I agree that he was not imagining an America of 300 million people, nor all of the issues common to modern politics. However I'm not convinced voter turnout is an accurate measure of whether the party system is stifling debate. How many people who are voting make their choices solely or mostly based upon loyalty to a party rather than an understanding of the candidates? And I wonder how many are voting based upon who had the best attack ad or soundbite on primetime TV? Political advertisements seem to boil down to ad hominem attacks based on something done 10 years ago and presenting a vague platform that may or may not accurately reflect a reasonable plan, but does reflect what a constituency wants to hear. It has reached the point where liberal, conservative, Democrat and Republican all have a pejorative sense when used. How well educated are the people driven to vote by the current party system?

I want to address also your point that Washington's ideas about republicanism require an educated populace. I agree, but should we lower the standards of our ideals? I think we should rather raise the level of education. (Easier said than done I know) When a constitution allows the populace to elect its government they will get the government they deserve. I think we need to deserve a better government. (Not that people don't have a "natural right" to good government, but rather that being lazy about making informed decisions is undeserving of much except pity)

I don't think our choices are, political parties as they are now or chaos, or even despotism as a third option. I also believe it is too late to try doing without political parties in some form now, but I do believe we should have a system that encourages more than two parties, and that requires a different voting system, a better system of education and, most difficult, a shift in culture. A greater number of parties would prevent the polarization by providing shades of liberalism and conservatism as well as preventing the false dilemma presented for most political issues bandied about on TV and in the newspapers.

Ok I apologize for the length of this post, I'll reign myself in now and see what others have to say.