Traveling from the bluest of blue states, Massachusetts, to the reddest of red, Texas, I’m struck by some interesting political parallels.
In Massachusetts, the Republicans have become a rump party, reduced nearly to inconsequence with political analysts in the media referring to its activities as quixotic and reporting that the primary political battle is between the “moderate” and “liberal” wings of the Democrat Party. (I would call them the “liberal” and “uber-liberal” wings, but that’s me.)
Here in Texas, it’s almost exactly the opposite situation, according to an article I read in the magazine, Texas Monthly (subscription required), which says it’s the Democrats who are effectively locked out of state politics, leaving the battle to be fought by moderate and conservative Republicans.
In both cases, the monolithic political environment is of no benefit to anyone, even diehard partisans of the majority party because one axiom of politics is that a party without opposition becomes lazy about its own principles. With no serious opposition it won’t have any reason to push a core agenda and in fact, desperate to hold onto its monopoly will even begin to betray those principles in order to be all things to all voters. It’s true in Texas and true in Massachusetts as it is true in the US as a whole.
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