This is a very important point. Until we figure out how to have reasonable discussion with, test truthful ideas against, and find acceptable compromise with those we disagree with, and they with us, we are for all intents and purposes doomed to follow a dangerous and miserable path.
The inflaming of division within our country must be r…
This is a very important point. Until we figure out how to have reasonable discussion with, test truthful ideas against, and find acceptable compromise with those we disagree with, and they with us, we are for all intents and purposes doomed to follow a dangerous and miserable path.
The inflaming of division within our country must be recognized and called out for it's despicable nature of weakening our country and the foundational idea of democracy itself. What frustrates me is to a degree I understand where some of the trumpeteer's sentiment comes from. They want America to be a strong nation. My problem is they seem to want it at the exclusion of everyone else, and particularly I feel like they regard someone like me, who values diversity and alternative thinking, as somehow against the American ideal. Yet I find, on the occasions when I have a decent discussion with a trump supporter, they don't argue with my beliefs in what actually makes us a strong country. The disagreement will usually come down to immigration, to be honest. And also welfare. You know, "those people."
The Democrats have historically pursued the "high road" of attempting to appease those who disagree or have done wrong. It's true that we can't survive as a nation by further division.
However, there's a point at which we must move on. Try to bring "them" along, but do not be stampeded into concessions or obstructed. On many policy issues, the GOP has followed a simple strategy of saying "No" without offering up an alternative. The ACA is the most obvious case, where they tried to overturn it more than 60 times while Obama was in office, and then tried to "repeal and replace" at least 3 times, only with no "replace" in place. And they've done so with an alarming absence of ethics.
You can be persistent and ethical. The Dems need to learn to play hardball. UNTIL they do, they'll be the weaker party. And UNLESS they do, they'll be run out of office after Biden and we'll be facing the, or worse, from the Republicans.
This is a very important point. Until we figure out how to have reasonable discussion with, test truthful ideas against, and find acceptable compromise with those we disagree with, and they with us, we are for all intents and purposes doomed to follow a dangerous and miserable path.
The inflaming of division within our country must be recognized and called out for it's despicable nature of weakening our country and the foundational idea of democracy itself. What frustrates me is to a degree I understand where some of the trumpeteer's sentiment comes from. They want America to be a strong nation. My problem is they seem to want it at the exclusion of everyone else, and particularly I feel like they regard someone like me, who values diversity and alternative thinking, as somehow against the American ideal. Yet I find, on the occasions when I have a decent discussion with a trump supporter, they don't argue with my beliefs in what actually makes us a strong country. The disagreement will usually come down to immigration, to be honest. And also welfare. You know, "those people."
The "other" is always the scapegoat or the excuse for discrimination.
The Democrats have historically pursued the "high road" of attempting to appease those who disagree or have done wrong. It's true that we can't survive as a nation by further division.
However, there's a point at which we must move on. Try to bring "them" along, but do not be stampeded into concessions or obstructed. On many policy issues, the GOP has followed a simple strategy of saying "No" without offering up an alternative. The ACA is the most obvious case, where they tried to overturn it more than 60 times while Obama was in office, and then tried to "repeal and replace" at least 3 times, only with no "replace" in place. And they've done so with an alarming absence of ethics.
You can be persistent and ethical. The Dems need to learn to play hardball. UNTIL they do, they'll be the weaker party. And UNLESS they do, they'll be run out of office after Biden and we'll be facing the, or worse, from the Republicans.