This is the editor's letter in the current issue of The Week magazine.
America needs two viable, sane political parties. Parties provide voters with a coherent choice of governing philosophies, and galvanize people to unite behind an agenda and candidates; without opposition, any party inevitably falls prey to corruption and extremism. Liberalism and conservatism are yin and yang, parts of a whole, each contributing insights and values to guide the zigzag path forward. But when parties become enamored with unpopular and foolish ideas, they can die: The Federalists, the Whigs, and the Know Nothings all once flourished and then perished. Many Republicans — including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — now worry that if their party can't evolve beyond blind fealty to Donald Trump, the GOP will also fade into history.
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