We need to get the vitriol out of politics.

[OceanEcosystem]

We need to get America to the point of having rational, calm, civil, reasonable, friendly discourse that is based off of listening and being understanding, rather than spewing one's opinion and then immediately closing one's ears off to the opposing side.


We need to get America where, to borrow a saying, people focus on what is right rather than who is right.


Both sides need to stop ridiculing each other.


Both sides need to learn to give each other the benefit of the doubt.


People need to apply the Golden Rule - "Would I want the opposing side (i.e., conservatives) to say the same things about me, that I am saying about them?"


We need to move beyond politics where people care more about defeating the opposition, than about advancing the benefit of the country.

Both sides need to get beyond stereotyping those who disagree with them. Conservatives need to stop viewing liberals as lazy, radical, impractical leftists waiting for a handout. Liberals need to stop viewing conservatives as hateful, greedy, bigoted, and ignorant. It's the Golden Rule - do unto others as you would have others do unto you. This sort of stereotyping must stop if we are to have civil discourse.


For those who would say, "The vitriol will stop as soon as conservatives go away," - there are several problems with that notion.

First of all, conservatives are most likely never going away. They just aren't.

Secondly, conservatives are probably thinking the same - "the vitriol will stop as soon as liberals go away."

Finally, as long as this attitude persists, no progress will be made. One side must take the first step.



We all need to be more understanding. People need to think of their opponents as people - people just as human and quirky as they are - instead of as some nameless, faceless entity. The more people relate to each other, the less likely they are to spew hateful speech about each other.


Finally, we need to realize that whether liberals or conservatives, left-wingers or right-wingers, we're all Americans.


There is almost no limit to what America can accomplish if we can simply lay the finger-pointing and blaming aside.

[Rider3]

1. Egos would never allow this

We're a doomed society, between the greed and egos these days. It would be nice to put country and its citizens first, but that won't ever happen in our lifetime, if ever at all.

[OceanEcosystem]

4. I think also the fact that lawmakers would face withering criticism from their own side

if they did compromise.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. What other "compromises" should the Democrats make in your opinion? nt

[Kingofalldems]

33. Boom.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

36. Sir! Could you please cool it with the violent rhetoric? I believe "BOOM" implies some kind of

explosion

[Kingofalldems]

41. OMG that's right.

Now both sides do do it.

[HangOnKids]

42. BOOM

The troll has been BOOMED!


http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=300935&sub=trans


Gee we were just chatting about the fine fellow.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

46. .

.

[woo me with science]

7. The one percent would never allow this.

They need us divided into our Red and Blue teams and full of visceral hatred for each other.

Otherwise, we might notice that the parties are quietly working together on a corporate agenda that is destroying ALL of us....

....and perhaps unite against them to stop it.

[NCTraveler]

16. "They need us divided into our Red and Blue teams and full of visceral hatred for each other."

Most of the country doest care about blue or red. Most of the country doesn't have a visceral hatred for one and other.

Your friends and family might be different, but mine are a very diverse group. They have a limited tolerance for hatred of anyone. Some are conservatives, some progressive, and most want nothing to do with politics.

[HangOnKids]

13. You Don't Think Obama Puts Country First?

Your song sounds really familiar....hmmmm, I am just not sure where I have heard this refrain before.....

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. That would be ideal and awesome and wonderful.

Unfortunately I don't see it happening because politics is all about egos and power and control - things that operate to create vitriol and defeat cooperation. And this is nothing new. Look at history, not only of this country but of every country. In a few cases you see decent, sensible, cooperative politics (as in Scandinavia, for example, but they aren't perfect either), but mostly it's always been a never-ending struggle to determine who gets to run things their way. I don't know how this will ever change as long as people keep being people.

[OceanEcosystem]

14. Yes, human nature tends to crave power. N/t.

[Taverner]

3. Solution: send the teabaggers to re-education camps

and forget about them

Yeah, yeah yeah, constitution, human rights, etc...


They would do they same to us if they could...

[annabanana]

5. It would help if both sides were in a

reality based world. There are such things as facts.

If we could get everyone sufficiently engaged and educated in what's actually going on, as opposed to what commentators are telling us what each side said . .there might be some more illuminating discussion.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

8. You're replying to someone who thinks students should be able to turn in papers on creationism

in science class. As long as they can defend the idea well enough:

http://sync.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2400212

[HangOnKids]

11. That Was An Odd Post Wasn't It? n/t

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

12. Indeed it was. nt

[annabanana]

22. omg..(got it). . . n/t

[JI7]

40. of course, BOTH sides should be treated Equally

[HangOnKids]

6. Maybe Politics Isn't For You

It doesn't appear you get this crux of the biscuit.

[WinkyDink]

10. I'm not sure people should be Miss Manners over evil policies/wars/torture/lies/propaganda/etc.

[Fumesucker]

15. I'll think about it when Rush is off Armed Forces Radio

[NCTraveler]

17. I like the battles in politics.

They should be harsh and persistent. We elect them to fight for us. I think that is why so many don't care much for politics. They feel there are people fighting for them.

[woo me with science]

20. People will put up with a lot

if they feel they have people fighting for them.

The problem is that party loyalty is sold as a team sport now, and purposely disassociated from policy by the one percent who live in both parties. People are exhorted to be loyal to party regardless of policy. Hence the vicious battles you see here between those who continually rationalize and justify the corporatist policies now being advanced by the Democratic Party, and those who are outraged by the scope and depth of the neoDemocratic corporate agenda.

The Blue Team fights for me. Never mind what the Blue Team is actually doing, policy-wise.

[NCTraveler]

24. Agree.

But I don't think many who seem to support anything the Blue Team does are necessarily afraid of avoiding the "cold, hard truth". Many of them feel the team allegiance is the long term solution to such truths. Others have undying support simply to be a part of a team. Others are sold by team propaganda. Others just aren't very smart.

I do like the "hold their feet to the fire" approach. I don't really see much of a reason to applaud politicians, even when they do good. They will be applauded with my vote, time, and money. Never really understood the "poor little Obama" attitude. Doesn't make much sense to me. But there are those who make up the lamest bs to attack politicians, including Obama.

Overall I agree with your post. Specially when you use the word "here". Because "here" is very different from almost everyones daily life.

[DonCoquixote]

49. Red and Blue teams

I think what happened was that in 2000, many got angry at the Blue team, and then saw the red team run rampant. As long as the alternative to Blue team winning is red team running amok, most of us will support Blue team, even though we will try and rip the purple parts off of the team banner.

[OceanEcosystem]

23. Battle can still be waged with respect.

Strength and determination doesn't have to come at the price of civility.

[NCTraveler]

25. Can be. I just don't really think it needs to be.

And I am talking about elected officials here.

[HangOnKids]

28. Screw That, The RW Wants To Kill Everything The Left Stands For

I say go for the jugular, because they are going for it too.

[OldDem2012]

35. LOL. Seriously?? nt.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. I'd prefer that we get the money out of politics. It's been around as long as the vitriol.

And, is far more harmful.

[woo me with science]

21. Best post in the thread. nt

[LeftishBrit]

48. Excellent point!

[FSogol]

19. Unrec. Just another "Both sides do it post."

[SalviaBlue]

27. +1

[JaneyVee]

26. It will never happen. We are 2 separate countries:

sane rational leftwing & psycho batshit crazy rightwing.

[Scootaloo]

29. Oh yes. The problem is tone, and nothing else! Golly!

Sorry chief, but for two sides to have reasonable discussion, both sides need to be reasonable. Ever tried to have a reasonable discussion with someone who believes, oh, say, that 9/11 was engineered by the Masons?

For an example I've used before, go to Stormfront. Unless they've changed format in recent years, they have a forum dedicated to "discussion" with anti-racists called, appropriately enough "the anti forum." I've participated in that mess. Rhetoric is heated on both sides. But when one side is arguing for the purge of nonwhites from the entire country, and the other side is arguing against that, doyou think perhaps one side has some honest entitlement to be heated?

You want me to be reasonable with people who categorize rape into acceptable and less-acceptable categories? Who think the Voting Rights Act is "racist entitlement"? Who think Obama is raising a black army to institute white slavery? Who think Iraq was an awesome idea, and ought to be repeated in Iran?

That's not going to happen. I can accept a difference of opinion, but I cannot accept a difference of reality.

[Notafraidtoo]

30. It would be nice

Cause Conservatives cant win with out vitriol,its the only weapon they have to convince a third of the nation to go along with Small week government, unregulated business and legal discrimination based on stupidity like someones sex or race.

Every person i know who is on social security is a republican, and is firmly against its privatization but thinks i am being dishonest when i tell them this is the end game of Conservatives, If republican voters knew the policy's they were supporting they wouldn't vote republican but they don't cause they respond only to the Vitriol.

[OldDem2012]

34. Bull. You must not know any Democrats on Social Security...we know the game being played. nt.

[Notafraidtoo]

50. Thats why i said as much.

Every person i know personally on social security just so happens to be a republican, they have no idea about the plans of their party to privatize, It's why vitriol for Conservatives is so effective,my family when i talk to them about the issues are naturally liberal but because they buy into the vitriol of republicans they vote against their own best interest.

[OldDem2012]

31. Do you actually read much US and/or World History?...

....If you did, you'd realize what you're proposing is NEVER going to happen, because it's NEVER happened at any time in recorded history.

But, hey, thanks for your concern.

[Kingofalldems]

32. Both sides my ass.

What the hell are you talking about?

[HangOnKids]

38. Hey I've Heard You Have Quite A Fine Ass So Stop That!

But I concur, this OP does appear to be just a tad bit......off.....

[JI7]

37. i think you are a Troll

[TheKentuckian]

39. What are you ten? We've bent over backward so far that we've become who they were a decade ago

and all it has done is make them even more extreme and put the American People, our values, and our future in a deep hole.

Bipartisanship is an utter failure.

Civility in the face of absurdity has utterly failed and escalated matters.

Benefit of the doubt has been abused to the point of flushing 99% of our people down the toilet.

Meekness paid back with belligerence.

"Meeting half way" has resulted in steady loss with little to nothing in exchange.

Looking forward has done nothing but encourage greater criminality.

We have active disenfranchisement efforts and twisted campaigns to gerrymander the will of the people out of existence.

We face unlimited money buying elections.


I say to you, WAKE UP AND SMELL THE FASCISM!

[Warpy]

43. There is only one way to do that

Clean up the media. Break apart the monopolies, insist on truth in advertising (bye bye Pox, you're propaganda, not news) and reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine.

Once they stop being able to lie about whose mess it is, maybe we can get back to rational discourse on what it will take to fix it. Once they have to stop blaming abandoned families for the budget deficit caused by reckless tax cuts, unnecessary wars, and a military budget that ate half the country, we can think about how to rectify those problems. Once they are forced to fess up that there are no commies under the bed, they'll be forced to deal with the reality of the political landscape.

Until then, forget it. You're going to have howler monkeys on one side flinging feces and it's illegal to shoot them. You're just going to have to put up with people who howl back.

[Kingofalldems]

44. Oh no! Looks like Mr Skinner got all vitriolic with you.

Too bad.

[99Forever]

45. "Both sides," my tired ass.

Even complete capitulation isn't enough for the assholes on the right.

You want to bend over and take it, that's your choice, some of us are made of a higher gauge of materials. I'l fight them any way I can till the day I can no longer draw a breath. I have zero respect for surrender monkeys.

[LeftishBrit]

47. The point is, though, that most of the real vitriol seems to be on the Right

Especially when you go beyond words to actions.

The Republicans impeached Clinton for partisan reasons. By contrast, even when the Democrats had a majority in both houses at the end of Bush's term, they took impeachment 'off the table'. In both cases, it was obvious that there wouldn't be the Senate votes to convict; the difference is that the Republicans were vitriolic enough to try anyway.

The Republicans shut down government for several weeks to force their will on Clinton, and threatened to do so with Obama. Democrats have not done anything comparable -certainly not in recent times.

In America, most actual and attempted political murders have been by either right-wingers or total nutcases. Very few such acts have been committed by left-wingers - even the attempted murder of Ronald Reagan was motivated by pure nuttery, not by left-wing views.

In the UK, there is less political violence and extreme rhetoric in any case - but the worst forms have generally either come from religious-political sectarianism, or from frankly far-right groups: the BNP, EDL, in the past their forerunners such as the National Front. In the political mainstream, there has been far more hate-rhetoric from the right-wing tabloids, e.g. the Mail and Express, mainly against immigrants and benefit claimants, than from left-wingers.

Of course there are left-wingers who can be abusive toward right-wingers, but as far as I can see the biggest problem on the left is that different left-wing factions attack each other more than they attack the Right.

[TimberValley]

51. That's interesting.

I've long wondered how US politics compares to politics in other nations in the world.