Finding value in political parties is not easy...

Earlier I wrote a piece about George Will leaving the Republican Party.  

Will stated he changed his affiliation from Republican to "unaffiliated",
deciding to become a true 'outsider' of the two party process, limiting
his role to his Election Day vote. Piece found at link:  bit.ly/28W2I5p

Will chose to join the growing number of Americans who have left the
two-party system, preferring not be active members in either party's
events or its conventions, nor participate in closed primaries.

Will's decision brings up an interesting topic, at least to me, what does
it mean to be a member of a political party?

I've wrestled with my role in the Republican Party since I began attending
monthly meetings, joining other like minded partisans to eat and mingle with 
no particular purpose other than chat on issues we agree on and bitch about
Democrat opponents. 

During election season the number of attendees increase as candidates flock 
to meetings to campaign and seek donations. Party  leaders also begin to sign 
up volunteers to energize the electorate by walking the precincts and making 
phone calls. 

Yet, with all I have seen, I'm still at a lose, what is the purpose of a political 
party if it does have a goal to benefit its members, and be more than getting 
a member elected.

Its not that there aren't enough issues, they hit us each day in newspapers
and over the airwaves. But, how many party clubs take on the challenge
and press their representatives at all levels to do something to fix problems?

I don't have the answer....but as you ponder the question read what George
Washington wrote in his Farewell Address letter to Congress at the end of
his presidency. At one point he gave his colleagues as well as future 
generations a warning about "factions", which we call political parties.

In his two terms as president Washington saw first hand the damage which 

could be done by people whose desires included destructive weakening of 

lawful authorities.

 Washington spoke of factions twice, as follows:

17 All obstructions to the execution of the Laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests.

19 Towards the preservation of your government, and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite, not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts. One method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the constitution, alterations, which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown. In all the changes to which you may be invited, remember that time and habit are at least as necessary to fix the true character of governments, as of other human institutions; that experience is the surest standard, by which to test the real tendency of the existing constitution of a country; that facility in changes, upon the credit of mere hypothesis and opinion, exposes to perpetual change, from the endless variety of hypothesis and opinion; and remember, especially, that, for the efficient management of our common interests, in a country so extensive as ours, a government of as much vigor as is consistent with the perfect security of liberty is indispensable. Liberty itself will find in such a government, with powers properly distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian. It is, indeed, little else than a name, where the government is too feeble to withstand the enterprises of faction, to confine each member of the society within the limits prescribed by the laws, and to maintain all in the secure and tranquil enjoyment of the rights of person and property.

 I'd appreciate any comment you have posted on this blog.

Regards




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