Man, this is fascinating stuff — and while I get the argument that third parties usually just play spoiler, I think there's a bigger question we should be asking:
What if the real threat isn't a third party at all — but the continued entrenchment of the two broken ones?
John Adams warned that “the greatest political evil under our Constitution” would be the division of the republic into two great parties, each fighting only to defeat the other. Well... check the scoreboard, folks. We’re livin’ it.
But what if — what if — a third party didn’t just split the vote, but replaced one or both of the old titans? What if it wasn’t a wedge, but a reset?
We’ve seen it before. The Federalists collapsed. The Whigs vanished. Political tectonic plates do shift when the public gets fed up enough. Maybe Elon’s not building a spoiler — maybe he’s laying the foundation for the next dominant movement.
The idea isn’t to throw in another party so we can juggle three. It’s to break the current loop, burn down the Uniparty forest, and plant a tree called “We the People” again.
Might not work. But doing nothing definitely won’t.
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other.”
— John Adams, letter to Jonathan Jackson, October 2, 1780
Then he drops the mic with:
“This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.”
Great find here. It’s pretty crazy when you read what the founders wrote- including must read Federalist Papers- how good their political and cultural instincts were. Some quotes like this make it seem like they’re watching from the grave.
It's not primaries, it's seizing narrative control. Steve Bannon understood that, which is why he was able to craft the mantle that only lacked a leader in the form of Trump to pick up.
Politics is downstream of culture
The problem is tax policy, deficits, and unfunded liabilities are all boring- at least when compared to the goody bag of treats to which the progressives have got the voters hooked. Even many Republicans don't want social security touched, and, if anything, the blue collar wing which Trump has attracted under the banner of populism wants more publicly funded healthcare, not less.
The way to frame at least part of the narrative is that AI replacement of bureaucracy offers the opportunity for voters to gain better funded services for their taxes, then make a list of ten things which are incredibly cheap or net positive, but popular and implement half of them. It won't save much more than 5% of the federal budget for mandatory spending, but it's a start.
You always present the receipts, Peter. Third parties are generally a spoiler. In this case, the only takeover likely is the Demonrat Party. The Commies and Marxists (along with the Bankers Cabal) will provide the money to take over. This will be bad news for the Republic. The Republicans have the Freedom Caucus (the Tea Party survivors), with no money. The Freedom Caucus has only elected about 200 candidates (state and national) since 2016. So, I foresee the survival of the Uni-Party (with a few less Republicans). I don't see any success for a third party (Musk-funded or otherwise). Politics in the US is complicated and broken.
The only difference this time is the rise of social media platforms like X and the speed at which information spreads. Younger generations growing up in this environment will likely vote based on what they believe is truthful on social media, not what politicians on TV are proclaiming.
What would work? No political parties! Then dummies don’t vote. Most of the Founders were against political parties because they fight for themselves not the nation.
The Tea Party was an abject failure. Ted Cruz and Trump being Tea Party choices? How's that working out? The Tea Party tied their future to the GOP and the GOP knifed them in the back. Funny how spending is so much higher than Obama but where are the protesters now? Clearly, they understand We the People have zero power. Those donating Big Money, like Adelson, even dictate foreign policy. You go vote and pretend it makes a difference. Both parties are for more wars, more foreign meddling, and more spending/debt. None of them represent us. Funny how the GOP has to pay these "Big Beautiful Bills" late at night.
If a party can be taken over, let me know why the GOP (with the help of Big Media) railroaded Dr. Ron Paul and they would do the same to Congressman Thomas Massie if he ran for President. These men believe in the Constitution and cannot be "managed/controlled". The last thing the GOP wants is men who can think for themselves.
So you rush out and vote GOP and pretend you have a voice in the process. The Constitutional Republic is effectively dead.
Billionaires don't care about the heart and soul of America. They care about where they make even more money be it government handouts or Trump perfume being sold while still in the Oval Office.
Great stuff over morning coffee. Good history and analysis. It’s like Peter is sitting across from me sharing a coffee and talking. I have no hopes, but I would like to see Elon and Trump mud wrestle for the “heart and soul” of America.
Duverger's Law notwithstanding, the recent emergence and limited success of non-incumbent challenger political parties like Reform U.K. in Britain and PTI in Pakistan -- both of which are first-past-the-post, two-party electoral system jurisdictions -- is worth noting and watching.
The Labour Party in Nigeria has also experienced some recent wins despite a similar winner-take-all, plurality system that has protected the incumbent parties -- the All Progressives Congress and the People's Democratic Party -- from rival political parties.
And in some places across the U.S., mostly at the local level, citizens are upgrading the election rules that have protected the Uniparty from meaningful competition and replacing them with more representative methods that can accommodate multiple political parties and viewpoints, like proportional ranked choice voting.
It's no wonder why those enjoying incumbent and state-derived power and privilege (and use code words like "tradition," "legacy," and "stability" to protect it) employ Establishment operatives like Leonard Leo to fund opposition campaigns to these electoral reforms.
Man, this is fascinating stuff — and while I get the argument that third parties usually just play spoiler, I think there's a bigger question we should be asking:
What if the real threat isn't a third party at all — but the continued entrenchment of the two broken ones?
John Adams warned that “the greatest political evil under our Constitution” would be the division of the republic into two great parties, each fighting only to defeat the other. Well... check the scoreboard, folks. We’re livin’ it.
But what if — what if — a third party didn’t just split the vote, but replaced one or both of the old titans? What if it wasn’t a wedge, but a reset?
We’ve seen it before. The Federalists collapsed. The Whigs vanished. Political tectonic plates do shift when the public gets fed up enough. Maybe Elon’s not building a spoiler — maybe he’s laying the foundation for the next dominant movement.
The idea isn’t to throw in another party so we can juggle three. It’s to break the current loop, burn down the Uniparty forest, and plant a tree called “We the People” again.
Might not work. But doing nothing definitely won’t.
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other.”
— John Adams, letter to Jonathan Jackson, October 2, 1780
Then he drops the mic with:
“This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.”
Great find here. It’s pretty crazy when you read what the founders wrote- including must read Federalist Papers- how good their political and cultural instincts were. Some quotes like this make it seem like they’re watching from the grave.
Brilliant. And a nice dose of political history. I hope Elon and Trump make peace and Elon doesn't start a 3rd party.
Exactly correct! Primaries are the way to go to fix a broken Party. 👍
Good luck with that. Big Donors control those elected, so pretend you can make a difference. LOL
It's not primaries, it's seizing narrative control. Steve Bannon understood that, which is why he was able to craft the mantle that only lacked a leader in the form of Trump to pick up.
Politics is downstream of culture
The problem is tax policy, deficits, and unfunded liabilities are all boring- at least when compared to the goody bag of treats to which the progressives have got the voters hooked. Even many Republicans don't want social security touched, and, if anything, the blue collar wing which Trump has attracted under the banner of populism wants more publicly funded healthcare, not less.
The way to frame at least part of the narrative is that AI replacement of bureaucracy offers the opportunity for voters to gain better funded services for their taxes, then make a list of ten things which are incredibly cheap or net positive, but popular and implement half of them. It won't save much more than 5% of the federal budget for mandatory spending, but it's a start.
This seems to already be happening, and not in a good way, with the Dems-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h5iv6sECGU.
And now we have Mamdani. https://stylman.substack.com/p/the-ungrateful-heir
You always present the receipts, Peter. Third parties are generally a spoiler. In this case, the only takeover likely is the Demonrat Party. The Commies and Marxists (along with the Bankers Cabal) will provide the money to take over. This will be bad news for the Republic. The Republicans have the Freedom Caucus (the Tea Party survivors), with no money. The Freedom Caucus has only elected about 200 candidates (state and national) since 2016. So, I foresee the survival of the Uni-Party (with a few less Republicans). I don't see any success for a third party (Musk-funded or otherwise). Politics in the US is complicated and broken.
The only difference this time is the rise of social media platforms like X and the speed at which information spreads. Younger generations growing up in this environment will likely vote based on what they believe is truthful on social media, not what politicians on TV are proclaiming.
What would work? No political parties! Then dummies don’t vote. Most of the Founders were against political parties because they fight for themselves not the nation.
The Tea Party was an abject failure. Ted Cruz and Trump being Tea Party choices? How's that working out? The Tea Party tied their future to the GOP and the GOP knifed them in the back. Funny how spending is so much higher than Obama but where are the protesters now? Clearly, they understand We the People have zero power. Those donating Big Money, like Adelson, even dictate foreign policy. You go vote and pretend it makes a difference. Both parties are for more wars, more foreign meddling, and more spending/debt. None of them represent us. Funny how the GOP has to pay these "Big Beautiful Bills" late at night.
If a party can be taken over, let me know why the GOP (with the help of Big Media) railroaded Dr. Ron Paul and they would do the same to Congressman Thomas Massie if he ran for President. These men believe in the Constitution and cannot be "managed/controlled". The last thing the GOP wants is men who can think for themselves.
So you rush out and vote GOP and pretend you have a voice in the process. The Constitutional Republic is effectively dead.
Billionaires don't care about the heart and soul of America. They care about where they make even more money be it government handouts or Trump perfume being sold while still in the Oval Office.
Great stuff over morning coffee. Good history and analysis. It’s like Peter is sitting across from me sharing a coffee and talking. I have no hopes, but I would like to see Elon and Trump mud wrestle for the “heart and soul” of America.
Mr. Musk would be better off co-opting the Democratic Party as a virtuous George Soros.
Duverger's Law notwithstanding, the recent emergence and limited success of non-incumbent challenger political parties like Reform U.K. in Britain and PTI in Pakistan -- both of which are first-past-the-post, two-party electoral system jurisdictions -- is worth noting and watching.
The Labour Party in Nigeria has also experienced some recent wins despite a similar winner-take-all, plurality system that has protected the incumbent parties -- the All Progressives Congress and the People's Democratic Party -- from rival political parties.
And in some places across the U.S., mostly at the local level, citizens are upgrading the election rules that have protected the Uniparty from meaningful competition and replacing them with more representative methods that can accommodate multiple political parties and viewpoints, like proportional ranked choice voting.
It's no wonder why those enjoying incumbent and state-derived power and privilege (and use code words like "tradition," "legacy," and "stability" to protect it) employ Establishment operatives like Leonard Leo to fund opposition campaigns to these electoral reforms.
https://archive.is/bHrUx
Right on the nose!
Are foreigners / Elon...allowed to bribe politics...?
well..Elon just did...