Pt. 3) Party of Red and Blue: American Dream or Fragility
If you've been following this political journey towards independence, you're likely aware that George Washington famously opposed a party system. However, his stance overlooked a fundamental truth about human nature: we are inherently a tribal species. While there have been various political parties throughout American history, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party emerged as the two major political forces in the early years of the nation.
The Democratic Party traces its roots back to the Democratic-Republican Party, which was founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the 1790s. The party later split into the Democratic Party, led by Andrew Jackson in the 1820s. The Republican Party was later founded in the 1850s as an anti-slavery party, gaining momentum amidst the growing tensions over slavery in the United States. Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, was elected in 1860.
“Where I once feared the power of career politicians, I now fear the influence of celebrity politicians. ”
Since their inception, both parties have undergone significant ideological shifts. Historically, the Democratic Party held strongholds in the South and espoused more conservative positions, including support for racial segregation and states' rights. Meanwhile, the Republican Party, born out of anti-slavery sentiments, garnered support from Northern states and those opposed to the expansion of slavery, but gradually positioned itself as more socially and economically conservative.
The pivotal shift in party ideology came during the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, championed by Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson, marking a turning point in American politics. These landmark pieces of legislation aimed to dismantle segregation and ensure voting rights for African Americans. However, their passage led to a significant realignment in party affiliations, notably in the South. Many Southern Democrats, who opposed these civil rights reforms, began to shift their allegiance to the Republican Party, which embraced more conservative stances on race and social policy. This phenomenon, known as the Southern Strategy, contributed to the Republican Party's increasing dominance in the South.
Since then, these two parties have evolved and shifted in their ideologies and platforms, but they remain the dominant political forces in the United States. Being a tribal species, it seems that Political Parties are here to stay, so how do we look beyond the vilifying cycle of red vs blue mentality?
This polarization, exacerbated by media, has brought out the worst in American civility. We are no longer in the era of John McCain who defended the character of his presidential opponent Barack Obama at a town hall. We are in the era of politics where vilifying your political opponent and building your social media following outstrip the needs of the country. Where I once feared the power of career politicians, I now fear the influence of celebrity politicians.
Red vs Blue is a Halo web series, it should not be a United States Congress political strategy. The 118th Congress has been criticized as one of the most ineffective legislative bodies in history, passing only a handful of bills, many of which were routine measures. This political infighting has stalled progress on critical issues such as a the ballooning national debt, increased global instability, and constructive conversations regarding extreme climate conditions.
Amidst the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas, and escalating tensions between China and Taiwan, the United States finds itself stretched thin. Maintaining regional hegemony in three vastly distance locations poses significant challenges, especially when compounded by the escalating costs of national defense. With the national debt nearing $34 trillion, the interest alone is projected to soar to $3 trillion annually by 2045. The failure of elected officials to look beyond internal political bickering and prepare for the imminent national and global conflicts of the 21st century borders on betrayal.
Modern Day Americans must reevaluate our power and determine if we will continue to give consent to this fringe political infighting or hold our elected officials to higher standards of decorum and civility and beckon them to reembrace constructive debates and reinforce the American democratic experiment. The resilience of the American culture derives from the strength of the middle class and the capacity for compromise in pursuit of collective progress rather than fringe interests. However, as the influence of the political duopoly persists, so does its control over the electoral rules that dictate our choices in leadership
Can the elected officials in Congress bridge these divisions when America confronts its next significant challenge? Will there be sufficient public support to rally behind an administration committed to acting in the country's best interests? Or will the fragility of American readiness render us too brittle to respond effectively? These questions underscore the critical need for unity and preparedness in the face of uncertain times.
