Like any grouping they are just a means for similar-minded people to work together. Really they are just a form of political Action Committee (PAC). The problems with them are they rarely match exactly the intentions of any individual, they usually take on a life and importance of their own, and they can be dominated by one of their factions. Some of our people’s founders regretted them for reasons like those.

The Democrats now seem to be dominated by the socialists and the Republicans are too influenced by theocrats and neo-conservatives. The ancient-style (right) liberals who controlled the Democratic Party a century ago were forced over to the Republican Party by the socialist Democrats. Their influence is overwhelmed there, as is the influence of the ancient-style conservatives in the Republican party.

We need many more than two parties dominating the system. The British have a better distribution with their three significant parties, although I don’t know how much influence the Liberal Party has now. I hear mostly in this area Labour and Conservatives.

This pretty much sums it up:

http://www.youtube.com/mind?v=1Ur6d-D4zXE&feature=related

They’re a excellent way to get like-minded people together. But like anything else, over time they get jaded & more attracted in their own power than doing what’s right.