![](\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/dowbrigade\/hillnewt.jpg\")
In the
\n ebb and flow of American politics, or of any truly free political system,
\n organized groups of shared-interest activists, known as political parties,
\n are born and die, as do their leaders.<\/p>\n
Since before the Civil War, the Democrats and Republicans have alternated
\n in power as they became more institutionalized, more entrenched in the
\n halls of power, and fostered political families on each side of the aisle
\n bred to power and privilege. We sometimes forget that there is nothing
\n in the Constitution mandating
\n these
\n two parties,
\n or even the primacy of TWO parties, or even any parties at all. <\/p>\n
Let us also not forget that the currently dominant parties WERE once
\n part of the same party. Andrew Jackson, a Democratic-Republican from
\n Tennessee, was elected president in 1828. His party had great support
\n in the South and West. And who can forget successful American parties
\n like the Whigs, Federalists, Know-Nothings (our personal favorite) and
\n Bull Moose parties?<\/p>\n
At least since before the last election, several deep political thinkers, The Dowbrigade is among those who feel that 2008 will be the swan song Since late last year we have seen the 2008 election shaping up The Democrats, we thought, were going with Hillary and some Southern Why do we say a three way race? Because we see the real threat to the They would be ripe for a rational Republican alternative, like, say, This is key, as we are convinced that the realities of the modern American So For example, see the following Mr. Gingrich, the former House speaker, has been working alongside the But more puzzling than that, Mr. Gingrich has been talking up Mrs. What is this coy eyelash fluttering? Does Newt know that he is now as We somehow doubt it, but it would sure make things interesting in what In politics, as in most of life. it’s all in the timing. When will So get a good seat, folks, the show is about to begin.<\/p>\n article from the New York Times<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the ebb and flow of American politics, or of any truly free political system, organized groups of shared-interest activists, known as political parties, are born and die, as do their leaders. Since before the Civil War, the Democrats and … Continue reading
\n prominent among them Joe
\n Trippi<\/a>, have been predicting the demise of one
\n of the political dinosaurs who have dominated the American political
\n landscape for the past 150 years. Given the current ascendancy and dominance
\n of the Grand Old Party at all levels, it seems obvious which
\n of our present parties is headed to the dust heap of history.<\/p>\n
\n of the Democratic Party as a viable counterbalance to the triumphant
\n Republicans. As to who will replace the Dems, we have our theory about
\n that as well. Only one organization could realistically challenge the
\n primacy of the Republicans – the Republicans themselves.<\/p>\n
\n as follows: The Bush junta, aka the Evangelical Republicans, will nominate
\n Jeb Bush, with Condi Rice as VP. Attractive ticket. Sure to lure
\n in at least a smattering of women and blacks, just on general principal,
\n like Clarence Thomas.<\/p>\n
\n pretty boy or macho he-man, and hope for the best. We saw this
\n as the kiss of death for the Democrats. We predicted that in a
\n hotly contested three way race, she comes in third.<\/p>\n
\n ruling junta as coming from within its own party. There are still
\n plenty of old-school Republicans who still believe in evolution. In
\n fact, there are millions of honest Americans who voted for George Bush
\n and
\n who are starting to have some serious doubts about the conduct of the
\n wars, both the military operations overseas and the cultural war here
\n in the homeland.<\/p>\n
\n Colin Powell and John McCain. How’s that for a ticket? They might
\n actually win. They could call themselves the Real Republicans,
\n or the New Republicans, or the Rational Republicans, and they would defect
\n from the Administration with a sizable piece of the party organization,
\n fundraisers, career wonks and droids, and rank and file grassroots organizers.<\/p>\n
\n form of democracy make it extremely difficult if not impossible for a
\n band-new, startup political party to seriously compete at any but the
\n most local level (all politics may be local, but economies of scale come
\n into play at state or national levels). See, for example, the Constitution
\n Party, the America First Party, the Reform Party, the Green Party or
\n our own party, before we became a Republican, the Natural Law Party.<\/p>\n
\n it is much more likely that we see a realignment based on a
\n schism within one of the massive existing parties, and with its surfeit
\n of power and internal contradictions, the Dowbrigade nominates the Republicans. Stranger
\n things have happened.<\/p>\n
\n story<\/a> from the front page of today’s
\n New York Times<\/a>, about an unholy alliance taking form in Washington between
\n Hillary Clinton and Newt Gingritch.<\/p>\n\n
\n former first lady on a number of issues, and even appeared with her at
\n a press conference on Wednesday to promote – of all things – health-care
\n legislation.<\/p>\n
\n Clinton’s presidential prospects in 2008, to the chagrin of conservative
\n loyalists
\n who once regarded him as a heroic figure. Last month, he even suggested
\n she might capture the presidency, saying "any Republican who thinks
\n she’s going to be easy to beat has a total amnesia about the history
\n of the Clintons."<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n welcome in Republican circles as David Duke? Is Hillary trying to capture
\n some of that Old Republican Magic by reaching out to Newt? Could a
\n potential alliance between these uber-opportunists somehow pull Hillary
\n out of third place in the three-way contest we outlined above? <\/p>\n
\n is already shaping up to be the most entertaining election at least since
\n the guy
\n with the
\n ears. At the very least, combined with Bill’s heartwarming adoption by Poppy Bush (making Bill and George into some sort of twisted quasi-brothers<\/i>}, this fraternization is returning both parties to their roots and true nature – the Democrat-Republicans of Andrew Jackson.<\/p>\n
\n the
\n "moderate"
\n Republicans
\n make their break from the Evangelicals? They will probably wait for the
\n Bushites to invade another country or overstep themselves domestically
\n before acting. They can always manufacture a crisis and get Cheney
\n and Ashcroft to freak out and declare martial law, or outlaw hip-hop
\n music, or arrest Howard Stern and shoot down his satellite, or something
\n equally over-the-top.<\/p>\n