Quote:
Originally Posted by krashkart
You know the roots of the parties, I'm sure. I never did learn that, so your statement came as a surprise. WTF are we doing?  |
As August mentioned, no sooner had they claimed they hated parties they began to form them.
George Washington and John Adams are called 'Federalists', but in fact they adhered to no official party. Secretary Of State Thomas Jefferson and Secretary Of The Treasury Alexander Hamilton fought tooth-and-nail over several issues. Hamilton finally won when Jefferson had had enough and resigned. When Adams and Jefferson ran against each other Hamilton supported Adams. Jefferson called himself a Republican because he believed in a Republic, and Hamilton called himself a Federalist because that was the term that was already being applied to those of his philosophy thanks to the Federalist papers. Jefferson's friend James Madison started a grass roots movement supporting Jefferson. When Jefferson defeated Adams the second time they ran against each other, Hamilton accused Madison of creating the first real political party in America, and he was probably right. Ever since they've been playing the same games against each other.