The nations founders railed against partisan factions and political parties, but eventually they discovered that without both a democratic government would prove impossible. You need a party in power and an opposition to force debate and allow for orderly change.
Yet, the founders fears proved justified once full-time politicians began to take charge several decades into the new American republic.
Those concerns included domination by pols whose only object was to ensure their re-election, along with the continuation of their meal ticket and perks, if not opportunities for outright graft. There was a tendency to appeal to the lowest common denominator and to voters darkest devils ... racism, religious hatreds, anti-intellectualism, greed and selfishness.Americans were well aware of these political forces by the dawn of the television age, when even statewide and national campaigning took on a show biz aspect that overwhelmed all seriousness of purpose.
There has been little anyone could do to reverse these trends.
The main reason the founders were so successful, and remain so admired today, is that these were people who rarely thought about government as a lifelong career. It was more a poorly paid public service they intended to walk away from at some point.
Believe it or not, there are people today at all levels of government who think this way, who are willing to do what they believe is right for their constituents whether or not they are re-elected. But they are constantly drowned out or swamped in the media whirlwind or outmaneuvered by professionally unscrupulous political calculators.
With another presidential campaign gearing up, and congressional races on the horizon, these negatives forces are hard at work everywhere and relentless, day after day. And they pose a far greater threat to our republic than Anthony Weiners bare chest and briefs and his deplorable judgment.
How does America get out of this gridlocked maze and halt its downward spiral to address the critical issues of the day?
