Power really does change hands in the federal government – and it is hard to keep for more than a few years. And, because power does change hands, it is foolish to give your leaders more power than you would trust to your political rivals. If you value freedom and fairness, then it is important to support political candidates who understand that extra power seized today could be used later by your rivals. We offer more details below.
Trifectas offer political parties the most power. They occur when the president and both houses of Congress are under the control of one party. There have been 23 trifectas since 1789: one Federalist, one Democratic-Republican, twelve Democratic, and nine Republican.
The longest trifecta was for twenty-two years, covering the Democratic-Republican presidents Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. The longest Republican trifecta was 14 years, covering presidents McKinley, Roosevelt, and Taft. The longest Democratic trifecta was also 14 years, covering presidents Roosevelt (FDR) and Truman. Since the end of World War II, most trifectas have been only two to four years, with many years of divided government between them. The bottom line: no victory is permanent.
The framers of our Constitution anticipated that power would change hands, and not always into the most beneficent hands. That is why the framers created checks and balances against concentrations of power. These include fixed and overlapping terms of office, the separation and sharing of powers between Congress, the presidency, and the courts, as well as civil liberties and civil rights, all within a federal system.
These features were the way the framers tried to ensure that each new president and each new Congress would not tyrannize the people. You can read about them here: https://cffad.org/topics/
“Unless proper checks and balances are maintained to limit government power, love of power will tend to create a real despotism in America.”
— George Washington, Farewell Address (1796)
Importantly, the degree to which the Constitution’s checks and balances are maintained depends upon the quality of people we voters send to our state and federal offices. If you value freedom and fairness, then it is important to support candidates who understand that extra power seized today could be used later by your political rivals.
