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Hekate

(100,132 posts)

24. A one-party country will crumble because of the "absolute power" axiom...

Fri Feb 12, 2021, 10:46 PM

Feb 2021

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

In the two-party system that we have, we need each party to be “the loyal opposition” to the other — not to be seen as “the enemy.” As each branch of government is designed to be a check on the others, so does each party have that obligation as well. Checks and balances.

Democrats did not break the system — Republicans did that, and they own it. I would like the Rs to heal themselves, but barring that I’d be quite happy to have them split and create a Reform party. Anything to repudiate the dysfunctional hot mess we currently have.

But a single party? Be careful what you wish for.

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I keep hearing how "we need a viable conservative party." Why? What for? [View all] thucythucy Feb 2021 OP

To be a fully functioning democracy we need a rational opposition party. nycbos Feb 2021 #1

When in our lifetimes has it been a rational opposition party? Irish_Dem Feb 2021 #2

For a good bit of my life. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #11

Not for my lifetime. Irish_Dem Feb 2021 #12

Your reply rebuts your premise. Nixon only resigned because republicans told him they would impeach GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #15

Nixon didn't "only" resign because Goldwater asked him to. thucythucy Feb 2021 #18

Today that would not matter to republicans. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #21

Yeah, it's a mite chilly tonight! thucythucy Feb 2021 #23

Hell, you did not stomp on me! I can take and give! GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #25

Best to you too. thucythucy Feb 2021 #26

Support the rule of law? JonLP24 Feb 2021 #22

Good god, I'm not defending today's republicans. Nor necessarily the Lincoln Project republicans. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #32

That has (mostly) been my experience as well. KentuckyWoman Feb 2021 #30

Oh, I'm not arguing that any of their leaders a worth a bucket of spit GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #33

Why I_UndergroundPanther Feb 2021 #3

Indeed. nycbos Feb 2021 #8

Wish we could shut out the republicans in Texas! LeftInTX Feb 2021 #53

That's not what the founding fathers thought. thucythucy Feb 2021 #9

I agree. But they unintentionally created a system of government that requires them. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #13

We either have two parties that agree with the basic underlying premises Crunchy Frog Feb 2021 #4

this TeamPooka Feb 2021 #7

Exactly. thucythucy Feb 2021 #10

Exactly! TomSlick Feb 2021 #14

Bingo. There will always be a Conservative party. GulfCoast66 Feb 2021 #16

Yep, they aren't going away LeftInTX Feb 2021 #52

We need 2 honest parties. bamagal62 Feb 2021 #5

Yes. Citizens United needs to be overturned and expunged. nt Hekate Feb 2021 #27

It's been hella better in Cali... tonedevil Feb 2021 #6

A conservative party in the tradition of Edmund Burke would be a worthy rival. DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2021 #17

Might as well ask why we need representative government Hortensis Feb 2021 #19

I don't agree it's the same thing at all. thucythucy Feb 2021 #37

You posted about any conservative party at all. Conservatism Hortensis Feb 2021 #39

I'm always skeptical about arguments that say certain political behaviors thucythucy Feb 2021 #41

There's no absolute determinism, and I'm surprised you found Hortensis Feb 2021 #46

Well, you did say thucythucy Feb 2021 #47

Yup. Just occurred to me that the third wife's despicable Hortensis Feb 2021 #49

The RePutinicans would LOVE to have a one party country. NoMoreRepugs Feb 2021 #20

A one-party country will crumble because of the "absolute power" axiom... Hekate Feb 2021 #24

There are plenty of people here who would be just fine with absolute power in perpetuity. BannonsLiver Feb 2021 #29

Exactly so Hekate Feb 2021 #31

Not "perpetuity" thucythucy Feb 2021 #42

I think the point is a sane opposition BannonsLiver Feb 2021 #28

It will be tough thucythucy Feb 2021 #43

I'm not sure I made myself clear BannonsLiver Feb 2021 #55

Yes. Why does that opposition party NEED to be the GQP? Does it NEED to be conservative even? ck4829 Feb 2021 #34

Because no one votes for them? LeftInTX Feb 2021 #54

How do we fix this? ck4829 Feb 2021 #58

Maher made a compelling argument on his show tonight Hamlette Feb 2021 #35

Arguing by anecdote generally doesn't do it for me. thucythucy Feb 2021 #44

Because a positive feedback loop is self-destructive. See, e.g., GQP. Hermit-The-Prog Feb 2021 #36

And why would the demise of a national conservative party-- thucythucy Feb 2021 #45

Close to a third of the country are conservatives Azathoth Feb 2021 #38

A third alternative not mentioned in your first paragraph is thucythucy Feb 2021 #48

... Azathoth Feb 2021 #57

I'm OK with "convervative" as defined in English, not Republicanese DFW Feb 2021 #40

The basic flaw in your argument can be seen in the examples you cite. thucythucy Feb 2021 #50

Just because the Nina Turners of this world have not been given the free rein that Trump has DFW Feb 2021 #51

Nina Turner? JonLP24 Feb 2021 #56