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> My personal opinion is that polarization has pushed both sides to be completely antagonistic towards each other. This opinion is about as uninformed as it ca

by 49531 4y ago

> My personal opinion is that polarization has pushed both sides to be completely antagonistic towards each other. This opinion is about as uninformed as it can be. Currently the US is run by "moderate" Democrats, and extremist Republicans; the Right cries wolf every time the moderates do anything, and the moderates capitulate. If we look at American politics through your lens it makes zero sense. We no longer live in a democracy and haven't really since 1978 with Buckley v. Valeo; increased by the recent supreme court decision in favor of Senator Cruz. There's a strong disconnect between what voters want and what happens in the halls of power, and it is increasing. The reality is that if you can donate to a senator enough you get "democracy". Not to be too hyperbolic, but for the average person we really do live in a plutocracy.

president 4y ago
Both sides believe they are the moderates and the other are the radicals. Until you zoom out and stop playing tribal politics, you will realize both sides are batshit insane and nothing really matters except being civil to one another and trying to connect with others in ways other than politics.
- DFHippie 4y ago
  Connecting with others in civil ways is great. The two sides are not equivalent, though. "Batshit" left opinion: people should be able to require others to address them with novel pronouns. "Batshit" right opinion: liberals should be rounded up and shot (or the South was the noble side of the Civil War or segregation should be legal or Old Testament should be the law of the land, etc.). These are not in the same neighborhood of crazy, and this is setting aside the prevalence of the respective opinions and the political power of those who espouse them. Trump endorses the overthrow of democracy. Biden doesn't. Promoting the both-sides falsehood could help bring the sides together, but it amounts to letting the looters keep their loot to stop the rioting.
  - president 4y ago
    Batshit left opinion: pro-choice conservatives should be killed. Believe me, I've heard dozens of variations on both sides. The difference is the left is overwhelming supported by all of our cultural institutions so there is a bias against the right across the board. EDIT: As expected, my centrist and realist take that advocates for both sides coming together gets a downvote. I wonder which side that came from :)

by 49531 4y ago

president 4y ago

Both sides believe they are the moderates and the other are the radicals. Until you zoom out and stop playing tribal politics, you will realize both sides are batshit insane and nothing really matters except being civil to one another and trying to connect with others in ways other than politics.

DFHippie 4y ago
Connecting with others in civil ways is great. The two sides are not equivalent, though. "Batshit" left opinion: people should be able to require others to address them with novel pronouns. "Batshit" right opinion: liberals should be rounded up and shot (or the South was the noble side of the Civil War or segregation should be legal or Old Testament should be the law of the land, etc.). These are not in the same neighborhood of crazy, and this is setting aside the prevalence of the respective opinions and the political power of those who espouse them. Trump endorses the overthrow of democracy. Biden doesn't. Promoting the both-sides falsehood could help bring the sides together, but it amounts to letting the looters keep their loot to stop the rioting.
- president 4y ago
  Batshit left opinion: pro-choice conservatives should be killed. Believe me, I've heard dozens of variations on both sides. The difference is the left is overwhelming supported by all of our cultural institutions so there is a bias against the right across the board. EDIT: As expected, my centrist and realist take that advocates for both sides coming together gets a downvote. I wonder which side that came from :)