Will history repeats itself? "How an Outsider President Killed a Party"

[Fritz Walter]

Happy Presidents Day everyone!

It was summer, and a major U.S. political party had just chosen an inexperienced, unqualified, loutish, wealthy outsider with ambiguous party loyalties to be its presidential nominee. Some party luminaries thought he would help them win the general election. But many of the faithful were furious and mystified: How could their party compromise its ideals to such a degree?

Sound like 2016? This happened a century and a half ago.

Many have called Donald Trump’s unexpected takeover of a major political party unprecedented; but it’s not. A similar scenario unfolded in 1848, when General Zachary Taylor, a roughhewn career soldier who had never even voted in a presidential election, conquered the Whig Party...

...A look back at what happened that year is eye-opening—and offers warnings for those on both sides of the aisle. Democrats quick to dismiss Trump should beware: Taylor parlayed his outsider appeal to defeat Lewis Cass, an experienced former Cabinet secretary and senator. But Republicans should beware, too: Taylor is often ranked as one of the worst presidents in U.S. history—and, more seriously, the Whig Party never recovered from his victory. In fact, just a few years after Taylor was elected under the Whig banner, the party dissolved—undermined by the divisions that caused Taylor’s nomination in the first place, and also by the loss of faith that followed it.

Emphasis added. Source: Politico

I try hard to avoid wishful thinking, that the GQP will have the same fate as the Whigs. But still, ...

[BlueTsunami2018]

1. These people aren't going away.

They’ve been in it for the long haul for sixty years. Why would they just disappear when they’re on the verge of realizing ultimate power? It would be the equivalent of quitting a game when you’re walking in for the winning score.

[Sympthsical]

2. The two political parties are far more entrenched now

Think of all the different organizations both national and local. All the money. All the influence.

Neither party is going away. That reality is also why third parties are basically a nonstarter in modern America.

Back then, political parties and affiliations were a lot more fluid. People with common interests would ally, even if they weren't in the same party. The interest had a much stronger pull. That's why Whigs dissolved and Republicans rose. The slavery question and labor questions jiggered some realignments.

Nowadays, everything is red team vs blue team. People aren't going to change sides in significant numbers over one issue.

[empedocles]

3. TY