Ringside Politics With A Punch

This thread discusses the Content article: Lee Horvitz: Can't We All Just Disagree?

Great post Lee. Growing up in southern Louisiana in the 90's I share a lot of the same sentiment. I think most people are tired of the two monstrous machines we call parties polarizing the system and country like they are doing. It bothers me to no end that I fall into the same trap as everyone else that when I hear people talking about politics (I am including myself) it sounds more like an argument about weather European or American football is better and not a logical discourse on the issues.

Could this be because no one in the political spotlight takes firm stands anymore? It seems that politician's stances change to suit the latest poll. What happened to educating the public? Explaining why and how this plan is better in simple terms? The media refuses to do it. Instead they put more effort in uncovering the background of a plumber than they have put into researching and explaining the candidates views, history, ideology and plans for the country. Instead the media have fallen in line with the politicians in explaining everything in generalities and platitudes like "It's time for change," "Drill here, drill now," "Republicans/Democrats have ruined this country" and the ever popular "IT'S BUSH's FAULT!"

Lee you hit it spot on. Most of us live in the middle of the poles. Remember that the political spectrum is a globe. If you go too far left or right you end up on the other side.

Bravo, Lee!

An exceptionally well-written article regarding the circus that we call "American politics"...

I really need a political neutral ground in front of my house or at least within shouting distance. I have not been to a party, participated in a neighborhood discussion, grocery line chat, etc. where I hqave not offended someone (on either side) in so long, I am reduced to saying that I prefer not to discuss politics. In fact, I would love to discuss politics in a constructive way. I don't ask everyone to be like me - but maybe tell me what they are like, what drives their opinions without opening the red sea between us. People really seek their political herd this season. Dare to rebut any portion of an opinion e-mail (from either side) and one is ruthlessly scratched from the herd, with, I assume, many assumptions on what being outside the herd means. Alas, herdless.

Herdless, I head out on election night to offend friends for whom I am not liberal or conservative enough - just pick the election party.

As I read this I couldn't help but be reminded of the old song from the group War, called "Why Can't We Be Friends?" I am also reminded that when Tip O'Neill was Speaker of the House and Gerald Ford was Minority Leader they used to play golf together. Just because people might be on opposite sides of an issue doesn't mean they can't get along and work out compromises we can all live with. For those who may be unfamiliar with the term -- quaint as it may sound today -- it's called "democracy." We are blessed above all nations in being able to express our opinions freely without being harassed and thrown into prison or even killed for speaking our minds.

But there is something to be said for partisanship, as well. We pray that our new president-to-be can, as Lincoln put it in his second inaugural address, "bind up the nation's wounds," but first we have to air those wounds out for a public viewing and assessment. The past eight years have witnessed a polarization in this country not seen since the Vietnam War era and, now that the table has been tilted in our direction, many of us are not exactly in the most accommodating of moods.

We are finally finishing up with a president who failed to achieve even close to a majority of the popular vote in one election and barely achieved a majority by fractions of a percentage point in a second election. Yet here he was governing as though he had a Reaganesque mandate. Conveniently ignoring half of the American electorate who voted for someone else in two elections. A president who made sure his wealthy friends got even wealthier while squandering billions of dollars in surplus he inherited from his predecessor on a no-win war in the wrong place. While six or seven million more people -- nearly the population of the nation's largest city -- were added to the rolls of the uninsured. While the world's Number One Terrorist added seven years to his life following the most ghastly deed perpetrated on American soil since Pearl Harbor. While a major American city drowned as he lolled about on his ranch, clearing brush and cruising on his mountain bike.

No. This is no time for forgiveness. That can come later after we're out of the mess we're in. And, as an old college radical from the '60s who mellowed and became more pragmatic and accommodating over the years, and whose blood has recently been stirred up again, I am not of a mind to let those people who got us into this mess off the hook so easily. Maybe I'm not in a position to do much but I have my opinions and I'm grateful to be living in a country where I can freely express them. Fortunately, the palace revolution I foresaw happening in our lifetime didn't happen, but it could have, had things gone on like this for another few years. Folks, we've got some serious issues to deal with these days.

The Republicans who came to power following the 1994 Congressional elections were an angry, ornery, churlish and vindictive bunch; even those who came out of the '60s generation. Now it's our turn. And the only way we're going to turn things around is by having the party in power flex its muscles while it still can and take some radical actions. Compromise can come later. We've got a big fix facing us and this is no time to Mickey Mouse around with niceties.

We can shake hands and be friends when the work is done.