Polarization of America

[whell]

Originally Posted by merrylander

For Pete's sake can you please stay on topic. Where did I play blame the other guy? I merely commented that what the general population her considers too be the left would be closer to the center elsewhere. If the left in this country were the fanatical progressives that you portray we would have SinglePayer and not that abortion Congress foisted off on us.

For Pete's sake, can't you read? All I did was post the content of post 4, which was a response not to you but to another poster.

And no, I don't agree with your conclusion about single payer. Both in 1993 - 94 and in 2009 - 2010, the Democrats could not get a consensus among Democrats that going single payer was the right course.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by whell

For Pete's sake, can't you read? All I did was post the content of post 4, which was a response not to you but to another poster.

And no, I don't agree with your conclusion about single payer. Both in 1993 - 94 and in 2009 - 2010, the Democrats could not get a consensus among Democrats that going single payer was the right course.

Which tells me that the left here is not as far left as say Canada or Denmark, or Sweden. Also getting a consensus among Democrats would even challenge St. Anthony of Padua.

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by whell

Both in 1993 - 94 and in 2009 - 2010, the Democrats could not get a consensus among Democrats that going single payer was the right course.

Which proves my point.

Todays Democratic Party is a center right party.

And the Republican Party, is a far right party.

There is no left in America.

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Hard left relative to what? The soi disent left here is at best middle of the road elsewhere in the world.

Exactly.

That's why we are the only first world country that doesn't have universal single payer health care. Until we do, this nation is a far right hellhole as far as I am concerned.

[Pio1980]

Originally Posted by whell

Folks in this forum often like to accuse the Tea Party of pulling the Repubs to the right, while suggesting that most Americans - and themselves - are more centrist or center-left. That's never rung true from my perspective.

I believe both parties, and those that support them, are moving further away from the center resulting in more political polarization. I think that's what accounts for the political gridlock, as representatives of both parties and their constituents have less incentive to proactively seek common ground.

Now comes a Pew study which seems to lend credence to the view that Americans are increasingly polarized. It impacts who everything from who they socialize with to where they choose to live. To me, if this is true, it explains a lot: from our increasing political polarization to our increasing intolerance of individuals and institutions that may not reflect our points of view.

Food for thought.

http://news.yahoo.com/growing-partis...lTxE0Amk3QtDMD

Oddly I find that this polarization doesn't affect my associations so much as do shared interests outside of politics.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by Pio1980

Oddly I find that this polarization doesn't affect my associations so much as do shared interests outside of politics.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Same here. If political affiliation were a litmus test of friendship, I would've chucked 'Bilgewash Whelly' over the gunnels ages ago.

[whell]

Originally Posted by bobabode

If political affiliation were a litmus test of friendship, I would've chucked 'Bilgewash Whelly' over the gunnels ages ago.

You mean you haven't yet? I'm touched!

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by whell

You mean you haven't yet? I'm touched!

I neglected to mention the ropes tied to your hands and feet, ya old barnacle scraper. I mean, who better to keelhaul than you Mike? Happy Dad's Day btw.

[Rajoo]

Shouldn't we consider the fact that on subjects like abortion, gun control and gay marriages, we basically are either for or against it with really no room for compromise. And these after all have been the major contentious subjects of late. In the case of healthcare where there is room for compromise (government vs. private), this has became a disaster mostly based on presidential politics, aka Obamacare.

[whell]

Originally Posted by BeamOn

Shouldn't we consider the fact that on subjects like abortion, gun control and gay marriages, we basically are either for or against it with really no room for compromise. And these after all have been the major contentious subjects of late. In the case of healthcare where there is room for compromise (government vs. private), this has became a disaster mostly based on presidential politics, aka Obamacare.

I think the political class does consider that fact in a very calculating way. For the most part, those are topics which, in the past, have surfaced almost exclusively during election cycles. Of late, with the apparent increase in large scale domestic violence (school shootings, military base shootings, etc.) and the gay marriage issue getting frequent media play on as court cases move at the federal and state levels) the last several years have seen those to issues get play beyond the election cycle.