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Politicians need those issues to divide and rally their voters. If they actually solved the problems, they would lose those wedges. To paraphrase Upton Sinclai
by ams6110 8y ago
Politicians need those issues to divide and rally their voters. If they actually solved the problems, they would lose those wedges.
To paraphrase Upton Sinclair, "It's impossible for man to solve a problem, when his salary depends upon it."
- maxxxxx 8y agoI don't think it has to be that way. When I compare US politics to Germany Germany politics is much less vicious and they talk more about issues instead of the focus on character assassination and demonization of the "other" side as it's common in the US.
- rrdharan 8y agoReally? I don't get that impression at all when looking at the AfD, in fact it seems to be playing out more or less identically to US politics: https://www.npr.org/2018/09/30/652284976/germanys-far-right-afd-party-now-polls-second https://www.npr.org/2018/09/30/652284976/germanys-far-right-...
- maxxxxx 8y agoYes, there is the AFD but the general tone is much more civilized.
- meddlepal 8y agoThis is pretty much it. The political class needs conflict to have purpose and reason to exist.