[esoxmagnum]

I predict, within 20 years, the demon-cratic party falling away, and the republican party splitting in 2.

There will still be 2 major parties, both spun from the republicans.

Whats very interesting though, is the democrats have done their utmost to ensure that there is ONLY a 2 party system, manipulating laws and judges to put the fix in (see Ralph Nader).

This will ultimately come back to haunt them in 25 years, because those same laws that they enacted, will be used against them to keep them from seeking office after THEY become the 3rd party.

Just some food for thought.

[LS]

Your scenario would be very much in line with what happened when the Federalists (the "extreme") party died out and the Jacksonian "Democrats" really came out of the old Jeffersonian Republicans, who then transformed into the Whigs. Both parties accepted the basics of not having property requirements to vote and to have a national convention.

You could say today that both parties have now accepted "big" government to one degree or the other and are now fighting over other issues.