8/13/2019 The Price of Politics

1/1

The Price of Politics:

Why the American Party System was Doomed from the StartBy Josh Hughes

George Washington was not only the first President of the United States, but also the only independent man to everpreside over the nation. He was first and American, second a politician. Washington knew all too well after a Constitutional

Convention what political infighting could do. However, even though Washington never associated with a party, individualsaround him felt no such qualms. Even during the first administration government officials began to aggregate around such

prominent personalities as Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State, and Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury.Eventually, after Washington left the presidency in 1797, two parties had formed around the ideals of Hamilton and Jefferson.

Ever since then, at least two opposing parties have held dominance in American politics. Undoubtedly, these parties havesignificant benefits; allowing for the large scale distribution of campaign funds, providing a network of supporters nationwide,and small scale political involvement. However, even with these benefits, 200 years of history have shown that political partiesdo more to hinder, rather than to help, statesmen.

All of the 43 presidents following in Washingtons monumental footsteps have been unable to achieve the highest

political office without the help of a highly organized and well financed political party. Even at the best of times, these presidentshave been first a Democrat, Republican, Whig, or Bull-Moose man, second an American. This has repeatedly stopped anychances of a consensus from occurring in American politics. Just months after Washingtons death in 1799, John Adams andThomas Jefferson were engaged in a no-holds-barred battle for the presidency. Jeffersons Republicans loathed John Adams with

a fiery passion and spread such slander through party newspapers that Adams ultimately lost the presidency in 1800. Two yearslater at midterm elections, Adams Federalists accused the Jeffersonian-Republicans of burning churches, murdering people, and

intentionally destroying the nation. Though no parties accuse each other of murder or arson these days, partisan ship is still aclear issue in American politics.

Parties have benefitted some presidents immensely, allowing them to only be effective in cases of a clear majority. Agood example of a party president is Franklin Roosevelt, 32ndPresident of the United States. In the 12 official years that heserved, he his Democratic party had a strong majority in each house. Roosevelt used this elevated platform to push through hisintensive social agenda and economic recovery packages. Regardless of how he used his majority, it is clear that he nor his party

ever faced the scrutiny that split governments might have.In contrast, some presidents have been more bound by parties than empowered. Presidents that have a split congress in

opposition find bipartisanship and deal brokering central to the democratic process. Through his eight years of presidency,Republican Ronald Reagan was never able to seize the House of Representatives, and lost control of his Senate in the last two

years of his presidency. However, even with all the strife, Reagan and the congress from 1980-1988 made incredible stridestogether. The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 passed with support from both parties, Democrat in the House, and

Republican in the Senate. Reagan also made some rough choices, and frequently clashed with members of his own party.Though he was a self-proclaimed conservative running as a Republican, he won easy victories in both 1980 and 1984, proving

that we was a better American than Republican.

Every day it seems that partisan politics becomes more and more prevalent in Washington DC. However, this isnt allbad. Consider the original politics of parties: slander, arson, and duels. By those standards, our congress is a well-functioningbody. Even when there is debate and argument, it is still much better than the alternative. Just because Republicans controlled

both the Senate and the Presidency in 1984, the Democrats did not roll over and allow the majority to make a mockery of thedemocratic system. Having a vocal minority is one of the reasons, ultimately, that our democracy has succeeded. Finding an ideathat adheres to the total average of all opinions inputted is, and has always been the goal of the congress. Party politics will neverfind consensus in the one-person executive branch, however. So, yes, debate is good, but stonewalling isnt. Accessing a national

network of support and voters is good, but only adhering to that same party isnt. Being an American is good, being partisan isnt.