There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution. — John Adams

My Take – The founders feared the creation of political parties for the reasons that I distrust them now.  The two major parties exist to provide a place for their benefactors to feed at the trough and to count coup against the other party.  Very rarely do they do something that is good for the country yet not advantageous to themselves.  We have always seemed to be best served by leaders who were unpopular with their parties leadership, and I’m beginning to see why.