I find it ironic that both parties are the opposite of what they were in 1860.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Yup the early part of the 20th century is when it became way too obvious

you will remember though that by the `1870s, under the Grant Administration, themes that were to emerge hard later on took shape. Some of them became way too obvious in the gilded age (when both parties were business friendly).

Then there was this little populist problem called the Granger Party...

But when people blame Nixon for all of this... he was the capstone. The Southern Strategy was the end of that long process. And don't get me started with Reagan.

Trends... Oh and there are some similarities today... OWS is starting to become more political in the way partisans understand it, and some will go third party.