The Founders knew factions/parties were, and are, the greatest threat to any Republic. They, as you point out, devised their best mousetrap to defend against it.
Its fascinating to note that by the end of Washington's second term, the danger that parties could pose was already recognized -- by Washington himself. I've always wondered if h…
The Founders knew factions/parties were, and are, the greatest threat to any Republic. They, as you point out, devised their best mousetrap to defend against it.
Its fascinating to note that by the end of Washington's second term, the danger that parties could pose was already recognized -- by Washington himself. I've always wondered if he got an inkling of it based on the fierce battles between Hamilton and Jefferson in his own cabinet...
"" However political parties may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. " - George Washington, Farewell Address, September 17th, 1796.
"Cunning, ambitions, and unprincipled men"....gee, has that particular chicken come home to roost, or what...
One of the "problems" with our system is that the Presidency has become a partisan office. This happened very quickly because there was no safeguard against it.
It is not only a partisan office, but the President usually is or becomes the leader or head of his party (especially true in Trump's case), essentially gaining greater or lesser control of it and its finances. This is a more recent phenomena and has occurred largely in the era of mass communications and the weakening of party discipline and structure.
The danger is, as always, in the concentration of power. The partisanship of the Presidency and its leadership position vis-a-vis his party has essentially negated many of the checks of the Legislature on the Executive (like, oh, imp[eachment), has negated (increasingly as time passes) the contention between the branches of government, devolving into
The role of the President in appointing judges and justices works the same magic in the direction of the courts, though they tried hard in the past to not be so blatant about it.
Ideally, the President would be barred from being a partisan politician, from holding an official or unofficial position in a party, of using party funds and party manpower in elections.
This would be difficult to do starting from a blank slate (it would need to be in the Constitution) and effectively impossible from where we stand today.
SCotUS should also be selected and structured differently.
The Founders knew factions/parties were, and are, the greatest threat to any Republic. They, as you point out, devised their best mousetrap to defend against it.
Its fascinating to note that by the end of Washington's second term, the danger that parties could pose was already recognized -- by Washington himself. I've always wondered if he got an inkling of it based on the fierce battles between Hamilton and Jefferson in his own cabinet...
"" However political parties may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. " - George Washington, Farewell Address, September 17th, 1796.
"Cunning, ambitions, and unprincipled men"....gee, has that particular chicken come home to roost, or what...
One of the "problems" with our system is that the Presidency has become a partisan office. This happened very quickly because there was no safeguard against it.
It is not only a partisan office, but the President usually is or becomes the leader or head of his party (especially true in Trump's case), essentially gaining greater or lesser control of it and its finances. This is a more recent phenomena and has occurred largely in the era of mass communications and the weakening of party discipline and structure.
The danger is, as always, in the concentration of power. The partisanship of the Presidency and its leadership position vis-a-vis his party has essentially negated many of the checks of the Legislature on the Executive (like, oh, imp[eachment), has negated (increasingly as time passes) the contention between the branches of government, devolving into
The role of the President in appointing judges and justices works the same magic in the direction of the courts, though they tried hard in the past to not be so blatant about it.
Ideally, the President would be barred from being a partisan politician, from holding an official or unofficial position in a party, of using party funds and party manpower in elections.
This would be difficult to do starting from a blank slate (it would need to be in the Constitution) and effectively impossible from where we stand today.
SCotUS should also be selected and structured differently.