Our national discourse has indeed slipped, but I believe this has been for the most part instigated and encouraged by the likes of Grover Norquist, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, and a host of other right wingers. We on the Liberal/Progressive side have historically taken the high road in much of the national discourse, and until very recently we were portrayed as weak and ineffectual in our attempts to impact the discussion. Of course, it was the right who were making these claims of impotency against us, and more often than not doing it through lies and distortion. That they were lying mattered not, as the end result produced their desired outcome.
However, much like the schoolyard bully who flexes his muscles and pushes the smaller kids around, but runs crying to the yard monitor when finally one of the bullied kids screws up his courage and pops the bully in the nose, the GOP and the right wingers are crying now because the left is pushing back. Some may say that we're taking the low road by engaging the bullies with in kind tactics, and that these actions are contributing to the lowering of the national discourse, but I believe that we've pretty much reached the bottom and the only way to restore sanity in the national discourse is to attack. A bully only remains successful as long as his intimidation works. There comes a time when ignoring a bully or trying to reason with him just encourages continued bullying.
I was raised in a Democrat home, and have been a registered Dem since 1976 when I cast my first presidential election vote for Jimmy Carter, but I have to tell you, I have never been prouder, nor more encouraged by my party than I have in the past few months. We are seeing a systematic smackdown of right wing talking points the likes of which I have never seen in almost forty years of following politics. The right is crying foul, making accusations of lying, and all the while tearing their hair out because they are being met not with mere words (true though they've been all these years) but with resolve and fortitude backing up what we say. We're not backing down or apologizing any more, and if that is perceived to be lowering the national discourse, well I can live with that.
= new reply since forum marked as read