The Compromise of 1850 and 2012

In 1850 a historic compromise was reached which delayed what seemed to be an inevitable war between the states for a period of 10 years.  The burning issue of the time was to determine whether the territories won as a result of the Mexican American war would enter the union as slave or free states.

 The compromise ended up being five separate pieces of legislation with the most controversial part being the Fugitive Slave Act. The Fugitive Slave Act   made any federal official who did not arrest a runaway slave liable to pay a fine  of $1,000 (About $26,600 in USD as of 2011).  In addition any person aiding a runaway slave by providing food or shelter was subject to six months' imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.

The Slave Act was the impetus that split the northern  Whigs from the southern Whigs and led to the formation of the Republican party.

In 2012 we await what to most seems to be a non historic compromise  as to revising or elimination of the Bush era tax cuts. And although there have been petitions of secession issued by
 several states few of us would believe that we are actually heading to a war among ourselves.

However I believe whatever form the compromise of 2012 takes it will accentuate a schism between the tea party and the old line GOP.  Will this schism give birth to a third political party?  The answer is probably no. History has never been kind to third parties no matter how noble their purpose or standard bearer.  One of two things will happen.

• The GOP will fall upon its own weight like a giant redwood whose roots no longer support it and a new party will rise to take its place. 

•  The GOP will be morph like a butterfly from a caterpillar maintaining its name but changing its identity. 

Neither of these two scenarios will occur overnight.  Get ready its going to be a bumpy ride.