In the Aftermath of the Compromise of 1877...

[Mayacaman]

The Smoke-filled Room



Brokering the Compromise of 1877

"Ever since the aftermath of the Compromise of 1877 worked out so well for the plutocrats, the bi-partisan Party bosses have been meeting in a smoke-filled room in a Men's Club in Mid-town Manhattan on election years, before the primaries, to work out who will run in the coming elections, who will win, place, & show - and where the patronage will go..."

- Edith Fleischer Liggett, in "The Mid-West American," Rochester, Minnesota, 1934.

[cyberanvil]

Mark Walter Evans (aka Mayacaman) writes

The Smoke-filled Room

"Ever since the aftermath of the Compromise of 1877 worked out so well for the plutocrats, the bi-partisan Party bosses have been meeting in a smoke-filled room in a Men's Club in Mid-town Manhattan on election years, before the Primaries, to work out who will run in the coming elections - Who will win, place, & show - and where the patronage will go..."

- Edith Fleischer Liggett, in "The Mid-West American," Rochester, Minnesota, 1934.

Do you honestly believe that present day Democrats and Republicans cooperate? Of course not. But Bernie has learned that there are power brokers in each party. It's been obvious for quite some time.

[Mayacaman]

Two wings of the same bird of prey

Do you honestly believe that present day Democrats and Republicans cooperate? Of course not. But Bernie has learned that there are power brokers in each party. It's been obvious for quite some time.

Do I honestly believe that present day Democrats and Republicans cooperate? Absolutely !

- The term for socio-political arrangements of this nature is simple. They call it a “Duopoly.” You’ve probably heard of it. The same system of two-party duopoly prevails in America, Britain and Canada.

In the United States, the two major parties fought a bloody Civil War in the 1860’s. This is well known. The Republican Party was the party of Free Soil, the North, the “Union,” & the Union Pacific Railroad Corporation. The Democrat Party was the party of Slavery, the South, and of a faction of the plutocrats in New York City.

What is less well known is that as a result of the Compromise of 1877 - & ever since - the "Bi-partisan Party bosses" {i.e., the RNC & the DNC} have been in cahoots. I stumbled upon this analysis back in the 1980’s, while reading the editorials of my grandfather’s newspaper, "The Mid-West American” on microfiche, obtained from the Minnesota Historical Society. My mother was researching her father’s life at the time, in preparation for the biography she wrote of the man.

On May Day of 1934, in the Plaza of beautiful downtown Rochester Minnesota, at a Farmer-Labor Party festival, Howard Williams, the author of the Farmer-labor Platform of 1934, and my grandfather, Walter Liggett, gave speeches. Phrases from both speeches were written up in a short article on the front page of the “Mid-West American.”

In his speech, Walter Liggett said “the two major parties are the two wings of the same bird of prey.” It was a striking declaration that I was not familiar with. For a number of years I thought that it was original with Liggett. But, it turns out, the phrase was current in 1928 in Socialist circles in New York City. Morris Hillquit and Norman Thomas uttered that pronouncement before Walter Liggett spoke it in Rochester, Minnesota on May Day in 1934.

In the same issue of the weekly “Mid-West American” was an editorial by my grandmother, Edith Fleischer Liggett, from which I freely quote the memorable paragraph at the top of this thread. In the 1920’s she had been the crack city reporter for the New York Call, the Socialist Party daily. She knew Manhattan. She knew Wall Street, City Hall & Tammany Hall - it was her beat - and she knew where the bodies were buried.

She taught me half of what I know today – and I learned it by the age of ten. She planted seeds of learning in my heart that have served me well as subjects to study for a lifetime. She also taught me how to write – before I was five. God bless her. I honour my maternal grandmother, Edith Fleischer Liggett, who was a very wise and savvy Woman. She was the old gal who survived la Grippe Espagnole in 1918 and taught me how to gargle during a plague.

Edith Fleisher Liggett, Circa 1950

O, & by the way, I’m certainly not the only one who thinks that the Impeachment non-Trial of 2020 was a “Charade.”

[cyberanvil]

Mark Walter Evans (aka Mayacaman) opines

Do I honestly believe that present day Democrats and Republicans cooperate? Absolutely !

- The term for socio-political arrangements of this nature is simple. They call it a “Duopoly.” You’ve probably heard of it. The same system of two-party duopoly prevails in America, Britain and Canada.

O, & by the way, I’m certainly not the only one who thinks that the Impeachment non-Trial of 2020 was a “Charade.”

2020 Impeachment was a charade? Wow! I suppose you could list your fellow conspirators, right?
You seem to be the only one that is applying the term Duopoly to the political arena. Somehow I'm finding it hard to visualize Pelosi and Trump working together. Where did you get your inspiration?

[Mayacaman]

double trouble

Memories of this impeachment charade will fade quickly

The Trump impeachment charade

American Collapse
& The Great Impeachment Charade

Trump's legal team argues impeachment process a 'charade'

Chuck Schumer blasts GOP for impeachment trial ‘charade’

The Impeachment Charade and Monty Python

[Mayacaman]

duopoly doo͞-ŏp′ə-lē

n. An economic or political condition in which power is concentrated in two persons or groups.



Political Duopolies


America’s Hidden Duopoly


America’s Political Duopoly Stifles the Competition of Ideas


Why America Is Stuck With Only Two Parties


Why does the USA have only 2 political parties?


The two-party system is destroying America


Why is there a two-party duopoly in the U.S.?


“Progressive” Dems Ought to Divorce the Duopoly


End the Duopoly: America Needs a Major Political Realignment


Effort to Reform Two-Party Duopoly Gains Steam !


The End of Political Duopoly

cyberanvil wrote:

" ...You seem to be the only one that is applying the term Duopoly to the political arena..."

I am hardly the only one.