Why is America so divided ??

[kentuck]

It seems we have reached the apex of division in just the last few days. War heroes are vilified. Questionable military service is glorified. The lines are drawn deep and wide. There is no room for anyone in the middle. You are either with us or against us. Why?

George Bush is the symbol of a longtime process of division. The talk radio icons, Limbaughs and Hannitys, have done more than their share to divide this nation. Cable TV has followed the footsteps of these partisan propagandists for monetary gain moreso than for political reasons. However, they are as much to blame as anyone.

Now, we are enmeshed in one of the dirtiest and most negative presidential campaigns in history. The feelings have become so hardened because of these partisan cheerleaders that there is no longer any room for compromise. This is winner take all. The last person standing is the winner.

Where does it all end? Unless there is a leader that steps forward and unites this country, it does not look favorable for the future. The only other possibility is another 9/11 or a worse tragedy. That seems to be the only way we will be able to cleanse ourselves of this scourge. We shall reap what we have sown.

[Skittles]

1. I'M A UNITER NOT A DIVIDER

that f***ing asshole has succeeded in dividing EVERYTHING. Getting rid of that incompetent, unelected piece of SHIT would be the start of some healing.

[sam sarrha]

2. go get the DVD "Bush's Brain: how could this have happened" its about Rove

they i have ordered it, it is 80 minutes.. a life history of Rove, a "one trick pony".

acording to what i read of it, it is about the 'dividing' of the american people as manipulation to divide and conquer..

[Itchinjim]

3. Limbaugh....

This shit started with Limbaugh. Back in the late '80s when this piece of fecal matter hit the airwaves with his "We're right, They're wrong and evil and ignorant and smelly and homosexual" Fuck these bastards

[Bunny]

18. Limbaugh did indeed start this.

Demonizing liberals, and giving the little guy someone to blame for his troubles. Then came Newt Gingrich,who developed the famous talking point list of words with which to mis-characterize Democrats. Then the rest of these clowns jumped on the bandwagon, and we have Richard Santorum, Saxby Chambliss, et al, along with the army of hate radio yappers. The blame for this lies squarely with those who purport to be from the Republican party.

[lpbk2713]

40. You beat me to it!

Limbaugh and Gingrich are at the top of the dung heap. Gingrich gave the rest of the RW sheep the green light by showing it was alright to be a spineless, devious provocoteur. Limbaugh just perpetuates his slimy legacy. Neither one has a clue when it comes to decency or personal integrity.

[kentuck]

42. And don't forget....

the Republicans made Rush an "honorary" member after they won the House and Senate in 1994...So, it was a lot of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours...They worked together very closely.

[Skidmore]

53. Rush may have helped New with rhetoric but

follow the money. Who bankrolled these creeps? Who bankrolls the think tanks? Who has the most to gain from the divisiveness?

[CanIgonow]

4. This whole process has its origins in the sense of entitlement

people like Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld feel that they are born to rule and the rest of us just have to fall in step no questions asked.Remember Bush's statements to Bob Woodward:"I do not feel I owe anybody any explanation of why I do certain things;the others may have to explain themselves to me, but I certainly don't have to".
Also,"Who cares what you think?".These two statements together give you a glimpse of the arrogance of the man and his contempt for the people of this country.With the power of the presidency and the support of the corporate chiefs for whom he has provided extensive tax breaks,he has essentially dismantled what our country was all about.He has also accumulated an enormous number of toadies and shills who will attest to his magnificence at the drop of a hat much as the courtiers at the Palace of Versailles used to do for Louis XVI.These men are incapable of feeling any empathy for our people unless they come loaded with a lot of cash for the Republican Party.

Our Democracy died the day this gang stole the Presidency from Al Gore.

[ColumbiaCowboy]

8. The problem is obvious here...

We talk about "that unelected piece of ****" and "**** that *******" and then blame THE OTHER GUYS because we're divided?
Physician, heal thyself.

We have the issues on our side. We don't NEED that kind of offensive personal attacks against the president or those we don't agree with. Maybe Rush did start it, but there are plenty of people on BOTH sides practicing it. Instead of yelling at them entirely for it (although there's plenty of that to do...the campaigning strategy of the GOP lately has been vicious and wrong and destructive and you BET we should complain about it) we need to clean up our OWN house too, focus more on issues and on what's positive about our candidates and our Party.

[CanIgonow]

16. Can you name one thing that John Kerry or Al Gore have done

in their campaigns that is not issue oriented?Can you also tell me why a deserter like GWB is given the same kind of deferential listening that a volunteer like John Kerry should get? Why is his bravery even in question when the proper question should be "Where were you George W during the war?"

And if 35 year old events have to be dredged up why not examine George's cocaine and alcohol habits or his DUI citations?

[ColumbiaCowboy]

21. Reply

"Can you name one thing that John Kerry or Al Gore have done in their campaigns that is not issue oriented?"

I'm speaking of the Party and it's supporters as a whole, not just Kerry and Gore. I'll always believe that Gore ran an honest, issues-based campaign. Too early to tell yet with Kerry.

"Can you also tell me why a deserter like GWB is given the same kind of deferential listening that a volunteer like John Kerry should get?
Why is his bravery even in question when the proper question should be "Where were you George W during the war?"

We should address the charges against Kerry, and get on to discussion of REAL issues. What Bush did 30 years ago matters no more to me than what Kerry did, and responding to this underhanded attack on Kerry's record with attacks on Bush's record, or lack thereof, isn't going to get us anywhere. People already had the chance to let Bush's Vietnam-era military record keep him from being elected, and that didn't keep him out. It certainly won't NOW.

"And if 35 year old events have to be dredged up why not examine George's cocaine and alcohol habits or his DUI citations?"

Because they're totally irrelevant.
I have two kids, one's 13, one 11. They both learned a long time ago that I don't accept "he did it FIRST!" as an excuse for improper behavior. I am fully aware the GOP is running dirty campaigns, just as they've been doing for years. That doesn't make it OK for us to do it. We have the issues on our side, we don't NEED that crap. We have no evidence whatsoever but stupid rumors about Bush's supposed past cocaine use, and I really don't care. I am voting for Kerry because of positions on education and foreign affairs and taxes and the environment and health care reform and social security and the role of the judiciary and what they did at parties 30 years ago doesn't affect my family one bit.

[CanIgonow]

24. Al Gore paid a price for running an issue oriented campaign and his

supporters like me never even thought about discussing anything other than the issues at hand.He paid an enormous price for this clean campaign when a determied thug like Rove had coopted many of our bought for media.Your attitude may work in your household or mine.It certainly has not worked in political life.I just hope Kerry not merely beats back the thug Rove and his minions but raises questions about Bush's war record too because, as my grandmother used to say what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

[ColumbiaCowboy]

34. some things are just wrong

And I believe IN THE LONG RUN the Party is better off NOT going into the gutter with the GOP.

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander" just sounds way too much like "he did it FIRST!" and that isn't a good reason to do something. I care more about my country than my Party, and the sort of nasty campaign tactics they're doing are bad for the country. The Swift Boat thing isn't winning Bush any support, but it is costing Kerry support, so what it's doing is turning people who might have supported Kerry into more of the nation's most worrisome group, the increasing number of people who sit around and go "eh, they ALL suck, why bother voting, who cares, they're all alike, blahblahblah."

I'll have no part in contributing to that, even if it costs us in the short term. If all we care about is winning elections, not what's best for the country, we might as well be Republicans.

[kentuck]

36. Very worthy ideas Columbia Cowboy but..

Can we survive 4 more years of this regime? Or do you think it will be different this time if we don't "get in the gutter" with the Repubs? I think most people here believe we cannot make that gamble once again.

[ColumbiaCowboy]

50. Survive?

Survive? As in "we'll all die if Bush gets elected?"

Yes, we'll survive. We'll be a whole lot better off if Kerry's elected, and I'm doing plenty to make that happen and even more to get us a majority in Congress to declaw Bush should he get re-elected.
I don't want our Party to turn into what the GOP has become just to get one election won. Our nation's survived worse presidents than Bush...well, only one or two, but we still survived.

[kentuck]

67. Obviously not that much of a priority to you....

Yes survive...as in continue to breathe...as in continue to eat...as in continue to work...as in continue to get healthcare....Survival for many of us.

[CanIgonow]

37. If you care about our country work to get these thugs out of power

knowing that they will lie, cheat or steal to entrench themselves in power.We ahve already lost an election in 2000 for the presidency even though Al Gore won that too and in 2002 Rove's thugs denied the election to Max Cleland by mounting a savage attack on his character in support of a draft dodger like Saxby Chambliss. I say enough turning the other cheek.If we follow your route our party will have to be displayed in the Smithsonian Institution.

[ColumbiaCowboy]

52. Why?

If we win by being just as sleazy as they are, what's the difference? I care about winning, but I care about the country MORE. And this kind of trash is devistating to our nation. We MUST have people involved, and if young people see politics as nothing but one vicious personal lie after another and a contest to impress more millionaires, we lose either way.
We CAN win without going into the gutter, we did it with BC and we can do it again.
And I AM working to get them out of power, every day. But I'm doing it honestly.

[kentuck]

26. And why would you expect different results this time ???

What do you call it when you keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? Insanity? We have done exactly what you say for several different elections and we forgot to bring the Vaseline.

[ColumbiaCowboy]

35. 2 things

1. Gross.

2. Bill Clinton. We do NOT always lose by running issues-based campaigns instead of gutter politics.

[kentuck]

39. Bill Clinton fought back...

His was not issues-only. He had the best rapid response team of any Democrat of modern memory. I wish Kerry had a response team as good, but his opponent is much more advanced in their techniques, also, in my opinion.

[ColumbiaCowboy]

49. Now, just a minute

He fought back with FACTS, not with vicious personal attacks in spite of the number that were lodged at him. He was victimized by the most dispicable series of destruction attempts, and he could have really burned down some people and he didn't, he rose above it and so did Hillary, God bless them. I do NOT like people being unfaithful, and I'll always be angry at BC for that, but that aside he showed a whole lot of strength and character through his 8 years as president.

[kentuck]

69. What are the facts about Bush ??

That have been so distorted?

[CrispyQ]

32. I think many Americans have a sense of entitlement and are equally . . .

complicit. These are the ones that go along with this administration. They believe we are morally, militarily & financially superior to the rest of the world so we have the right to do what we want. Who cares that this type of behavior is not morally superior -- these people will never see that. Might makes right, to them.

I think most Merikans live empty lives of consumption & greed. They tell themselves that they want the rest of the world to have what we have, but they only want that as long as THEY don't have to sacrifice anything. They talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.

We've become a nation of arrogant bullies in our conquest of the world's resources. We need someone to knock us down a few pegs or we're gonna fall flat on our face on our own & most will wonder dumbfoundedly, "What the fuck happened?" The bigger you are, the harder you fall & most Merikans are in for a nasty, unexpected surprise when their utopia of consumerism collapses.

[slackmaster]

5. It was designed to be divided

All of our government institutions use an adversarial system to ensure that issues get debated and that decision-making always considers alternative opinions.

[Bill McBlueState]

15. good call

You're right, all of this "let's get behind so-and-so for this-or-that reason" leads to things like the Patriot Act.

With the sort of shit the neocons are trying to pull over on us, we better be adversarial!!!

[slackmaster]

20. Being the "minority" party carries a solemn responsibility

We must never allow the nation to degrade into a one-party system.

[shance]

65. Placing labels and descriptives on people divide and exclude

From the color of our skin, to our gender, to our jobs, to being described by what we do, and not who we are.

Those innocent little descriptives immediately place judgements and assumptions in our minds.

Why isnt a women filmmaker described as simply a filmmaker? Why is the descriptive needed to separate her from other filmmakers?

Why isnt a black journalist or a black male described as just being a male in general and why is the descriptive needed to make a separation.


When such descriptives are used in print and to classify a person, it is often creating the image that separates and demotes any other classification that is not white male. Case in point, how often do you hear white male filmaker, or white male journalist used for describing someone?

Bares looking at I think.

[slackmaster]

73. You've just described the core process of bigotry

Otherwise known as demonization.

The next steps are to add labels for behaviors associated with the demonized individuals, and then to connect the individuals together into groups that can be called "undesirables" and all further demonized through guilt by association.

It happens all the time. Insidious, ubiquitous, and unfortunately effective.

[quispquake]

6. We need to re-establish the Fairness Doctrine

So that all points are allowed equal time for rebuttal. Limbaugh & Hannity's hateful spews are the result of getting rid of the fairness doctrine...

Plus it would be nice to have Fox & CNN have to have equal time for opposing viewpoints!!!

I really think Kerry needs to make this one of his heaviest priorities when he gets in...

[Crunchy Frog]

14. If he doesn't,

he's not even going to have the capacity to govern this country, and will be a one termer with the RW emerging even more powerful than they already are.

[ColumbiaCowboy]

22. Good, but with one big error

I am all for a return to Fairness Doctrine, but you missed badly on one thing...
Fairness doesn't apply to CNN or Fox, they're cable channels and the government has no role whatsoever in regulating their programming. From a legal standpoint they could run hard-core pornography...they'd lose subscribers and go broke, so they don't, but legally they could.

What this WOULD affect is radio, where the real problem is. Columbia has a population of about 80,000, a pretty small market. We have FOUR stations that run at least several hours if not 24 a day of right-wing propoganda. That's very wrong and has to be changed.

[Deja Q]

7. Money

You answered your own question.

[DUreader]

9. I'm not so sure it is. I'd like to see more hard #s

[wildmanj]

10. why

follow the money trial

[PATRICK]

11. Wrong question

Every nation or whatever has divisions". Those who wedge the fault lines and exploit divisions should be the main focus of attention, but in the heat of the cultural earthquakes they rarely are. Going hand in hand with exploitation is a studied shift of focus. Pushing emotional buttons so that the suckers fighting each other are not noticing their trusted demagogues are picking their pockets is an intimate part of the strategy.

Even if the demagogue sincerely takes the side of one group when fomenting cracks out of the divisions and turning it into a power game, his own focus upon himself is absolutely pure- and not divided- while the vast majority of the population IS divided from its mutual best interests and the truth.

[AG78]

12. Just go to the beginning

When hasn't this country been divided? Sure, there may have been a law passed here and there, maybe even a civil war, that gave a little more power to the little guy, but the big money always finds a way to crawl around the new law. Their new way is the culture war.

Why is America so divided? Because it has to be. Power wants more power for the sake of having more power.

We're headed down a dangerous road, not only in this country, but around the world.

[Crunchy Frog]

13. This is something that the RW

has been working on and engineering behind the scenes for decades. They have become experts at manipulating people's perceptions and appealing to and bringing out the very worst in human nature. They understand that sowing division and hatred is the key to power.

The Libaughs and Hannities are part of a deeply coordinated operation in tandem with the Republican party.

They have succeeded in manipulating millions of Americans into being more concerned about what's happening in other people's bedrooms and uteruses than they are in their own well-being, ie jobs, health care, schools.

Frankly, I think they have a much more sophisticated understanding of human psychology than our side does. Our side really needs to start getting it's act together. We're decades behind where these people are.

I honestly don't know what the solution is, or whether there even is one. Maybe this country needs another civil war. Maybe this country just needs to hit rock bottom.

[Junkdrawer]

17. And we're about to re-fight Vietnam...

The latest bunch of Swift Boat Veterans for Bush ads accuses Kerry of treason for opposing the Vietnam war.

I'm thinking it stops when we all are isolated to groups of 5, but that could be over optimistic.

[MadHound]

19. It is a deliberate and planned action

Designed to keep the people in this country from rising up and taking their country back from the corporate whores in government, and the corporate masters who pull the strings. Racism, sexism, sexuality, politics, all of these issues and more have been used in order to keep the American people at each others' throats instead of strangling those who truly deserve it. If Bob if all worked up about African American drag queens, all of his energy will be devoted to that issue, and the more important issue of how he is personally getting screwed by big business, big government will go completely under the radar. If Susan is putting all of her energy into keeping abortion safe, she is less likely to focus on how quickly she is becoming a corporate serf. This is a tried and true tactic that has been used by various countries, and the US, over and over again.

As the oppression of ALL people becomes more intense, so does the divisive language and actions increase. This has been the SOP since before the US was even a country(see Bacon's Rebellion) and is very effective, since we are now the most polarized we've been since the Civil War.

Instead of beating up others for their differences, try reaching out to them with commonalities. If we all did this, we would have a much better country. But continuing to see only the differences is simply playing in the hands of the powers that be. Don't fall for it.

[sweetheart]

29. You are dead on

The divisiveness is in some peoples toxic hearts, a small few, and
none of the masses for whom these people are but pin up icons in
a WWF wrestling election.

It really is winner take all, and life and liberty are at stake.

The bush criminals have only persecuted 1/10th of the crime adgenda
that a second term would afford. Make no mistake about it getting
an order of magnitude worse if that puny minority is returned to
office.

Fall for it, and Don't fall for it.

[sadiesworld]

66. I agree, it is time for triage.

We need to call a truce on social/cultural issues and focus on jobs, health-care, SS, the environment, and the debt. I think most Americans could come together on these issues. And maybe the other issues will be easier to resolve once people see REAL progress on the economic front.

(Hopefully, I haven't totally misinterpreted your point)

[Cat Atomic]

23. Because half the population is, by definition, dumber than average.

:P

[MadHound]

25. Thank you for proving my point from my previous post

Baseless attacks directed towards the "other side" will not help matters at all. Thanks for playing Divide and Conquer, I'm sure your corporate masters will increase your desert ration tonight:eyes:

[Cat Atomic]

28. Oh Jesus, lighten up.

Seriously.

[MadHound]

45. No, sorry friend, I won't lighten up

Too much is at stake. What you percieve as a joke, the "other side" sees as another baseless attack, and around and around we go, getting nowhere. The only way we're going to cease the madness is to reach out to others in the spirit of friendship, and recognize that we are more alike than not. Malcolm X and MLK saw this truth, and worked on trying to implement it. And both got killed for it, for that is the one thing the powers that be fear more than anything, unity. Hence they try and divide us at every turn.

We've got to start somewhere, why not here? We've got to start sometime, why not now? Instead of making snide jokes and baseless attacks, why not pledge to reach to others in the spirit of unity and the common good. If we achieve that, then all else will fall into place. If we fail, then all is lost.

[Dhalgren]

47. We didn't start this, the rabid RW started this!

How can you search for common ground with people who want to put you in internment camps, or kill you (ala Anne the Man)? They-hate-us. We simply dissagreed with them politically and they began the hate and the smears and the character assassinations - not us. We have tryed appeasement and it has gotten us deafeated, marginalized, and villified even more than before. Do you remember what they did to Max Cleland? These are the people you want us to find "common ground" with? Thanks, but no thanks. The Republicans are controlled by criminals, war criminals, and traitors - I don't see much to offer by way of commonality.

[MadHound]

48. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind friend

By returning smear for smear, hate for hate, all you are doing is playing into the hands of those who have a vested interest in keeping us divided.

And there are many common interests that both the liberals and conservatives have. A decent place to live, a decent wage to earn. If you go over to FR you see just as many people over there screaming against outsourcing as over here. You peruse the threads of DU and you will find just as many people over there worried about Second Amendment rights as over at FR.

Yes, the Republicans are controlled by criminals, war criminals and traitors, and many of them are the same people that control the Democratic party, does two party/same corporate master system of government ring a bell?

Yes, I saw what they did to Max Cleland, and John Kerry, smearing them with baseless charges. Yet here we are, on this board, doing the same thing<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2252395> And yet we are supposed to be somehow morally superior?:eyes:

And in regards to the actions of Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, et al, they get paid, and paid well, to be devisive. It isn't like the left doesn't have its own hit men out there also, its just that the right wing haters get more airtime. And many people, including yourself are falling for it. "They wanted to kill me first, so now I want to kill them" And around and around we go? It doesn't matter who started it, it started long ago and judging by our current society, it will continue for a long time after we're gone. What matters is that we try to put an end to it. Somebody has to reach out and make first contact, why not us?

I find it amazing that this lesson is so plain, yet so many people refuse to learn it. They would rather be caught up in their own little partisan wars, feeling secure, smug and superior in their own biased little world, yet the rest of society is falling to pieces. Look, there is only one way out of this mess were in, and that is to come together in unity. It is the one thing that the corporate/political power structure fears the most, have killed to prevent happening, and yet people continue to play right into their hands. Let us instead reach out and find the common good in people, your neighbors, your family, your friends. You never know what you might learn, and presenting a united front is always better than being divided.

[Dhalgren]

56. You act as though there were some sort of middle ground

somewhere, where "we can all just get along". Show me a politician who when asked if he/she supports a woman's right to choose says, "That's a devisive issue and I won't answer that." Because that is the core of the division in the country right now. There is no "middle ground" on this issue for either side. Gay rights is becoming another either/or issue. There are some basic, fundamental issues that do not lend themselves to compromise and if one side justifies violence in the promotion of its views, the other side is at a distinct disadvantage unless it follows suit. That is why we have lost so many elections over the past decades - they get nasty and violent and we try to be reasonable; they win every time. I really wish we could return to a more polite and reasonable body politic, but the minority party won't have it. The only way that Republicans win elections is by lying, cheating, stealing and fraud. If there was a rational debate of the issues, on a level that the average citizen could follow, the Democrats would win every time. The Republicans know this, that is why they will not allow a reasoned, ernest debate take place.

I completely agree that the two parties are essentially branches of the same party, controlled by the same corporate interests. But right now, the issue is to get that blood-thirsty simplton out of the WH. I would love to see a true third party, of and by the people arise from all this bellicose character assassination frenzie that has grasped the nation. If people would just become fed-up with this pandering crap and start looking out for their own, and their country's, best interests then common ground could be readily found and stood upon. Perhaps there is hope for this, but it is a dim one.

[MadHound]

57. So, you agree with my basic premise,

Yet insist that we have got to keep engaging in the same ol' same ol' politics that have led us nowhere except down the shitter. You know, by one definition, that is insanity, doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting different results.

You lament the state of the world, and want to do something about it, well then, do something! It doesn't have to be great and grand, in fact simple one on one conversations is probably the best option, since it bypasses the corporate media filter.

Just go find that favorite conservative of yours, and talk sense to them. If they are sane and rational, then sooner or later they will have to see the light. I've done this very same thing numerous times, and have been quite successful. It takes a while, you have to wear people down with the truth, and cut through all of the propoganda BS out there, but slowly and surely it can be done.

Look, we as a country are going to have to find common ground sooner rather than later, otherwise we are going to racked by another civil war, one that will permanently divide us and lead to our downfall. It is imparative that we work towards the goal of a civil, sane society that is not driven by fear and loathing of some vaguely threatening "other". And even on issues such as abortion, there are steps that we can take to heal that wound too. But we have to be on speaking terms first, and right now all we are doing is screaming at each other.

[Dhalgren]

60. I disagree that both sides being belligerent is

"same ol', same ol'". The Democrats have not behaved in that way until now. Before it was only the Republicans - and they won. I do believe that there are a few people out there who can be convinced by good argumentation that their positions need changing, but not many. The people who villified Max Cleland are not people who can be reasoned with. The author of "Blinded by the Right" said he only started to come around to reason when he began to be a target of the hate. I do not hate people who differ with me on issues - I have never been of that stripe. I will always find it difficult to be courtious to people who are behaving treasonously and who are trying to destroy my country. You think that the Neocons are not really like Nazis, so they can be compromised with. But I believe that the Neocons are every bit as bad as the Nazis were - and compromise with Nazis? I don't think so. I guess we can just agree to disagree on this issue - in a civil manner, of course.

[MadHound]

64. Then I don't think that you have been paying attention

I mean really now, if LBJ isn't the epitome of Democratic attack dog polarizing politics, who is? James Carville is another example, just one in a long line that has gone on for years and decades now. And no, I don't believe in compromising with such attack dogs on the right either, I'd sooner punch Limbaugh that look at him.

My point is that making broad brush attacks on ALL conservatives and Republicans is counter productive to the work we need to accomplish in this country. I'm not saying reach out to Ann Coulter no, but instead reach out to your Republican father in law, neighbor, co-worker and connect with them on a personal level. Just sitting back and letting fly indiscriminately makes us no better than them, and winds up hurting everybody. It is this kind of kill all politics that has turned so many people off to politics, and a true democracy doesn't run well when over half the people don't vote.

It is funny that you bring up Nazis when addressing Neocons, for if you go looking over on those right wing boards you'll find that it is the same term that they use when discussing the left. I guess that means we all have a couple of things in common, we all think the other side is facist, and we have an overarching hatred of facism. Not much, but at least maybe its a start.

[Cat Atomic]

58. Because "pledging to reach others in a spirit of unity" isn't funny.

.

[MadHound]

59. So, you rather joke and goad and attack,

Just to satisfy your own perverse sense of pleasure. Thanks a lot pal, you are now officially part of the problem. Good job:eyes:

[Cat Atomic]

62. Yeah, you're right.

Forgive me. I couldn't help but make a joke... I now realize that I was supposed to be acting self-important and heavy.

I am curious, though, since you're willing to call me "part of the problem"- what exactly do you *DO* that makes you so worthy of passing out advice? I donate my time regularly- I knock on doors and register voters and everything. Do you do anything beyond dispensing discipline and wisdom on message boards?

[Dhalgren]

30. It's a joke.

Half of every group is dumber than the average intelligence of the group, if the group is evenly divided. If the average is 50%, then half the group is below average - see?

[Dhalgren]

27. IMO we are headed for civil war.

It will be an odd kind of war, too. Because there won't be the clear-cut geographic divisions. There will be some - most of the south will go fascist and a lot of us democrats will be killed or driven out. But everywhere else there will be fighting neighborhood to neighborhood and street ot street. I can't even imagine how it will turn out - except very, very badly.

[goclark]

38. I know how you feel

But this election is the turning point.
We have got to prove that there is a better way.

[Strelnikov_]

31. Because Liberals Are The Party Of Inclusion/Coalitions

. . so the only way the GOP can win is to divide us along (universally) unimportant wedge issues.

It ends when the unemployment rate hits 20%+, when have lost tens of thousands of troops. Then only will the 'Potemkin Village' created by the GOP be revealed.

[ScreamingMeemie]

41. The coalition of the "Wild eyed" even.

:hi:

[lottie244]

33. Because there is such a thing as "good" vs "evil"

Divides the best of us.

[spanone]

43. The Most Divisive Presidency of ALL TIMES!!!!!!

[kentuck]

44. Maybe next to Lincoln ?

Lincoln was not a loved man...

[progressivebydesign]

46. RW Hate radio started this in the general public...

.. and Newt Gingrich got in rolling in D.C. I am more and more convinced that all of this was quite planned out by the right wing. Tired of playing second fiddle, they have engineered all of this... from the sudden rise in politicizing the born-agains, the popular media like "Left Behind" books, which helped to really push the born-again right wing agenda into the mainstream (the writers were not authors, but political rightwingers), the media consolidation, CNN and Faux News, the stolen election.. Honestly, I DO believe in a vast rightwing conspiracy.. Hillary was right. But, Clinton was just one part of it. Clinton scared the shit out of the republicans, because they could see the future.. and see the power slipping from their hands. Now, they'll use any method available to change elections.. thru intimidation, fraud, trickery, and just bad sportsmanship. THEY are the ones that created this.... and Hate radio was the beginning. If we did not have people (I use that term loosely) like Limbaugh, Liddy, Savage, etc... spewing non-stop, what kind of political discourse could we have in this nation. They are the flashpoint and people are addicted to them.

[tom_paine]

51. It ends in one of the ONLY two places it can end

1) Civil War

2) Totalitarian Slavery

Option #2 is looking like the one, moreso every day.

[VOX]

54. The cult of the first-person singular has trumped "we."

The idea of individual welfare has trumped the concept of the greater good of all. Whether created or capitalized upon by the right wing, the cult of the individual ("my rights") has been put above the ideal of improving our society as a whole.

The individual now has a sense of personal entitlement unlike ever before: "my" tax cuts, "my" safety, "my" health, etc. And all too often we hear such selfish delusions as "the homeless should just get jobs," "My God is better than your God," "I don't want MY tax dollars going for government handouts," etc.

To maintain this "me-first" cult, the right wing thrives on having division, and creating a "they" -- something that threatens the sanctity of the individual: "They hate us for our freedoms," "They shouldn't have sex if they don't want AIDS," "They will raise our taxes," andso on.

The other day on the freeway, the car in front of me sported a bumper sticker: "I Praise the Lord." The guy was publicly showcasing his own piety. His statement really wasn't about God at all, but rather about himself.

So for now, in a nation of "Me" instead of "We," fear rules the day, and such thrown-bones as individual tax cuts and the threat of "Islamic terrorists in your community" play so well.

[passthecorn]

55. I have been asking my friends this question

a lot over the last couple of weeks.

To meet it seemed like it started during the Reagan era, perfected in the Clinton era, and raised to epic levels here in the GW Bush era.

Who is to blame? It all depends on where you post the question. However, it would seem that 'hate' as political thought was brought into this era during the Reagan years. I don't think anyone hated Jimmy Carter. They do now, because they don't like what he says now about Bush and other Repubs.

Anyway, I do believe that it will take someone with the charisma of Clinton and the apparent sincerity of Carter. I use the word apparent because I don't want to start anything, I am just speaking about perceptions. BTW, this person could come from either party and have the same effect. I really wonder though if anyone is out there on the horizon who could do it.

[ewagner]

61. It started with Regean I believe

Regean was the first to make us feel comfortable with our prejudices . Since then, as we have become more comfortable with those prejudices, we have also become more comfortable with the politics or confrontation . Hence, hannity, Rush and the operatives of the parties themselves, have practiced the politics of confrontation.

You're right kentuck, there is no longer any middle ground or compromise.

[kentuck]

70. We had negative politics before Reagan but he took it to unbearable

levels, in my opinion. And gave birth to Rush and talk radio with the dismantling of the Fairness Doctrine. That was end of any possible civility...

[ewagner]

71. We're in agreement n/t

[Sivart]

63. reagan....the 80's

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

68. As John Edwards put it:

"They need a divided America. We don't!" They made it happen. thanks bush.....

[leftofthedial]

72. it is a very well funded, well planned

long term class war

waged against the middle and working classes by a few would-be aristocrats.

Divide and conquer. They've succeeded in the former.