It makes more sense when you frame it as "party of shameless self interest and racial stratification acts in shameless self interest while racially stratifying". You can draw a straight line back to even before the US civil war of the anti-federalists using their station to undermine the republic and liberties it stands for.
Frankly, I don't think this is a party thing. Our elected officials are mostly party line. There are a few who have actual ideals that they adhere to but the rest of them are weather vanes.
You basically have to be a party loyalist to get campaign funds so, unless you can self fund, you gotta toe the line.
Party probably wasn't the best word to use there. I didn't mean it as in the discrete political entity, but more of the amorphous group. The color of the hat doesn't matter as much as what they believe in.
> The color of the hat doesn't matter as much as what they believe in.
I agree but the argument I'm making is that the "what they believe in" part is usually, "I should be re-elected". There are very few elected officials that I believe would choose to not be re-elected rather than change their touted core beliefs.
