You have no clue. So here's something to think about....
One of the biggest problems with the U.S. political system is the vicious divide between the two parties. Democrats blaming Republicans and defending Democrats (i.e. Carville). Republicans blaming Democrats and defending Republicans (i.e. Rush). No matter the "issue".
The problem is that when people just blindly follow the party line, then it just serves to polarize the country. The net effect is that the real issues for discussion in America become lost in the mix. The Republicans will take one side, the Democrats the other, then there will be a polarized screaming match between them. Neither side even attempts to understand what the other is saying.
This blatant divide allows for all sorts of corrupt activities to take place, because even if the opposition points it out, they've been screaming so much over the petty issues that when something big happens, it just sounds like the same screaming.
There's a small value to the two extremes, but just not as the dominate forces in politics. What's needed is to strengthen the moderates in the middle who are able to actually consider both sides of the issues and to find potential solutions.
We often don't even vote our concious. If some third party comes up whose ideals strongly match our own, we Americans often won't even vote for them. Instead we'll say, well this party doesn't stand a chance to win, so therefore we don't want to waste our vote on them. The net effect is that even if those third parties ideas are good and strong enough for victory, they'll never win because people will be too afraid to vote for them. Sometimes even when those parties lose, it still sends a message about the change in political thought in America. It causes the two extreme parties to take notice and amend their ways to try to appeal to that constituency, or else further risk the growth and development of that new party competitor. How much impact would that have on the political landscape, if just once a new party should win (maybe it's an already existing new party, or maybe it's a totally new party that we haven't even seen yet)?
How long have we've been hashing and re-hashing the exact same issues with no real compromise or progress (i.e. abortion, race relations, the effects of religion in politics, gun control, gay rights, defense spending, health care, social security. drug policy)?
Come on! Some of these issues really aren't that complicated.
Look we all have our moral beliefs that guide us in how we want to conduct our lives. No matter what your beliefs, no matter where you picked them up from (religion, streets, life experiences, books, other sources...), they are your beliefs and you don't want anyone infringing their beliefs on yours. For example, if you have Christian beliefs, you wouldn't want Jewish, or Budhist or Muslim beliefs imposed upon you. So, likewise be cautious not to impose your beliefs on someone else. Now, awareness is one thing - here's info on this set of philosophies and beliefs, you may partake if you choose to do so. But, imposing your religious philosphies and beliefs on another person... that's quite different. So, allow people the freedom to practice their philosphies, even if they are different that yours.
Here's another political tactic that aids in polarizing people. Person X expresses a position about some issue they believe. Person Y takes that position and then extremifies it. Then proceeds to argue against the extreme position. Well, the original person X didn't make that extreme position. Thus person Y is essentially just arguing with themself. That's a pretty weird thing to do, if you really think about it.
So, let's all stop spewing the party lines, and get back to thinking for ourselves, and allow others to practice their own beliefs. Only then will we truly be able to affect positive change and stop rehashing the same old issues.
and it wasn't calm, cool analysist, it was rant about kerry thinking he's better than everyone.
