This midterm election has become one of the more vitriolic in recent memory and many voters have become turned off (even frightened) by the rhetoric. As bad as allusions to “Second Amendment Solutions” and other over the top craziness coming from the right wing may seem, the history of past elections suggests that this election is only lukewarm. For example, take the election of 1800.
The election of 1800 featured a rematch of Adams and Jefferson, Federalists vs. Republicans (the good kind) North vs. South (and West). Adams led the conservative Federalists, who attempted to stifle dissent with the “Alien and Sedition Act” which was used to jail their critics. They also supported Britain in their cold war against France and accused their political opponents of supporting terrorism on the frontier.
Jefferson led the liberal Republicans (an oxymoron today) and supported France and their revolution against monarchy. In those days all the print media was like Fox News today: highly partisan, not concerned with facts and owned by rich men with their own agenda. Accusations about treason, sexual immorality and criminality were common. Calls to violence were also not unusual. Add to that volatile mix the fact that political rallies routinely began with serving whiskey and you can imagine how old white men with three-cornered hats behaved then compared to ones today!
We survived the election of 1800 and plenty worse after, and we will survive this one too – unless of course, people don’t vote.
FiegerTime - Geoffrey Fieger's Blog 
Thanks for the hefty dose of perspective. I just discovered your blog and look forward to more entries. You are doing some truly great work with both your activism and your law practice. You are making a difference, I’m hoping that it catches on.
Sir only today did I watch the DVD You don’t know Jack
My question to you is the story true? did Mr. Danny Huston use your words? Why? because I had no idea that you had so much talent. Had I of known I would of been your gopher when you ran for governer.
Thank you in advance for your reply
Monte
I just saw a commercial concerning the states recent voting putting the same lame Republicans back in place, I feel people have amnesia of who caused this mess in the 1st place, and your 1 party comment is not far off in my opinion. My advice is to abolish all parties and make them completely independent of each other so we the people can decide what benefits,pay,term limits etc, that they have and can do based on merit and remove their right to vote for them selves what they get! but I know these lame *** people who do not think and vote them back in, letting them run rampant like rabid dogs doing whatever they desire for the right amount of money, where is the accountability panels to keep them in check? we as a country are doomed to follow other empire’s such as Rome and fail if we do not think before we act for history doe’s repeat it self! We can fix this mess with the right Politicians, Bankers, Health care CEO’s etc, in place. We should take some examples from countries like Denmark, concerning health care options, who knows maybe it could work,just my opinion!
I vote but I can’t help but think it’s pointless, a decision between Dumb and Dumber. My cousin never voted until 2004. She didn’t like John Kerry but did not want Bush for another term. I guess she figured anything would be an improvement. In 2008 I asked if she was going to vote. She said, “Yeah! I don’t want another fucking Republican in the White House!” 🙂
J.