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Why Do Political Parties Have Too Much Power

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Political parties hold far too much power in today’s election process and need to be abolished. Parties were originally only intended to serve as temporary coalitions for specifically controversial elections, and yet every election since the late 1700’s has been won by a specific party. The existence of political parties has had quite a few negative effects on America including the division of people, a lack of communication, and violence between opposing sides (U.S. History.org). The idea that political parties are dangerous is not a new concept. George Washington discussed his view on the issue in his farewell address in 1796. Washington said, “However political parties may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted to unjust domination” (Rademacher, …show more content…

Partisans on both sides of politics are often so angry with each other that they barely communicate, making it difficult to work together to find solutions for America’s issues. Extreme partisans sometimes refuse to work with members of an opposing party. Each party believes the other is treasonous, and is purposely harming the nation. The same Pew Research Center study found that opposite sides do not just believe they have better ideas, but honestly think the other party is more interested in partisan gains than the well-being of the nation. The study also found that over that last thirty years the nation has become more partisan, and Congress has become less effective. Parties have also become more extreme, basing political agendas on demonizing the opponent and skewing discussions of issues facing the nation (Coblenz,

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