George Washington disliked political parties. In his farewell presidential address, he warned that a political party “serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.”
Opinion
When I recently read these words, I was overcome with an eerie feeling. It was like he was speaking to us from the grave. How could he possibly have been so prescient?
Many people today agree with Washington. Political parties are damaging our democracy. As a registered Republican, I am especially disappointed with the GOP, although there are plenty of reasons to be disillusioned with both major parties.
The GOP has become adept at “agitating the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms.” Party leaders are skillful purveyors of anti-science and anti-government misinformation with an imperious resistance to the facts. Recent examples include the pandemic, the Rock Springs BLM RMP and the impact of global warming on future energy development. Misinformation about these and other issues has made problem solving extremely difficult.
Facts matter! Ideally, our elected officials should look at facts first when making policy decisions. The best elected officials are those who are open minded about solving complex government problems. Seldom is there an easy answer. Like it or not, government is required for our survival. Our future depends on fair and balanced decision making.
In recent years, the GOP here has fractured into two factions: the Wyoming Freedom Caucus and the Wyoming Caucus. The Wyoming Freedom Caucus is by far the more extreme. Their positions are especially anti-government. That mentality is reflected in their frequent efforts to cut important state and local budgets and to reject federal funding for a variety of programs. The anti-government values vociferated by extremists within the GOP discourage objective analysis and “enfeeble the public administration.”
Washington was also correct about political parties “fomenting occasional riots and insurrection.” As the world watched on Jan. 6, 2021, the national leader of the GOP tried to overturn the presidential election results. When the attempt failed, party supporters minimized the significance of the event. Amazingly, many cult-like followers of the party ignored and continue to ignore what they saw on television and was later confirmed by official reports. Some even blame this attempted subversion of democracy on the Democrats and chastise the Department of Justice for efforts to prosecute. Washington would be appalled with the “animosity of one part against another.”
Today, we have political parties that epitomize Washington’s concerns. GOP leaders, with strong authoritarian tendencies, insist party members adhere to party values. In an attempt to compel conformity, they resort to name calling, impose purity tests and censor elected officials who don’t comply. Blind allegiance to party doctrine is demanded. Independent thinking is criticized. To be a bona fide member of the party, you must speak and think fluently in the language of the GOP.
To make matters worse, extremists within the Wyoming GOP want to suppress your right to vote. During the 2023 legislative session, they passed legislation to prohibit the practice of crossover voting, barring voters from changing party affiliation after the candidate filing period begins, in other words, before you even know which candidates are running and their positions on the issues. The bill was intended to limit the moderating influence of crossover voters in the vitally important taxpayer-funded August primary. The likely result will be that more extreme GOP candidates will win the primary and cruise to victory in November. This is especially concerning because the Wyoming Freedom Caucus is very close to winning a majority in the Legislature.
In recent years, political divisiveness and election-law reform have tilted the balance between politics and democracy heavily toward politics. Washington would find this very alarming. Because our political parties are out of control, it is up to the voters to preserve democracy. To do so, we must exercise our right to freedom of thought. That essence of democracy is best expressed in the voting booth. Unfortunately, the Wyoming GOP has made that difficult, so EVERYONE needs to register as a Republican before May 15th (and re-register if you didn’t vote in the last election). If you fail to do so, you will be excluded from having a meaningful vote in the GOP-dominated August primary.
This is a critical time for democracy in our state and nation. Hopefully, the Wyoming spirit of rugged individualism will exhort voters to think for themselves.
Reading through some of the comments proves that a hyperpartisan way of thinking is firmly entrenched.
I am a registered Republican precisely so that I can vote in the Primary and try to eliminate some of the crazies from the general election. However, we need more clear information once the Primary ballot is filled, so we can choose against the so called “Freedom Caucus”candidates. We need to be able to know which candidates are the lesser evil.
“serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.”
Well hello POTUS #1, I would like to introduce you to POTUS #45………
I heard Senator Charlie Scott make a comment recently that resonated with folks paraphrasing that ‘the National Democratic Party has recently become so radically Left that many Wyo Dems have found themselves joining the Republican party in response’ which is driving consternation in the Republican party as their overton window is forced to widen. We’re already the most conservative State in the union with 3/4th of our voters siding on the right. With a well defined and vetted Wyo Republican Platform in place, there’s bound to be friction for those who aren’t quite up to consistently backing all 23 ‘Truths’ of the Platform. I’ve not heard one Freedom Caucus member make a peep about changing the Platform. The Platform’s not the issue. Their passion is for those holding elected office as a Republican to vote consistently to uphold the Platform. Infidelity drives the passion. Example: looking at biennial budgets from each year’s HB0001 bills, Wyo’s budgets have been flatlined at around ~$8.5B for 14 years (7 budget cycles) since 2007. Thumbs up for Wyo Caucus, well done. The last 3 budgets ’21-’26 have all grown, with the growth rate also accelerating. In this 6 year span, the budget’s on track to grow 22%, or $1.7B above ’20 (assuming the upcoming ’26 Supplemental is similar to ’22 &’24 Supplementals). The Freedom Caucus is rightfully freaking out at this recent growth spurt. Next budget cycle needs to go back to the flatline days, or we’ll be out of control. In short, both sides are correct. I do have confidence we can get our horse ‘back on the bit’ and under control. Passionate folks care, no need to panic as different viewpoints are healthy, even though they unfortunately tend to cause hair loss.
Correction; it’s $2.7B, not $1.7B budget increase since the ’20 Supplemental to arrive at the 22% increase thru ’26. Only a billion dollar difference, no worries.
In a republic, political power rests with the PEOPLE through their ELECTED representatives. Thus, if the policies advocated by a party or its representative(s) are unsatisfactory and to a sufficient numbers of like-minded individuals, Mr. Degroot included, it is up to the voters to make the desired changes.
If our political parties are so concerned about dilution of votes in the primary election, then I suggest that they hold their own nominating caucus, put forth their best candidates and let the chips fall where they may in the November elections. When I first moved to Wyoming, I registered as an Independent. When the Primary came around, I had an empty ballot. Well, it didn’t take me long to figure out that if I wanted a say in who represented me as a County Elected Official I needed to register as a Republican. Digressing here, just a little bit….I believe that all Local and County elected positions should be non-partisan. It’s not about what political party your affiliation is, but rather whether or not you meet the qualifications for that position. Does your Sheriff, Treasurer, Clerk, Assessor, etc….need to be a Republican or Democrat? Seriously, take a moment and think about it. Their duties are well defined and as such anyone holding the necessary qualifications should be on the ballot.
I strongly believe that we should have an “open” primary, and let voters decide who is the best candidate for the elected position. Wyoming needs more voters that are capable of independent thought, and less voters that do so by rote.
MMMM. I feel the call for “everyone” to register as a Republican is offensive to me. I do know that it is a trick the Demarcates in Wyoming has used in the past. The Republican party goes through a process, as do the Democrats, to build the parties platform. All voters should be involved with their parties platform. Voters should vote for the candidate that represents their views. Wyoming spirit of rugged individualism will exhort voters to think for themselves and only Republicans will register as republicans.
Everything is offensive to the new aged republicans.
Follow the talking points dictated by the national party or risk being kicked out or censured. That’s the exact opposite of individualism.
Heads, they win. Tails, we lose.
Thank you Earl. Yours is a conservative Wyoming voice that I recognize as the bedrock of Wyoming values. It has been so strange to watch the slide toward authoritarianism and overwhelming political support for a man who said “Only I can save you.” I’ve never been on a pack trip, or sports team, or board meeting where the people involved willingly promoted a person who said “Only I can save you,” let alone “When you’re rich, they let you.” Peace and grace to you, Earl. May your voice remind Wyoming voters what I was raised hearing–in Wyoming, we elect the best person. That Wyoming value led to a prestigious history of people rising to the top based on their policy and character. I stuffed envelopes for candidates who were from both parties as a young adult because I learned from adults who advocated for the value of the policy and character, not the party.
George Washington was absolutely right about political parties, and Earl Degroot is to be commended for reminding us about that. WyoFile also deserves a warm handshake for publishing Degroot’s opinion.
Mr. DeGroot, in my view, is correct in every point he has made in this trenchant opinion piece. The last sentence in his piece is especially on point. Citizens must learn to think critically and make their own informed decisions about the issues at hand. Unfortunately, too many citizens are more than willing to take the easy way out and let others “think” for them. Maintaining our democracy is worth the effort.
It has been said that modern democracy is unthinkable without the existence of political parties and that they can be a bulwark against the pettiness of identity politics and tribalism. However, this is exactly what is happening in today’s political parties, most notably within the Republican Party, where party leadership is more intent upon advocating narrow policies and backing candidates who share those parochial ideas rather than advocating broad policies that promote and protect our democracy. The two major parties in this country should be bringing together those who share common beliefs and goals, not believers in the rigid “my way or the highway” clubbiness that seems to prevail today. Otherwise, they are destined to become irrelevant and counterproductive to what the founding fathers had in mind when writing the Constitution.
Thanks to WyoFile for publishing this opinion piece. It puts the problem facing our state right out there. Thanks also to Rex Arney, a former legislator, for his cogent response.
spoken like a true democrat.
Mr. DeGroot, thank you for saying what needs to be said more often.