We're Stuck With 2 Minority Parties

Back in 1951, a political analyst came up with the theory that at any time in America there’s a Sun Party, which drives the agenda, and a minority Moon Party that shines by reflecting its rays. But these days, “we are living in the era of two moons and no sun,” writes David Brooks of the New York Times. “Neither party has been able to rally the country behind its vision of government.”

With the public divided or agnostic, “both parties have developed minority mentalities,” becoming insular and combative. “The Republicans feel oppressed by the cultural establishment, and Democrats feel oppressed by the corporate establishment.” They’re both too weak to push their agendas, but too stubborn to compromise. “Independent voters are trapped in a cycle of sour rejectionism—voting against whichever of the two options they dislike most at the moment.” So both sides occasionally win big elections, “which only re-enforce their worst habits.” (More David Brooks stories.)