Jon Stewart has the right idea

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I think the present polarized political situation has quite a bit to do with the law of unintended consequences. Rarely has the American political system been as polarized as it presently is. Something which is manifestly, except to the most die hard partisans, not in the best interest of our Republic.

I think the polarization of our political parties began when we abandoned the convention and patronage process (i.e. the smoke filled room) for appointing our candidates for elected office. You can date the beginnings of our present polarization to the advent of the present primary system we use. A combination of voter apathy for primaries and midterm election cycles has allowed the extremes of both parties to co-opt the political process giving their voices disproportionate representation and thus disproporationate power.

The question is, what do we do to fix it?

My guess is that if the busy middle who are to busy to go out and vote and would take the time to become informed and politically motivated then the reasonable middle could take back our political process from the extremes.

So rock the vote man cause if you don't, you get the government you deserve. If you don't care to go out and cast your vote and thus make your voice heard, then don't be surprised if they don't listen to you!
 
Rana said:
Absolutely! I am one of those, even though some here like to paint me far left, I really don't think I am radical in my thinking. I just dislike war and the war machine and I might ride that pony, but at least, I am consistent!

An observation: The youngin use expletives less the those people over 40, but this is only guessing on some of the ages of people on here!
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Don't pay attention to it. To the wingnuts anyone who doesn't agree with them in complete lock step is either a communist or a nazi.
 
bravo said:
Jon Stewart is one of the most far-left liberal partisans on TV....
He is as extreme and narrow minded as they come...only Olbermann The Fanatic is more extreme than him....
If he tones it down a few notches, he might get on a par with Howard Dean....
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Mott the Hoople said:
Isn't this where Jimminey Cricket starts singing "When you wish upon a star."

Dixie, you just don't get it, poll after poll show that Americans do not trust the far left and poll after poll after poll shows they trust the far right even less then the left.
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*sigh* Polls are nothing more than tools of politics. A great deal about any given poll, is how the question is framed and the context in which it is interpreted. They don't really mean as much as people seem to think they do.

I don't know what polls you are talking about, the analysis of election results and voting patterns through history, shows America is center-right. That doesn't mean America is all for the Tea Party, just center-right. That doesn't mean America is "uber-conservative", just center-right.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Isn't this where Jimminey Cricket starts singing "When you wish upon a star."

Dixie, you just don't get it, poll after poll show that Americans do not trust the far left and poll after poll after poll shows they trust the far right even less then the left.
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what constitutes the far left and far right?
 
Dixie said:
*sigh* Polls are nothing more than tools of politics. A great deal about any given poll, is how the question is framed and the context in which it is interpreted. They don't really mean as much as people seem to think they do.

I don't know what polls you are talking about, the analysis of election results and voting patterns through history, shows America is center-right. That doesn't mean America is all for the Tea Party, just center-right. That doesn't mean America is "uber-conservative", just center-right.
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I agree. In the last 30 years we have drifted to a center right nation. From the late 20's through the late 70's our nation was mostly center left but that's not the point were making. Most center right and center left people can agree to disagree but can compromise on what is important in order to get things of importance for all of the people done. That has become increasingly more difficult with the extremes of both parties dominating with a disproportionate, to their numbers, influence. It's not healthy for our Republic.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Isn't this where Jimminey Cricket starts singing "When you wish upon a star."

Dixie, you just don't get it, poll after poll show that Americans do not trust the far left and poll after poll after poll shows they trust the far right even less then the left.
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which should go to show that the TEA party is the American party. We're neither far left or far right.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
I think the present polarized political situation has quite a bit to do with the law of unintended consequences. Rarely has the American political system been as polarized as it presently is. Something which is manifestly, except to the most die hard partisans, not in the best interest of our Republic.

I think the polarization of our political parties began when we abandoned the convention and patronage process (i.e. the smoke filled room) for appointing our candidates for elected office. You can date the beginnings of our present polarization to the advent of the present primary system we use. A combination of voter apathy for primaries and midterm election cycles has allowed the extremes of both parties to co-opt the political process giving their voices disproportionate representation and thus disproporationate power.

The question is, what do we do to fix it?

My guess is that if the busy middle who are to busy to go out and vote and would take the time to become informed and politically motivated then the reasonable middle could take back our political process from the extremes.

So rock the vote man cause if you don't, you get the government you deserve. If you don't care to go out and cast your vote and thus make your voice heard, then don't be surprised if they don't listen to you!
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We should repeal the 17th Amendment. Allow the state legislatures to appoint senators, instead of having elections. This gives power back to the states, and would stop things like the Feds suing Arizona over illegal immigration laws.
 
Dixie said:
We should repeal the 17th Amendment. Allow the state legislatures to appoint senators, instead of having elections. This gives power back to the states, and would stop things like the Feds suing Arizona over illegal immigration laws.
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Ahahahahaha, this seems like more power in the hands of the politicians instead of the people, but I am just a libtard or is it turd? Well, anyway...
 
Mott the Hoople said:
If I were to pick two polarizing politicians that epitomize far left/right paradigm I would choose Ralph Nader and Roy Moore.
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And here is where one is on the political spectrum affects how he sees others. If I were to choose a polarizing political figure on the far left it would be someone like Al Franken, Nancy Pelosi and supporters like George Soros. If I were to choose a far right political figure it would be somone like Sarah Palin or Sam Brownback. I really don't relish the idea of any of these folks being in charge. But then I consider myself to be a social conservative and a fiscal moderate....so to me Ralph Nader is just a nut and Roy Moore was once just a harmless judge.
 
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SmarterThanYou said:
it seemed to work for a long time before then, until the Democrats went for the power grab.
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I see it as money went on a power grab and they have won! And right now, they laugh at us because we are all fighting amongst ourselves! it keeps us from looking at the real problems!
 
Rana said:
Ahahahahaha, this seems like more power in the hands of the politicians instead of the people, but I am just a libtard or is it turd? Well, anyway...
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Not really, because we elect the politicians. What it would do, is give power back to the actual state legislatures. This was the original plan, what our founding fathers painstakingly forged, as a means to balance powers. The Senators should represent the State, not some left or right contingent who managed to get out the vote better than the other. That is what the House is for, and that is the purpose of the House.
 
leaningright said:
And here is where one is on the political spectrum affects how he sees others. If I were to choose a polarizing political figure on the far left it would be someone like Al Franken, Nancy Pelosi and supporters like George Soros. If I were to choose a far right political figure it would be somone like Sarah Palin or Sam Brownback. I really don't relish the idea of any of these folks being in charge. But then I consider myself to be a social conservative and a fiscal moderate....so to me Ralph Nader is just a nut and Roy Moore was once just a harmless judge.
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I'm with you in the sense I don't see Nader as all that polarizing. And I bet a lot of people don't even know who Roy Moore is. It doesn't mean their positions aren't far left or far right but I don't think those two names make people's blood boil.

Like you said someone like Sarah Palin has some very passionate supporters and some very passionate detractors. You say her name and you'll usually get a strong response.
 
Dixie said:
Not really, because we elect the politicians. What it would do, is give power back to the actual state legislatures. This was the original plan, what our founding fathers painstakingly forged, as a means to balance powers. The Senators should represent the State, not some left or right contingent who managed to get out the vote better than the other. That is what the House is for, and that is the purpose of the House.
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The Founding Fathers' weren't always right! I know, as a woman who now has the right to own property and vote! Also, black men and women now enjoy the same rights as
I do!
 
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