Posted on 06/04/2009 5:13:48 PM PDT by Born Conservative
It is natural for political parties to seek power. As a Republican, I root for Republicans to win as many elections as possible. But I hope I am objective enough to recognize that our country is often ill-served by the concentration of political power in one party’s hands, regardless of which party holds it.
Our nation’s founders clearly saw this danger. In Federalist 51, James Madison defended the virtue of divided government: “If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”
Madison and his brethren brilliantly sought to limit the danger of one-party factionalism by establishing a political system with numerous checks and balances. But even with obstacles in place, political leaders frequently run amok when power is concentrated in the hands of one party.
American history is replete with examples. The complete Republican federal dominance after the Civil War led to an overzealous Congress in the Reconstruction Period and massive corruption in President Grant’s administration. Democratic one-party rule from the early 1930s until the mid ‘40s culminated in sclerotic post-World War II policies that failed to account for the vast changes in our country, and once more, to massive cronyism and corruption.
(Excerpt) Read more at thecrimson.com ...
It’s more an indictment of politicians who do not have a core set of ethicial beliefs and live my them. A single policical party in power would be wonderful if run by policians with such character.
Absolutely, regardless of the party that’s in power.
We already have one party rule. The Republicans and the Democrats are the same party.
Ping
To the totalitarian, there is no danger if your party is the one-party.
I understand Toomey's point, but more and more Americans don't want anything other than their turn at the government teat. The best way to accomplish that is with one party that gives the most in exchange for the least.
The fact that this is parasitic and unsustainable is irrelevant. The fact that their greed is killing the goose that lays the gold eggs is immaterial. The fact that their liberties will be devoured permanently in exchange for temporary gain is untroubling.
Most ----- Americans ----- don't ----- care.
Toomey needs to run his figures again. The GOP lost the Senate in 2001 and regained it in 2003.
ping
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