Partisanship Rooted in Principle Strengthens the Republic

by Michael J Badagliacco, "MJB"

Partisanship draws frequent criticism these days, especially when paired with patriotism. Yet partisanship simply means holding firm to one’s values and working to advance an agenda based on those values. Following the recent celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary, a number of commentaries have attacked individuals for blending love of country with commitment to a political side. This reaction prompts a straightforward question. Why has standing on principle suddenly become a liability rather than a strength?

America Began with Principled Action

Two hundred fifty years ago the colonies separated from England because the people held clear principles. The Declaration of Independence set forth self-evident truths concerning unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It declared that governments exist to secure these rights and that they derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. That separation was not neutral. It was a deliberate stand against taxation without representation and against rule that ignored the people’s fundamental rights. In short, the founding itself was an act of principled partisanship.

Organized Principles Have Always Shaped Our Politics

James Madison addressed the reality of differing groups in Federalist No. 10. He observed that factions arise naturally from the diversity of human interests and passions. A large republic, he argued, offers the best means to control their effects through representation rather than eliminating the causes, which would destroy liberty. President George Washington warned in his 1796 Farewell Address against the “baneful effects of the spirit of party” which could lead to political factions prioritizing loyalty to party over loyalty to the nation, which could undermine liberty and create division among citizens. He believed this partisanship could result in a "spirit of revenge" and a breakdown of national unity. The key is to be rooted in the foundational principles.

Federalists and Democratic-Republicans defined the early Republic. The Republican Party itself emerged in the 1850s from a coalition of former Whigs, Free Soilers, and others united against the spread of slavery. The Whig Party, once dominant, collapsed over the slavery issue. The Federalist Party faded after the War of 1812. These cases illustrate a consistent pattern. Parties rise when they give voice to shared principles. New movements can and do grow from within or alongside existing structures, though the process often requires years of steady work.

Unaffiliated Voters and Genuine Grassroots Effort

Some hold the same core principles as one of the major parties yet prefer the independent or unaffiliated label. Their ballots carry the same weight as anyone else’s and like everyone, they remain free to support whichever candidates and policies align with their beliefs. But, the “unaffiliated” designation does not automatically confer greater independence of thought.

Those unaffiliated citizens who deliberately withhold support from both major parties in order to build alternative movements deserve recognition when their choice rests on clear principle. Success, however, usually demands patience and the formation of broad coalitions over time. Minor parties that once held significant sway have largely disappeared from the ballot, replaced by new alignments that combine with major party’s.

The Cost of Trading Principles for Feelings

A familiar saying captures the risk: “if you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything”. Large segments of the country now appear guided more by passing emotions and shifting cultural pressures than by the steady principles that shaped the founding.

The Constitution established a republican form of government, not a system driven by momentary sentiment. Article IV, Section 4 guarantees to every state a republican form of government. The Preamble states the purpose “to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”. These provisions assume citizens will anchor their actions in enduring standards rather than transient feelings.

When those standards loosen, ideologies that contradict the founding framework gain ground. Socialism and communism have repeatedly produced centralized power, reduced individual liberty, and economic decline wherever they have been tried at scale. They stand in direct opposition to the self-determination and limited government the Constitution was designed to protect. The First Amendment safeguards the right to hold and debate differing views. It does not, however, place every idea on equal footing with the constitutional order itself.

Renewing Commitment to Principle

Partisanship ceases to be a problem when it serves principles of liberty, limited government, and individual responsibility. Whether citizens advance those principles inside established parties or through new grassroots efforts, the essential requirement remains the same: clarity about what one stands for. After 250 years, the task ahead is straightforward. Reaffirm the principles that created and sustained this republic rather than drift with whatever sentiment dominates the moment. Standing on those principles, in whatever organized form citizens choose, remains the most reliable way to preserve the liberty the founders secured.