The Problem
America’s founders foretold our greatest threat.
Money and gerrymandering have broken democracy.
America’s Main Street Party was inspired by the writings of founder James Wilson, a Constitutional author and Supreme Court Justice. His prescient ideas on popular sovereignty offer guidance on how to correct our course as our electoral process veers further away from the framers’ original intent.
Among many notable writings by James Wilson influencing America’s early foundational concepts was his description of democracy as a “fountain” and the right of the people to “free and equal” elections.
The constitution of the United States and that of Pennsylvania rest solely…on the great democratical principle of a representation of the people…This great principle necessarily draws along with it the consideration of another principle equally great—the principle of free and equal elections. To maintain, in purity and in vigour, this important principle, whose energy should pervade the most distant parts of the government, is the first duty, and ought to be the first care, of every free state. This is the original fountain, from which all the streams of administration flow. If this fountain is poisoned, the deleterious influence will extend to the remotest corners of the state: if this fountain continues pure and salubrious, the benign operation of its waters will diffuse universal health and soundness.
— James Wilson, 1790
Beyond Wilson, other founders feared the state of today’s democracy. George Washington’s farewell address foretold hyper-partisanship:
“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.”
John Adams concurred that “a division of the republic into two great parties … is to be dreaded as the great political evil.”
Why those fears have come true.
Though the two-party system has been in place for centuries, the threat today is magnified because the major parties share no common ground, only a powerful disdain for each other, and a crippling inability to compromise.
Before the 2010 midterms, often cited as a tipping point, the concept of coalition building across party lines was still a practice. Now, with highly partisan money supporting polarizing candidates and a never-ending news cycle, there is no room to negotiate despite what is often clearly best for the country.
The gerrymandering problem.
Every 10 years, states redraw their legislative boundaries in accordance with the latest census. The original intent was to ensure that districts are equally populated and reflect a state’s demographics.
Unfortunately, gerrymandering is used by legislative majorities to create dramatically imbalanced districts favoring one party over the other. Partisan concerns override the common good and the voice of the people is lost.
The first gerrymander in 1812. Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry redrew a senatorial district, inspiring the salamander-like “monster” metaphor that haunts our electoral process today.
How do we fight back?
Without changing a single law, America’s Main Street Party has a bold new way to counteract gerrymandering and restore popular sovereignty.
Learn more about the America’s Main Street Party plan.