[roving]

We only had one party at the beginning. George Washington warned against having split parties.

[Dan in Wichita]

We only had one party at the beginning. George Washington warned against having split parties.

Yes, but ultimately Washington had to pick a side. In the debate over the creation of the Bank of the United States, he chose to side with Hamilton and the Federalists over Jefferson. That's why in history books, Washington is recorded as a member of the Federalist party.

People who think we can eliminate political parties are smoking something. In a free society, people are going to seek out others who believe the same as they do, form coalitions (i.e. parties), and consolidate their resources to advance their political objectives.

Only in totalitarian societies will you not find competing parties/coalitions.

[Bob Ireland]

***We only had one party at the beginning. George Washington warned against having split parties***

George Washington was a military man; naturally the military is not organized along the lines of partisan politics, it likes a unified command. Yet even George Washington favored a strong central government, along with Alexander Hamilton. During the Washington presidency there was such awesome respect for his authority and constancy that no real opposition manifested.

As soon as John Adams took office the partisan politics quickly showed up - and it has been the same every since. Even now the Demo'Rats say that we can have unity and comity if we would just do things their way. It was that attitude of the 'Rats that led to the 'civil war.'

In my personal dictionary I call 'politics' the science of compromise. Like it or not, history has repeatedly proven these truths.