[lunar-whitey]

The United States Constitution is a relic that predates national political parties as a concept. Political parties effectively neutralize many of its structural checks, including federalism.

The framers recognized this failure in their own lifetimes and held to gentleman’s agreements to limit the power of parties while openly anticipating that the system they created would be replaced. The erosion of their informal understanding has taken far longer than expected, but it has certainly occurred. Today, the political consensus that could allow for the creation of a viable replacement no longer exists. History shows whatever follows from this is often very unpleasant.