Quote by John Jay Chapman
If American politics does not look to you like a joke, a tragic dance; if you have enough blindness left in you, on any plea, on any excuse, to vote for the Democratic Party or the Republican Party (for at present machine and party are one), or for any candidate who does not stand for a new era, -- then you yourself pass into the slide of the magic-lantern; you are an exhibit, a quaint product, a curiosity of the American soil. You are part of the problem.
Summary
This quote criticizes the American political system and the parties within it. It suggests that if someone fails to see the absurdity and tragedy in American politics, and consequently continues to support the Democratic or Republican parties without question, they are choosing to ignore reality. By doing so, they become mere objects of fascination, representing a peculiar and outdated aspect of American society. The quote urges individuals to instead support candidates and a political direction that strive to bring about significant change and a new era in American politics. It implies that blind loyalty to the established system perpetuates the issues it currently faces.