Our Founders feared political parties

George Washington ... our only Independent President

George Washington holds the unique position in U.S. History as the only U.S. President who was not associated with a political party. Washington and many of the other Founders viewed political parties as an evil to be avoided. The U.S. Constitution, which Washington helped draft in 1787, makes no mention of political parties and did not anticipate them.

Political parties began to take shape during Washington's presidency, with his unanimous election in 1788 leading some to believe that the American Republic might never see political parties develop. However, by 1793, there was an emerging split between two distinct visions for the country's future, leading to the formation of Democratic-Republicans, led by Jefferson, and the Federalists, led by Hamilton.

Washington remained above the fray throughout his presidency, believing that unity was necessary for a democratic republic to survive. In his Farewell Address, which was distributed widely, he wrote, “[political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

Just like in 1796, WE THE PEOPLE yearn for political leaders who are unshackled from political parties and who refuse to associate themselves with “cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men.”

It is time for courageous Americans to leave their political parties and support Independent and minor party candidates.

Run. Win. Serve.

Start local, and scale.