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Political parties are here to stay

There have been numerous grievances regarding the hostile political climate in the country today. People are dismayed and alarmed at how divided the country is along party lines, with some advocating the abolishment of political parties in favor of nonpartisan candidates. These notions not only are impractical, but deny the historic partisan divide which has defined our country for over 200 years.

Even though George Washington warned of the dangers of political parties, they nevertheless are a part of the American political scene. Our history is peppered with instances of bitter political divisions along party lines. In 1824, John Quincy Adams won the presidency by way of what some have called a “corrupt bargain” with Speaker of the House Henry Clay and defeated popular vote winner Andrew Jackson. In terms of indignant party rivalries, look no further than the divides between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans during America’s early days. And in terms of recent history, could we forget the close election of 1960 or the subsequent partisan and criminal actions of Richard Nixon? We also fought the Civil War over issues, those being state’s rights, slavery, and the preservation of the Union, which bitterly divided the nation.

I have a bit of unfortunate news to those voters who think partisanship is going to magically dissolve if His Holiness Mr. Obama is elected president: it is not going to happen. Not in a million years. Partisanship is as American as apple pie and Gen. Patton. It is here to stay.

ADAM LAWRENCE
Leesburg

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