 It's true that the parties are not as strong as they were in the past, but both sides of the political industrial complex, Democrats and Republicans, are as strong as ever. It's just that the power may not all reside within the party. If parties were stronger, that doesn't mean they'd be moderating forces. That's what some people say. I really don't understand that argument. The stronger they are, the less moderating they're going to be, given the nature of the competition that's been created.