Show The two-party two system Next to President Nixon and Energy Chief William Simon the toughest job jobin jobin jobin in America surely must belong to David K Wilson David K Wilson Hes He's chairman of the Republican National Finance Committee In the face of Watergate and the massive citizen distrust of public officials that it has helped foster Wilson is responsible for filling depleted GOP coffers The portents for his success to say the least are not good According to a recent Louis Harris poll the Republican Party already far smaller than the Democratic Party declined by another seven percent during the past five years And in what was considered by many to be a bellwether election the GOP in February lost control of Vice President Jerry Fords Ford's old congressional seat in Michigan for the first time since 1910 Too many Americans we fear are willing to let the entire Republican Party stew in the juices of Watergate irrespective of the fact that it was only a handful of White House zealots whose actions brought about this national disgrace Does the country as a whole have a stake in the preservation of a strong two-party two system of government We believe that tha t does it One only has to look at the political troubles currently facing Britain and Israel to realize the enormous difficulty of governing a modern nation when many political parties vie effectively for control The strong two-party two system has been essential to the stability of Americas America's government It has succeeded succeeded succeeded suc suc- in offering voters a viable alternative to the policies of incumbent administration and ruling majorities of Congress At the same time during national emergencies the system has made it possible for a President to govern effectively while reducing the risk that a demagogue would arise and seize political control Regardless of what one thinks about either of the nations nation's two major political parties all of us have a stake in assuring that tha t both of them remain ali alive ve and hea healthy |