Elon Musk has officially declared his intent to launch a new political party, an announcement long on bravado but short on substance.
The American political system isn't just hostile to third parties, it is structurally designed to destroy them. Our Founding Fathers didn't even want political parties, which they called "factions." Since the race between Federalist John Adams and Democratic–Republican Thomas Jefferson in 1800, we've been locked into a two-party system and have not looked back. Neither Democrats nor Republicans have any intention of clearing a path for a viable third, fourth or fifth option.
Starting a political party in America isn't just a branding exercise. It's a slog through 50 states, plus five inhabited territories, each with its own ballot laws, deadlines, filing requirements and thresholds for signature gathering and registration — and that's just to get recognized. Musk wouldn't be starting a political party; he'd be starting 55 political parties.
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