Op-Ed: The State of The Political Parties

Alessandro Pioltelli ’26 

Writing about the absolute dumpster fire that is the Trump administration has become the primary focus of newspapers and media around the world for discussing U.S politics. But there’s another issue that President Trump’s self-proclaimed ascension to the throne has caused, and that has to do with the decline of America’s two main political parties, the Republican and the Democratic. The parties are both in dire straits, and the reasons behind them are as opposite as their values. For nearly a decade, the Republican Party has been completely dominated by Trump and his ideological views, a movement now known as ‘Trumpism.’ Donald Trump has completely radicalized the party to an extent never before seen in American politics, and radicalization, no matter left or right, is not a good sign for the future of a political party.  

Historically, conservative Americans have aligned with the GOP to promote and restore traditional family values, limited government, and unbridled capitalism. Under Trump, the political party has transformed into an extreme right, neo-fascist, and nationalist movement with leaders incapable of exercising reason. Trump’s populist movement has completely warped the Republican Party from what it used to be. Even though they didn’t share the ideology of younger generations, the Republican coalition before Trump was an important presence in the political sphere. The coalition had smart and educated leaders that could discuss and debate their ideas without it devolving into a screaming match or a gaslighting competition. This kept the party grounded and gave them legitimacy, despite their at times restrictive views on society and government. Trump has caused the GOP to exclusively promote these restrictive views, views of politicians who used to be a minority group in the party. The party’s newfound radical beliefs have made discussions with the old guard impossible. The ever weakening grip of pre-Trump conservatives on the Republican Party has let it be completely consumed by Trump’s totalitarian goals. 

But what happens after Trump? He’s no spring chicken, and he can’t avoid death like prison or taxes. Despite there being emerging leaders in the Republican Party who echo what Trump has been saying for the past decade, the nature of fascist movements like Trump’s is that they revolve around one central figure. This person will lead their party and country out of whatever rut it finds itself in. And no other leader in the Republican party possesses the ability to command attention like Trump does, much like a crying baby. When Trump passes away, the Republican Party may find themselves in a similar position to when Barack Obama won his second term—without a guiding voice and leader. The GOP’s plight in 2012 led it to someone who amplified the worst ideas for the U.S. and what its role in global politics should be. 

Could Trump’s demise lead to someone even worse taking the reins? It seems unlikely, but time will only tell. In the meantime, the Democratic Party has found itself in the role the Republicans were in a mere decade ago, unable to find a replacement for Joe Biden. Kamala Harris would have been a good fit, but the country’s unwillingness to prioritize skill and capability over race, to the point of letting a racist felon be president, speaks volumes about what it wants. The Democrats also have to reconcile with the fact that they have lost some of their core appeal. They haven’t been nearly as harsh on Israel for the war and especially on Trump for being Trump as liberals wanted them to be. This has led to the Democrats losing a key advantage: support from younger voters and the working class. Their centrist approach to dealing with Trump and his “concept of a plan” didn’t work and still isn’t working. 

The two parties are in opposite positions and not just politically. The Republican Party has an extreme leader that has shifted what it means to be Republican while the Democratic Party is struggling to find a leader that can redefine them with the same energy as in 2008. The former is worse, but the latter isn’t good either, especially for the future of this country. Perhaps a third political party will emerge to shake up the established order that has been failing the American populace for the past decade, or the Republican Party will collapse much like many fascist parties have in the past and galvanize the Democrats. Only time will tell how the fiasco that currently is the Republican and Democratic parties will sort out, but if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that it won’t be pretty. Then again, with the uncertain state of the United States today, maybe that’s a good thing.