马斯克不是第一个想组“美国党”的人，他们都去哪儿了？

Core Points - Elon Musk has established a new political party called the "American Party" with the aim of opposing Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" and creating a genuine third party to influence politics [2][4] - Musk's initial goal is modest, focusing on winning a few Senate and House seats to become a key player in policy decisions, rather than attempting to replace the existing parties outright [4][5] Historical Context - The concept of a third party in the U.S. is not new, with several historical examples, including the original "American Party" of the 1840s, which gained significant political traction before fading away [6][8] - The original "American Party" reached its peak in the 1850s, holding five Senate seats and over fifty House seats, but ultimately disbanded as members either joined other parties or became politically irrelevant [8][9] - More recent attempts at third parties, such as George Wallace's "American Independent Party" in 1968, also failed to maintain influence after initial successes [10][12] Challenges for Third Parties - The entrenched two-party system in the U.S. poses significant challenges for any new political party, as the "winner-takes-all" electoral system discourages votes for third parties [15][14] - Historical evidence suggests that third parties often struggle to maintain their presence and influence, typically dissolving or merging back into the two major parties [12][13] - Musk's financial backing, while substantial, may not be sufficient to overcome the established political structures and grassroots organizations of the existing parties [15][17] Current Political Landscape - Despite public dissatisfaction with the two-party system, new political movements often find their ideas co-opted by the major parties, limiting the space for third-party growth [18][19] - Musk's political influence is currently limited, as evidenced by his recent failed investment in a judicial election, which did not yield the desired results [21] - There may be opportunities for Musk to align with factions within the Republican Party, particularly those opposed to Trump, but his current political capital and appeal are questioned [20][21]