Letter to the Editor: Party politics

To the Editor:

The 2005 election has come and gone, and both major political parties will no doubt look at their respective gains and strategize for next year. But in truth, it doesn't matter which side "wins" the election, because either way America loses.

In George Washington's farewell address, he warned about the dangers of political parties, stating: "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."

Remember, this is a man who didn't really want to be President but accepted the role as his civic duty. It is clear he cared deeply about his country, and didn't want the ideals of our nation, which he helped found, to be desecrated by power-hungry individuals. It saddens me to say that his fears have become reality.

Just take a look at Congress and you will see enough childish squabbling that it would make you think you were watching a sports rivalry, rather than our government at work. What ever happened to intelligent discourse?

Accusations are thrown right and left with neither party missing a chance to disparage their opposition. It is clear that these politicians care only about their own personal agenda, and are sacrificing the goals of our country so that they can remain in power. Politicians frequently defend their colleagues' illegal or immoral activity for fear of weakening their party's image.

These political parties no longer represent the people and serve to divide our country needlessly. If they can't start passing more bi-partisan bills with the aim of improving our country as a whole, it is our duty to stop supporting these parties that long ago stopped supporting us.

Jonathan Gershon

College '08

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