2020.09.10
There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.via this Freakonomics podcast on the Great American Auopoly: Republicans and Democrats. Like Coke and Pepsi, sometimes a good rival is the greatest frenemy you can have. I am sometimes astonished at people who demand strict readings of the Constitution - along with looking at the likely intents of the Founders - and sort of miss how much day to day political procedure is based on parties, which aren't mentioned in the Constitution and were widely viewed as extremely suspect back in the day.
Other pollsters complain about declining response rates, but our poll showed that 96% of respondents would be 'somewhat likely' or 'very likely' to agree to answer a series of questions for a survey.