For years, we have been told by this land's preeminent

political prognosticators - ranging from James J.

Kirkpatrick on the right to David Broder in the middle to

Molly Ivins on the left - that America's historic

two-party system is sick.

In fact, we have been told over and over again that

our political parties are so sick beyond cure that the

announcement of the demise of one or both at any moment

should come as no surprise to anyone.

In fact, the Republican obituary was broadcast after

the Goldwater debacle in 1964 and again after Watergate,

while the Democrats were presumed on their way to the

dustbin of history after the McGovern fiasco and so many

lost presidential elections afterwards.

These dire statements are made by some very prominent

individuals who have been professional observers of the

actions of these parties and their leaders for years.

Surely, if anyone could get a feel for the waning

pulse of these institutions, those who watch them the

closest should be the ones to do so.

But, don't you believe everything you read or hear.

The two-party system may be weaker than it was at one

time, say in the late 19th Century when the parties were

a combination job bank-welfare agency-community

activities center which peddled influence (if they had

won the last election and had some influence to peddle)

and operated as a year-round get out the vote effort.

And, there may be an occasional victory by a

third-party candidate in a state (the Minnesota

governorship) or national (Vermont's congressman)

election.

But, the two-party system is still alive and so

entrenched that to talk of its death makes one sound

either extremely brilliant (because you can see through

the rhetoric and realize that, like the bumblebee, there

is no valid scientific explanation for its continued

existence) or extremely dumb (because they are simply so

entrenched that it would require a total and complete

revolution to dislodge them).

Sometimes, we seem to forget just how deeply ingrained

in our customs, our institutions, and, indeed, our legal

descriptions of our political culture that our two party

system is.

For instance, all our political scorekeeping is

predicated on the Democrats and the Republicans; almost

all of our state and Federal election laws are based on

the existence of a two-party structure; even legislative

committees and commissions - as well as various

boards and agencies - are organized in terms of

majority and minority memberships.

Now, throughout our history, there have been some very

prominent American leaders who have wished that political

parties would not be formed or, after they were, wished

they would be abolished.

In 1796, George Washington said that political parties

"serve always to distract public councils and

enfeeble public administration ... (they) agitate the

community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms;

kindle the animosity of one part against another; and

foment occasional riots and insurrections."

Since his time, other equally wise individuals have

railed against political parties.

Still, since the 1864 election - which pitted

Republican Abraham Lincoln against Democrat George

McClellan - only these two major parties have had

much influence on the country.

Sure, there have been Populists, Progressives,

Dixiecrats, Prohibitionists, Libertarians, American

Independents, and Reformites on the ballot. They win some

votes and sometimes minutely affect the outcomes.

But, the prospect of another election like the one in

1800 or the one in 1824 - which were decided by the

U. S. House of Representatives because no candidate

received a majority - is very, very unlikely.

The political parties as we know them today seem in no

danger of demise.

So, the smartest thing for somebody who wants to be

involved in self-government to do is to join the local

political organization of their choice.

If you believe it needs to be changed, then get in

there and fight for what you believe.

But, remember, in this country at all levels of

government above the local city council (and sometimes

there) the two-party system reigns supreme as the source

of legitimate candidates and policy positions.

They may not be what they once were, but there is a

whole lot of life left in both of them.

[Lee N. Howell is an award-winning writer who has

been observing politics and society in the Southern

Crescent, the state, and nation for the past 25 years.]

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