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Originally Posted by punkgrrrlie10
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Hmm, I'd have to disagree. Do you think this issue, as important as it may be, could literally rip the nation apart, both politically and socially, as issues such as slavery, taxation, and silver have...?
I guess we'll never have geographic rips such as those anymore, because we probably aren't such a geographically minded nation anymore (well, with perhaps my current home of Texas as an exception :/).
Ror and Kelly, you both seemed to have a permiating argument that apathy has led to, well....apathy. But I think traditionally, issues such as this only caused rips when they DID in fact directly effect the lives of people. Slavery in the latter 19th Century, debt, coinage, and monopolies towards the end, these were things that altered the lives of Americans, be them slave holders, slaves, farmers, silver interests, etc.
So, I guess the point is this, to clarify my point: Is there any issue with enough magnitude to shake the apathy loose...? What about free trade, health care, or social security?? Maybe taxes?? And the activity doesn't necessarily need to be in the form of 3rd party activity, although it might be. Kelly, IMO, is right. Historically, it would seem that when a third party arises, it is either absorbed by the two majors, or it shortly dies out once their issue loses relevancy (ie. the "Anti-Nebraska Party", pre-version of the Republican Party).
Anyway, is America too far gone to care anymore...? Further, could this be a reason why the two major parties have become such stagnant institutions...?