” views. When I asked him which of Trump’s policies were extreme, he just said there’s too many to list. There can be no viable third party when the two viable parties have absolutely nothing in common.

The Republican Party has failed to live up to its limited government commitments, mostly because it has failed to pushback against the Democrats who have been growing it like a cancer. Hopefully the rhino enablers are a dying breed, thanks to Trump.