| es are a fundamental defect of free | | | | to the Republicans after the 2004 election. The |
| governments but they do not at all times share | | | | Republican leadership became lazy and ignored its |
| the same character or the same | | | | core principles. The Democrats won control of the |
| instincts…when things go bad, there comes | | | | House and Senate in the 2006 elections. |
| a rise of great parties. –Alexis De | | | | However, the current Democratic Party is not a |
| Tocqueville | | | | great party. It did not gain power through its |
| Americans are well aware of the defects of | | | | principles or ideas. In fact, most of their ideas are |
| political parties. Corruption, divisive partisan | | | | unpopular with the American people. The |
| rhetoric, and misleading speeches from sleazy | | | | Democratic leadership has been committed to |
| party hacks are on the news almost every day, | | | | handing out cash to its allies and helping certain |
| constantly reminding us of the inherently flawed | | | | people and companies rather than implementing |
| nature of political parties. As Tocqueville points | | | | policies that benefit the country as a whole. It is |
| out, they are an unavoidable defect of free | | | | led by men and women committed to their own |
| governments. So how have we managed to get | | | | selfish interests, not noble ideas or principles. |
| so far with this major defect? As it turns out | | | | Most of their policies harm the economy and do |
| parties are not always a negative influence on | | | | nothing to address the underlying causes of the |
| societies. In American history, a “great | | | | economic collapse of 2008. |
| party” has always risen to power in times | | | | For at least the last six years America has had |
| of crisis. Today America finds itself in a new crisis, | | | | two weak parties that lack coherent principles and |
| but so far no great party or leader has arisen to | | | | have failed to promote the public interest over |
| help us overcome it. | | | | their own private interests. |
| Tocqueville used the term “great | | | | Americans are desperate for new leadership, for |
| parties” which means parties that | | | | a new great party, for real change. At one point, |
| “are committed to principles rather than | | | | Americans believed they had found that great |
| their consequences, to general considerations | | | | leader in Barack Obama. Unfortunately, the last |
| rather than to individual cases, to ideas and not to | | | | two years have shown that Obama is no |
| men.” Great parties act in the public | | | | different than the other unprincipled leaders |
| interest, not in the private interests of its | | | | already in the government. |
| members. Without them, no republic would | | | | One possible source of new ideas and new |
| survive very long. | | | | leadership is the Tea Party Movement. The Tea |
| There are several examples of great parties rising | | | | Party Movement is working hard to become the |
| to the occasion in American history. For most of | | | | ideological force behind the next great party. |
| the 20th century, it has been the Democratic | | | | They have concentrated on reforming the |
| Party. Many are surprised to learn the Democrats | | | | Republican Party; pushing their own leaders to the |
| dominated Congress from 1933 to 1995. Starting | | | | front and replacing the corrupt and ineffective |
| with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the | | | | leaders that were responsible for the |
| Democrats were the “great | | | | Party’s fall in 2006. |
| party” during the Great Depression and | | | | Will the Tea Party Movement be the foundation |
| World War II helping build the U.S. into a | | | | of the next great party? Will it provide the next |
| superpower. In the 1950s and 1960s, the | | | | great leader? It is still unclear. But in the last year |
| Democrats became focused on domestic issues, | | | | it has proven to be the most powerful new force |
| particularly civil rights. Their efforts led to the Civil | | | | in American politics. |
| Rights Act and other accomplishments in social | | | | America has always managed to rise to the |
| equality. | | | | occasion during crisis. Whether it was FDR and the |
| The Republican Party struggled through most of | | | | Democrats during World War 2 or President |
| the century until the election of President Ronald | | | | Reagan at the end of the Cold War, Americans |
| Reagan in 1980. President Reagan was the great | | | | have found a way to push its political parties to |
| leader that helped end the Cold War and make | | | | do the right thing. Unfortunately we did not get |
| the United States the lone superpower. His policies | | | | that great leader or a great party in 2008. Many |
| also influenced the Republican Revolution of 1994. | | | | groups such as the Tea Party (and Restore |
| The Republicans took power in Congress and held | | | | America’s Legacy) are seeking out and |
| it until 2006. A number of reforms were put into | | | | promoting men and women to that will become |
| place through the leadership of House Speaker | | | | the great leaders of the next great party. Their |
| Newt Gingrich and his “Contract with | | | | hope is to transform the Republican Party and |
| America”. As a result, the United States | | | | bring it into power with coherent political principles |
| experienced a period of impressive economic | | | | that benefit the country as a whole and stop the |
| growth, budget surpluses, and relative security. | | | | general decline of the United States. |
| Unfortunately, the Republican Party became | | | | However, it is unclear how much longer America |
| complacent. According to Tocqueville, during times | | | | can afford to wait for the next great party. The |
| of calm great leaders tend to vanish or be passed | | | | clock is ticking. |
| over by less capable men. This is what happened | | | | |