Quote:
Originally Posted by ryberg
By and large, there are two sides, another function of the way the government is set up and no more surprising than the fact that its structure has resulted in their being by and large two parties. Some differences in views on the part of some people here and there don't constitute much more than two sides, any more than the existence of an American Communist Party or Green Party or whatever other party constitute a refutation of the country having a two-party system. More sides is just not in the cards, not in the design.
Lately the two sides have been particularly polarized and strident in their complaints about and mistrust of the others. I freely admit, in case it isn't already abundantly clear, that I prefer for example Al Franken's commentary and views to Bill O'Reilly's, or Al Gore's to George Bush's, or Michael Moore's to Anne Coulter's, and so on. However I would much prefer not continuing with one of another pair in the White House and 4+ years of vicious fighting and backlashes seemingly ad infiinitum, is all I'm sayin'.
I guess I'm a denialist when it comes to the idea that the latter is all we can hope for and all we'll ever have and that's the way the system is, or the way politics necessarily goes.
Steve
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Steve don't get me wrong, I too long for a more civil discourse. Perhaps an almost mythical time when the two parties got along better and somehow more things were accomplished for the good of the nation.
The real problem does not lie with partisanship in my opinion. It lies with a totally different concept of government. As I've said before, the neo-cons absolutely despise government they see no role for it except perhaps to enable the market and provide corporate welfare. We can see and I think will be seeing the results of this for generations to come. From their point of view all is subjective. Without the bridge of objectivity logic seems to be one of the casualties.
I can see no way that they can be lead down a path to compromise. I very much envy your optimism.